Grundy County, Missouri - Chapter 16: The Press of Trekton, 1881

Chapter 16: The Press of Trekton

Trenton Pioneer - Herald - Christian Pioneei - Trenton Republican - Its Changes of Name and Proprietors - Its Political Course - Incidents in its Career - Grundi/ Couiity Times - Organ of the Democracy - More Wood - Daili/ Bazaar - Trenton Weeklg Star - First Appearance - Monthly Star - Daily Star - Its Principles - " What Becomes of Editors?'" - Daily Evening Repttblican - A Forward Movement.

The Trenton Pioneer

Following fast upon the heels of the early settler came the newspapers, with their civilizing and brightening influence, to cast a ray of mutual interest over the events and occurrences of the community, and to save, as it were, the golden grains from the sands of oblivion. The pioneer newspapers were not a general source of wealth to their proprietors, and while they were building up the community, it was often that their best efforts were unappreciated, and it was oft-times a hard struggle to keep the paper going, even in a fitful and uncertain way. In 1851 the first newspaper published in Grundy county was placed before the public in the city of Trenton, with the name Trenton Pioneer flying from its mast-iiead. Mr. David T. Wright was the editor and publisher, and continued its publication for two years, giving general satisfaction, wlien in 1853 he disposed of the good will and material to Mr. R. C. Wiiite, who took charge, and the Pioneer moved along under his management until 1854, when the office again became the property of Mr. Wright, who removed it to Lindley, in Marion township, and began the publication of the Christian Pioneer^ in conjunction with the Rev. H. O. Howard. The Piotieer was a fivecolumn sheet, but upon its removal to Lindley it was changed to a quarto form in the shape of a two-column, sixteen page pamphlet. The Christian Pioneer continued the only paper published in Grundy county until 1857, in which year Mr. E. 0. Jones started and under his management it was conducted one year, when Mr. Jones retired, selling the paper to Mr. S. P. Mountain, who continued the publication until 1859, when, for want of proper support, the Herald threw up the sponge and expired. The press and fixtures remained idle until the latter part of the same year, when Mr. D. T. Wright moved his office from Lindley and purchased the material of the Herald office, uniting the two establishments, and continuing the publication of the Christian Pioneer at Trenton in an improved form. Mr. Wright continued the publication with varying fortunes until 1862, when the entire office was destroyed in the disastrous fire of that vear. Tliis ended the Christian Pioneer, so far as Grundy county is concerned, as Mr. Wright removed to Chillicothe, where he re-conmienced its puhlication. For the two years following the destruction of the Pioneer office, Grundy county had no paper published within its limits. In 1864 the Grand River JVeios was placed before the public, a candidate for popular favor, and a history of its career follows, under the head of

The Trenton Republican

The Trenton Republican is now nearing the close of its seventeenth volume, and is one of the established and reliable institutions of the Grand River Yalley. Under the management of its present proprietor, Col. W. B. Rogers, it has taken a firm stand under the banners of Republicanism, and wields a large influence in the politics of the Tenth congressional district. The paper has steadily grown, and is now one of the largest county papers in northern Missouri, constantly improving, wide-awake, and up with the spirit of the times.

The Republican is the oldest paper in Grundy county, and first threw the silken folds of its banner to the breeze in the year 1864, under the name and title of the Grand River JVews, with the names of Messrs. A. O. Binkley and G. W. Buckingham heading its columns as "editors and proprietors." The material was brought from Corydon, Iowa. The exact date of the first number is not obtainable, from the fact that the files of the first five years have been accidentally lost or destroyed. Shortly after the advent of the paper, Mr. Buckingham sold his interest to his partner, and Mr. Binkley continued the publication until 1865, when Mr. John E. Carter, late of the Trenton Star, and the present county treasurer, purchased the good will and material of Mr. Binkley, and at once assumed the position of editor and proprietor. Mr. Carter's stay was short, and in six months after taking charge he disposed of the office to Mr. N. T. Doane. Up to this time the Grand River Neim boasted of only six columns to the page, but under the proprietorship of Mr. Doane, it was enlarged to a seven-column paper and the name changed to RepuUican-N'eius. Tlie paper continued under the management of Mr. Doane until his death in June, 1868, when Dr. J. H. Kerfoot, as administrator of Mr. Doane's estate, assumed control, and the following month leased the establishment to Mr, E. S. Darlington, who continued its publication until April, 1869, when Dr. Kerfoot sold the office to Mr. W. H. Roberts and Mr. E. S. Darlington, the former taking editorial chai'sre. This firm continued in existence about six months, and in September, 1869, the business interests and material of the office became the property of Col. W. B. Rogers, the present proprietor.

twenty- two quires. Under the energetic management of Col. Rogers, the paper began to steadily improve and its patronage to increase, and to meet the demands upon its columns, on November 9, 1871, it became an eightcolumn paper, twenty-six by forty. The Rejncblican-N'eios continued to thrive and prosper, until the constantly increasing advertising: patronage and large circulation made it necessary for another enlargement. This change was made on the 19th of June, 1879, when the paper was issued in ts present nine-column form, twenty-eight by forty-four, printing a regular weekly edition of lifty-one quires, and on the 5th of July following the name was changed to Trenton Republican^ under which title it is now widely known as one of the most influential weeklies of northern Missouri.

