Cass County, Indiana - Chapter 22: Newspapers, 1913

While Indiana was yet a territory, the first newspaper within its borders was the Indiana Oazette, published at Vincennes by Elihu Stout. The first issue appeared July 4, 1804. Two years later he changed the name to The Western Sun.

It is said that in pioneer days before the advent of railroads or even of wagon roads, that printers used swamp mud for ink and old eider presses for printing presses, and coarse brown wrapping paper printed on one side. The reader would return the paper to the oflSce and have the next issue printed od the other side.

It is curious to scan the advertising columns of the pioneer press. Such articles as knee buckles, spinning-wheels, flint-lock guns, buckskin and saddle-bag locks, candle moulds, dog irons, etc., were advertised by merchants. The editor would announce that he would accept as pay for subscriptions such articles as maple sugar, jeans, tow-linen, oats, corn, chickens, fire-wood, coon-skins, possum oil, etc.

The tota^ number of newspapers and periodicals published in Cass county to date is about fifty-five. A brief notice will be made of each, but those published in the towns outside of Logansport will be mentioned in their respective townships and only those of Jjogansport will be noticed in this chapter.

The Pottawattomie and Miami Times was the first newspaper published in Cass county, John Scott, of Centerville, Wayne county, Indiana, being the editor and proprietor. The size of the paper was 18x24 inches, printed on an old Ramage press. The first issue appeared on Saturday, August 15, 1829.

The printing office was located on the south side of the street at what is now known as 415 Market street, where Rice's hardware store is located.

John Scott was a pioneer printer in Indiana and began the publication of the Enquirer at Brookville, Franklin county, in 1815, and later moved to Wayne county, where he published the Weekly Intelligencer and later the Western Emporium, until he came to Logansport and started the first newspaper in northern Indiana, The Pottawattamie and Miami Times. On November 16, 1831, the name of the paper was changed to

Cass County Times, and Mr. Scott continued its publication until May 30, 1833, when he retired and sold out to his son, James B. Scott, and his son-in-law, Wm. J. Bums, and the name was again changed to

Indiana Herald, Scott and Burns continued the publication until December 19, 1833, when they sold out to Stanislaus Lasselle, and he changed the name to

James B. Scott moved to Delphi and publish'ed the Delphi Journal for some years, and died there about the year 1900. Wm. J. Bums died in Logansport in the seventies.

On August 16, 1834, John B. Dillon, the historian, became associated with Stanislaus Lasselle as editor and publisher, and on November 22, 1834, they changed the name to Logansport Canal Telegraph, On July 9, 1836, Stanislaus Lasselle sold his interest to his brother, Hyacinth Lasselle, and the firm consisting of Dillon & Lasselle, changed the name to Logansport Telegraph. The oflSce at this time was located on Commercial Row, on the south side of Market street, west of Third. Mr. Dillon sold his interest, January 22, 1842, and Hyacinth Lasselle, as sole proprietor, continued the publication of the paper until March 24, 1849, when he sold out to Thomas H. Bringhurst and Thomas Douglass, who renovated the oflBce and changed the name of the paper to Logansport Journal.

The first number of the Journal appeared on April 21, 1849, and the Loganspart Journal has been, published continuously since that date, under different proprietors, which will be noticed. Mr. Bringhurst was sole editor and proprietor of the Journal until January 1, 1863, when Joseph Dague bought a half interest. Mr. Dague is now and has been for many years a clerk in the pension oflSce at Washington, D. C. In January, 1870, Bringhurst and Dague sold the Journal to Zopher and W. C. Hunt, but two years later Mr. Dague repurchased a half interest and assumed the business management.

In 1873 Daniel P. Baldwin purchased a third interest, in 1874 another third, and in 1875 the remaining third, and assumed entire control under the firm name of Pratt & Company, Wm. D. Pratt being the business manager. September 1, 1882, Mr. Pratt became the sold owner and continued the publication until 1890, when he sold to '*The Journal Company," which was organized as a stock company with W. S. Wright, Bert G. and Will R. Small as editors and managers.

