McLean County, Illinois - Chapter 23: The Press, 1924

FIRST NEWSPAPER - BLOOMINGTON OBSERVER - THE PANTAGRAPH - DAILY BULLETIN - OTHER NEWSPAPERS - LABOR ORGANS - NEWSPAPERS IN THE COUNTY - OTHER WEEKLY AND MONTHLY PUBLICATIONS - SCHOOL PERIODICALS.

From the very beginning of McLean County, the people have been intelligent and well informed in the current events of the day. This has been due largely to the fact that they have supported a public press which has at all times been marked by ability of editing and comprehensiveness of their scope. The county was but six years old when the first newspaper made its appearance in the form of the Bloomington Observer, which is believed to have been the pioneer newspaper not alone of this county but of the central part of the state. Only a very few copies of this paper are extant, but one of these is framed and hangs on the walls of the Pantagraph office at the present time, dated June 2, 1838. The caption says that the paper is "published every Saturday by J. W. Fell; office in the white house at the corner of Madison and Grove Streets." The first issue of the Observer was on Jan 14, 1837. William Hill was editor, while the printing material was owned jointly by James Allin, Jesse Fell and A. Gridley. After a year, Mr. Fell became editor and publisher. He continued it until about June, 1839, when owing to hard times the paper suspended and no other was published in Bloomington until about 1846, when Charles P. Merriman established the Western Whig, a weekly. After various changes from that time to 1851, the paper became the property of C. P. Merriman and J. W. Fell, and a year later the name was changed to the Pantagraph, meaning "write all things." The paper lived through several changes in name and proprietorship, one of the names being the Intelligencer. Its office was first on Front Street, then on Main, and there it was burned out in the big fire of Oct. 16, 1855, when the whole block bounded by Washington, Center, Front and Main was consumed. After this the remnants of the office were bought by William E. Foots, a young printer from Keesville, N. Y. He built up a good plant and increased the prestige of the paper. The first issue of the Daily Pantagraph was on Feb. 23, 1857, William R. McCracken being local editor. In 1860, Mr. Foote sold out to A. J. Merriman, nephew of C. P. Merriman. Different men connected with the editorship and publication of the paper from that time to 1868 were: A. J. Merriman, F. J. Briggs, and the firm of Steele, Carpenter & Briggs; John S. Scibird and Orin Watters, Thaddeus B. Packard. In 1868 the paper came under the management of Jesse W. Fell, William 0. Davis and James P. Taylor, continuing to 1871, when Mr. Davis become sole proprietor. Mr. Davis continued in sole charge until the company was incorporated under the title of the Daily Pantagraph, with H. 0. Davis, son of W. 0. Davis, as president, C. C. Marquis secretary and treasurer. The other owners of the stock of the corporation were the two daughters of W. 0. Davis, Mrs. Helen Stevenson and Mrs. Jessie F. Merwin. Among the men who served as editor of the Pantagraph during these years were Edward J. Lewis, William E. Foote, Henry B. Norton, Thomas Moore, J. H. Burnham, J. F. Diggs, B. F. Brigg, Edward R. Roe, William R. McCracken, William Mc- Cambridge, Daniel A. Ray, Joseph B. Bates, Roy H. Crihfield and Jacob L. Hasbrouck. The Pantagraph was Whig in politics until the organization of the Republican party, since which time it adhered to that party, with a decidedly independent attitude in political matters. The daily edition continued with slight interruptions from 1857, and for many years the weekly was also published, but for the last ten years, owing to the circulation of the daily extending to the rural districts since rural free delivery came about, the weekly edition was dropped. The Pantagraph covers the news of the world with special attention to happenings in the eleven counties of central Illinois in which it circulates. Its circulation is about 18,000.

