Wayne County, Indiana - Chapter 30: Wayne County Journalism, 1912

Chapter 30: Wayne County Journalism

EARLY JOURNALISM - NEWSPAPERS ESTABLISHED FROM 1840 TO 1865 - PAPERS BEGUN SINCE I865 - -CAMBRIDGE CITY, CENTERVILLE, AND FOUNTAIN CITY PAPERS - MAGAZINES AND SCHOOL PAPERS IN RICHMOND - CONCLUSION.

The history of Wayne county newspapers and magazines now covers a period of over ninety years. During the earlier part of the period the library method of preserving files of papers was unknown in this western country. In some few cases files were kept but most of them have been destroyed. A few written accounts were given some years ago, notably in Dr. Plummer's "Historical Sketch," Young's "History of Wayne County," and the Interstate Publishing Company's "History of Wayne County." But these do not come up to date and do not include everything published, and it is therefore our purpose to present in systematic. form as complete and accurate an account as it is now possible to make of whatever papers have been published in Wayne county up to the present time.

Early Journalism

We are indebted for what little knowledge we have of the earliest papers in the county to Dr. Plummer, who spoke of the "Richmond Weekly Intelligencer" as the first. The date of its beginning is not known, but it was being printed as early as Dec. 29, 1821, on Front street (now called Fourth), near Main. It was edited by Elijah Lacey and published by John Scott, who later was prominent as a judge and the editor of the "Western Emporium" at Centerville. The "Weekly Intelligencer" was discontinued in 1824. The same year John Scott established the "Western Emporium." Although no files of this paper are known of. we can get a glimpse of its existence through the "Public Leger," its Richmond contemporary. The "Leger" quotes the "Emporium" occasionally and has some sarcastic editorials about Mr. Scott, who no doubt returned the compliment. The "Emporium" was continued until 1827. The third paper in the county, the "Public Leger," is the first of which we can gain anything like a full account, and it may be taken as an example of pioneer journalism. The first number was issued March 6, 1824, by Edmund S. Buxton, who was both editor and publisher. It was a fourpage paper, 21 by 13 inches, and was published every Saturday, at the price of $2, in advance, for the year. In case it was paid for sometime during the year, the price was $2.50, while the subscriber who waited till the year was up was charged $3. In No. 4 of Vol. 1, the first number available for examination, a statement of these prices is made with the following words below them: "Payment in advance being 'to the mutual interest of both parties, that mode is solicited ;" and also: "All letters to the Editor must have the postage paid or they will not be attended to." The pioneer editor certainly had a hard time to eke out a living, for throughout the early files we find him reminding subscribers of his needs,

~So little money was, apparently, in circulation in this part of the country that other mediums of exchange were used. In May, 1827, after the "Public Leger" had been issued several years, the editor stated that he would take produce of*various sorts as payment, and named as acceptable, wheat, rye, oats, corn, bacon, sugar, ginseng, beeswax, candles, flax, wool, linen and rags. A description of the contents of the paper will disclose a vast difference between the newspaper material of that time and the present.

The front page of No. 4, Vol. 1, contained two and a half columns of historical material, such as would be found to-day in an historical magazine. There was an article on "The Middle Ages," an extract from the introduction of Professar Leslie's "Natural Philosophy," then published at Edinburg, and another entitled "Waterloo," taken from "Essays on Scenes in Italy." A third article, headed "Expenses of War," dealing with England's debt, was quoted from the "Portsmouth Journal." Somewhat more pertinent matter followed these, one article on "Imprisonment for Debt" quoting some State governors, and another on the "Curse of Slavery," from the "Dayton Watchman." There were several articles-on affairs of foreign states, all copied from other papers, and about the same amount of space devoted to our own national affairs. Seven lines on the second page told that "at a meeting of . . . citizens in . . . Charlestown, Va., Feb. 14, resolutions were adopted recommending Capt. John Cleves Symmes, of Ohio, as a suitable person to fill the Presidential Chair." An article on the tariff, taken from the "Connecticut Courant," had a small note by the editor in which he gave -his views on the matter. The proceedings of the United States Senate and House up to March 9 and Io, were published and half a column was given to summarized political and industrial items from all over the country. The last page was filled with poetry and the kind of articles which are called "Select Reading." This summary of the contents of one issue indicates the absence of all local news or original articles. The only idea of the local life which we can get from the paper is from the advertisements,. of which there was one column, all very modest in appearance and wording. One of these advertised "Garden Seeds from the Shakers of Union Valley, Ohio, for sale by S. N. Smith." Another one asked for subscribers to the "African Repository and Colonial Journal," to be established, as soon as there were enough subscriptions, by the Colonization Society at Georgetown, D. C. But although the paper had at first practically no local news, we find such articles gradually appearing in greater numbers. It is interesting to trace the notices in regard to the Richmond Library. On May 22, 1824, notice was given of a meeting of share-holders of the Library, to make regulations for it. No further information appears in the paper till July 21, 1826, when a similar announcement was made of a meeting to arrange for organizing and incorporating the society. The meeting was evidently not well attended, for on Aug. 12, under the heading, "Try It Again," subscribers to the Library were again urged to meet the following Wednesday. Perhaps the citizens found it more convenient to get reading matter from Mr, Buxton's office than from the town Library, for in May, 1826, he gives notice that "Persons who have borrowed books from this office are requested to return them immediately." In September, 1827, citizens were urged to purchase shares in the Library at $3, with an annual tax of fifty cents, as the season of long nights and stormy days was approaching, when they would want reading matter. Mr. Buxton conducted the paper alone until Nov. 19, 1825, when Samuel W. Walling became his partner. The issue of that day states that the two would have more leisure to peruse the great mass of information contained in the public journals and select such as would tend to improve their readers. Aiter a year the partnership was dissolved (Nov. 4, 1826) and Mr. Walling continued to conduct it alone. Mr. Buxton's farewell tells very plainly that a paper could not be made to support two families. During Mr. Walling's ownership various interesting local matters appeared in the paper, among which we may name the progress of the National Road, then being surveyed through Ohio; the railway between Centerville and Richmond, and the establishment of a County Seminary 4t Centerville. The dependence of the editors of this paper on material copied from other papers was due to the difficulty of securing material first hand. In those times the news had to be brought by stage or on horseback, and often high waters or bad roads would prevent its arriving in time. The "Public Leger" offers a typical illustration of the characteristics of the early papers and shows the financial difficulty of conducting them, the use of material copied from larger papers, the absence of much local news, the absence of glaring headlines and bold advertisements, and the extremely personal nature of the editorials.