The Journal was continued under this management with W. S. Wright as chief editor until 1898, when the latter was appointed a lieutenant in the United States signal service during the Spanish-American war, and D. P. Baldwin, who held an unpaid mortgage on the plant, assumed control and sold the Journal to Tomlinson & Torr, September 4, 1898 (D. W. Tomlinson and Thomas Torr), who managed the paper until January 22, 1902, when A. R. Keesling, E. F. and Harry Metzger became owners and proprietors.

October, 1907, B. P. Keesling purchased the Metzger interests and the Keeslings published the Journal until October 12, 1912, when it was merored with the Tribune, under the title of Journal-Tribune. A. R. Keesling retired, but B. F. Keesling has an interest in the present publication, and is its treasurer.

Prior to 1876 the Journal and its predecessors were weekly publications and some of the early editions in the thirties were only issued bi-weekly.

On January 1, 1876, the Daily Journal was first established and has been published six times a week continuously from that date, together with the weekly, which for a time was published semi-weekly prior to the establishment of free rural mail service, since which time only the weekly edition and daily have been issr^ed.

When Mr. Bringhurst entered the Union army in 1861, James T. Bryer became editor of the Journal, and for many years was either editor-in-chief or contributor to its columns, and the Journal never had a more able editorial writer, and the Journal was classed among the leadilig papers of northern Indiana. The Journal has espoused the cause of the Republican party ever since its organization in 1854, and prior to that time was a Whig paper, as was also its predecessors. The office of the Pottawattomie Times and its successors down to the Journal has been located at the following places: first at 415 Market street; second at 321 Market street; third at 416 1-2 Broadway; fourth at 316 Pearl street; fifth at 416 Fourth street; sixth at 310 Broadway.

The Logansport Herald was started August 1, 1837, by Jesse C. and David Douglass. It suspended July 20, 1841, and the printing outfit was purchased by Moses Scott, who continued the paper, but changed the name to

WaAash Oazette, as successor to the Herald, The first issue of the Gazette appeared November 10, 1842, with Horace P. Biddle as editorin-chief. The Oazette continued its weekly missions until April 27, 1844, when like many another pioneer paper it ceased to be published. Samuel A. Hall, then a young man of more than ordinary push and energy, purchased the Gazette's office fixtures and on July 24, 1844, issued the first copy of the Logansport Weekly Pharos. The Pharos has been published under different proprietors from 1844 to the present time.

Samuel A. Hall, the founder of the Pharos, was born in Ohio, December 4, 1823, came to Logansport July, 1844, and died April 10, 1870. He married Marinda P. Nash, of Logansport, and had five children. Mr. Hall was a bitter Democrat, but an able representative of his party. He was appointed postmaster in 1856. Mr. Hall continued to edit and publish the Pharos until January 6, 1869, when he sold the paper to Rufus Magee, who was the proprietor until July 1, 1875. He sold the

Pharos to a company composed of Wm. Doland, C. B. Knowlton, and Mrs. S. A. Hall, ,with Simon P. Sheerin as editor. Some time later Jerry Collins of Crawfordsville, assumed management of the Pharos, until November 28, 1877, when M. Y. Todisman and B. F. Louthain became exclusive owners of the paper.

March 20, 1885, John W. Barnes purchased Mr. Todisman 's interest and since that date the Pharos has been successfully managed by Louthain & Barnes.

Samuel A. Hall, then publisher of the Weekly Pharos, during the first summer of the Civil war issued a small daily paper, entitled The Daily Telegraphic Pharos, to give the daily news from the seat of war. The first issue appeared July 15, 1861. At first it was a single leaflet printed on only one side, later enlarged to a double leaflet 8x12 inches. Files of this paper were donated, by W. T. Wilson, to the Cass County Historical Society. It was not a financial success and Logahsport's first daily newspaper suspended with the issue of October 1, 1861.

The Pharos was published as a weekly paper until August 10, 1874, when Mr. Magee, the proprietor, began the publication of a daily edition which has been continued to the present time, except about six months in 1879, when it was temporarily suspended.

The Daily Pharos is an energetic Democratic paper, issued every evening except Sunday. July 24, 1894, the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the paper, the Pharos issued a large anniversary edition, with a fac-simile of the first number of July 24, 1844.