O'Donnell, the business manager, and Mrs. Carrie P. Braley, widow of the late Theodore A. Braley, who was for many years its editor. The Bulletin is Democratic in politics. It was founded on Feb. 8, 1881, owned by a joint stock company with John H. Oberly as editor. Matthew T. Scott shortly afterward acquired a control of the stock and Oberly continued as editor. Oberly finally removed to Washington, and in 1884 Matthew T. Scott sold the paper to Owen Scott, who came to Bloomington from southern Illinois. Mr. Scott continued as editor until 1892, when he was elected to Congress and sold the paper to Braley & O'Donnell. The Bulletin grew in patronage and prestige under the present firm, and finally absorbed its only evening competitor, the Daily Leader, formerly conducted by M. F. Leland. The Bulletin also absorbed the Sunday Eye, a weekly paper founded and edited for many years by George L. Hutchin and C. M. Leek. In 1907 the Bulletin bought a lot on Madison Street near the interurban station and erected there a modern newspaper plant which is complete in every respect. The Bulletin covers the field thoroughly and issues the only Sunday newspaper in McLean County.

The other newspapers which are published in Bloomington at present are the Searchlight, a weekly labor paper owned and published by the labor unions ; the Wesleyan Argus, a weekly paper by the students of the Wesleyan University; the Normalite, weekly, published in Normal by Clarence Burner ; the Vidette, weekly, published in Normal by the students of the Normal University; the Bloomington Journal, a weekly published in the German language by John B. Gummerman.

Newspapers by the dozens have been published for short periods in Bloomington and McLean County, then died of inanition and passed away. The Daily Leader, an evening sheet, lived from 1869 to 1899, being successively run by M. F. Leland, Scibird & Watters, Wilbur F. Crawfords, George B. Wheeler, 0. C. Mason, E. R. Morse, L. A. Cass, Verne McGilvray, Owen Scott, H. C. DeMotte. It was finally merged with the Bulletin.

The Bloomington Courier preceded the Bulletin as a Democratic organ, living from 1879 to 1881. A chronological record of the various papers and the years in which they flourished is as follows:

1837, The Observer; 1845, The Register; 1846, Western Whig; 1848, Illinois Reveille; 1851, Bloomington Intelligencer; 1851, Illinois State Bulletin; 1853, The Pantagraph; 1854, Illinois Central Times; 1855, National Flag, Illinois Baptist; 1856, Illinois Baptist; 1858, Illinois Statesman;

1863, McLean County Echo; 1864, Central Illinois Democrat, Daily Evening Democrat; 1865, McLean County Journal; 1866, Republican, Index, Wesleyan; 1868, Daily Leader, Democrat, Anzeiger; 1870, Republican, Advertiser, Alumni Journal; 1872, Banner of Holiness, Trades Review, Real Estate Journal; 1873, Anti-monopolist, Enterprise, Little Watchman, Illinois Schoolmaster; 1874, Sunday Morning Star; 1875, The Appeal; 1876, Democratic News, Western Advance, Spirit of the Grange; 1877, Sunday Herald, Students' Journal ; 1878, Courier, Herald of Health, Sunday Morning Eye; 1879, McLean County Press, Bloomington Journal; 1880, Bric-a- Brac, Through Mail, Daily Mail; 1881, Independent, Illinois School Journal Prohibitionist; 1881, Daily Bulletin, The Bee; 1884, Odd Fellow, The Pilot; 1885, The Illinois Freemason, Weekly Times, Illinois Wesleyan Magazine; 1886, The Tailor; 1888, The Vidette, Elite Journal, Greek Oracle, The Avenger; 1889, Real Estate Exchange, Public School Journal; 1890, Interstate Herald, Record, Illinois Redman, Athenian; 1891, Home Circle, Saturday Truth; 1892, Index, Normal School Quarterly, Quarterly Bulletin; 1893, The Chimes, Wesleyan Argus, Souvenir Echo; 1895, Trades Review, Watchtower, Wesleyana; 1896, Temperance Pulse; 1897, The Owl, Tribune, Aegis, Methodist; 1898, Home and School Education, Citizen at Work; 1900, Commonwealth; 1902 ,The Pioneer; 1918, Farm Bureau Bulletin, Home Bureau Bulletin; 1923, The American Review (magazine).

For many years the labor unions of Bloomington have published a weekly paper for the special advocacy of their teachings and the news of the field of labor from their own standpoint. This was formerly called the Trades Review, which had a career of several years under various managements. At one time, about 1895-97, it was owned and edited by Louis FitzHenry, who is now the federal judge of the Southern Illinois district. The Trades Review later was abandoned as a labor organ, although it continued to be published for some time under the management of W. A. Luzader. Finally, some ten years ago, the labor unions of the city formed a co-operative company to buy the equipment for a new weekly organ, which was christened The Searchlight. This paper continues up to the present time as the organ of the local labor unions. It was edited for about five years by W. H. Whitehead, and is now in direct charge of J. H. North. A board of censorship, from members of the different unions, has the general oversight of the editorial policy.