Both the "Western Emporium" and the "Public Leger" were purchased, in 1827, by Septimus Smith - a lawyer and probate judge - and Cyrus Finch, who consolidated the two and began the publication of the "Western Times" at Centerville. The first number appeared Aug. 22, 1828, with the names of Finch and Smith as its publishers. Mr. Smith had 'ad no experience whatever with newspaper work and expected Mr. Finch, an old man i= such work, to write the editorials. But it happened that Mr Finch was.in very poor health and failed so rapidly that he withdrew from the business without ever writing a line for the-paper. Smith therefore went ahead alone, and-at the end of the first six months he said, in the paper, that the subscriptions had been increasing at the rate of seven per week, for the last six weeks. From the time of its founding, in 1828, till 1831, the "Western Times" was the only paper in the county. It was a Whig paper and is said by Jacob B. Julian to have been regarded as one of the best papers im the State. "Through its columns," he said, "the people made known their grievances, presented their claims and those of their friends for office, discussed moral, religious, and educational qitestions, and solicited a place for theit political effusions." At the top of the editorial column of the early numbers, this lofty ideal_appeared:

Sometime after the year 1829 Andrew Bulla became Smith's partner and remained with him until 1832, when:they both withdrew from the business on accoount of failing health. The paper was continued with several changes of ownership till 1834, when Nelson Boon, its last editor, died.

The "Western Times" was succeeded by the "People's Advocate," established in Centerville, in 1835, by Samuel Meredith, with. James B. Haile, a teacher in the seminary, as editor. - It was begun as a Democratic paper, but could not be made to pay, so Mr. Meredith thanged it to the "Wayne County Chronicle," a Whig paper. The Rev. Samuel K. Hoshour, a prominent newspaper writer of the time and well known educator, edited the paper a year. Mr. Meredith then went to Illinois and the paper was continued as the "National Patriot," edited by Richard Cole. The account given of this paper says it was soon discontinued. This was probably before 18 0.

During the existence of the "Western Times" in Centerville, a paper had been established in Richmond, which was to outlive all its contemporaries and last until the present day. Nelson Boon, mentioned above as the editor of the "Western Times," began the "Richmond Palladium," Jan. 1, 1831. Six months later, Thomas Jefferson Larsh became its editor and proprietor. In 1833 he sold to David P. Holloway, a practical printer who had learned his trade in the offices of the "Public Leger" and the "Cincinnati Gazette." A list of Indiana newspapers, published in 1833 by Douglass & Maguire of the "Indiana Journal," includes the "Western Times" of Centerville, published by Hall & Boon, and the "Richmond Palladium," published by D. P. Holloway. In 1834 John Finley, a prominent Richmond man, became Mr. Holloway's partner, and later, in January, 1836, became sole proprietor. After a year he sold it back to Holloway and Benjamin W. Davis, who continued it over thirty-eight years. During this time the paper bore just below the title this motto: "Be just and fear not; let all the ends thou aims't at be thy Country's, thy God's, and Truth's." An account appearing about 1850 describes the "Palladium" as the leading Whig journal of Eastern Indiana, with quite a circulation in other parts of the State. In 1856, with the birth of the Republican party, the "Palladium" became a Re- such a storm of opposition that the other was adopted, although Mr. Buffum stated in the paper that in the change of title he made no change in the contemplated character of the paper. He had a lofty idea of the power of the press, and said that he regarded the conductors of newspapers as a class of persons who had assumed a fearful responsibility.

"The Protectionist" contained, besides anti-slavery articles and poems, notices and reports of various Abolitionist conventions and anti-slavery meetings. The novelty of a printing press in Newport was shown by the following notice in the sixth issue: "Persons who have not seen printing done in this office will not be regarded as intruders in making one visit, but we cannot allow any persons to occupy the room or the office as a place of idle resort. All persons who visit the office are requested to abstain from handling the type and from conversation, for it is impossible for compositors to do their work as it should be done, where there is talking." An interesting department of "The Protectionist" was the "Refuge of Lies," where Arnold Buffum published all false and slanderous reports circulated to discourage the cause.

