Barron County, Wisconsin - Chapter 15: Barron County Journalism, 1922

The first paper to be published in Barron was the Barron County Gazette, first published in June, 1874, by C. W. Carpenter and W. L. Abbott. This paper was moved to Rice Lake in 1875, and later the name was changed to the Rice Lake Chronotype. The Barron County Shield, the next oldest paper in the county, was founded November 1, 1876, by A. Dewey, who published the paper for three years, selling out to Walter Speed & Co., November 1, 1879. While no name is given it is generally understood that C. S. Taylor was the company. With Walter Speed as editor the paper was continued until July 6, 1893, when the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Speed going to the Chetek Alert and C. S. Taylor becoming sole owner of the Shield. From the notice of dissolution it ap¬ pears that this partnership had included the publication of the Chetek Alert, which was established in 1882. May 4, 1883, the name of H. H. Lampman ap- peared under the firm name as foreman of the office and he continued irt this capacity until May 22, 1885.' C. S. Taylor continued as publisher until' Novem¬ ber 10, 1893, when all names were dropped from the paper. Thi name of Thomas Dovery, who had been an employe of the office for some time, Appears as publisher for the first time on January 19, 1894. August 30* 1895, a notice to patrons of the paper is signed by the publishers. January 24, 1896; the Amery Free Press compliments "Editor" Dovery when he "comes out with four pages of home print instead of two." While there has been ho notice of any change in management it was generally understood that Mr. Dovery became the owner of the Shield in January, 1894. He continued as publisher of the Shield until January, 1905, when he sold out to W. R. Hotchkiss & Co., Mr. Hotchkiss sold out to Frank B. Gessler in 1908 and went to Menombnie. In October, 1909, Mr. Gessler sold to Durnal & Dretzke, who were the publishers for three years, when Mr. Dretzke retired and Mr. Durnal continued as sole owner until the fall of 1914, when he sold to August F. Ender. Mr. Ender was the owner and editor of the Shield until November 1, 1918, when the subscrip¬ tion list and all equipment was sold to N. S. Gordon and the Barron County Shield and the Barron County News were consolidated under the name of the Barron County News-Shield, under which name it is still being published. Mr. Gordon had previously bought the Dallas Index and consolidated it with the News, and the Cameron Review had recently been taken over by the Shield. In November, 1920, Mr. Gordon bought the subscription list of the Prairie Farm Breeze and that paper was absorbed by the Barron County News-Shield.

The Shield, now consolidated in the News-Shield, has maintained a stand¬ ard of stability somewhat unusual in the history of rural pioneer journalism in the Northwest. From Nov. 1, 1879, until Jan. 1, 1905, its destinies were in the hands of but three men, Walter Speed, Charles S. Taylor and Thomas Dovery, all men of substantial standing and worth. During its latter years before the consolidation it experienced the usual journalistic vicissitudes. But in the meantime the present editor had taken over the News, July 1, 1904, and so has a continuous record of nearly eighteen years. Thus four men, the Messrs. Speed, Taylor, Dovery and Gordon, span more than forty-two years.

The Barron County News dates its existence from 1900, although its first name was the Weekly Call and its first editor was Fred W. Haislet. It had a somewhat stormy existence for the first four years of its life. Many times the office force was obliged to call for help in getting the paper out when Mr. Haislet was "feeling too good to work." Finally in 1903 the paper was sold under mortgage sale to C. W. Andrews, and the name was changed to the Bar¬ ron County News. In February, 1904, Mr. Andrews sold to George C. Elwood and in June of the same year he sold to N. S. Gordon, who took charge of the paper the first week in July and who, as noted, has served continuously for 18 years now, a longer term than any other publisher in the county, except Walter Speed, who was with the Chetek Alert from September, 1882, to February, 1901. The paper has grown from the smallest, both in volume of business and prestige, until now, under the title of the Barron County News-Shield. It is recognized as the leading paper of the county.

Barron was for a short time the home of three papers. The Republican was the third paper to be started in Barron by J. H. Williams & Son, in 1888. J. H. Williams retired from the paper in 1890, when J. J. Smith became associated with Jay Williams as publishers. Burrage & Hudson bought the Republican in 1897 and a few months later W. A. Coe bought the interest of Mr. Hudson, and in six months more took over the interest of Mr. Burrage. Between 1901 and 1903 Jay Williams appears again and moved the paper to Dallas, and in 1904 sold out to Harvey Erickson.

The Chetek Alert was started by Walter Speed on Friday, Sept. 15, 1882. Mr. Speed, who is now living at Summit, Ore., was an experienced newspaper man, having been previously connected with the Shield at Barron. He made the Alert a six-column folio and conducted it as a Republican paper. In his salutatory notice he predicted the future importance of the village, promised to carry on the paper in the interests of truth and justice, and to make no war on individuals except such as deserved public censure. He conducted the Alert along those lines until Feb. 15, 1901, when he sold it to George C. Elwood. The latter presided over its destinies until February, 1904, when it was bought by L. P. Charles and J. W. Bell, the present proprietors, of whom Mr. Charles is the editor and active manager, and also the owner of the building. They have improved the plant, having installed a large two-revolution press and linotype machine. Besides carrying on the paper in accordance with its original policy, they operate a job printing office. In February, 1915, the concern was incor¬ porated as the Alert Publishing Co. The officers are: J. W. Bell, president; Mrs. Lillie A. Calhoun, vice-president ; and L. P. Charles, secretary and treas¬ urer. The foreman, Lyle Speed, is a nephew of Walter Speed, the founder of the paper. The associate editor is Merton Martenson. Lyle Speed and Mr. Martenson are stockholders in the concern.