Chenoa - The Clipper-Times, weekly, is the only paper in Chenoa at present. It is owned and edited by W. H. Hawthorne, who succeeded the firm of Stansbury & Hawthorne. Leslie 0. Stansbury edited the Clipper- Times for several years, Mr. Hawthorne being in charge of the mechanical department. The Times previously had been edited by Beard Bros., who founded it in 1900. It was merged with the Clipper, founded in 1893 by Verne McGilvray, then managed in succession by E. S. Pike and G. E. Stump until its merger with the Times. There had been an earlier Times in Chenoa, founded in 1867 and continuing to 1874, managed in succession by McMurtrie & Dyer, Miss Louise Dyer, C. H. King, C. R. Shore, C. H. John and Bovard Bros., who changed the name to Monitor. From 1874 it was published as the Monitor by the Bovards, C. H. John and Mann Bros., and the latter changed the name to Gazette. It continuedas the Gazette to 1900, the different managers being Mann Bros., C. H. Stickney, Hedge & Sons, and E. S. Pike. The latter merged the paper with the Gridley Herald and Chenoa Clipper, which in turn became part of the present Times-Clipper.

Carlock - The Tribune, weekly, was published for ten years by J. A. Mace, L. B. Chapman and A. L. Chapman, discontinuing publication several years ago, being absorbed by the Danvers Independent.

Arrowsmith - The News, published by Wooley Bros., Frank Wooley editor, is published in connection with the Saybrook Gazette, having been run for 15 or 20 years.

Colfax - The weekly Press is edited by H. C. Van Alstine, who succeeded A. E. Potts, founder of the paper about 1897. Part of the edition is printed under the name of Cooksville Enterprise and filled with Cooksville news.

Danvers - The Independent, weekly, is owned and edited by A. C. Gingerich, who succeeded H. L. and Roy P. Stuckey, who started the paper in 1912. The Dispatch was the earliest paper in Danvers, being founded in 1879 by John S. Popple, who conducted it until about 1915, when it was merged with the Independent. There was an earlier paper also called the Independent, which was founded by Dr. D. C. Gideon and

Gridley - The Gridley Advance is printed at Chenoa in connection with the Times-Clipper, with A. 0. Rupp as local editor for Gridley. The Advance was merged with the Chenoa paper under Stansbury & Hawthorne. It was started in 1893 by C. S. Rowley. The Gridley Monitor flourished some years ago under Bovard Bros., then under H. 0. Hedge. Its name was changed to Herald before it became part of the Chenoa Clipper.

Heyworth - Natural Gas was formerly the name of the weekly published here by P. A. Chapman. It is now called The Star. It was founded by J. A. Lasswell in 1898, who was succeeded by A. 0. McDowell, who conducted the paper until two years ago, when Mr. Chapman acquired it. The Natural Gas was formerly the Heyworth Reporter, having been founded in 1892 by Mr. Stackhouse. The Heyworth Standard flourished from 1881 to 1889 under Dudley Creed, publisher, Hugh Robb, editor.

Leroy - One paper at present is published in Leroy, being the Journal, edited by Melvin A. Cline. Its life has continued from 1888, when it was founded by John S. Harper, and he was succeeded in turn by W. C. Devore, and J. M. Zellhoefer. The Journal is a wide-awake weekly. Leroy has been the scene of the temporary publication of many weekly papers, all having died except the Journal. As far back as 1856, James Levens published the Observer for a few months. John S. Harper founded the Sucker State in 1871 and ran it for two years. The Leroy Exchange was edited a couple of years in the '70's by J. W. Wolfe. Charles Davis founded the Enterprise in 1877 and it ran only a short time. The Eagle and the Free Press were two other papers started by J. S. Harper and which soon died. The Prohibition Statesman was run for six months in 1884, then sold to the Lancet in Bloomington. Rutledge and Crumbaugh were the owners of the Democrat, which had a short life.