On May 5, 1913, the Pharos and Reporter were consolidated and merged together under the name of ^^Pharos-Reporter,'' owned and operated by the Pharos-Reporter Publishing Company, with B. F. Louthain president, treasurer and editor in chief and Victor J. Obenour secretary.

The Populist or People's party established the Logansport Advance, a weekly paper, to advance the cause of that party, about 1890, with A. M. Roop as editor. The oflBce was located on Fifth street.

Financially the paper was not a success and in November, 1892, J. E. Sutton of the Reporter, took charge of its publication and it was issued from the Reporter oflBce as a farmer's paper until November, 1906, when it was discontinued. Mr. Roop, the first editor, moved to Oregon.

This paper was established January 5, 1881, by Arthur Williams and C. B. Longwell. In about two years Mr. Williams sold his interest to John W. Burrows, who with Mr. Longwell continued its publication until January 12, 1885, when it was supended. The first office was located in the Spry building, 429 Broadway, and George Turner (colored) was the power behind the printing press. Later the office was moved to 309^^ Fourth street, over Jay Taylor's jewelry store. Mr. Williams is now a printer in Lafayette, John M. Burrows is living at Pensaeola, Florida, and C. B. Longwell is a partner of Longwell & Cummings, printing firm on Fifth street.

This was a twelve-page monthly paper in pamphlet form, edited by- Rev. F. M. Huckleberry, who was pastor of the Baptist church from 1895 to 1905. The first issue appeared November, 1900, but it was discontinued after about one year, for want of patronage, although it was a very creditable religious journal. A copy of the paper is on file in the Historical Society.

This was the first purely literary magazine to be published in Logansport. It was a weekly paper devoted to the cultivation of local literary talent, started by J. E. Sutton, November 26, 1885, first as a weekly, but later as a monthly publication in pamphlet or magazine form, and although ably edited it did not prove a success and suspended, after a precarious existence, in May, 1886. Many of the prominent business and professional men of the city were numbered among its contributors.

This was a religious monthly paper, in pamphlet form, under the auspices of the various churches of the city, started in 1886, with Rev. W. E. Loucks of the First Presbyterian church as editor-in-chief, assisted by all the other Protestant ministers. Although the editorials ranked high and deserved success, yet there was not sufficient demand for such pure and elevating religious' literature and the paper suspended after two years of precarious existence.

On April 7, 1875, H. J. McSheehy, an eccentric but forcible writer, began the publication of the Logamsport Weekly Chronicle, and continued its successful publication until his sudden death, February 21, 1911, since which time the paper has been continued by his son, Harry McSheehy. The Chronicle is independent in politics and a free lance to all parties that do not conform to Mr. McSheehy *s ideas of propriety. For many years the Chronicle has owned its own building at No. 324 Broadway, and is said to be the only paper in Indiana that has not changed editors or proprietors since its first issue in 1875.

R. G. Whitlock started this paper March 4, 1886. It was a literary college newspaper in pamphlet form, published monthly. After a few issues the name was changed to College Review, which was published in connection with the American Normal College, which succeeded Sraithson College, on the north side hill. The first issue contained a poem by Judge Biddle and an article by Rev. B. B. Bigler. The paper suspended when the college closed its doors, a few years after its first issue.

This paper was established in July, 1904, in an oflSce at 315 Third street, by Austin Fausler and David Loftus, the late Amos Palmer being associated with them. There was not much capital behind the venture and the paper was published only for a few months.

Mr. Fausler was the son of Dr. D. N. Fausler and was city clerk from 1900 to 1904. He is now engaged in newspaper work at East Liverpool, Ohio.

'The Echo was the first paper published by the Logansport high school. A committee of the senior class manages the paper, which is a monthly publication. Harry McSheehy was the first editor-in-chief. The first number appeared November, 1895, and the paper was continued during the school year of 1895-6.

Red and Black is another school paper issued monthly by the high school students. The first number appeared October, 1905, and has been published regularly since that date during the school year. It gives the local and literary news of the schools. The presswork is done at the local printing offices.

The Tattler, a school journal, published annually by the senior high school class of Logansport. The first number under this title appeared in May, 1907, and has been published yearly since then. It is a pamphlet, giving s^^etches of the senior class, with items of interest to the students.