It appears from the pages of "The Protectionist" that another paper was issued at the same time in Newport. The fifth number of "The Protectionist," that of March 1, 1841, said that the Newport Anti-Slavery Tract Society had issued the first number of a periodical called "The Jubilee," to be published monthly at twentyfive cents a year. It was to contain articles selected from all the anti-slavery publications. A notice of the sixth number of "The Jubilee" occurred in "The Protectionist" of Aug. 1. This is the only record found of that paper. "The Protectionist'" was evidently not a financial success, for in September, with less than half the subscriptions paid, Buffum was out of money with which to purchase more paper. He himself was paid only by the receipts over cost of publication. At the end of the year 1841, Mr. Buffum went to Indianapolis with a plan of there editing a paper which should reach a broader field. The stockholders of "The Protectionist," who were all prominent members of the Newport Friends' Church, secured a man named Benjamin Stanton, from Ohio, to take charge of their paper. Mr. Stanton was a school-teacher who had had no experience in newspaper work, except as an occasional contributor to anti-slavery papers, but he was a man of pronounced ideas. He changed the name of the paper to "Free Labor Advocate and Anti-Slavery Chronicle," and continued as its editor and publisher till his death, in 1848. His paper was more of the news- paper type than "The Protectionist" had been, for it was a fourpage sheet of the size of newspapers of that time. During 1847 the name of the paper was reversed, making it "The Anti-Slavery Chronicle and Free Labor Advocate." It ceased in 1848, when Mr. Stanton died.

The other newspapers of this time in the county were also of the usual newspaper type. In Centerville, "The Wayne County Record" was begun, in 1841, by Mr. Meredith, mentioned above as publisher of "The People's Advocate," who had returned from Illinois. With Hampden G. Finch as associate publisher and John B. Stitt as editor, "The Wayne County Record" was continued till 1848, when Mr. Meredith went to California. D. B. Woods and Stitt became the proprietors and changed the name to "The Whig." Woods also went to California, but the paper was continued till Meredith returned and took charge again. The business was then unprofitable and he sold the materials to Holloway, of "The Richmond Palladium," in 1852.

In 1846 "The News Letter," a literary journal, was begun in Centerville by C. B. Bentley. It was continued for a year, during which George W. Julian was a leading contributor. "The Reformer," a religious monthly, was published at Centerville in 1846 by Elder Benjamin Franklin. A similar paper, called "The Classmate," was issued a short time in 1854, by Horace S. Elliott.

"The Free Territory Sentinel,' a Centerville paper of 1848, was a Free Soil party venture, published by R. Vaile and P. Smith. After a-few months Smith left the business, and Vaile a little later changed the name of the paper to "The Indiana True Democrat." In 1852 it was moved to Indianapolis, where it became "The Free Democrat." The papers of this period seemed decidedly unsuccessful in Centerville, and were short-lived. The "Independent Press" was issued a few months, in 1852, by Nathan Smith. During 1853 Centerville was without a paper and then again, in April, 1854, Hosea S. Elliott started "The Wayne County Journal," which did not last long. In October,. 1855, "The Weekly Chronicle," an independent family newspaper, was established by R. J. Strickland and G. W. Smith. With the beginning of their third volume, Oct. 15, 1857, an editorial throws some light on the newspaper business in Centerville. They had begun 'their paper, it seems, under discouraging circumstances, for the numerous failures there caused people to think that Strickland & Smith could not-succeed. They had, hawever, succeeded in conducting a paper. and a job printing office and made their living out of it. They laid their success to the fact that they did all their own work, while some of the previous editors had had to hire printers. They continued the paper till June, 1858, when M. C. Morean bought it and began "The Indiana True Republican,' with a new press. He in turn sold to Isaac H. Julian, who conducted it there till 1865 and then moved it to Richmond. - We shall describe it more fully in the history of Richmond papers.

"The Wayne County Chronicle" was re-established in Centerville, in 1859, by R. I. Strickland, and was published irregularly till 1863. It was then moved to Cambridge City, and back again to Centerville in 1871. It remained there till 1878, when it was moved, to Greenfield. Its circulation in 1874 is given as 480. Mr. Strickland also published "The Odd Fellows' Chronicle," a fourpage Saturday paper, in 1874.

The history of Milton papers goes back as far as 1841, although no full account of the éarliest ones can be found. There is a record of the fact that a small paper, 8 x 10 inches, was published, in 1841, by a Mr. Wickersham. In 1847 C. B. Bentley, of Brookville, started "The Milton Times." He sold to the Rev. Benjamin Franklin, who changed it to a religious monthly, "The Reformer." It was moved away in 1850. During 1850 and 1851 Pritchard & Whelan, from Cambridge City, published "The Western Budget," with Frank Clymer as editor. It was a weekly literary paper. Many prominent local writers contributed to it, among whom were Miss Louisa Chitwood, a poet of some repute, and Mrs. Isaac Jénkinson.

