latest
wonder of all, the great "Earth Chronicle" building in 253d Avenue,
which was dedicated the other day? If George Washington Smith, the
founder of the Manhattan "Chronicle", should come back to life to-day,
what would he think were he to be told that this palace of marble and
gold belongs to his remote descendant, Fritz Napoleon Smith, who, after
thirty generations have come and gone, is owner of the same newspaper
which his ancestor established!

For George Washington Smith's newspaper has lived generation after
generation, now passing out of the family, anon coming back to it. When,
200 years ago, the political center of the United States was transferred
from Washington to Centropolis, the newspaper followed the government
and assumed the name of Earth Chronicle. Unfortunately, it was unable to
maintain itself at the high level of its name. Pressed on all sides by
rival journals of a more modern type, it was continually in danger of
collapse. Twenty years ago its subscription list contained but a few
hundred thousand names, and then Mr. Fritz Napoleon Smith bought it for
a mere trifle, and originated telephonic journalism.

Every one is familiar with Fritz Napoleon Smith's system--a system made
possible by the enormous development of telephony during the last
hundred years. Instead of being printed, the Earth Chronicle is every
morning spoken to subscribers, who, in interesting conversations with
reporters, statesmen, and scientists, learn the news of the day.
Furthermore, each subscriber owns a phonograph, and to this instrument
he leaves the task of gathering the news whenever he happens not to be
in a mood to listen directly himself. As for purchasers of single
copies, they can at a very trifling cost learn all that is in the paper
of the day at any of the innumerable phonographs set up nearly
everywhere.

Fritz Napoleon Smith's innovation galvanized the old newspaper. In the
course of a few years the number of subscribers grew to be 80,000,000,
and Smith's wealth went on growing, till now it reaches the almost
unimaginable figure of $10,000,000,000. This lucky hit has enabled him
to erect his new building, a vast edifice with four _facades_ each 3,250
feet in length, over which proudly floats the hundred-starred flag of
the Union. Thanks to the same lucky hit, he is to-day king of
newspaperdom; indeed, he would be king of all the Americans, too, if
Americans could ever accept a king. You do not believe it