The best-known newspaper in the city of Belém do Pará at the turn of the 20th century, 'A Província do Pará', was owned by Antônio Lemos. In a period of luxury and beautification of the Amazonian capital, in which the poor were pushed to the outskirts, how were they portrayed in the articles published in 1898 and 1911 by the paper (respectively the first and last year of Lemos' mandate)? Combining the historical context with journalistic practice will show the influences of the political, cultural and economic transformations that the city was going through, disseminating in its texts the ideals of modernity and the policies desired by Lemos. However, at the same time as reprimanding undesirable customs, 'A Província do Pará' built credibility with these and its other readers by striving for quality in its news.