Putnam County, Indiana - Chapter 9: Journalism in Putnam County, 1910

Chapter 9: Journalism in Putnam County

The date the first newspaper was pubhshed in Putnam countv cannot be accurately determined. As late as the summer of 1837 nothing of the kind had been attempted, for we find that in certain divorce suits filed at that time and which required notice by publication, orders were made directing the re(iuisite notices to be published in the Indianapolis Gazette and also the Bloomington Republiean. Tradition says that John C. Childs launched the first newspaper enterprise in the county in 1830 and called it The Hoosier and that in 1S34 he sold it to John W. Osborn. The latter changed the name to the Ploiu Boy. As no files of the paper have been presen-ed the present generation knows but little about it or what it contained. It was presumably a weekly and it is said that along uith it Osborn sent out gratis an "eight-page sheet in pamphlet form called 'The Temperance Advocate.' which was the first temperance paper published in the West." I\Ir. Osborn was influential in establishing and locating Asbury University at Greencastle and was one of the institution's first trustees. Late in 1837 he disposed of his paper to Wilkins Tannahill. who came from Xashvillc. Tennessee, and who published it for about two years, when it was sold to William J. Burns. Burns changed the name to The J'isitor and its publication continued for several years. It is said that Judge D. R. Eckels, being an ardent and enthusiastic Democrat, aljout this time purchased the use of two columns of the J'isitor in order that he might fill the same with Democratic literature. In 184J Eckels succeeded in establishing a Democratic paper which he called the Indiana Patriot, placing the management of it in the hands of Samuel Farley. This management continued until Eckels went to the Mexican war, when the paper was turned over to James Hanna. Meanwhile Dr. ^\^illiam Mahan, beginning in 1844, had established the JVeeklv Herald, which was published for a period of about two vears and then suspended. In June. 1846, the Putnam County Chronicle was founded. A copy issued March 18. 1S47. being No. 40. A*ol. I. shows that it was "edited bv \V. .V. McKenzie and published even.' Thursdav bv W. H. H. Lewis at the ofiice. fup-stairs) on the Northeast corner of the Public Square. Creencastle. la." The temis of subscription were two dollars if paid in advance; two dollars and fifty cents if paid within six months, and three dollars at the end of the year. The paper contained four pages, eighteen by twenty- four inches in size, six columns to the page. Much of it is devoted to the news of the Mexican war, and at least two columns to a list of counterfeits of the various kinds of bank notes then in circulation. The local advertisements are somewhat limited, but considerable space is given to the virtues of two or three kinds of patent medicines. Dr. L. M. Knight calls attention to his stock of drugs and R. D. ^McEwen & Company to their stock of dry goods, shoes and hardware, including a consignment of "Hathaway's Patent Hot Air Cooking Stoves, etc." M. F. Barlow was the hatter of the period and J. B. Dinwiddle praises the virtue and superiority of the chairs made at his factory on "the northeast corner of the public square one door west of Mr. Lee's cabinet shop." A. G. Detrick & Company and William Kramer compete for the patronage of the public in the line of saddles and harness and R. D. Anderson, who returns his "thanks to the public for its generous patronage" in buying his drugs, also calls attention to his stock of iron nails and castings as well as a "superior article of wines, brandies, rum and whiskey, for the sick only." William Stewart warns the public against any debts contracted by his wife, Francis Eleanor, who refuses any longer to live with him; and Captain Applegate and Henry W. Daniels, orderly sergeant of the Putnam Yellow Jackets, publish an order requiring the company to "parade on Saturday the lOth of April at lO-A. M. at the Armory in full uniform." Mathew Simpson, Daniel Sigler, Henry Secrest, J. F. Farley. W. C. Larrabee. R. L. Hathaway, Isaac Ash. John M. Allison and W. H. Thornburgh as a committee unite in a request that May 1 8th be the date agreed upon for a "Railroad Convention" which is to be held in Indianapolis. The railroad question was evidently becoming the dominant and burning issue at this time, for elsewhere in the paper is an article copied from the Wabash Express of Terre Haute bearing upon that all-absorbing topic. It is recited therein that "The directors of the Terre Haute & Richmond Railroad Company had their first meeting on the 4th of March at Terre Haute. Chauncey Rose, Esq., was unanimously chosen president and Thomas I. Bourne secretary. The board have determined to open books for the subscription of stock at an early day in April in Terre Haute, Greencastle. Richmond and Indianapolis; and at St. Louis, Cincinnati and other cities as soon as the convention which is to assemble in May next, at Indianapolis, shall determine on the best plan of operations. This road across the state of Indiana is of course intended as a link in the great

As illustrative of the best and swiftest facilities for travel and communication at that period, the following table of the arrival and departure of the mails at the Greencastle postoffice. published in the same number of the Chronicle. March i8, 1847. 's in point:

Arrival And Departure Of Jiails

"From Bloomington to Crawfordsville by the way of Putnamville and Greencastle. arrive here e\ery Monday and Thursday at 2 o'clock P. M. and returns next day at about 10 A. AI.

"From Greencastle to Jamestown by the way of Eainbridge and Xew Maysville leaves every Thursday at 2 o'clock P. M. and returns everv Saturday at 3 o'clock P. M.