Cambridge papers began in-1845 with "The Reveille," a Whig paper, the materials for which were brought by James H. Hunt from Greenfield, where he had published a paper. He conducted the "Reveille" in Cambridge till 1850. It was then published a year by Robert O. Dormer, suspended for a while, and revived for a few months by Mr. Hunt and his brother. They then moved the office to Portland. In 1850 "The News," a Democratic paper, was begun by William & Charles Daily, who had previously published the "Connersville Chronicle." E. B. Ryder, of Connersville, published it in 1851 and 1852, and then Lafayette Devlin bought it and continued it until about 1855. A job printing office was established in Cambridge City, in 1852, by Messrs. Whelan & Pritchard, who had bought out a~Milton and a Hagerstown paper. A little later K. Whelan began "The Item," which was combined after a few months with "The News." The paper was then called "The Cambridge City News and City Item" and- was neutral in politics. For a few months during 1855 Whelan, Buck- ibid & Walts published "The Daily Item," a foolscap size sheet of news, fun, and gossip, probably the first daily in the county. It was bought by R. J. Strickland, who used the materials in starting "The Weekly Chronicle" in Centerville, in 1855.

"The Bulletin" was a Republican paper established in Cambridge in 1856, by George B. Seig and conducted by him for two years. It was then published for a year by Kosciusko Whelan, and in 1860 a new firm, Whelan, Keller & Leib, bought it. They started a newspaper called the "Flag of the Free," but it had a very short life, for at the opening of the war all the men connected with it enlisted and left no one to continue it. There was no paper in Cambridge during 1862 and 1863. In 1864 Strickland brought the press of "The Wayne County Chronicle" from Centerville to Cambridge City and published "The Journal," a Republican paper, for a year. This brief summary of Cambridge City papers shows that up to 1865 the papers there were very short lived and not generally successful.

During the period under consideration several interesting papers were published in Richmond. "The Indiana Farmer" was started in 1851 by Holloway & Dennis, but soon stopped. A paper called "The Lily," conducted in New York by Amelia Bloomer, was moved to Richmond in 1850, and continued a few years by Mary E. Birdsall and then by Mary F. Thomas. In the fall of 1854 Calvin R. Johnson and Sewell R. Jamison, journeymen printers of the "Palladium," started a paper with the unique name, "Broad Axe of Freedom and- Grubbing Hoe of Truth." It was an independent paper for six months and then became partisan and advocated the election of Fremont. In 1856, the last part of the lengthy name was dropped, making it-simply "The Broad Axe of Freedom." The firm had in the meantime changed to Jamison & Burbank. These men retired in 1857 and were followed by Johnson & Morgan. The same year A. W. Mendenhall took the paper and during the year 1858 issued a daily paper, the first in Richmond. When Mendenhall sold to Dr. I. S. Drake and H. W. Livingston, the daily was discontinued. In 1861 S. W. Hammond became the owner and then Milton Hollingsworth. Isaac Julian, who was then publishing "The Indiana True Republican," in Centerville, purchased "The Broad Axe" in 1864. He moved "The True Republican" to Richmond and combined "The Broad Axe" with it. During 1865 it was published in Richmond as "The Indiana True Republican," conducted by Isaac H. Julian, with Julian & Spillard as proprietors. It was a decidedly live paper. The editor called his readers' attention to the fact that "The True Republican" has "superseded 'The Broad Axe,' and succeeded to its subscription list, good will and material ;" also, that it was not a new-paper but the one that Mr. Julian had published for the last six and a half years in Centerville; that by combining the two subscription lists "The True Republican" had become the "best advertising medium in Eastern Indiana." He also stated that it circulated more widely and in a different channel from the other local papers.

In regard to principles, "The True Republican" took a decided stand on the great question of the time. "During the greater part of its existence," the editor said in 1865, "it was the only distinctively anti-slavery paper in the State. . . . It was just as firm and decided when anti-slavery papers were everywhere spoken against as it is now, that the whole country appears in their favor. . . . "The Indiana True Republican' is to-day the most radical newspaper of the State . . . and it is the only Radical Republican paper in Wayne county." After such an avowal of its position, it was very natural that the name of the paper should have been changed, as it was, in 1866, to "The Indiana Radical." Below the title were the words, "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity,' - "Excelsior!' Throughout the life of the paper, Mr. Julian continued his claim that it was the "most radical paper in the State," the leader in advanced ideas on the labor movement, tariff and finance reform, woman suffrage and temperance. He announced that the reforms he advocated would simply carry out to their "legitimate conclusions - covering all social as well as political reforms - those most radical of all compositions, the New Testament and the Declaration of Independence." <A paper so full of the life and spirit of the stirring times in which it lived could easily claim our attention for a longer time than is allowable. One news item of special interest was the announcement in the issue of Sept. 9, 1869, of the appointment of Isaac Jenkinson, of Richmond, as United States Consul to Glasgow. The paper was discontinued in 1873, when Mr. Julian went to Texas.

In 1861 another paper, "The Independent Press,' had been begun by George W. Wood, who issued it as a daily for three months and then as a weekly for six months. He sold it, in 1862, to Calvin R. Johnson, Thomas L. Baylies and Robert Howard, who, on July 4, issued the first number of "The Quaker City Telegram," afterward called "The Richmond Telegram." The paper bore as a motto Webster's phrase, "Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable." By 1870 we. find that these mottoes, which are such an interesting feature of the early papers, - had been omitted by all of them. In 1865, Dr. James W. Salter had become the owner, and in June, 1868, it was transferred to Alfred G. Wilcox. J. M. Coe became a partner the next year, February, 1869, and in October, 1869, Mr. Surface joined the firm. Mr, Wilcox retired in 1872 and Mr. Surface sold out, in 1881, to E. C. Martin. PAPERS BEGUN SINCE 1865.

