Lyon County, Minnesota - Chapter 18: Xthe Press, 1912

DURING the thirty-nine years of Lyon county's newspaper history twenty-four weekly papers have been established. Of this number, nine are in existence when this volume i.3 issued in 1912, namely: Marshall News- Messenger, by C. C. Whitney; Lyon County Reporter (Marshall), by Frank W. Case; Tracy Headlight, by J. D. Gilpin; Tracy Herald, by 0. J. Rea; Minneota Mascot, by G. B. Bjornson; Cottonwood Current, by Huddleston & Sisson; Balaton Press-Tribune, by Press-Tribune Publishing Company, edited by E. F. Whiting; Russell Anchor, by Fred E. Child; and Garvin Leader, published by John Holden, Jr., and edited by E. M. Jones.

Those journals which have gone out of existence were as follows: Prairie Schooner, Marshall Messenger and Lyon County News, from which was formed the News-Messenger; Lyon County Leader, which was published at Marshall and for a short time at Balaton; the Tracy Gazette, Trumpet, Republican and Republican-Trumpet, from which developed the Tracy Headlight; Minneota Prospect, Vinland (an Icelandicpaper published at Minneota), Cottonwood Leader, Cottonwood Gazette, Balaton Journal, Eagle, Times, Bystander, Press and Tribune (the last two named

In pioneer communities of the West the establishment of the first paper was always an item of great importance. A new settlement required a champion, and not until it boasted a news journal was its permanency assured. After the founding of the pioneer journal it became "our paper" to all the residents - an institution in which to take pride - and everybody assumed the duty of seeing that it was properly supported. Sentiment entered largely into the new enterprise, and it has seldom occurred that the pioneer paper did not have a long life of usefulness.

The little settlement at Marshall was no exception to the rule, and when the first paper was launched it was an institution in which great pride was taken. In the month of August, 1873, J. C. Ervin brought to Marshall a printing plant and on the twenty-third of that month took from the press the first copy of the Prairie Schooner, the first news journal published in Lyon county. The plant consisted of a Washington handpress, the platen of which was said to have at one time been used as a. door step, two cases of badly worn body type, eight or ten cases of advertising type, cigar-box slug cases, and a tincovered imposing stone.

The office in which the Prairie S'chooner was launched was 12x18 feet, and it was occupied also as the offices of Dr. S. V. Groesbeck and Major J. W. Blake. The name of the publication was suggested by General Pierce. The subscription price was $2.00 per year and its size was a seven-column folio, of which two pages only were printed in the home office. In the spring of 1874 it was enlarged to an eight-column folio. In politics it was Republican. Mr. Ervin had charge of the pioneer journal until the last day of the year 1874. *

C. F. Case, who had formerly published the Waverly, Iowa, Republican and who has ever since lived in Marshall. purchased the Prairie Schooner from Mr. Ervin December 31. 1874. The next October he changed the name to Marshall Messenger. There were several changes in the size of the Messenger under Mr. Case's management, it having been made a seven-column folio in Maw 1877, enlarged to eight columns in March, 1878, and made a six-column quarto, with four pages printed at home, in August, 1SS0, which form it retained. Howard Brothers leased the Messenger from Mr. Case in November, 1884, and the following month the plant was purchased by C. C. Whitney, of the Lyon County News. Arthur Howard got out a few issues for Mr. Whitney and on January 16, 1885, the two papers were

1W. M. Todd in after years wrote of the establishment of the Prairie Schooner and its publisher: "I well remember the visit of J. C. Ervin when he came to look the place over as a newspaper field. He was very affable, and the people and he from the beginning seemed to be satisfied with each other. He had been accustomed to frontier life and easily adapted himself to the conditions which he found. He set up his outfit in the little building which had been surveyors' headquarters."

Mr. Ervin was the founder of many papers, among them the Fort Dodge Times, Liberty .Messenger and the Blade (later the Minneapolis Times). For many years he was editor of the Chicago Express, city editor of the Chicago Daily Dispatch and afterwards was connected with the Chicago American. In later years he was editorial writer on the Joliet, Illinois, News and edited the Fresno, California, Democrat. He devoted many years to literary work and was the author of several books. Mr. Ervin died in San Francisco in the spring of 1912.

The Lyon County News was founded May 28, 1879, by W. M. Todd and George A. Edes. It was established as a seven-column folio and was Independent Republican in politics.2 Mr. Todd became sole proprietor December 3, 1879. and on April 21, 1S80, he sold to George B. Gee. C. C. Whitney, who has continuously conducted the paper for the past thirty-two years, bought from Mr. Gee on November 17, 1880, and turned the News into a Republican journal. It was enlarged and improved and put on a paying basis.

