Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 1934)
A Section Two Greater Salem In Detail u Fifteen Years of Steady Progress a i?i ia. re m ia a a .an r TO THE BUILDERS OF OREGON The Building Of A Newspaper For Modern People "SILEM, OREGON', TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1934 FOR A GREATER NORTHWEST THE NEW CAPITAL JOURNAL BUILDING By STEPHEN A. STONE I The Capital Journal la at home In Its own new house I That, with a sense of comfort and gratitude, Is the thought today with publisher and employes. Comfort because the new building affords ample facili ties for the continued progress of an aggressive newspaper. Gratitude because it shows this paper enjoys the good will of the people whom it serves, for without public confi dence no establishment can long endure and prosper. Careful planning has gone Into the building of the Journal's new home, with an eye to the practical as well as beauty In construction. The result, say persons who are In formed, Is outstanding among news paper buildings and plants on the Pacific coast. Together with taste In architectural design it combines an Interior plan with space and ar rangement suitable to the job of newspaper making. The Capital Journal has been in Its present ownership 15 years. Looking back over that period, not ing the contrast between the old, cramped quarters and the new home with its improved equipment, the wonder Is that so much prog ress could have been made under the old conditions. The Journal's publisher soon foresaw the situa tion, and nearly 10 years ago began to lay quiet plans for a new build ing. With this primarily in mind he acquired the quarter block fronting on Chemeketa and Liberty streets, and the Improvement in that prop erty since has been one of the out standing business developments In Salem in recent years. Ultimately a part of the property was leased and buildings constructed for Industrial and mercantile enterprises. But the area on Chemeketa street, Just west of the city hall, was reserved for the Capital Journal. FEW OWN BUILDINGS Surprisingly few newspapers are published In their own homes. And when a newspaper moves into Its own building an epoch is marked In Its career. For the Capital Jour nal a successful epoch has gone by. It confidently believes others are ahead. Newspapers by and large are pub lished on a fallacious basis. The fallacy, among the general run of editors, Is that they dare not be bold, especially on matters of con troversy within the scope of their own circulations. They may speak loudly about the tariff, or the Chi cago wheat gamblers, or Sam In sull. But the cagey editor keeps off of the home town politicians and zealots and their potpourri of doc trines, lest he face a boycott and the cash register get pernicious anemia. The result is that personal Jour nalism Is All but destroyed, and that drab sameness exists among newspapers. If there were a gen eral shifting about of editors from one paper to another the renders of few of them would be able to detect any difference in editorial or news content. THE CAPITAL JOURNAL STARTED IN 1888 On Thursday, March 1, 1888, the Evening Capital Jurnal came to life In Salem. Will H. Parry, native of Independence, was manager with his name flying from the masthead, Offices were at 112 Court street In the "Opera House Block" where Miller's store Is now situated. The theater was In the upper part of the store building and the Capital Journal announced that the Webster-Bradley company would pre sent the play "'She" on March 12 and that the world known Haverly Minstrels would be on hand at the opera house on March 28. The paper was to be published every evening except Sunday, as it has been down through the years. It was available at $5 a year, $2 for six months or delivered by car rier at 16 cents a week. Will H. Parry, the manager, was active as a newspaper man and In large business enterprises through his life. He first operated a news paper In Independence where he was born and raised. After leaving Salem he was connected with news papers In Seattle and later with large shipbuilding concern there, When he died he was a member of the federal trade relations board under appointment from President Woodrow Wilson. Under Mr. Parry's management the editorial columns In the first issue of the Capital Journal blared forth the announcement that "The Capital Journal Is Issued today In the Interest of the republican party succeeding the Oregon Sentry." It declared In unequivocal terms that "The republican party is the party of progress" and that "in the van of this conflict will be the Cap- ltal Journal holding aloft the ban ner of true republicanism, and fighting for the principles of the noblest and greatest party that the world has ever known." But that was in 1888. "Let the ravenoui democrats come on, the Capital Journal has no fears of the outcome," concludes another editorial In hurling down the glove of conflict." On Monday of the week the Jour nal started Salem had a fire and the Journal declared that "Monday' fire demonstrated the fact that "While Salem has an active, ener getic set of workers as ever extin gulshed a flame, their facilities are sadly deficient and should be per- fected as fast as a city of Salem's proportions could go about it.' T. C. Jory, committeeman for the prohibition party was calling to gether a prohibition primary con vention with elections to be held at the four Salem precincts to elect delegations to a county convention for the party. Knights