Page:History of Oregon Newspapers.pdf/468

Rh not here when the Morning Oregonian began publication in 1861.

At the time of the founding of the Oregonian, in 1850, the New York Herald was in its eighteenth year. It was a four-page paper, with six 15-em (2½-inch) columns to the page. (Of the 24 columns, 11 were occupied by advertising, some of it of the most objectionable kind, most of it, however, the general run of retail store advertising.) News still was largely a rewriting of what the papers brought in on the steamers from Europe.

The kind of newswriting which was serving as a model for early western reporters is indicated in the amateurish, chronological telling of a fire story in the Herald of April 11, 1851:

About one o'clock this morning a disastrous fire broke out in the store No. 180 Broadway, occupied by Messrs. Hudson & Robertson, which spread with such rapidity that in a comparatively short time the whole building was in flames. The firemen, with their usual promptitude, were on the spot as soon as the alarm was rung, but notwithstanding their vigorous efforts, the flames got ahead of them. The next store being Cooper's gun and pistol shop, the firemen entered it for the purpose of removing any gun-powder that might be contained therein. On investigation they found only twenty pounds of that dangerous article which was contained in tin kegs. As soon as this was removed, they commenced playing upon the Howard House, which was in imminent danger, and which, it was seen, would soon become a prey to the fire, if the flames, which were then favored by the wind in that direction, proceeded much further. Soon it was discovered that the adjoining building, Howard's Hotel, was in flames, and the boarders therein took the alarm. Boxes, trunks, band boxes, and other articles, were immediately hurried out; and as usual in such cases, more damage was caused by the breakage than by the fire. The terror of the inmates was extreme; and the consequence was, the usual amount of breakage. The powder, however, having been taken from Cooper's store, the firemen felt no apprehension of danger. They worked like beavers in com bating the flames; but the fire, notwithstanding their exertions, got ahead of them; and it was not until the rear portion of the building in which it originated fell, that they were able to control the fierce element.

At about 2 o'clock the house next the corner of John street fell with a most awful crash, and the thousands that