Clark County, Wisconsin - Chapter 15: Journalism, 1918

The journalistic field in Clark County is covered by thirteen weekly newspapers, twelve American and one German. They are: The Abbotsford Clarion, of Abbottsford; the Dorchester Herald, of Dorchester; the Granton News, of Granton; the Greenwood Gleaner, of Greenwood; the Humbird Enterprise, of Humbird; the Colby Phonograph, of Colby; the Loyal Tribune, of Loyal; the Deutsch-Amerikaner, the Neillsville Times and the Republican and Press, of Neillsville; the Owen Enterprise, of Owen; the Thorp Courier, of Thorp, and the Clark County Journal, of Withee. The Unity Register of Unity is over the line in Marathon County.

The Clark County Advocate, the first paper in Clark County, was first issued March 7, 1857. Its editor was William C. Tompkins, who had been persuaded by Beriah Brown, chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee, to move to Neillsville from Weyauwega, where he had started the Weyauwegan in July, 1855. After publishing the Advocate for a while, Mr. Tompkins, through the efforts of B. F, French, agreed to sell the paper to J. S. Dore and S. N. Dickinson, but Andrew J. Manley, who had been connected with the paper, and had a claim for services, took possession, refused to turn the office and equipment over to the prospective purchasers, and continued the publication with Mr. Tompkins still as editor. In the spring of 1863, Mr. Tompkins was succeeded as editor by C. W. Carpenter, Mr.. Manley still continuing as owner. The paper was discontinued in 1867, after an existence of some ten years.

The Union and Flag, the second newspaper in Clark County, was established at Neillsville on Oct. 14, 1861, by J. 8. Dore and 8. N. Dickinson. These gentlemen being balked in their purpose of securing the Advocate, turned their attention to Trempealeau. There Charles and Francis A. Utter had some printing equipment. In the spring of 1858 they had purchased a printing press and type from Elkhorn, Wis,, and had issued four numbers of the Trempealeau Times for the purpose of publishing the Buffalo County tax list. In the fall of that year J. Ketchum Averill purchased the same equipment and published the Trempealeau Banner, but not meeting with success, he moved to Tomah, where he established the Tomah Chief. For a while the plant at Trempealeau lay idle. Then, in 1860, the Utters foreclosed, and the equipment was sold at auction, part being taken by George S. Luce to Galesville, where on March 16, 1860, he established the Galesville Transcript, and a part being "bought in" by the Utters, who, a few months later, listened to the importunities of the Messrs. Dore & Dickinson, sold them the remaining equipment, and thus enabled them to issue the first number of the Union and Flag. Thus, from

The Clark County Journal, the third paper in Clark County, was established at Neillsville, Jan. 31, 1867, by J. S. Dore, formerly of the Union and Flag, Mr. Dore publishing the paper and acting as one of the editors, with Edward EB. Merritt as his associate editor. For a few months there was a warm rivalry between the Advocate and the Journal, and soon afterward the Advocate was discontinued, leaving the Journal alone in the field. About this time Merritt severed his connection with the Journal, and moved to St. Louis, being succeeded by Joseph Benedict, a brilliant writer, who died in 1870, leaving to Dore the publication and editorship of the paper. In the meanwhile, in the fall of 1867, Merritt returned to Neillsville and started the Clark County Republican, to whose successful rivalry the Journal succumbed after the election in the fall of 1872. The Journal type was used in starting a paper at Reedsburg in Sauk County.

The Clark County Republican, the fourth paper in Clark County, the predecessor of the present Republican and Press, was established at Neillsville, Oct. 25, 1867, by E. EB. Merritt, formerly of the Clark County Journal. For the first six weeks H. H. Hand was associated with Mr. Merritt in the editing of the Republican, after which Mr. Merritt continued alone. A spirited rivalry existed between the two papers, and after the death of Mr. Benedict of the Journal, in 1870, Mr. Hand returned to the editorial chair of the Republican. So bitter did the fight become that Mr. Hand resigned just before the election of 1872, at the suggestion of his own friends. The friends of the Republican were successful in the election, and the Journal was suspended, leaving the Republican alone in the field. Mr. Merritt, in March, 1874, sold to Charles J. Cooper, with D. T. Lindley as foreman. In March, 1875, it came into the possession of James Hewett and Jones Tompkins, who, in April, 1876, sold it to H. J. Hoffman, of the Clark County Press, who united it with that paper. When Mr. Cooper bought the paper, in March, 1874, he secured W. L. Abbott as editor. He was succeeded in May by D. T. Lindley, who in turn was succeeded in August, 1875, by W. W. La Flesh, who served until March, 1876. Then came W. C. Allen for a month or so before the consolidation.