Having purchased the Messenger from Mr. Case. Mr. Whitney, on January 16, 1885, consolidated the Marshall papers and in their place produced the News- Messenger. Frank C. Whitney secured an interest in the publication September 15, 1893. and until February. 1907, was associated with his father in its management. C. 0. Whitney has since been sole publisher.

The Marshall News- Messenger has become one of the leading and most Liberally quoted weekly newspapers of Minnesota and its publisher is one of the state's best known newspaper men. The paper consists of twelve or more pages, all printed in the home office. The plant is a model one. The office is modern in every way, being equipped

-"During the latter part of the seventies I became infested by newspaper microbes and was seriously considering launching a newspaper at Marshall. . . . While the question was being pondered, along came George Edes, an old newspaper man with a still older printing outfit, looking for a location. He at once sought me and made overtures to join him in starting a paper. . . . The question of the political complexion of the paper was settled by his proposal that I do the writing and he attend to the mechanical part. I needed no coaxing, and the Lyon County News made a weekly medium through which facts, fads and fancies were dished up in delectable style to such as would condescend to read them. In a few months I purchased the interests of Mr. Edes and proceeded to float the enterprise alone, in connection with other duties, until I found by experience more or less disastrous and depressing that a newspaper was not so sure a path to wealth, fame and glory as I had always supposed. After I found what an expensive plaything it was I sold it to the office foreman, George Gee."- W. M. Todd, 1903.

with a Junior Merganthaler typesetting machine, large cylinder press, folder, three job presses, bindery, etc. The machinery is operated by individual electric motors.

The next paper established in the county seal was a Peoples Party organ, the Lyon County Leader. It was founded April 26, 1895, by M. V. B. Scribner, who conducted it for a Dumber of years against great odds and with poor success. The plant was moved to Balaton in May. 1901, and publication of the Leader was there continued for a few months. In August, 1901, the subscription list was turned over to the publisher of the Tracy Herald and Mr. Scribner moved the plant away.

C. F. Case, the former publisher of the Marshall Messenger, founded the Lyon County Reporter at Marshall December 20, 1889. 3 It was then and has ever since' been Republican in politics. At the time of founding it was a ninecolumn folio; it has undergone several changes in form and is now a sevencolumn quarto. An excellent paper was issued and the Reporter at once became a popular institution. The founder conducted the Reporter alone until July 23, 1898, when his son, Frank W. Case, secured an interest and the publishing firm became C. F. Case & Son. The elder Mr. Case retired in 1899 and gave the property to his sons, Frank W. and Fred H. Case. The former became sole proprietor the next year and he has ever since been the publisher.

The Reporter has taken its place as one of the substantial institutions of Lyon county and is a good paper. The plant is modern and well equipped. A Simplex typesetting machine was installed in the spring of 1899 and was the

3For a few months the paper was also issued under the titles Minneota Standard and Cottonwood Enterprise. Each of those villages had local reporters, and first installed west of the Mississippi river. The first home of the Reporter was the room now occupied by Kieth's photograph gallery, and the presenl quarters in the Case Block have been occupied since \XU7.

which was founded in the fall of 1879 by I). \\ . Kutchin. The pioneer paper war; anything but a financial success and its proprietor had a hard time to keep it in existence. Mr. Kutchin departed for the East in the early fall of 1880 and left the paper in other hands. In March, 1881, publication was suspended but the next month Mr. Kutchin returned and revived the paper.

For over three years the pioneer newspaper man of Tracy was at the head of the Gazette. The plant was then purchased by W. M. Todd, who on March 30, 1883, established the Tracy Trumpet as the successor of the Gazette. He was a more aide newspaper man than his predecessor and published the Trumpet successfully nearly two years. The paper was purchased in February, 1885, by O. J. Rea and H. C. Buckingham, who made it a Democratic paper. The following August Mr. Rea became sole proprietor and published the Trumpet until July 1, 1892.

The purchaser at that time was V. W. Lothrop. He was the publisher until July 2, 1894, when the office passed into the hands of T. A. Cashman and Miss Maine Starr. The latter was manager of the Trumpet and conducted it until October, 1898. The firm of Starr & Cashman was then dissolved and the property reverted to the former owner. For a few weeks the paper was issued by Mrs. Florence R. Lothrop, and in December. 1898, the plant was purchased by H. F. Seiter. He made the Trumpet a Peoples Party organ and was the publisher until August, 1899. Jackson & Anson were the publishers from that time until May, 1900, and Jay Jackson then became publisher and conducted the journal as a Republican organ. He was succeeded a few months later by David Stafford, who was in charge only a short time. The Trumpet had not been a paying investment for some years, and in December, 1900, the plant reverted to a former owner, H. F. Seiter. He sold the plant the following -month to the owner of the Tracy Republican, who consolidated the two publications.

