News-work
That branch of printing which is confined exclusively to newspapers. Expedition is necessary in getting out a newspaper, and the greatest order and punctuality must be observed to ensure its publication at the proper time. Compositors of a daily paper are expected to set-up a given number of fines in every hour; otherwise the printer would not be able to estimate the strength of his staff.
On the morning papers the news-hands generally commence work at three o’clock in the afternoon, so as to get in their letter and be ready to take copy at six or seven. The copy is served out in “takes” of about a stickful, and each compositor, as he finishes his take, applies for another one. As it frequently happens that towards the close the copy comes in faster than the regular hands can set it up, a number of supernumeraries, called “Grass-hands” (q.v.), are taken on till the paper is up. These grass-hands are also engaged to occupy the frames of regular hands who may have fallen sick, or have asked leave to “sell out” (q.v.), for a night. In such cases they take copy and have the same share of work as the regular hand whom he represents.
An evening paper is conducted on the same principle, with this difference, that the work is done in the day-time instead of at night. The men start composition at 8 a.m., the paper being published at 2 p.m. The distribution of the type for the next morning’s issue is then proceeded with, till the time for leaving off, about six or seven o’clock in the evening.
The system adopted on a weekly paper greatly differs from that of a daily paper. Being a summary of the week’s news, the copy is chiefly culled from the daily papers as they are published. The early part of the week is therefore devoted to distributing the type, and a number of apprentices or turnovers get up the police news, parliamentary reports, and other general intelligence until about Wednesday or Thursday, when a number of grass-hands are called in to get up the heavy portion of the late news. One long day (say from eight o’clock in the morning till midnight) generally suffices for this, with a few hours each day after for the various editions.
On all newspapers, a few hands are kept back ready to set-up or make alterations for any important news that may call for a special edition. In a general way a compositor who has been brought up on news-work is incompetent for the purposes of a general printing-office,—in fact, they don't care to apply for employment in a book-house, as the work is not so well paid for; but they forget that the extra pay for news-work is, at the best, but a poor compensation for the night-work, and consequent deprivation of domestic comfort and happiness, to say nothing of the pernicious effects it has upon the man’s constitution.
The first edition did not have an entry for “sell out.”
News-work
That branch of printing which is confined exclusively to newspapers. Expedition is necessary in getting out a newspaper, and the greatest order and punctuality must be observed to ensure its publication at the proper time. Compositors on a daily paper are expected to set up a given number of. lines in every hour; or otherwise the printer would not be able to estimate the strength of his staff.
On the morning papers the news-hands generally commence work at three o’clock in the afternoon, so as to get in their letter and be ready to take copy at six or seven. The copy is served out in “takes” of about a stickful, and each compositor, as he finishes his take, applies for another one. As it frequently happens towards the close the copy comes in faster than the regular hands can set it up, a number of supernumeraries, called “Grass-hands” (q.v.), are taken on till the paper is up. These grass-hands are also engaged to occupy the frames of regular hands who may have fallen sick, or have asked leave to “sell out” (q.v.) for a night. In such cases they take copy and have the same share of work as the regular hands whom they represent.
An evening paper is conducted on the same principle, with this difference, that the work is done in the daytime instead of at night. The men start composition at 8 a.m., the paper being published at 2 p.m. The distribution of the type for the next morning’s issue is then proceeded with, till the time for leaving off, about six or seven o’clock in the evening.
The system adopted on a weekly paper greatly differs from that of a daily paper. Being a summary of the week’s news, the copy is chiefly culled from the daily papers as they are published. The early part of the week is therefore devoted to distributing the type, and a number of apprentices or turnovers get up the police news, parliamentary reports, and other general intelligence until about Wednesday or Thursday, when a number of grass-hands are called in to get up the heavy portions of the late news. One long day (say from eight o’clock in the morning till midnight) generally suffices for this, with a few hours each day after for the various editions.
On all newspapers, a few hands are kept back ready to set-up or make alterations for any important news that may call for a special edition. In a general way a compositor who has been brought up to news-work is incompetent for the purposes of a general printing-office,—in fact, they don’t care to apply for employment in book-houses, as the work is not so well paid for; but they forget that the extra pay for news-work is, at the best, but a poor compensation for the night-work, and consequent deprivation of domestic comfort and happiness, to say nothing of the pernicious effects it has upon the man’s constitution.
The second edition did not have an entry for “sell out.”