The Extra M.Me

The editorial comments are somewhat limited and without especial significance. .\s a ^^ hig organ the paper expresses a preference for holding the congressional convention in Terre Haute, on April 30th. but in no other way does it refer to politics or undertake to indicate Whig principles. The leading editorial is a complaint that the county printing goes to the Patriot (Eckels' paper) instead of the Chronicle which has the larger circulation and is therefore entitled to it under the law. One of the most significant things in the paper relates to the matter of supplying Greencastle with water. As it indicates a spirit of commercial enterprise anfl civic zeal much in advance of the day it will not be without interest to reproduce the article entire. Under the caption "The Water Project." the paper says: the public spring on to the public s(iuare. He proposes to do this by means of a pump and water apparatus. We know not what action the trustees of the town will take upon the matter, but it seems to us that it should at once be adopted. Tiie expense would be small compared with the benefit which our citizens would derive from having at any time a convenient quantity of water almost at their doors. Upon inquin,- we find over an hundred families either directly or indirectly dependent upon the public spring. These are under the necessity of carrying water through mud. in some instances, three and four hundred yards. But the most important consideration is the convenient use of water properly elevated in case of fire. Should a fire take place it might lay one-fourth of the town in ashes before it could be quenched. But with a good reservoir of water on the square and a small engine we could almost bid defiance to the flames. The difference of insurance that would, as a natural consequence, occur would, in a few years, pay the expense of the whole project: and this is a matter to be considered now. Delay might be the ruin of some of our citizens by the destruction of their property. What citizen is there in the place who would not cheerfully pay a small tax to promote this object? A little reflection must convince every one that it is not only expedient but that it is a measure of economy. Let us see. Suppose fifty families pay thirty-seven and a half cents to get a half supply of water, as they do now - it amounts to nine hundred and seventy-five dollars in a single year; nearly sufficient to pay the expense of a permanent water apparatus. But perhaps it may be denied that it costs the weekh- sum named. We ask who would take it to carry water from the public spring some eighteen or twenty times a week.

"In any view, then, we can take of the project we think our town council should move in this matter. If they think the citizens will not sustain them let them call a meeting and get an expression of public opinion with regard to it."'

In 1848 John Turk launched on the sea of journalism a new paper called The Argus. Its political inclination is not remembered, but with varying success it rode the waves till sometime in 1853. after which it ceased to appear. In Februarv. 1849. C. \\'. Brown, destined to a long connection with the newspaper industry of Putnam county, made his first appearance as the owner and publisher of the Putnam County Sentinel. In size, appearance and general makeup it was not unlike the Chronicle described in the preceding paragraph. The advertisements were of the kind suited to the period. Special prominence is given t(j the schools. In the issue of .\ugust J3. 1849. \'ol. I. Xo. 26. ]\lrs. S. E. Stevenson announces the open- ing of her I'emale School, and Levi Reynolds, principal of the County Seminary, calls attention to the excellent character of the work of that institution under his management. The Greencastie Female Collegiate Seminary, presided over bv }ilrs. Larrabee. is also given due prominence, assurance being given that -The institution has a liberal charter with collegiate powers and will confer all the degrees usually conferred in female seminaries." There are a number of foreign or outside advertisements, among them that of the -Western Military Institute of Georgetown, Kentucky." containing a column of solid matter calling attention to the remarkable combination of the "science of West Point Academy, with the classical literature of our best colleges" and enumerating among the names of its faculty. "James G. Blaine, A. B., adjunct professor of languages."

The next newspaper enterprise in the county was the Pittnain Republican Banner, founded by Albert Patrick in 1852. Mr. Patrick continued in the publication till February, 1856. when, desiring to cast his lot with the people of "bleeding Kansas," he disposed of his ownership of the Banner to Christopher Brown and left for the West. Mr. Brown remained at the helm till February, 1865, when he sold the office anil good will to John R. Rankin. In the following September Rankin sold an interest to L. L. Burke and announced that the management of the paper thereafter would be divided. ":\[r. Burke assuming the editorship" and Mr. Rankin the "supervision of the mechanical department." In January, 1866, Rankin and Burke, tiring of their investment, sold the paper to Brown, who again assumed the editorship. In December the latter disposed of his interest to "J. 'M. Tilford, late of the Indianapolis Journal." but the ownership soon vested in Samuel E. Tilford. probably a son of the former. In the following January George I. Langsdale bought an interest and the paper was thereafter conducted under the joint management and ownership of Tilford and Langsdale, with Mr. Langsdale in the editorial chair. In July. 1867, Tilford disposed of his interest to Langsdale and the latter became sole proprietor. [Mr. Langsdale was a very strong man intellectually and well equipped for the editorship. Under his management the paper took on new life, its circulation increased and it grew in strength and popular favor until in 1890. when it was purchased from Langs<lale by Millard J. Beckett, it was admittedh- one of the ablest and most influential county papers in the state Mr. Beckett in 1891 bought the Times (which had been founded by A. J. Xeff in 1882 ) of .\. A. Smith and merged it with the Banner. In October, 1808. it was bought bv its present owner, Harry M. Smith, who still publishes the Banner weeklv and also a daily edition under the same name. From its birth until 1856 the Banner supported the Whig party and since that time it has been unwavering in its adherence to the principles of the Republican party. The first Democratic organ was the Press, established by Howard Briggs in 1858. He continued its publication until late in 1887 when it was purchased by Frank A. Arnold, who was then publishing the Star and merged the two under the name of Star-Press. The Star had originally been founded by Mr. Arnold and Heniy J. Feltus in May, 1874. as an independent paper. In August, 1875, Feltus sold to Arnold, leaving the latter in sole possession. When the Star and Press were consolidated in 1885 the paper at once announced its unqualified support of the Democratic party and it has never wavered in its allegiance to that party since. In 1903 it was consolidated with the Demoerat, a weekly established by H. B. Martin about 1893 and subsequently owned by F. D. Ader and R. P. Carpenter in succession, after which the name-was changed to The Star and Democrat. It is still issued weekly by the Star and Democrat Publishing Company. The concern also publishes a daily called The Herald.