In 1869 Geo. W. Pender started a small daily, the Evening News. The presswork was done by Zopher Hunt at the Journal office. At first it was only an advertising sheet for the Musodian opera house, at the northwest comer of Fourth and Market streets, but it soon developed into a regular daily newspaper. It was suspended in the early seventies.

About 1868-70, a German paper, The Ft, Wayne Banner, printed in Ft. Wayne, with John A. N. Frentzel as local editor, or newsgatherer in Logansport, was circulated here among the German population, but it was not a financial success and soon suspended.

Soon after the Ft. Wayne Banner, with its Logansport edition, suspended, about 1871, Julius C. Kloenne, a man of considerable ability, started the Logansport Banner. Mr. Kloenne was succeeded by a Mr. Selback, who continued the publication at 413 1-2 Fourth street for a time, when Pfabe and Morrock took charge of the publication and moved the office to 410 1-2 Fourth street, where they continued to issue the paper in 1872-3, but finally suspended.

John Day, born in Bavaria, February 4, 1844, came to Logansport in 1869, purchased a small printing outfit, and on October 7, 1882, issued the first number of the Deutsche Zeitung, a weekly German paper. Mr. Day continued its publication until 1892 and sold to Peter Walrath, who changed the name to Stemenhanner.

city. Mr. Walrath had his office, while in Logansport, first on Third street and then at 205 Market street. He was a Democrat in politics and his party honored him by sending him to the lower house of the legislature to represent Cass and Miami counties in 1896.

About the time Peter Walrath moved to Evansville (1899), John Day again embarked in the newspaper business and began the publication of the Freie Presse, a weekly Democratic paper, to accommodate the increasing German population of our city, and is still successfully publishing the same at his residence, 320 Burlington avenue.

About 1871-2, when John T. Musselman was publishing the Sun, he also published The Wecker, a German paper, from the Sun office, on Sixth street. John Alexander Nichols Prentzel was the editor. The paper was published for about six months and suspended. Mr. Frentzel was a cigar maker and had a family. He died in Ft. Wayfae, but lies at rest in Mt. Hope cemetery.

The Logansport Herald was a weekly paper started by Ed Day, son of John Day, assisted by H. J. McSheehy, and printed at the Chronicle office about 1900. There were only eight or ten issues, when it was discontinued, as it had served its purpose to advertise certain applications for saloon licenses where there were likely to be remonstrances against issuing the same if the public knew that applications for licenses had been made. The paper had no bona fide circulation and was started simply to aid certain saloonkeepers to secure licenses. When that was accomplished the paper ceased its publications.

In 1892^ Wm. T. Giffe began the publication of the Home Music Joum<U. As its name implies it was devoted to music. In 1896 the name was changed to Choir Music Journal, These were monthly publications in magazine form, and were ably edited by W. T. Giffe. They published original music with hymns and songs composed by the editor and other local composers. It had an extensive circulation all over the United States and Canada.

During the years 1901-2, Mr. W. T. Giffe, in addition to other musical publications, also published the Village Choir, a monthly musical journal devoted especially to church music. This was an independent publication, and the presswork was done by Wilson & Humphries, of Logansport. When Mr. Giffe disposed of his other music journals he discontinued the Village Choir, in 1903.

didates on the Greenback ticket, The Greenbacker, a weekly political paper, to advance the cause of that party, was started by the leaders. It was published for several months during the campaign. The presswork was done in one of the local printing oflSces and H. J. McSheehy was employed to do most of the writing.

While Smithson College was in operation, T. E. Ballard and James A. Stoner established a weekly religious paper, The Key to Truth, in the interests of the Universalist church and Smithson College, which was controlled by that denomination, and which in the seventies occupied college hill with their buildings. The first number of Key to Truth was issued in August, 1874, and about a year later it was combined with Man ford's Magazine, of Chicago, and Mr. Ballard continued as one of its editors for some time thereafter.

On February 20, 1845, Messrs. Murphy and Keeler began the publication of the Logan Chief, with N. S. Stout as editor, but its circulation was limited and its last issue appeared October 11 of that year. This was an independent weekly newspaper.