The later history of "The Richmond Telegram" involves some - other papers, of which "The Democrat" was one. It was begun in 1880, by William Thistlethwaite, as a campaign paper and was suspended after the election. In January, 1881, Mr. Elder began it again and it was published as "The Richmond Democrat" for ten years. Benjamin F. Wissler and George W. Meckel purchased it on Jan. 1, 1891, of M. C. Benham, the last proprietor. The two, both of whom were school-teachers, conducted the paper together for several months and then Mr. Meckel returned to the teaching profession. Mr. Meckel was a great admirer of the "New York Sun" and had succeeded in getting "The Richmond Democrat" changed to "The Richmond Sun" during his connection with it. He continued to write for the paper until his death, the following year. During the presidential campaign of 1896, Mr. Wissler started "The Daily Sun," a four-page, six-column paper. On May 12, 1897, he purchased "The Independent-Telegram," a combination made in 1893 of "The Daily Independent" and "The Richmond Telegram," and united it with his paper, re-naming it "The Sun-Telegram." Both a daily and.a weekly were issued. "The Sun-Telegram" became the most prosperous and widely circulated Democratic paper in Eastern Indiana, its circulation reaching over 4,000 subscriptions. Mr. Wissler sold "The Sun-Telegram" to Rudolph G. Leeds, of the "Palladium," and retired from newspaper work on March 1, 1907. "The Sun- Telegram" was then united with the "Palladium," which is now "The Richmond Palladium and Sun-Telegram."

On May 5, 1866, the J. E. Avery Company began a paper called "The Humming Bird," using it principally as an advertising sheet for their drug business. The papers were giyen away at the drug store. It was not a financial success, so after a few months Fred Maag and. Mr. Crawley, who had furnished the money for the venture and had been printing it, took charge of it. The two conducted the paper together until about 1870, when Mr. Crawley withdrew. On Nov. 5, 1870, the name was changed to "The Independent" and numbers for free distribution were printed. "The Daily Independent" was permanently established Jan. 1, 1874, but the weekly was also continued. The "Independent" was always a morning paper and was for a long time successful. Mr. Maag was the publisher till 1892, when it was sold because of financial difficulties. It was continued during 1893 by some other parties and then merged with "The Richmond Telegram," which was then called the "Independent-Telegram." _ Probably the most interesting matter which "The Daily Independent" contained was the account of the woman's temperance movement in 1874, known as the Crusade. For three months, beginning Feb. 22, 1874, a group of women went daily to the saloons to hold religious services and also held mass meetings in the churches, all in an attempt to persuade saloon-keepers to quit their business. One man was induced to close his saloon, but after three months the violent agitation was given up. The "Independent" gave a daily record of this movement, which is especially noteworthy, because it was a part of a similar move for temperance reform which swept the country about that time.

Mr. Maag, publisher of the "Independent," was also associated with the German paper which the large German population of Richmond made possible. In 1892, Mattias Walterman began the "Hausfreund." Soon afterward a State law was passed requiring that all legal advertisements should be published in German. The Wayne county auditor, Elijah Parker, instead of giving the county's advertising to the "Hausfreund," began another German paper, the "Correspondent," in which the advertising was done as the law demanded. The paper was not very successful, and when the law was repealed Mr. Maag bought it and also the "Hausfreund." This was in 1875. He consolidated the two and began the "Volkzeitung," which he continued to issue weekly till July 7, 1906. Mr. Maag still holds the type and materials of this paper. There probably came to be less and less call for a paper published in German, as the younger generations of the German population tearned English.

"The Democratic Herald," begun in 1870 by Endsley & Thistlethwaite, is given by one author as a re-establishment of the old "Jeffersonian." It was, however, a different paper, for it had a new name and new volume numbers. James Elder edited the paper till

December, 1872, when Dr. J. W. Salter, J. Hunt and E. C. Johnson bought it and made it a Republican paper for one year. They renamed it "The Richmond Times." Mr. Thistlethwaite bought it again and changed the name, Oct. 1, 1874, to "The Richmond Free Press." He also issued "The Daily Free Press," beginning Dec. 1, 1874. From June, 1877, to June, 1878, James Elder, who leased it from Thistlethwaite, conducted both the daily and weekly "Free Press." In 1878 Joseph Lomax, of Kalamazoo, Mich., owned it, and in February, 1879, the office was closed and sold at a constable's sale. The Indianapolis parties who bought it discontinued the paper four months later.

"The Evening Item" was begun April 7, 1877, by Isaac Kline, as a weekly paper, issued on Saturday. On Jan. 15, 1881, it becamé a morning daily, and, on March 8, was enlarged and again made an evening paper. It has remained one of the leading papers since that time. It was long edited by B. B. Johnson, and then by J. Bennett Gordon, who became the editor July 1, 1808. Under him the paper was a strong force in the community. His connection with the paper was severed June 3, 1909, when William Dudley Foulke became proprietor and editor and so continued until the summer of IQI1, since which time Edward F. Warfel has conducted the editorial columns, Mr. Foulke still remaining the principal owner.

