GRAVERS' TOOLS
A new and growing department in the Witness office, but quite unique as regards daily newspapers, is the one where the wood-engravings are made. Next to the reporter, whose materials, except those carried in the head, consist of a cedar lead-pencil, a few sheets of paper and a penknife, his are the least troublesome and expensive used in almost any line of business. To bring out all the beautiful effects obtainable in wood-engraving the only tools used are about thirty "gravers' tools," most of them triangular in shape, ground down to a sharp point. The material used is boxwood, cut across the log, joined in small pieces so perfectly that the place of junction cannot be distinguished, and polished to a perfect state. On this the design to be followed is drawn. The engraver may either be an artist or not. If an artist, he will, as he pursues his work, alter and improve an imperfect drawing in its minor and imperfect details, as may be necessary; putting in a little light here, darkening a shade there, and almost invariably turning out a pleasing picture. If not an artist, he will "follow his copy, even if it goes out of the window," as a compositor would say, copying beauties and defects with the same unconcern, and producing a picture even from a good drawing with as little spirit or soul as the block on which he works—a "wood-cut," not an "engraving." It will be understood that all wood-engravings are made in relief, that which is to be printed being allowed to remain, the lights being cut away. If this were merely all, the work would not be very difficult; but more is required. The block must be lowered at places to give very light and delicate shades and that the edges of the shades may not be harsh and coarse, for the press is not naturally a discriminating machine, and unless everything is very near perfection, little aid can be given by it. But, nevertheless, the pressman is required to assist the engraver, and to do this properly he also must be an artist. By placing small pieces of tissue paper, or, sometimes, something coarser, under the electrotype here and there where needed, he will cause it to rise and greater pressure to come on some portions where greater distinctness is required than at others. This is called "underlaying." More perfect work than is possible in newspapers is obtained by "patches," as they are called, pasted on the "tympan," or the sheet which presses on the face of the engraving, a process called, in contradistinction to the other, "overlaying." There are now three engravers in the employ of the Witness office, and by one of these, Charles Wilson, a deaf-mute, the sketches which illustrate this article were made, with three exceptions, which the reader will have no difficulty in determining. Most of the pictures were engraved by him and his confrères, others being executed by an etching process on zinc without the use of wood at all, or, indeed, of any engraving process, which we cannot now further refer to.
All matters in regard to the newspaper are in interest subordinate to the editing, to which everything is in all ways subsidiary. Who or what is the mysterious "We" whose opinions have such weight, and who appears to be possessed of all knowledge? Sometimes there is little mystery about it, as when the public are informed that "yesterday we received the finest cucumbers we ever ate from Mr. Gardner;" or when it is announced that "the public must excuse the small quantity of editorial matter and the mistakes in our paper of last week, as we were laid up with rheumatism." There is no poetry about a "we" who eats cucumbers or is troubled with rheumatism. But the candid impersonal opinions of a newspaper are usually of great weight and value, and enhanced by the impersonality of the writer.
That this should be the case requires no discussion. A newspaper office is the centre of information on current topics. The news gravitates to this centre as naturally as riches to a wealthy man. Thus the writer should be well-informed and be the best able to give a correct judgment on matters of general interest. Then the fact that the argus-eyed press the country over is watching his utterances closely has a tendency to cause much greater care in the expression of views than is the case in ordinary conversation, or in public addresses which will be heard and forgotten. But let a writer in a paper which has the reputation of being impartial make a mistake of consequence, and he has many correctors before the day is over. On the other hand, there is a very great disadvantage under which many papers labor. They are the "organs" of some political party, and instead of being advocates of truth, are advocates of truth only when it suits the "party." It is strange that such papers are often blindly followed, although the followers generally imagine that they are the leaders.
Suffice it to say, while on this matter, that the editor of a metropolitan daily newspaper is an impersonal individual, or individuals, who never can be seen. His functions, however, are divided, and every one who visits a newspaper may find the person he wants. The reception of visitors is one of the most engrossing duties of the editorial chair. Almost daily they come in throngs, for business or for pleasure—to receive advice, but more often to give it—to compliment, but more frequently to complain—sometimes, but proportionately seldom, to give valuable information. But the last they do, sometimes, and all such visitors are gladly welcomed.
Usually the busiest looking man on the editorial staff in a newspaper office is the managing editor, on a morning paper known as the night editor. Every item which appears in the paper except the advertisements must pass through his hands. It is his duty to see that the copy is sent in in good form and grammatically correct. He prepares the telegrams for publication, no inconsiderable duty, requiring an extended knowledge, exact and varied information, carefulness, tact and experience, to be properly done. No message, however ambiguous when he receives it, must be ambiguous when it leaves his hands. The contractions must be extended, the wrongly-spelled proper names put right and verified by means of atlas, directory or gazetteer, and on his zeal and ability in no slight measure depends the acceptability of the newspaper to the public.