Political Course

Politically, the course of the Republican has been that of a sincere advocate of the principles upheld by the Republican party, of which organization its editor has long been a conspicuous and consistent member. The Republican has steadily pursued a course which, in its judgment, has best aided the interests of the party which it so ably represents.

In 1872, when the split occurred in the party, a portion joining what was called the Gratz Brown movement, the Republican gave an active support to the McClurg ticket, as the only regular Republican nominees.

In 1873 the high standing of the Republican caused it to b& selected by the State department at "Washington, D. C, as one of the two papers in the State of Missouri to publish the laws and treaties of the United States, an honor which certainly speaks well for the Republican.

In 1874 the party in the State decided to make no nominations for State officers, and the Republican^ with its party, gave a passive support to the " People's ticket," in opposition to the regular nominees of the Democracy, but cordially supported the straight ticket in the county and for Congress.

In 1880 the Republican cast its influence in favor of the Greenback candidate for Congress as against the regular Democratic nominee - the Republicans having made no nomination - and, although there was some opposition at first, it carried with it nearly the entire vote of the party in the county. The Republican has ever been constant and true in its allegiance to the guiding principles of the Republican party, and has never failed to give an earnest, manly support to the nominees of the party. As the largest paper, with the largest circulation in the Grand River Valley, the Rep>ublican bids fair to flourish for years to come under the excellent guidance of Col. Wm. B. Rogers, its popular editor and proprietor, and with this bright future before it, this sketch closes its history up to 1881.

From a small country printing office the Republican has grown until it now has an establishment capable of executing all kinds of job printings which will compare favorably with offices in larger cities. A power press, two job presses, and a large assortment of type and fixtures complete its equipment as a lirst-class office.

Beside the regular weekly issue, the RepuhliGan, in the fall of 1877, issued a daily edition during th3 continuance of the county fair. The paper was a small, spicj' sheet, and closed its career after five issues.

Among the incidents illustrating the local career of the BepuhliGan might be mentioned one which occurred in 1872, while Colonel Rogers was away attending to his duties as a member of the State Senate. ' During the Colonel's absence the entei'^Drising city editor hastened to inform a confiding public that he, the aforesaid city editor, having assumed full charge and responsibility, would immediately begin to improve the paper, and show what true genius could do in the way of ruiming a newspaper. By way of proving his good intentions, he announced with a flourish of trumpets, tliat in the next issue of the Republican he would publish a full and complete list of all the marriageable people in town, and wound up by cooly requesting all ladies who were open to matrimonial propositions to send in their names, ages and description, with full information as to whether they wore false hair or teeth; and, also, whether their dispositions were of the tartaric acid variety. "These questions," sagely remarked the youth, "are very important and absolutely necessary to make the enterprise a grand success, and will, at the same time, save us the trouble of getting the facts from the census reports, ourselves, ladies." The idea was so perfectly shocking that it liked to have everlastingly ruined the young man's usefulness as a chronicler of society news.

In the very next issue after the city editor had aired his genius, the " devil " was taken with a severe attack of brilliancy which nearly struck the town all in a heap. It seems tiiat this youngster from the lower regions was of a very observing disposition, and having noticed that the fashion of wearing bustles had just come in vogue, and that the girls flocked to the newspaper offices to get the much-needed stuffing, he conceived the plan to make the business yield a profit; so in the next issue of the Repuhlican he inserted an advertisement ofi'ering " to exchange old papers for kisses, at the rate of one paper for one kiss, three papers for two kisses, or six papers for three kisses," with a postscript stating that the osculatory caresses must be paid strictly in advance, and that proxies would not be allowed, as he didn't propose to waste any of his sweetness on the hired girls, not if he knew it, and he thought he did. The bustle business boomed, but whether the "devil" scooped in the kisses is not known, but it is certain the girls got the papers.

Perhaps the worst case of downright meanness ever perpetrated on a human being was practiced on the editor of the Republican. It is possible that editors are not put down in the census reports as human beings, but that is not the question. "On or about the 29th day of January, 1874, the Republican man was notified that if he didn't pay his taxes before February 1st, said taxes would go up as high as the price of" the Urst crop of watermelons. Ye editor shinned around in a hurry, and by going only to people who didn't know him, finally managed to borrow the necessary amount and forked it over to the flinty-hearted collector. The very next day the legislature extended the time three months, and the editor man got mad and hit himself with a club. He rushed madly forth from his oflSce, collared the collector, and demanded the return of his hardly-borrowed shekels, and that's right where the meanness came in; the miserable wretch refused to do it. The life of" an editor is a. hard one.