There have been a large number of other papers published which can only be enumerated, giving a few facts about them in some cases and only the names of others, about which nothing definite can be found. ©

"The Weekly News" was a Greenback-Labor party paper, begun in September, 1880, by J. B. Collett and H. W. Burtch. It was published every Saturday. Mr. Burtch became proprietor Dec. 10, 1881. The file examined ends with Sept. 9, 1882, and it seems that the paper ceased at that time. A paper called "The Weekly Enquirer" was begun in June, 1882, by M. L. Reed. It was continued several years. In 1883 Martin Cullaton & Company started "The Sunday Register," an eight-paper Sunday morning paper. C-. H. Lane was for some time its editor. W. H. Blodgett took charge of it July 20, 1884. The paper ceased in 1885. "The Richmond Enterprise" was started in 1890 and was published weekly till 1898 by the Register Publishing Company. B. B. Beeson was the editor during most of this time. A list of minor papers published at various times, between 1870 and 1900, follows: "The Laurel Wreath," a small sheet of news printed on yellow paper in Fairview during 1875, by Harry Starr; "The Richmond Review," a paper published as an advertising sheet in 1874, by R. Jackson & Company, a drygoods firm, and printed by the Telegram Printing Company; "The Centennial Monthly," "Richmond Sunday News," "The Day Betwixt," "Yours Truly," "Sunday Courier," "The Richmond Vidette," "The Spirit of Old Wayne," "Fish and Game Talk," and "Richmond Lite."

Two papers issued by the Richmond colored people have been published recently. "The Interview" was conducted by Mr. Dennis in 1906. "The Indiana Register" was begun March 13, 1909, by the Rev. N. W. Williams, as its editor, and George Butler.

"The Morning News," Richmond's latest daily paper, first appeared April 16, 1908, and has been issued every morning, including Sunday, since then. It is printed by the Quaker City Printing and Publishing Company.

In 1866 Devlin & Lutz bought the "Cambridge City Journal" from Strickland and threw away the old plant. They issued, in January, 1866, the first number of a new paper, "The Western Mirror." This was the only Democratic paper in the "Burnt District," and under good management became quite a prosperous paper with a large subscription list. Mr. Lutz died in 1868 and Devlin continued it alone till May, 1869. He then sold to H. C. Meredith, who changed it to a Republican paper, called "The Tribune." It is still the principal paper of Cambridge City and has been under one management for a long time, though in its early days it changed hands a number of times. On April 3, 1879, it was sdld to the Tribune Printing Company, which published it, with Dr. A. L. Johnson as editor. On Jan. 6, 1881, F. C. Mosbaugh and F. L. Rariden bought it and continued, with Dr. Johnson as editor. Mr. Rariden retired in 1889 and the firm, consisting of Frank Mosbaugh and Jerry Mc- Daniels, has since been known as F. C. Mosbaugh & Company. The "Tribune" is most highly spoken of by Cambridge City citizens as a good, clean, reliable weekly paper. It has so fully occupied the field in that community that none of the other papers since established have succeeded.

The various other ventures may be briefly mentioned. About 1869 L. L. Dale, of New Castle, published "The Democratic Times" in Cambridge City, but it soon suspended. Another Democratic paper, "The Cambridge City Chieftain," attempted by F. G. McCaulay, of Defiance, Ohio, in 1870, also failed. In 1875 Frank G. White, from Hagerstown, began "The Review," which he sold in the fall of 1876. Afterward, W. P. Harding began "The Wayne Citizen," which he published till 1892, when the paper was bought by F. C.

Mosbaugh & Company, who installed E. M. Haas as editor and manager. After a few years Mr. Haas went to Richmond and "The Wayne Citizen" was discontinued. Later, the Messrs. Murtay established "The Cambridge City News," which they soon sold to Wilson Brothers, of Aberdeen, Ohio. As the Cambridge City field was fully occupied, the Wilsons moved the paper to Ohio. Another paper, called "The Journal," was started by a Mr. Harris, who died in June, 1900, and with him his paper ceased to exist. In March, 1901, Irvin & Fouts established "The Weekly Democrat," and they began a daily paper called "The Evening News," but it failed from want of support, in June, Igor.

Several short lived papers existed in Centerville after 1865. There was "The Union," published in 1866 by John and James Bromagen. Another was "The Republican," printed for six months in 1869 by Charles W. Stivers. The "Odd Fellows Chronicle," of 1874, and the re-established '""Wayne County Chronicle" were mentioned above in connection with R. J. Strickland's newspaper work in Centerville. In June, 1884, John L. Scott established "The Centerville Leader," which he published till Jan. 6, 1887. After this J. C. Day conducted a paper for a time. T. M. Day began "The News- Record," the present Centerville weekly paper, in September, 1895. It is now managed and edited by Mrs. Lenna King. In 1908 George W. Grames began a paper which was moved after about a year to Jennings county.

After the outburst of the anti-slavery publications before 1850 had subsided there were no papers in Fountain City till 1878. In that year George Thompson began "The Fountain City Standard," which he published and edited till 1880, when it suspended publication. The town had no paper from that time till 1895, when Charles Ward started "The Fountain City Eagle.' He published it for probably two years and then sold the plant and office to Roy L. Brown. Mr. Brown changed the name of the paper to "The Fountain City Times," and it has continued to the present time, although with several changes of management. Charles Hart bought it from Mr. Brown, about 1899, and conducted it for several years. During Mr. Hart's ownership the paper was enlarged and a fine job printing outfit was added to the office. Mr. Hart sold, in 1903,'to John S. Burres, who continued it only a few months and then sold the plant, which was moved to New Paris, Ohio, but the paper was not suspended. It has been published since July, 1903, by the syndicate plan. A local editor and manager at Fountain City forwards the copy by mail to Bloom & Raney, the New Paris publishing firm.