The Clark County Press, the fifth paper in Clark County, was established at Neillsville in June 1873, by H. J. Hoffman, who, in April, 1876, bought the Clark County Republican and consolidated the two in the Republican and Press, still in existence.

The Langlade Enterprise, the sixth paper in Clark County, was established at Colby, in February, 1876, by Parkhurst & Griffin, Mr. Griffin retired after three months, and James A. Parkhurst continued it alone until March, 1878, having, after the first year, changed the name to The Colby Enterprise. T. J. Cleaver, who succeeded Mr. Parkhurst, moved the paper to Neillsville. In May, 1878, it was merged into the Republican and Press.

The Republican and Press, the oldest paper now in Clark County, and a consolidation of the fourth, fifth and sixth papers published here, dates from the Clark County Republican established in 1867, the Clark County

Press, established in 1875, both in Neillsville, and the Langlade Enterprise, established in 1876 at Colby and moved to Neillsville. When H. J. Hoffman, of the Press, purchased the Republican, he consolidated the papers under the name of Republican and Press, and continued the publication for some eight years, with E. L. Hoffman as partner until June, 1883, and then with J. K, Hoffman. In November, 1884, the paper was sold to I. T. Carr. The long connection of J. H. Tifft with the paper was started in April, 1889, when he and M. F. Satterlee bought out Mr. Carr. S. M. Marsh succeeded Mr. Satterlee as partner in March, 1891, and Mr. Tifft became sole owner in May, 1892. George E. Crothers became editor and partner in March, 1900. Under Hoffman the paper was independent Republican, under Carr it was Democratic, and under Tifft again Republican, which it is today. The Neillsville Enterprise, formerly the Enterprise of Colby, was absorbed in May, 1878. The Republican and Press is published at Neillsville every Thursday.

The Colby Phonograph. In September, 1878, about five years after the coming of the railroad, when the village was a very small settlement with doubtful future prospects, the Shafer Brothers - Samuel J. and Joel F'. - established a Democratic sheet, which they called the Colby Phonograph, the seventh paper in Clark County. It was published by the two brothers until 1902, in which year Samuel J, Shafer died. Joel F. Shafer then continued its publication until October, 1916, when he sold the paper to Harvey Bros., who, in 1918, sold it to Gessert & Buchholz, the present proprietors. The Phonograph was at one time an eight-column, and again a nine-column paper, but is now a seven-column folio.

The True Republican, the eighth paper published in Clark County, was established in July, 1879, by L. B. Ring, and by him conducted until December, 1887, when it was merged in the Neillsville Times.

Der Deutsch-Amerikaner was established at Neillsville Oct. 7, 1880, by H. J. Hoffman, of the Republican and Press. In 1885 he sold to Herman Schuster, who, in 1889, sold to Carl Rabenstein, the present editor and proprietor. The paper is published in the German language, and is the ninth paper in Clark County.

The Neillsyille Times, the tenth paper in Clark County, and the fourth oldest now in existence, dates back to the True Republican, established as the eighth paper in the county in July, 1879, and merged in the Times in December, 1887. The Times was founded in December, 1881, by a number of prominent citizens, among whom was N. H. Withee, James O'Neill, J. W. Ferguson, L. A. Doolittle and other leaders in the Republican party. L, A, Doolittle was the editor. In August, 1885, the paper was sold to M. F. Satterlee and W. W. Wells. In February, 1886, George A. Ure bought out Mr. Wells. J. D. Brothers became a partner when the two papers were merged in December, 1887, and in the spring of 1888 became the sole owner. In April, 1889, it was acquired by L. B. Ring, under the title of the Times Publishing Co., and conducted by him (except from May to August, 1905) until November, 1905. V. A. McGillivray conducted the paper for a year and then sold to Levy Williamson, the present editor and

The Searchlight was published a few days before the November election in 1902, by George A. Austin, in the interests of the Democratic party. It was a red hot, sizzling sheet, devoted entirely to politics, and mainly county politics. It was a good-sized newspaper, and was duly entered as second class matter at the postoffice, and it had for one day more circulation than all the newspapers in Neillsville combined. It is only fair to state that it had no subscribers, but nearly every voter received a copy through the mail. The copies were "sample" copies, but as none who received them ever subscribed for the new paper it died a speedy, natural death, after being in existence about twenty-four hours.

