The New Student's Reference Work/Associated Press

Associated Press, the largest organization of its kind, is a mutual organization of persons representing newspapers, having for its purpose the collection and distribution of the important news of the world. There are about eight hundred and sixty members. For its more important service The Associated Press has its own leased wires, which form a network across the continent from Bangor, Me., to Seattle, Wash., and San Diego, Cal., and from Duluth, Minn., to New Orleans, Galveston and Tampa, Fla. The total mileage of this leased wire system is approximately: Day wires 22,000 miles; night wires 28,000. From various points along the trunk lines the report is sent to interior cities. Each of its members engages to contribute the news of his immediate vicinage to The Associated Press. The annual revenues, which are derived from assessments levied upon its members, approximate $3,000,000 while the number of words daily received and transmitted at each of the more important offices is over 50,000, or the equivalent of thirty-five columns of the average newspaper. The headquarters are in New York with bureaus at thirty-five other cities in this country and at the important capitals of other nations. It has correspondents all over the world and coöperative relations with the largest similar organizations in foreign lands. It is governed by a Board of Directors, fifteen in number, chosen for three-year terms by the members in annual meetings. It has no stock, no dividends and no profits of any character, its revenue being derived from assessments of its members.

The present organization operates under a New York charter, secured in 1900, and is the outgrowth of several earlier and competing associations.

Frederick R. Martin,

Assistant General Manager,

Associated Press.