This firm prints the papers and sends them to Fountain City by express on Friday of each week. Claude S. Keever, who has been editor and manager since 1905, says that this plan has proven successful and that the "Times" is in a prosperous condition. It is nonpartisan and lays claim to being one of the best local newspapers published in any town of similar size in the State.

In the year 1865 John Bromagen established and conducted a paper, called "The Hagerstown Journal," for almost a year. "There were no further attempts to give Hagerstown a.paper till 1873. At that time the village merchants wanted a local newspaper in which to advertise, so they formed a company and subscribed the money to begin one. Dr. J. M. Thurston, a busy practicing physician of the town, was persuaded to manage and edit it. They called the new paper "The Friendly Visitor" and issued the first number July 15, 1873. It was intended to be published semi-monthly, by the Visitor Publishing Company, at the subscription price of seventy-five cents. After three months, however, it was changed to a weekly at $1 a year. The merchants' subscriptions to the venture were taken back in advertising and their accounts were squared by the end of six months.

The spirit of the little paper is shown by the following quotation from its headline: "Espousing the cause of no sect or party, its efforts are directed towards the best interests of the community at large." Most of Dr. Thurston's work on the paper was done in the evenings, as his avocation rather than his main business. An interesting feature of the paper was its wood-cut illustrations, which were the work of Dr. Thurston. The second year the paper was much larger and cost $1.25 a year. In 1874 John R. Achuff was the publisher and proprietor and Dr. Thurston editor. "The Friendly Visitor" was discontinued early in 1875, and in May of that year A. M. Dawson began "The Hagerstown Exponent." A year later Harvey J. Day, who had worked for Dr. Thurston on "The Friendly Visitor," bought the "Exponent." Mr. Day has been its editor and publisher ever since, thus being the editor of one paper for a longer number of successive years than any other Wayne county editor. It is now a weekly paper at $1 a year. Other papers have been started since the "Exponent" began in Hagerstown, but have not been able to compete with it. "The Hagerstown Herald," conducted for six months in 1880 by Lem Harris, failed. About nine years ago Messrs. Shultz, Campbell & Morrison established "The

In 1876 "The Milton News" was begun by W. R. Hartpence, who sold after a year to Mr. Burr, of Dublin. In 1893 C. L. Wolfgang started a paper, also called "The News," and conducted it till 1903, when he sold it to Frank Clouds. Clouds sold to P. B. Hassler, who discontinued it in 1906. There have been no others started in Milton since that time.

"The Wayne Register," of Dublin, was started in 1875 by a stock company, which published it till 1878. It was during this time that "The Milton News" was bought out and consolidated with it. It was published a year by Eckert & Burr, and then sold to Albert M. Burr, who has been publisher ever since.

Some attempts to issue papers have been made in Green's Fork. On Dec. 7, 1905, G. H. Oder Kirk established "The Wayne County Business Journal" and issued it weekly till Nov. 1, 1906, when it was moved to Richmond and run for awhile in Fairview. A second attempt was by Harold C. Burton, who started "The Green's Fork Gazette" on May 1, 1908. It was a good weekly paper for a small town. The last issue was printed Dec. 19, 1908.

Magazines And School Papers In Richmond

The final phase of journalism in Wayne county to be considered is the history of papers of the magazine type in the last halfcentury. There were a few such papers in the county in the earlier years, but since about 1855 all the ventures of this sort have been confined to Richmond. It is appropriate that the first magazine of the Quaker City of the West should have been a paper conducted by and for the Friends. "The American Friend" was begun in ''January, 1867, with the purpose of aiding "in the growth and spread of Christianity, morality, and knowledge amongst its readers." The editors were Dougan Clark, William B. Morgan, Clarkson Davis, Timothy Harrison, and Eli and Mahala Jay, all prominent Friends; and Mr. Harrison and Mr. and Mrs. Jay were the publishers. This magazine consisting of twenty-eight pages, about 6xto inches in size, and was meant to fill the needs of Friends in the West in a more local way than Eastern Friends' papers could. Some distinctive features of it were the facts that every article and editorial was signed, either by the full name or the initials of the author, and that it contained no widely circulated articles or extracts from other papers. It was issued every month during 1867 and 1868, but in December, 1868, the publishers announced that it would be discontinued. The reason given was that a similar paper, called "The

Herald of Peace," had been started in Chicago and, as they had no selfish motive in publishing "The American Friend," they did not care to compete with the new paper and had agreed with its publishers to discontinue the paper here.

There have been some other religious papers by certain churches. The "Kirchenfreund" originated here under the direction of the Rev. Mr. Severinghaus, of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. It was moved away from Richmond when he left, in about 1868 or 1869, and has been continued sincé under another name as an official paper of the Lutheran church. "The Richmond Lutheran" was. another church paper published in this city.