In the latter part of the summer of 1894, J. 0. Hardesty of Anderson, Indiana, started the Morning Leader, The presswork was done by John M. Burrow, who, at that time, had a job printing office at 322 Broadway. This paper was in reality established by the Natural Gas Company to espouse the interests of that company during the controversy between the city and the gas company at that time, and S. P. Sheerin, who was at the head of the Natural Gas Company, was the financial backer of the Leader, The paper was published only for a few months and suspended, and its editor, Mr. Hardesty, returned to Anderson.

About 1896, J. E. Sutton started a paper called the Mexico Herald, a weekly paper for circulation in Mexico, Indiana. He employed a reporter in Mexico to write up the local news, but the paper was made up and published at the Reporter office in Logansport. This was a newsy little four-page paper, was published for six or eight years and then discontinued.

Willis Brown, formerly judge of the juvenile court at Salt Lake City, Utah, with the assistance of C. M. Cordell, Thad Plank and other local men, edited a monthly paper in pamphlet form, called Pluck, devoted to the anti-cigarette and other moral reforms. The presswork was done by Longwell & Cummings. The paper had an extensive circuJation all over the United States, 25,000 copies being issued monthly. The first number appeared in June, 1905. It was ably --dited und espoused a worthy cause, but did not touch a responsive chord of the popular amusement crazed world of today and was discontinued about the cilose of the year that gave it birth.

The- Daily and Weekly Reporter, an independent evening paper, was established October 1, 1889, by J. E. Sutton, who continued its successful publication at 218 Sixth street, and later in the Reporter building at 525-27 Broadway until his untimely death January 6, 1900, since which time the paper was managed and published by his widow, Inez Sutton, until the son, Lindley R. Sutton, became of age, when he assumed the management. During the political storms in the fall of 1912 the Reporter espoused the Progressive party movement, was reorganized and is now operated by a company or corporation in which Lindley R. Sutton still holds a large interest.

The first typesetting machine and the first perfecting printing press and folder to print from a continuous roll of paper, were purchased and operated by the Reporter.

Some time in the seventies and early eighties there was a weekly paper called the Rambler published in Logansport. It was a society and literary paper issued on Sundays, but had a precarious and short life.

A Mr. Winton published the Logamport Weekly Spy for some time during the forties. It was an independent paper, similar to the present day Chronicle, The presswork was done at the Telegraph office on Commercial Row. After the suspension of the paper Mr. Winton moved to Crawfordsville.

The Saturday Night Review was a literary and family paper published by Albert 6. and Will R. Small. The first issue appeared October 13, 1894. It was a newsy and high-toned paper, but there was not a large field for such a publication and it was discontinued with the issue of December 28, 1895. The presswork was done at one of the local printing establishments. By the courtesy of the Small brothers the Historical Society has a complete file of the Saturday Night Review,

The Daily Star was first issued February 27, 1873, by Ransom & Gonlon as an advertising sheet, but later became a regular newspaper, and J. Harris Hall, son of S. A. Hall, founder of the Logansport Pharos, bought the paper and published the same until August 11, 1873, when Wm. H. Smith, a reckless but fluent writer, became asso<^iated with Mr. Hall and the paper was published under the firm name of Hall & Smith, although a stock company, consisting of T. C. Annibel, Allen Richardson, Frank Swigart, Harry Hall and W. H. Smith were the real owners.

The Star was independent in politics, but represented the Fitch faction of the Democratic party, as opposed to Rufus Magee, who controlled the Pharos.

Septepiber 20, 1876, the Journal bought the Daily Star and its subscription list, and it ceased to be published. It was, however, revived later, but finally suspended with the issue of April 9, 1878, the Pharos having purchased the office outfit.

On January 1, 1874, a weekly edition of the Star was issued, which was discontinued with the daily. The Star office was located at 222 Fourth street.