Lexington - The Unit-Journal is the only paper here, being a weekly owned and edited by Miss Florence E. Wright, whose father conducted it until his death. This paper was started in 1891 by Verne McGilvray, who sold it to E. F. Wright in 1897. There were several paper in Lexington which arose, lived and died. In the '50's the Globe was conducted by Batterton & Craig, then by Knotts and Mahan. It was discontinued in 1861, and for two years, 1863-65, Isaac Mahan and John D. Rogers ran the Herald. The Courier, edited by J. W. Fisher, flourished from 1869 to 1872, its name being changed to The Banner later. Rogers edited the Mackinaw Sentinel in 1873, and the same year E. M. King edited the Enterprise. The Spectator and Review were other short-lived Lexington papers. The Review lived from 1883 to 1891, run by Stark and Shepherd and later sold to McGilvray.

Normal - The Normal Advocate, weekly, was started by John A. Lasswell, in 1887, then sold to E. H. Bailey and Charles S. Neeld, then to Neeld and J. L. Hasbrouck, then to W. A. Luzader, then to B. H. McCann and lastly to C. C. Lewis. The McLean County Herald was conducted for several years by W. A. Luzader, and the Normal Independent ran six months edited by Elmer Edwards and C. M. Coen. The Morning Call was started as a semi-weekly by A. G. Smith and sons in 1895 and ran to 1903 under Barger Bros, and C. C. Lewis in succession. The Normalite by Clarence Burner is the only weekly published in Normal now.

Saybrook - The Gazette has for several years been conducted by Woolley Bros, with Frank Woolley as editor. It was founded in 1896. A paper of the same name flourished 1881-84 under M. H. Tipton and George M. Adams. The News was run by Thomas Horsley 1881-84, then merged with Gazette under Mace & Adams; Adams sold to Mace, who ran it to 1888 ; then to W. H. Rodman and then to Al Mace, who changed name to Independent. Mace Bros (J. C. and H. T.) conducted the paper to 1898, then sold to N. B. Webster, then to Frank Woolley. The earliest Saybrook paper was the News, started by J. S. Harper in 1872. The Banner, later the Anti-Monopolist, flourished 1872-3. The Herald was published 1875- 91, then merged with Gazette.

Towanda - The Topic and the News were two Towanda papers which were edited in the '90's and early 1900. J. A. Murray was editor of the News.

In addition to the newspaper and kindred publications, McLean County has seen the rise and progress of many other sorts of weekly and monthly periodicals, most of them of an educational nature. These have been published mostly in connection with one or another of the educational institutions of this county. Some of them flourished for a time, then died away, owing to changed conditions or the shifting of popular interest in the subjects treated. The members of the faculties of the State Normal University and the Wesleyan University have in the course of the years published several text-books on subjects related to their class-room work.

The first state school journal published in Illinois appeared in February, 1855, printed in Bloomington under the title of the Illinois Teacher, Merriman & Norris, publishers, and edited by such educators of the time as W. F. M. Amy, Newton Bateman, C. E. Hovey and Simeon Wright. In 1873 it was merged with the Illinois Schoolmaster, of which Aaron Gove and C. E. C. Hewett were editors.

George P. Brown for many years carried on a successful publishing business for school people, and after his death his work was carried on an enlarged scale by his son, George A. Brown and the latter's son, Alfred 0. Brown. It is now incorporated under the title of the Public School Publishing Company. The list of its publications at present includes a successful bi-monthly magazine of national circulation, and several school periodicals of national and international scope. The name of the magazine is the American Review, which was first issued in 1923. The periodicals published by this company include the Illinois Teacher, the direct successor of the Public School Journal and of "School and Home Education" ; the Journal of Educational Research, which has an international reputation; and the Year Book of the National Society for the Study of Education.

Several periodicals are published in connection with the Wesleyan University, including the weekly Wesleyan Argus, and the year book called the Wesleyana. These are edited by students under direction of the faculty.

and is edited by students. The state school also issues The Alumni Quarterly, which keeps the graduates of the university in touch with each other and with the present activities of the school.

The Bloomington High School issues a year book under the title of The Aegis, which contains a summary of the work of each year as it appears.