In June, 1871, "The Industrial," "a monthly magazine devoted to the development of the industrial interests of the county," was begun by Isaac Kinley, as editor and publisher. The copies were printed at New Castle. The paper was 6xg inches and contained about thirty pages a month. As the above quotation would indicate, it published articles on industrial, economic and scientific subjects, and also some poetry. It contained no advertisements, except offers of premiums to subscribers and agents of the paper. Mrs. Jennie Kinley, the proprietor's wife, wrote quite a great deal for it. An interesting series of articles in "The Industrial" was on Richmond industries and institutions. The number for October, 1871, contains the address of President Joseph Moore to the Earlham class of 1871. The only file of "The Industrial" available ends with No. 6 of Vol. 2, June, 1872, and it is probable that the paper ended at that time.

"The Messenger of Peace," the official organ of the Peace Association of Friends in America, was begun in Ohio by Daniel Hill, general secretary of the association. The full title of the paper was at first "The Christian Arbiter and Messenger of Peace," but it was later given the shortened title. It was brought to Richmond in 1887 and has been published here, except for a short interval, ever since that time. After Mr. Hill's death, in 1899, it was continued a short time under the management of his wife, Mrs. Rachael Bailey Hill. It was then moved to Baltimore and conducted there for four years, when it was brought back to Richmond. This was in-1905. Miss H. Lavinia Bailey, the secretary of the association, has been editor since that time. The paper has been changed a few times during its existence, in size and form, and is now an eight-page sheet of 8x12 inches and is published monthly by the Nicholson Printing Company, and distributed at the merely nominal rate of twenty-five cents a year. The object of the paper is to uphold the doctrine of peace and scatter peace literature. It has a circulation of about 2,500, although it is probably unknown to most Richmond people. It goes to nearly every State in the Union, to several foreign countries, and to nearly all the leading foreign mission stations.

The only magazine of the popular type ever published in the county was "Dignam's Magazine." J. B. Dignam came to Richmond from Chicago and began to publish the magazine in September, 1904, with Robert Stimson as a partner in the business. It was a monthly paper of about twenty pages, with colored cover designs and numerous illustrations. The material was that of the present day general home magazine - short stories, poems, book reviews, articles on social and economic questions, domestic economy, hygiene, a fashion department, etc. The price was fifty cents a year and five cents.a copy. It contained a number of good articles on local history and geography, issued as a "See Indiana First" series. One of these was by Prof. Wilbur A. Fiske on "The Wonders of Wyandotte Cave;" another, "The Story of the Lost Village," by Capt. Paul Comstock, is an account of old Salisbury. The last number of the magazine was published in August, 1906, after which Mr. Dignam returned to Chicago.

Among the most interesting of Wayne county publications, to those who have attended the Richmond High School or Earlham College, are the school papers published while they were in school. "The High School Argus" was begun as a monthly paper in February, 1897. It contained many interesting articles by teachers and alumni, as well as pupils, but was so poorly supported by the students that it was finally given up. The last number was that of January, 1903. In 1908 some high school boys got up a four-page sheet of school news and gossip, which they called "The Reflector." The teachers took up the matter and helped in bringing out a special orchestra number in April, 1908. It was made up much like the old "Argus" and was a success, but no further efforts were made to give the school a permanent paper.

The Earlham paper has, however, had a long and successful careér. In December, 1873, the Ionian Literary Society, consisting of the boys of Earlham College, began "The Earlhamite," as a monthly during the school year. The first editor was Edwin Horney and the manager O. H. Bogue. It was a sixteen-page paper, about 6x9 inches. The first volumes seem quaint and sometimes

'humorous to the Earlham student of today, for as a college paper it reflected the college life and all can see the striking changes which have come since then. Work on "The Earlhamite" has been part of the training received by a large number of Earlham men. Among its editors and managers we find the names of many of the present Earlham faculty and of men who have become prominent educators, business, or professional men elsewhere.

In October, 1890, "The Earlhamite" announced that "The Phoenix," the girl's literary society, intended to also start a paper which would, however, only be written to read at their meetings and not printed at first. In May, 1891, the girls published the first printed number of "The Phoenixian." It contained fourteen pages and was a paper quite similar to "The Earlhamite." "The Phoenixian" made more rapid advance than "The Earlhamite" had done, however, for in March, 1892, illustrations were introduced as a new feature and more pages added. Both papers were continued by the college students during the school years of 1892, 1893, and 1894, but by this time they saw that a better and more representative college paper could be had by combining their efforts. So in October, 1894, when Vol. 22 of the old '""Earlhamite" began, the "Phoenixian" was united with it and the new paper was issued semi-monthly. It is conducted by an annually elected staff of Ionian and Phoenix members. Since the "Phoenixian" and "Earlhamite" were joined, photographs of members of the faculty, of the school's orators and debaters, and of the various athletic teams, have been a regular feature. The work of the paper does not depend entirely on the regular staff, for the various classes each take charge of one issue during the year and make it a special class number. Each.of these numbers consist of articles written by members of the class and contains a picture of the class.

Conclusion

No one can read this record of Wayne county journalism without observing the immense desire of large numbers of people to embark in the newspaper business, who have no sufficient equipment for the purpose, either in capital or ability, and whose enterprises are therefore doomed to failure from the start. The growth of the press, like that of other institutions and of organic life itself has been an evolution, a gradual development from the simple to the complex, and accompanied by the destruction by the great mass of those who have been unable to survive.