of Labor were calling meeting for "the purpose of enter taining by debate and other literary exercises those who might attend.1 W. D. Wheeler a farmer of Ma cleay had Just nearly lost a valu- lj Mill! 4li IrMlI illMSiijj This Building Built Especially to house the Growing Journal "111 IT IS NOW 1 5 YEARS AGO Fifteen years ago, In September, 1919, the Capital Journal passed Into Its present ownership. They have been 16 years of progress In the making of a good newspaper. That progress Is Indicated by the new building that Is now Its home, but It Is mainly attested by the fact that the Journal's paid circulation had grown from less than 5000 In 1919 to nearly 10,000 paid-up sun scrlbers In 1934. Very few news- papers in cities of Salem's class can boast of subscription lists as big. There is significance In the number. Either all of those 10,000 believe as the Capital Journal be lieves or a percentage of them read It regardless. Of course the latter Is true. All of Its 10,000 subscribers do not vote with the Capital Journal. A lot of them criticize it sharply. But they all gladly pay money to have it In their homes because they find In It sincere, crisply-spoken comment on community affairs and news without bias. In Journalism there is a sacred tradition violated by too many ed itorsthat the news must be print ed as It happens, without regard to the editorial policy of the paper About the New . Building And How Planned (Concluded on page 3) The building has dimensions of 100 by 50 feet, and Is two stories high above a basement 12 feet deep. In strength It was planned for an additional story If that should ever be needed. The architecture is of Gothic derivation and of modern verticallty In design, . carried through both In walls and windows. Chevrons at the top are a decora tive touch. At the front, over the entrance doors, the pediment ex tends an additional five feet above the coping. Among conveniences for employes the carrier boys were not forgotten, for at the rear attach ments have been Installed for a marquee that ultimately will extend over the bicycle racks below. Downspout drains that often mar the appearance of otherwise beauti ful buildings are hidden within the walls, with additional outlets as i guard against freezing weather. An other thought to the weather nas been given in a double seal against moisture as the first color applica tion to the outside walls. The build ing will, as soon as weather per- " . Jj, ,f3 l ', wj If ' flip, ' " 1 rf - ... - t - .rfri Uhaiaitiititl Eitiii'iriirtiMir i 111 riii'Mi ' - - j..i a..,.. J Section of Editorial Room View of Business offic i . ' The Editors Room 1 -J " " -teSH A-.. ti ""jS&gl In Marlon county four and a half The State Highway Commission ffi1fe4Wi--'Jt f iwa&iM " - ' i"Ktf-"iM'iiiiiriMiMffH! years ago, there were 6,868 foreign traffic count of August 12, 1934, limiSWggs-, jSaSl ' 1 Agmm ,. BB 'fy-:- 1 born white people. Oermany led shhowed that 3,534 cars passed a ;''Jtffllltf&ft&9 i', 'I !5 -- t J with jio4. Then Canada with 981. given point Just north of Salem on IE -'!K.-4 t-i 'iVJ J Norway was third with 623 and then the Pacific Highway between the 9iMtS(3(V, i-h-1 .4y$ i " M4atmfiii Switzerland with 304. hours of 6 o'clock In the morning rt - -f kJLJS , - ' s,V,. r:: : " number, 649 were passenger cars PlfiTMi'y cT wSmr 1 ", ion coumr.n rmoTz r rrom ih "an- v&if&'k r4d$fJ a v , J Russia Wales was at the bottom of Marion county had 6,670 persons ( v ,.VV Mj?'4jfi JS" y ' " T"-l,irtfk A IrWl If you want to know anything census was taken April 1, 1930. And - i. 'i?L'"' J i 'Ym 1 about tne temperature, call the at the same time there were 3,860 I 1 i ' ' ,'i a " J AlrPort, phone 8909. Your thermom- who were between 66 and 74 years fcMM1MM6iilfe'iiatMaai '.--..,.,t,.-:,..,-.-. ; ... . - .M.mt in i t MM '1 i -M eter may tell a different story but old and 1,598 who were more than when the airport reports to the 75 years old. These are official gov- vMtathoP Vim-ami In Dfrt1anr1 that la ammant ffintroa talrnn ahmit. fnilF A Portion of Comnosincr Room ' official. ' and one half years ago. I able horse when It became badly snagged in a piece of fence railj "which had been carelessly left in1 the road." The animal was ruined for life and would probably die, the paper announced. Prohibitionists had just held an overflow banquet if such a ban quet Is appropriate for prohibition ists, but so the paper said same banquet being held In WCTU hall with numerous speeches and at least a flow of soul. Salem, said the paper, had many advantages, Including the court house "Chemeketa" hotel, opera house, Catholic school building, Methodist church, Willamette uni versity and many "private residenc es and business blocks which will compare favorably with older and larger cities." The Orient was due to be "up tonight from Portland and pass on up to Corvallis, returning tomor row." " Mr. Barnes of New York' and Mr. Potter of Texas two of the most popular stories ever writ ten" had Just been received at T. McP, Patton's book store at State street and were available at 50 cents a copy. The Salem Building & Loan association had just com pleted organization with Isaac A. Manning as its head and George Mack, T. J. Potter, H. W. Cox and B. E. Crltchlow as directors. Dep- ity Sheriff Ed Crolsan had arrest ed In Portland a Woodburn boot legger "who sold liquor without i license." W. M. Ramsey bad just 'sent i letter Into the city council resign ing as mayor because he expected to move from Salem to