Wtihin six or seven years after the arrival of the first settlers in Cumber¬ land, the village was able to boast of a weekly newspaper. This was the Cum¬ berland Herald, established May 22, 1881, by C. H. Clark, with M. P. Morris as editor. On Sept. 21, 1881, C. A. Lamoreux purchased Mr. Clark's interest in the property, and the firm became Morris & Lamoreux. This partnership was dis¬ solved Dec. 6, 1883, Mr. Lamoreux retiring and Mr. Morris continuing the busi¬ ness. The latter disposed of it March 19, 1884, to L. L. Gunderson, who con¬ tinued the publication of the paper as editor and proprietor. On July 3, 1884, A. F. Wright became associated with Mr. Gunderson as one of the publishers and the firm name became Gunderson & Wright, and so remained until Nov. 6, 1886, when Mr. Wright severed his connection with the paper, the publication of which was continued for a short time longer by Mr. Gunderson. The next proprietor was S. H. Hull, who changed the name of the paper to the Cumber¬ land Advocate. After Mr. Hull had conducted it for a year or more, it was purchased by a company which had been formed under the style of the Cum¬ berland Printing Co., and by which it was continued until 1886. Then it was sold to H. S. Comstock and D. A. Russell, who, under the firm name of Com¬ stock & Russell, continued its publication. In the fall of 1887, Mr. Comstock bought Mr. Russell's interest and conducted the paper alone for about a year, when, in 1888, he sold out to T. F. Ball. The latter, after a while, associated himself with F. F. Morgan, of La Crosse, who, a year later, bought Mr. Ball's interest and was the sole proprietor until 1900. He then sold to Tom O. Mason, who published the paper until October, 1906. In that month, H. S. Comstock again took hold of it, buying out Mr. Mason. Subsequently he organized the Cumberland Advocate Co., selling a part of the stock to G. Gunderson. In January, 1915, Mr. Gunderson's stock was purchased by R. B. Hart, Judge Cornstock retaining a controlling interest until the following September, when his interest was purchased by Mr. Gunderson. In June, 1920, the latter again sold out to R. B. Hart, who has been editor of the paper since 1915. A one-third interest in the concern is owned by Mrs. Hart. The Advocate is an eight-page, six-column weekly, with a good list of subscribers.

While the Advocate, either under its present name, or under its former one of the Herald, has pursued its course for forty years o'er calm or stormy seas, and under different captains, and is still proudly sailing the journalistic main, several other barks have been launched from Cumberland on that same ocean and started gaily on their voyage, only to meet with speedy shipwreck or to find timely refuge in some other port.

One of these was the Free Press, captained by G. Gunderson, which kept off the rocks and braved the weather for a few years, when it was finally pur¬ chased by H. S. Comstock, by whom it was put out of commission.

At another time, G. Gunderson, then proprietor of a small job printing office, began the issue of a little hand sheet which he called The Eye, and which contained items of local news. It had, however, but a brief existence.

From 1910 to 1915, R. B. Hart and George B. Cook, conducted a newspaper in Cumberland called the Journal, the subscription list of which was sold to the Advocate, when Mr. Hart became associated with Judge Comstock in the owner¬ ship of that paper.

In April, 1908, John J. Wearne, now proprietor of a meat market in Cum¬ berland, started a paper at Almena, called the Cloverland Star. After conduct¬ ing it there for a year, he moved it in April, 1909, including his plant, to Cum¬ berland, in order to finish advertising contracts. On August 1, the same year, he sold the subscription list to H. S. Comstock, who also took over the adver¬ tising contracts, Mr. Wearne then moving his plant to Minong, Wis., where he continued the paper for two years as the Minong Star.

The Prairie Farm Breeze was established Nov. 23, 1909, by G. W. Van Vuren, who continued as editor and publisher until May 1, 1918, when he sold the paper to Roy Holman. Mr. Holman continued the publication until Nov. 1, 1920, when the subscription list was sold to the Barron County News-Shield and the Breeze was discontinued.

The first newspaper published in Dallas was the Republican, when that paper was moved from Barron to Dallas in 1903. Jay Williams was the editor. In 1904 the paper was sold to Harvey Erickson, and on Aug. 31, 1905, L. E. Joppa became the owner of the paper. He sold to N. S. Gordon, who owned and published the paper for one year. Mr. Joppa became the owner of the paper again Sept. 13, 1907. The paper was discontinued March 31, 1911, and estab¬ lished again October 30, under the name of the Dallas Index. The Index was sold to N. S. Gordon April 1, 1917, and eight months later was consolidated with the Barron County News. No paper has been published at Dallas since then.