The Tracy Republican was founded by Edward and Frank Lawrence in March. 1885. Their efforts to make a success of the venture resulted in failure and in 1887 they sold to W. R. Edwards, who put the paper on a sound footing. Mr. Edwards purchased the Trumpet plant in January, 1901, consolidated the two, and continued publication under the name of Republican-Trumpet. He retired in 1910 after twenty-three years of continuous publication of the one paper.

The Republican-Trumpet was purchased by Bert L. English May 20. 1910. He changed the name to Tracy Headlight and presided over the destinies of the pioneer newspaper two years, conducting it as a Progressive Republican paper. Mr. English has lived in Tracy since childhood and learned the printer's trade on the paper he later edited. On May 10. 1912. J. D. Gilpin purchased the Headlight.

third paper in the village at the time. He has ever since been the proprietor and nearly all the time has had the active management Mr. Rea was appointed postmaster in the spring of 1896 and J. M. Riegel became associated with the owner in the management and was the editor. That gentleman leased the plant in January, 1898, and had sole charge until Mr. Rea's time expired in the spring of 1900. Since the last named date Mr. Rea has not had associates in the business.

The Herald is independent in politics and fearless in its utterances. Mr. Rea has always been independent enough to criticize wrong in politics or local matters. The paper is a seven-column quarto.

Minneota's first newspaper was not long-lived or a success. It- was the Minneota Prospect and was founded by Clyde W. Rea in July, 1888. He published it only until October of the same year.

The first issue of the Minneota Mascot was taken from the press September 4, 1891. The founder was J. P. Byrne, who had come from Madison to teach the Minneota school. For six weeks the new journal was under the management of J. F. Paige, who had formerly published the Montevideo Leader, and then the business and editorial control was assumed by Mr. Byrne. W. H. Deen purchased an interest April 21, 1893, and was associated with Mr. Byrne in the publication until September 25 of the same year. W. W. Davy became the editor October 26, 1894, and served one month. With these exceptions, Mr. Byrne was the editor and proprietor until January 28, 1895.

grown t»> manhood in Minneota, Mr. Westdal having been employed on the paper for about two years. The following Augusl Mr. Westdal became sole proprietor and he conducted the Mascot until April 15, L900. On that date G. B. Bjornson assumed the managemenl and later the same year he purchased the plant, and he has ever since been the1 editor and proprietor. - Mr. Bjornson has built up a successful business and has made the Mascot a power in the affairs of Minneota and Lyon county. His paper is conceded to be one of the very best country weeklies in Minnesota published in a town the size of Minneota. It is Independent Republican politically and its editorial . utterances are widely copied throughout the state. The Mascot was founded as an eight-column folio, was made a six-column quarto in 1899, and was enlarged to a seven-column quarto in 1905.

In the spring of 1902 Mr. Bjornson began the publication of Yinland from the Mascot office. This is the only Icelandic newspaper ever published in the United States. Publication was continued until 1908.

Cottonwood's first newspaper was the Cottonwood Leader, established August 28, 1891, by G. E. Graber. The venture was an absolute failure and in November of the year of its birth publication was suspended. The plant, which had been purchased with nothing more substantial than promises to pay, was left in the village and from it was later issued the Cottonwood Current.

AY. H. Mullane founded the Cottonwood Current in February, 1892, taking over the subscription list of the defunct Leader. He was succeeded a few months later by E. I. Raymond, who in December, 1892, departed and left the field anxious to have the paper continued and with inexperienced help they managed to get out a few editions. A company was then formed to purchase the plant and continue publication.

The Current was purchased by .1. F. Paige in January, 1893, and on April 22 <>f the same year the plant was destroyed by fire. The proprietor replaced the plant and continued publication until September, when he sold to W. H. Deen, formerly of the Minneota Mascot. W. D. Lovelace purchased the Current March 3, 1894, and was its editor and publisher for more than ten years. He sold to C. W. Folsom August 13, 1904, and the latter to the present owners, W. J. Huddleston and W. A. Sisson, on October 6, 1905. Those gentlemen have since been in charge and have greatly improved the Current. The paper is now a six-column quarto.

Cottonwood Gazette was the name of a paper that had an existence of less than two years in the nineties. It was established by C. G. Strand in June, 1896, and W. C. Smith became the proprietor in March, 1897. In the latter part of the same year publication was suspended.