In the latter part of November, ] 871, the Grundy County Times made its first bow to the public, under the editorial management of Mr. S. L. Harvey. The material of the ofUce was purchased from the Constitution office, at Chillicothe, and the money was raised by subscription from the prominent Democrats of the county who determined to support a paper advocating tlie principles of Democracy. Mr. Harvey was placed in charge and the office deeded to him on the condition that he would publish a Democratic paper, and the Thnes^ as above stated, appeared in the latter part of November, 1871, as the result of this determination on the part of the Grundy county Democracy.

For the first year the Times had a hard struggle for existence, but the Democrats of the county stood solid in its support, and in the beginning of the second year it was firmly established and boasted of a hona fide cii'culation of over five hundred copies. Mr. Harvey continued to edit the Times until the 8th of October, 1874, when he disposed of the good will and material, Mr. Frank A. Dinsmoor being his successor. The Times had now won a place in the good will of the people, and was one of the permanent fixtures of the county. The publication of the Times was continued by Mr. Dinsmoor until the 3d of April, 1879, when the management was transferred to Mr. C. L. Beacliem, who was in charge only a short time, retiring from the paper on the 20th of the following November, when Mr. Dinsmoor again assumed control. This time he held on until the 10th of August, 1880, when the business interests, fixtures and appurtenances became the property of Mr. M. G. Kennedy, who is the present editor and proprietor.

What It Advocates

The Times has ever been staunclily Democratic, and its fervor in the cause which gave it birth has never abated, but, on the contrary, its columns continue to advocate and defend the principles of pure Democracy, as taught by Jefferson, the founder of the party. The Times has always given hearty support to tlie nominees of the Democratic party, and stands to-day the rej>re8entative of the best interests of the Democracy of Grundy county.

The Times was a seven-column paper from its first issue, and has never changed, but is still printed from a Washington hand press. The office is also supplied with an eighth-medium job press and a stock of job-printing material.

The career of the Times has been steady and uneventful. It is true, however, that a terrible howl went up from the Times for more wood in the winter of 1878. 'But that has nothing to do with its career. Suppose one subscriber did rush in with a load of water-elm and palm it oft' on the editor for seasoned hickory, who never found out the difference until his wife threatened to stop his supply of provisions until he got a load of wood that would burn without the trouble of putting it in a blast furnace to dry it? Well, suppose the aforesaid editor did meander away on his auriculars, and threaten to make a forcible appropriation of the capillary substance taking root in the cranium of the subscriber who brought in that wood? Suppose he did awake the echoes with his anguished howls for gore, gore, GORE? Has that anvthino: to do with the Times? Xot much: but it shows that you can't please some editors, no matter how much swamp-elm you bring them.

The Daily Bazaar was issued from the Times office in 1S78. It was published in the interest of the Catholic fair, by Rev. J. J. Kennedy. Only a few issues were printed.

The Trenton Weekly Star

The Monthly Star, a three-column quarto, made its appearance in the early part of 1877, under the editorial control and proprietorship of Mr. G. S. Dunn. The paper was started as a venture, and was intended to more fully discuss matters of national and scientific importance than those of mere local interest. The Star met with fair success, and its publication was continued for one year, closing its career in 1878, and was followed on the 7th of May, of the same year, by the Daily Morning Star, which flashed like a meteor from the ekj^ upon the people of Trenton, The daily was a newsy six-column sheet, the first bona fide daily newspaper published in the city. It was gotten up as a surprise to the people, and its first and last issues were one and the same.

After a few years' rest the Monthly Star was again before the public, this time to supply what seemed tu be a demand for a bold and fearless local paper. It was published in folio form, six columns to the page. The Monthly was a success from the start, and by its outspoken stand upon all questions of local as well as of national interest, won such a large circle of friends that, after only three issues, it was merged into the Weekly Star, the first number of which was dated August 21st, 1879. It was a neatly printed eight-column folio, and, although strongly Republican, its course upon the questions of the day were defined in the following salutatory taken from the first issue:

Its Principles

" In presenting you with this, the first copy of the Weekly Star, we deem it proper to offer a few introductory words. The Star will be independent in everything, and neutral in nothing. It will be our constant aim to make a first-class journal, and a live paper. As we belong to no faction, and are controlled by no politician, we are free to work for the best interests of our town and county, to expose evil and support justice, to defend tlie right and oppose the wrong. Our columns will be free at all times upon matters of public interest, but no attack on any public person or institution will be published unless signed by the writer."