This paper, under the management of the Democratic Publishing Company, was started January 4, 1872, and continued to be issued until the forty-ninth number, when it suspended, but was revived November 18, 1873, and appeared weekly until the spring of 1875, when it was sold and the office fixtures were removed to Illinois. The Sun was practically owned and controlled by John T. Musselman, with Geo. W. Fender as business manager. Mr. Musselman in later years manifested some very marked eccentricities and published many editorials of a personal character, especially against Rufus Magee, then editor of the Pharos. Daniel Bennette, of Kokomo, Wm. C. Mareau and Samuel Jacobs were employed as editorial writers at different times. Mr. Mareau was a caustic writer and wrote a vitriolic editorial criticising D. D. Dykeman for which cause the latter shot Mr. Mareau on Broadway near Pearl street, but did not seriously injure him. Mr. Mareau soon after went south. The Sun office was located at 214 Sixth street, in a building owned by Mr. Musselman.

On January 4, 1884, the Sunday Critic, a literary and family paper in magazine form was launched under the editorial management of Mrs. Sarah S. Pratt, wife of W. D. Pratt, then proprietor of the Journal, and the presswork was done at the Journal office on Fourth street. In 1886 W. D. Owen and Walter K. Landis bought the subscription list and assumed the management and published the Critic for about one year, when it was discontinued. This was a popular literary paper and ably edited by both managements, but the demand for such a paper was not great.

The Oalveston Weekly Times was established in March, 1886, by Isom N. Bell, who purchased the office equipment of John W. O'Hare of Galveston, Indiana. ^ After publishing the paper at Galveston a short time he removed the fixtures to Logansport and published the Times as a weekly Democratic paper, until September 10, 1886, when he sold out to the Times Company, which was organized with Thomas C. Barnes as editor and the Times became a Prohibition party paper. May 28, 1888, Chas. 0. Fenton became exclusive owner of the Timss, and since that time the Tim^s has appeared with great regularity every Friday morning, espousing the cause of prohibition energetically and fearlessly, making continual warfare against the liquor traffic. Mr. Fenton was a forceful and fearless writer against the liquor traffic, and often indulged in poetic flights and fancies. He died October 31, 1912. and his widow and daughter, Sagie Velle Fenton, continue to publish the Times in a building belonging to the proprietors at 218 Fourth street.

On December 1, 1907, the Logansport Daily Tribune was launched on the sea of journalism, under the name of The Tribune Company, organized as a stock company, with E. F. and Harry Metzger and 0. A. Cummins as principal stockholders and business managers. The Tribune is a morning paper. The oiBce is located at the northwest corner of Sixth and Broadway, and is fitted up with the most modern cylinder press and stereotyping apparatus. The press prints both sides of the paper, cuts and folds the paper at the rate of 5,000 or 6,000 per hour, and the Tribune has the most complete oflfice outfit of any paper in the city, and its circulation is greater than any other Logansport daily at thii3 time.

On October 5, 1912, the Journal and Tribune were merged together and since that date the paper is known as the Journal Tribune, with E. F. ^Metzger, president, and B. P. Keesling, secretary and treasurer of the corporation.

About the year 1900 Willis Whinnery came from Ohio and established the above-named paper, a monthly magazin'e the purpose of which, as its name indicates, was to encourage the breeding of improved stock and prevent the spread of hog cholera. Mr. Whinnery claimed to have discovered a preventive and a cure for hog cholera.

The Sunne Advocate was published at the Wilson & Humphrey job printing house and was continued for several years, and died a natural death and Mr. Whinnery moved away.

About 1891 the English Lutheran church, under the editorial management of the Rev. A. B. McMackin, who was then pastor of that church, started the Lutheran Herald, a religious publication to advance the church's interests. It was a monthly publication and was successfully issued for about three years. The presswork was done at the Journal oflSce.

In the fall of 1892 the labor unions of Logansport started a paper under the editorial management of 0. P. Smith, in the interests of labor and to advance the cause of labor unions. The Labor Gazette, while it represented a worthy cause, yet was short-lived and suspended after four or five issues. The presswork was done by the Journal, then located at 3171/2 Fourth street.

During the campaign of 1904 when Mr. Parker was the Democratic candidate for president, Charles E. Carter published a small four-page paper, Reason, to endeavor to show the inconsistency of the Gold Democrats in opposing Mr. Bryan in the previous campaigns. It was a weekly paper and discontinued after the November election. The presswork was done at the Journal office.