The story of the Sun, New York, 1833-1918 / by Frank M. O'Brien.

50

THE STORY OF "THE SUN"

Maria Jones was accused of stealing clothing, and
committed. Certain affairs were developed of rather a
singular and comical nature in relation to her.
Nothing more than that. Perhaps Wisner rather
enjoyed being questioned by admiring friends when he
went to dinner at the American House that day.
Bright as the police reporter was, the ship-news man
of that day lacked snap. The arrival from Europe of
James Fenimore Cooper, who could have told the Sun
more foreign news than it had ever printed, was dis;
posed of in twelve words. But it must be remembered
that the interview was then unknown. The only way
to get anything out of a citizen was to enrage him,
whereupon he would write a letter. But the Sun did
say, a couple of days later, that Cooper's newest novel,
"The Headsman," was being sold in London at seven
dollars and fifty cents a copy-no doubt in the oldfashioned English form, three volumes at half a guinea
each.
The Sun blew its own horn for the first time on November 9, 1833:
Its success is now beyond question, and it has exceeded the most sanguine anticipations of its publishers
in its circulation and advertising patronage. Scarcely
two months has it existed in the typographical firmament, and it has a daily circulation of upward of two
thousand copies, besides a steadily increasing advertising patronage. Although of a character (we hope)
deserving the encouragement of all classes of society,
it is more especially valuable to those who cannot well
afford to incur the expense of subscribing to a " blanket
sheet" and paying ten dollars per annum.
In conclusion we may be permitted to remark that the
penny press, by diffusing useful knowledge among the
operative classes of society, is effecting the march of