Of the many news journals that have at one time and another been published at Balaton the first was the Balaton Journal. It was founded by A. N. Daniels early in 1887 and was published by him nearly two years. C. C. YYhitney

6 Company, of Marshall, became the publishers on January 1, 1889, and the local management was given to R. B. Caldwell. That gentleman was succeeded in the fall of 1890 by John H. Call. The Journal was sold in February, 1891, to J. Gitzy. who published it about one month and then suspended publication.

Balaton's second newspaper was the Balaton Eagle. In January, 1893, C. L. Wing, who had been publishing the Woodstock Eagle, moved the plant to the Lyon county village. The Balaton Eagle did not bring great returns to its publisher and in October, 1893, Mr. Wing departed and left the Eagle unable to fly. Publication was resumed in December by Miller & Estey, but the venture was not a success and the plant was sold at auction in April, 1895, and moved away.

The Balaton Times was established by Jackson & Anson early in 1900 and was printed in the proprietors' Tracy Trumpet office. Publication was suspended in April, 1900, at which time the subscription list and good will were sold to the newly founded Balaton Bystander.

The founder of the Bystander was Professor W. M. Snyder, who in March, 1900, got out the first issue. He put a small plant in the village, most of the money to pay for which had been raised by subscription. Professor Snyder was not a success as a newspaper man and the life of the Bystander was short.

From May to August, 1901, the Lyon County Leader was published in Balaton by M. V. B. Scribner, who for several years previously had published the paper at Marshall.

The Balaton Press was established early in January, 1903, by J. H. Rush, and for more than seven years it was published by him, the mechanical work having been done in the office of the Lake Benton News. It was not a financial success, but certain interests in Balaton required an organ and the

4"The Balaton Tribune was formerly owned and published by C. H. Smith, who had given a bill of sale of his printing material to certain parties in the village. It appears that friction occurred between the owner or owners of the bill of sale and the editor on account of the policy of the paper toward certain matters of local interest, and the bill of sale was enforced by the appointment of a receiver, who was put in charge of the office and paper; the editor was eliminated and the

In August, 1905, C. H. Smith took a plant to Balaton and put forth the Balaton Tribune. The village was hardly large enough to support one paper, but the new paper was backed by interests that also required an organ. In the spring of 1907 the owners of a bill of sale of the Tribune plant given by Mr. Smith was enforced and a receiver was appointed. The bill of sale did not cover the title of the paper or the subscription list, but these were taken by the new owners and the dispute between the interested parties found its way to the courts.4 F. J. Sherry became the proprietor of the Tribune after Mr. Smith was ousted and continued publication until the consolidation in 1910.

The two Balaton papers were consolidated March 15, 1910, and the Balaton Press-Tribune took their place, the new paper being printed in the Tribune office. The paper has since been edited by E. F. Whiting, while H. G. Towne has been business manager. The Press- Tribune was enlarged to a six-column quarto on October 15, 1911. It is Republican in politics and is an influential publication.

Early in 1901 a newspaper bearing a Russell date line made its appearance, printed in an outside office. In May of the same year W. J. Huddleston took a plant to the little town and established the Russell Review, which he conducted until October, 1905. Then he purchased an interest in the Cottonwood Current publication of the paper was continued by the parties holding the bill of sale, who not only controlled the office and business, but seized the subscription list and demanded and received the mail of the late editor. Mr. Smith now brings suit against his successors for damages, claiming that the bill of sale was confined to the material of the office." - Marshall News- Messenger, October 25, 1907.

and left Russell without a newspaper. After a lapse of three weeks the Russell Review was revived. C. P. Eastman purchased Mr. Huddleston's interests, picked up a plant by purchase from several offices, and early in November got out his first issue. It was up-hill work publishing a paper in a village the size of Russell, but he kept it alive until December, 1906, when he moved the plant to Osakis, Minnesota.

Russell was not long without an organ of publicity. On May 16. 1907, L. H. Rairdon founded the Russell Anchor. He conducted it until March, 1909, and it was then purchased by two Russell business men, F. S. Purdy and B. Leknes. Those gentlemen were the publishers until July 29, 1909, when the present owner, Fred E. Child, purchased the plant. Mr. Child has made a success of the business and has a well equipped office. The Anchor is a six-column quarto, of which four pages are printed in the home office.

After retiring from the Balaton Tribune, C. H. Smith moved to Garvin and on August 16, 1907, launched the Garvin Leader. It was founded as a six-column folio and that has ever since been the size. Mr. Smith sold the Leader in June, 1911, to ten business men of the village. Since that time the publishers have been John Holden, Jr., and F. D. Pinckney and the editor has been E. M. Jones.