Pendleton He was In the law business here at the time with the late George Bingham. EARLT ADVERTISERS Weller brothers were advertising the finest selection of dried fruits ever seen In Salem. Weller Broth ers, grocers, announced that i freight train had just come steam- ng into Salem loaded down. with supplies for said grocery. The Ore gon Land company, with H. J. Min thorn president, was buying and selling real estate. About this time Herbert Hoover, later to be presi dent of the United States, was of fice boy for the land company. J. D. McCully was receiving i full line of spring clothing at his store 249 Commercial street and William Brown & Company was of fering boots, leather and findings and was paying cash for wool, hides, pelts and furs at 231 N. Commer cial. The Capital Adventure com pany with S. Friedman as manager, had new dress, goods at the opera (Concluded on page 2 Operator! setting typ for tht Capital Journal mita, be painted a light tan color, with footings and chevrons a seal brown. The alley entrance on the .eass side of the building has been made amply large to admit the largest rolls of newsprint paper, with chute arrangement for convenience. The folding doors are stainless metal clad. In the basement are the new Du plex Unitubular press and stereo typing equipment, the mailing com partment, . folding tables for tha newspaper carriers, filing archives, furnace and boiler, and the men's lavatory. All the equipment for printing the newspaper is practically a chain operation with a minimum of wast ed motion. The roomy mailing and folding tables are made of tempered pressboard covered with Masonite, a composition that is proof against stains and chemical damage. There are two newspaper filing spaces. One set of shelves Is merely for a year's files. The other, for the per manent bound files, Is estimated to be roomy enough for the bound volumes of the Journal for the next 70 years. The building Is heated with gas. all operated automatically. The fur nace and hot water tank, both cov ered with asbestos and painted can vas, are In a separate compartment of the basement, snugly enclosed. Statlo on the paper rolls, which sometimes Is bothersome In the printing of a newspaper, la con trolled by a special heating devlcr above the press. Among protective devices for employes are what are known as dead-front cabinets that enclose the electrical switches. The basement celling is treated acous tically with Celotex, Intended to deaden the noise of the press for the benefit of occupants on the floor above. Doors at the front entrance on Chemeketa street are of Monel metal. Immediately within Is a small lobby. Niches In the lobby walls are a decorative feature de signed for flowers or statuary. Prom the lobby a short flight of steps leads to the business office and the news and editorial rooms. In a cozy office looking out on Chemeketa street, Immediately above the entrance, are the desk and working library of the editor and publisher. Light partitions, with doors, separate the editor's den from the business office, which oc cupies the east side and front and the news room which ooccuples the west side and front. Business office and news room are equipped with mahogany furni ture, its arrangement pddlng much to convenience. An improvement In telephone equipment Is a central phone In the business office con necting with news and editorial rooms, composing room and base ment. In all 16 manual telephone Instruments are provided fori In the news room the managing editor and all staff members have separ ate desks, these furnishings being new. Counters and swinging steel gates separate business offices and news room. An Intervening rec tangle contains a wall desk for the current files of the Capital Journal. Counters and all woodwork In this part of the building are paint ed silver gray, and the concrete r floors are covered with rubber tile. All hardware Is of matching design, and tarnish -proof. Windows at the front are of plate glass. Those at the sides and rear are of American crystal. All are built In the vertical scheme. The windows throughout are equipped with Venetian blinds, and in the business offices and news room have drapes at the base. NEWS ASSOCIATIONS' ROOMS Immediately back of the news room are compartments for the As sociated Press and United Press bu reaus and their tcletyplng equip ment. The floors of these rooms are of asphalt tile and walls of acous tical plaster. Their construction Is calculated to be 95 per cent sound absorbing, giving them a high de gree of protection against the noise of machinery In other parts of the building. Occupying large space at the rear of the upper floor Is the composing room with plenty of area to give employes a maximum of comfort. The four linotype machines range along the east side, In angular po sition, and there Is space for addi tional machines when needed. The concrete floor In this part of the building Is treated with Increte for protection against chemicals and stain. Adequate acoustlo provision has been made throughout the building. The celling above business office, news room, composing room and the press association rooms Is 19 feet above the floor. It Is of a com position called Therm ax and is said to absorb 87 per cent of sound. Be sides that It will resist fire for ona hour. Coat and hat closets, women's lavatory and some additional filing space are other conveniences on tha main floor. A steel stairway ex tends from this floor to the base- .(Conoluded on psgt fl