The Thorp Courier was established at Thorp, Noy. 23, 1883, by Shafer Bros. & Wagner. A year later, William Wagner purchased the paper, and has since continued its publication, having thus been connected with Clark County journalism for more than thirty-five years.

The Loyal Tribune was founded in 1894 by the Loyal Publishing Company, and edited by B. M. Fullmer. D. V. Richardson issued the paper from 1895 to 1903; J. E. Noyes from 1903 to October, 1905; H. V. Ross from October, 1905, to April, 1906; Mrs. D. V. Richardson from April to October, 1906 (Ray G. Taylor, editor), after which Roessler Brothers became the publishers. William F, Neuenfeldt was owner and editor from February, 1914, to May, 1916. Mrs. D. V. (Hattie) Richardson is the present editor and publisher. The paper is independent in politics,

The Abbotsford Clarion is issued every Friday by William Manners, editor and publisher, its politics being Republican. It was established in 1900.

The Greenwoed Gleaner was established in January, 1891, by J. E. Noyes. He was succeeded by H. H. Hartson, during whose term as postmaster, various editors served. July 1, 1916, Mr. Hartson sold the paper to William F. Neuenfeldt, the present editor, publisher and owner. Mr. Neuenfeldt was born in this state, Sept. 3, 1891, and started as printer's "devil" on the Marshfield Demokrat, Dec. 24, 1916. He was connected with that paper until Feb. 21, 1914, when he bought the Loyal Tribune, remaining its editor until coming to Greenwood. He is married and has three sons.

The Clark County Journal was established as the Withee Sentinel at Withee in 1901 by Mrs. A. L. Barager, assisted by her sons. In 1914 it was sold to A. K. Stauning, who changed the name to the Clark County Journal, which it still bears. In 1915 he sold to Peter Lang, the present editor.

publisher. It was established in 1904, and is Republican in politics. When Mr. Baer established the paper he started operations with a second-hand press in a dark basement. He now owns a two-story concrete building, and has a thoroughly modern printing plant. A beautiful souvenir of the county, entitled "Clark County, the Heart of Wisconsin," was issued by Mr. Baer in September, 1915. It is a splendid work of twenty-six large pages, copiously illustrated, and giving in addition to a sketch of the county, and articles on its special activities, thorough sketches of all the villages. .

The Humbird Enterprise was established Oct. 15, 1904, by G. H. Horrell ag editor and publisher. He was succeeded in March, 1909, by E. T. Hale, the present efficient editor. Mr. Hale has lived in Clark County since March, 1903, when he settled in Greenwood, moving to Humbird in 1905. He was born in Madison, Wis., Dec. 22, 1875, was married at Elroy, Wis., Sept. 14, 1898, to Emma Fox, and has two daughters. He is one of the leading citizens of Humbird.

The Owen Enterprise was established Jan. 18, 1906, by George W. Deuel. Feb, 14, 1914, it was purchased by the present owners, Mrs. A. L. and V. P. Barager, who at once enlarged it from a four-page, seven-column paper to an eight-page, six-column one, four pages being printed at home. The office is equipped with standard linotype, doing trade work for publishers, and a complete job department.

The Badger Workman, a monthly magazine, was published at Neillsville by Carl Rabenstein from 1900 to 1906. It was the official state organ of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

The Good Citizen was a paper published for some six months in the year 1909, at Neillsville, by L. B. Ring. It was a small quarto paper containing no advertisements, and was well printed on good paper. It was devoted to the cause of temperance and good citizenship, and advocated county option. The paper suspended publication in the autumn of 1909, its subscription list being turned over to a newspaper at Beloit, Wis., advocating the same principles.

The Owl, the most unusual paper ever published in the county, was edited and published by Milton Satterlee, at one time associated with J. H. Tifft as publishers of the Republican and Press. Satterlee was known and called by everybody as "Old Sat." The Owl was a small sheet of four pages, printed on yellow paper, and it was devoted to "Sat" and whatever came into his head. It was full of witty articles and items of a local and personal color, and obtained quite a circulation during the period of its publication. "Sat" was a peculiar character, combining all the characteristics of a tramp printer, with the genius and brilliancy of an able writer. He wrote a series of letters from Neillsville to the Colby Phonograph, under the signature of "Belle," the correspondent assuming to be a north side Neillsville girl. All his articles were full of wit, humor and wisdom.