New Firm

With this platform of principles Mr. Dunn placed the Star upon a solid basis as one of the established enterprises of Grundy county. Under the management of Mr. Dunn the Weekly S ta)' continned its prosperous career until the 20th of May, 1880, when his valedictory appeared, he having sold the paper to a company composed of Thos. A. Murphy, Solomon Stewart, George Hall, B. F. Harding. J. E. Carter, R. V. Young, C. L. Webber, L. Garrett, M. L. Boyles, G. L. Winters, H. J. Herrick and A. I. Lord. These gentlemen were granted a certificate of incorporation by the State as the "Star Publisliing Company." Mr. Lord was elected business manager of the Star, and Mr. Carter, editor. With these gentlemen in charge the Star continued as a successful publication, without change, until July 28th, 1881, when the valedictory of Mr. Carter as editor appeared, and Mr. Lord took editorial control. With this exception the Star continues in its chosen course, always maintaining the principles of the Republican party, and wielding a ready pen in defense of those principles an3 for the supremacy of the Republican cause. Its jjresent condition and standing in the community cannot be better shown than by the publication of the following, taken from its issue of August 11th, 1881.

" This number of the Star completes the second year of its existence and the sixty-second issue by tlie Star Publishing Company. We feel ourselves under man}- obligations to the people of Grundy county for their liberal patronage and the kind help and words of cheer we have received. The business men of Trenton recognize in the Star an invaluable medium for extending their business, and their encouragement has been hearty and substantial. The Star Publishing Company came into existence by the same law of supply and demand by which other business is governed. The sue- cess which it has attained is the best criterion by which to judge of its merits. It has attained a hona fide circulation second to none in the county, and its subscription list is rapidly growing. We promise our readers that our best efforts shall at all times be used to promote the interest of the whole people of Grundy county and all rings and cliques will be fought irrespective of personal feeling or party pledges. That tlie cause of the people against monopolies will at all times be upheld, and the news of the day will be accurately given. The people of Grundy county by their ])atronage have made the Star one of the permanent institutions of the county and to serve their interest will be the earnest desire of the Star Publishing Company."

The material and fixtures of the Star were purchased new by Mr. Dunn, and are still in use. The ])aper is printed on a Washington hand press, which makes an impression clear and distinct. Since the Star became the property of the present proprietors, many additions have been made to the material until the ofKce is now one of the most perfectly equipped in this part of the State. On the 8tli of September, 1881, the old hand press gave way to a splendid new Campbell country steam printing machine, and a new power paper cutter was also added, and the office now stands complete and able to compete with any establishment in the city,

Daily Evening Republican

The above is the name of a neatly printed, five-cohimn folio, issued for the first time on Saturday, September 3d, 1881, by W. B. Rogers, publisher of the Trenton Rejpublican. The paper is more especially devoted to the local interests of Trenton and Grundy county, and is issued every afternoon, six days per week. It is under the editorial control of Col. "W. B. Rogers, assisted by Mr. J. A. Gilluly as local editor. The following salutatory explains more fully its purposes:

" Twelve years ago the first instant, the present proprietor assumed control of the publication and business of the Republican then the River Rejpiibliccin.''

"In his salutatory he said: ' I have purchased the Rejpublican purely as a business transaction, and would ask of the people of Grundy county that liberal patronage that they have heretofore extended to their home paper. I have identified my interests with the people of Grundy county by settling among them and it will be my constant aim to labor for the best interests of the county.' How well we have performed our part we leave it for others to say.

" Then Trenton contained a population of 800, now 4,000. Then the Re- 'publican and all the job work of the ofiice was printed on a small handpress, now the paper and other heavy work is printed on a large Campbell two revolution cylinder book and newspaper press, and employs two other fast running job presses.

" Durini^ these twelve years we have labored for the upbuilding of the town and county and at the same time have tried to keep the improvements of the Republican fully up with the growth of the town and county. The last year has been one of marked growth in Trenton and the county; the indications are that the top has not been reached. Hence we believe the town will support the Republican in another forward movement. We therefore commence the publication, to-day, of a daily paper and ask the support of the public. Other towns not so large and with less business and less thrift are supporting evening daily jjapers. Kirksville, Cameron and Plattsburg, one, each; Chillicothe has one and we understand will have a second; why not Trenton have one. The people of Trenton are as liberal, energetic, progressive and as likely to support an enterprise of this kind as any people. If they want it we are wi lling to furnish it to them. The publication of the daily is not commenced merel}^ for fun, for it is no child's play to get out a paper every day. It will be published for profit and to meet the wants of the town. As long as it paj's it will be continued; whenever it ceases to pay (we have but little fear of the latter, however) it will cease to be published.

" The Evening Republican will be issued every afternoon, and furnished to regular subscribers, delivered in any part of the city by reliable carriers. We shall aim to make the Dally Republican a welcome visitor to every family in Trenton, and hope all those who wish to see it prosper will give it such support as it merits."