HOW ASTORIA DEFIED FIRE AND DID "BUSINESS AS USUAL"
By RALPH D. CASEY
Professor of Journalism, University of Oregon
[The December issue of Oregon Exchanges was compelled to go to press with out an adequate account of the achievement of the Astoria papers in continuing publication the face of the heartbreaking difficulties following the fire which wiped out their plants together with the whole business section of their city. Mr. Casey's article catches the spirit in which the Astoria publishers triumphed over the flames.—Editor.]
ASTORIA publishers, editors and reporters gallantly upheld one of journalism’s traditions when they refused to be put out of business by the recent fire which destroyed the business section of the city. The Astorian and Budget were burned out, but neither suspended publication, even temporarily. Quick to adapt themselves to a difficult situation, editorial and business staffs worked long hours and with tireless energy in order that there would be no break in publication. One of these days copies of the Astorian and Budget issued after the fire will be prized exhibits of historical societies and newspaper annalists.
When earthquake and fire visited San Francisco in 1906 newspapermen the country over were proud of the spirit shown by the journalism fraternity of the Bay City in face of the crisis. It may be recalled that in the course of the publication five years later of Will Irwin’s series on American journalism, Collier’s Weekly called attention to the Call-Chronicle-Examiner, the newspaper issued by the combined editorial staffs on April 19, the morning after the earthquake. The achievement of the San Francisco papers was a splendid example of journalistic enterprise. The work of Astoria newspapermen is no less worthy of praise.
An editorial printed in the Astorian on December 9, the day following the fire, declared: “Astoria will not stand in stunned dismay, pondering on a past disaster. . . . Let every citizen unite with the common purpose to advance, to grow again; let none lag; let none be dismayed. . . . ’Let’s Go.'"
Typewriters set up on packing boxes in temporary editorial quarters rattled “Let’s Go.” Linotypes rescued from the flames took up the command. A press utilized in the shop of a foreign language newspaper did its best to heed the exhortation, and every man of the staff of the Astorian obeyed the editorial dictum even before it was uttered.
The Budget staff attacked its problems with like ardor. Last October the Budget went into a new building on Exchange street. The fire was no respecter of the new structure, however, leaving only the walls standing. With the exception of office furniture and files, the Budget’s equipment was practically a total loss. Three linotypes, a Ludlow and job presses were damaged beyond repair.
Mimeograph is Used
The Budget building was burned at 7 a. m., leaving the staff without a home and without equipment to issue the regular afternoon edition, which would tell the story of the fire. But reporters went ahead gathering and writing the news. Merle Chessman borrowed a mimeograph machine from an abstract company out side of the fire zone, set it up in the Y. M. C. A. and from noonday to 3 p. m. the Budget got out four editions on the
