Oct. 19
Calf Carcass Found
Calf carcass, black and white hide, weight about 85 pounds, found at 11th and Henry Ave. 6:30 a. m.
Oper
These slips need little explanation. The name signed to each is that of the police officer reporting. The Pct. 3 signed after the third indicates merely the local precinct from which the report was made. The time at the end of each slip signifies the exact time at which the report was received at police headquarters.
54. Arrest Sheets.—In addition to the slips there are the "arrest sheets," on which all arrests are recorded. These sheets are open always to public inspection, as the public has a right to know of every arrest, lest a man be imprisoned unjustly. On [page 37] is given a verbatim reproduction of the arrests recorded in a city in the Middle West. The M or S at the top of the fifth column stands for married or single, and R and W at the top of the eighth, for read and write. The D and D charge against the second offender is drunk and disorderly. It will be noted that the cases entered after ten o'clock had not been disposed of when this sheet was copied. From these arrest sheets and the slips, as the reader may readily see, the reporter is able to get a brief but prompt and accurate account of most of the accidents and crimes within the city. And with these advance notices in his possession he can follow up the event and get all available facts.
55. Other News Gatherers.—But there are numerous other non-paid news gatherers. Doctors are required to report to the health department every birth, death, and contagious disease to which they have been called in a professional capacity. To the coroner is reported every fatal accident, suicide, murder, or suspicious death. The county clerk keeps a record of every marriage license. The recorder of deeds has a register of all sales and transfers of property. The building inspector has a full account of buildings condemned, permits granted for new buildings, and fire devices required. The leading hotels have the names of important guests visiting or passing through the city. Thus by regular visitation of certain persons and places in the city, a newspaper through its representatives, the reporters, is able to get most of the news of its neighborhood.
56. Regular News Sources.—Places that serve as news sources are known as "beats" or "runs." The chief ones and the kinds of news found at each are:
- Associated Charities Headquarters: destitution, poverty, relief work.
- Boards of Trade, Brokers, Commission Men: market quotations; sales of grain, stocks, and bonds; financial outlook.
- Boxing Commission: boxing permissions and regulations.
- Building Department, Real Estate Dealers, Architects: new buildings, unsafe buildings.
- Caterers: banquets, society dinners.
- Civic Organizations: reform movements, speakers, etc.
- Civil Courts: complaints, trials, decisions.
- Commercial Club: business news.
- Coroner's Office: fatal accidents, murders, suicides, suspicious deaths.
- County Clerk: marriage licenses, county statistics.
- County Jail: arrests, crimes, executions.
- Criminal Courts: arraignments, trials, verdicts.
- Delicatessen Stores: banquets, society dinners.
- Fire Department Headquarters: fires, fire losses, fire regulations, condemned buildings.
- Florists: banquets, dinners, receptions, social functions.
- Health Department: births, deaths, contagious diseases, reports on sanitation.
- Hospitals: accidents, illnesses, deaths.
- Hotels: important guests, banquets, dinners, social functions.
- Labor Union Headquarters: labor news.
- Morgue: unidentified corpses.
- Police Headquarters: accidents, arrests, crimes, fires, lost and found articles, missing persons, suicides, sudden or suspicious deaths.
- Political Clubs and Headquarters: county, state, and national political news.
- Probate Office: estates, wills.
- Public Works Department: civic improvements.
- Railway Offices: new rates, general shipping news.
- Referee in Bankruptcy: assignments, failures, creditors' meetings, appointments of receivers, settlements.
- Register of Deeds: real estate sales and transfers.
- Shipping Offices: departure and docking of vessels; cargoes, shipping rates, passenger lists.
- Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: arrests, complaints, animal stories.
- Superintendent of Schools: educational news.
- Vice Commission: arrests, complaints, raids.