The Cloverland Star, published by J. J. Wearne, served Almena and com¬ munity from April, 1908, to April, 1909, when it was moved to Cumberland and a few months later, as noted, consolidated with the Cumberland Advocate.

The first newspaper was established in Turtle Lake in 1898, in the early spring, by Amos Babcock, and was called the Turtle Lake Advance. He pub¬ lished the paper for a little more than a year, selling to M. A. Frissell in 1899, who changed the name of the paper to the Turtle Lake Bugle. William C. Lyons was installed as editor and manager and he acted in this capacity until Feb. 26, 1903, though for a short time the name of A. I. Averill & Son appeared at the head of the Bugle's editorial columns as publishers. It is thought they may have been conducting it for Mr. Frissell. On Sept. 11, 1902, William C. Lyons announced that he had bought it from Mr. Frissell. On March 5, 1903, A. H. Nuesse became the proprietor and editor of the paper and so continued for ten years, except for two brief periods during which he rented it out, first to Fred W. Haislet, in the latter part of 1911, who conducted it for a few months until the spring of 1912, and later for a short time to W. C. McCormack. On Oct. 6, 1913, Mr. Nuesse sold out to A. G. Huhn, the present editor and proprietor, who changed the name of the paper to the Turtle Lake Times, and who is now con¬ ducting it as a six-column, eight-page paper, and also operating a job printing office in connection with it. Mr. Huhn came here from St. Paul, Minn., in which city he had experience in the job printing trade.

The Rice Lake Chronotype is the oldest paper in Barron County, being the successor of the Barron County Gazette, founded June, 1874, at Barron, by C. W. Carpenter and W. L. Abbott. It was moved to Rice Lake soon after and continued by Mr. Carpenter until June, 1876. It was then sold to Rice Lake Village Company and was edited for one year by A. Dewey. It was about this time that the name was changed to the Rice Lake Chronotype, which name it still bears. Since then the editors of the paper have been Charles Nunn, till May, 1877 ; Fred Peachman, for six months ; Charles F. Bone, November, 1877, to 1885; P. H. Swift, 1885 to 1894; H. M. Hilliker, November, 1894, to 1896; E. N. Bowers, December, 1896, to September, 1906. In 1905, E. C. McClelland became editor of the Chronotype, and in 1909 the Leader, published by R. C. Peck, was consolidated with the Chronotype, retaining the name of the Rice

Rice Lake now Has but one other newspaper, the Rice Lake Times, pub¬ lished by E. E. Campbell. This paper was established in 1887 by C. F. Bone. In 1907 Harry L. Bone became associated with his father in the publication of the paper and continued it after the death of his father in 1907 till he sold the paper to E. E. Campbell in 1909.

Several other papers have at different times been published in Rice Lake. The Leader was founded in July, 1896, and published by Ward L. Swift and Harry W. McCourt till January, 1898; W. L. and P. H. Swift, from January, 1898, to February, 1899; P. H. Swift, from February, 1899, to April, 1903; the Leader Publishing Company, Cass U. Jenkins, manager, for a few weeks, and then by the Swifts till August 17, 1904, when George C. Elwood bought the plant and conducted the paper alone until May, 1906, then with R. C. Peck until May, 1906. In 1906, E. E. Campbell bought Mr. Elwood's interest and Peck and Campbell continued the paper until March, 1909, when it was consolidated with the Rice Lake Chronotype, Mr. Peck going to the Chronotype and Mr. Campbell buying the Rice Lake Times.

T. C. Surdson moved the Cameron Review to Rice Lake in 1906 and the paper was published by him for one year under the name of Journal and Re¬ view, when it was destroyed by fire in February, 1917, when the Odd Fellow Block was burned.

Fred W. Haislet published the Call in 1917 for about a year, when the name of the paper was changed to the Union Herald and continued for some months after Mr. Haislet left Rice Lake, by Walter F. Erickson.

The first paper published in Cameron was the Independent, established in 1887, S. 'S. Hull, editor. A year later the paper was moved to Barron and C. B. Dodge was the editor. In 1897 Amos Babcock established the Cameron Review and a year later sold it to H. H. Dunn. In 1901 the name of W. C. Lyons appears as publisher of the Review. Mr. Lyons went to Turtle Lake in 1902. E. V. Nevins became the editor of the paper in 1904, and 1907, M. C. Martin was editor of the Review. Then came Harvey Erickson and Walter Erickson with the name of H. C. Sweatland as publisher. The property was virtually owned by the Bank of Cameron and to keep it alive, Cashier Ingvald Egstad became a printers' devil and got the paper out for several weeks. In November, 1911, the plant was sold to T. C. Surdson, who continued to publish the Review until April, 1916, when he moved the plant to Rice Lake and the paper was continued as the Journal and Review until February, 1917, when the plant was destroyed by fire when the Odd Fellows' building, in which it was located, was burned. The subscription list was then sold to the Chrono¬ type. During the summer of 1917, George C. Elwood launched the Cameron Record, but after a few months the plant and subscription list was sold to the Barron County Shield. Since then no paper has been published in Cameron.