USA > Alabama > Memorial record of Alabama. A concise account of the state's political, military, professional and industrial progress, together with the personal memoirs of many of its people. Volume II pt 1 > Part 27
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courthouse of Blount county was moved to Oneonta, Messrs. Matthews and Ketchum moved the News-Dispatch there and are still publishing it at that place. The newspaper experience of Mr. Matthews has been very extensive, and would, of itself, form a very interesting chapter.
The Enterprise was started in Rockford, Coosa county, in 1578, and was conducted for many years by its founder, W. 1 .. Smith. The only paper now published in the place is the Rockford Advocate. and, although established in 1880, it is probably a regular successor of the enterprise. The Advocate is published by J. O. Smith, a son of the late W. L. Smith.
There was a paper published at Newton, Dale county, some years be- fore the war. Its editor was a young Irish lawyer by the name of Breer. He met his death tragically, having been instantly killed by lightning. Newton was then the county seat. Soon after 1865, Ozark secured the courthouse. and since the advent of two railroads it has become a thriv- ing town. In 1866, the Southern Star was established there and it has grown with the place and the county and now presents a most prosper- ous appearance. For many years it has been conducted by Joseph H. Adams. Other papers have entered the field, but none of them have been able to make successful headway against the Star.
Covington county's first paper, as far as we have been able to learn, was the Times, established at Andalusia, in 1884. It is still in exist- ence, giving a well prepared weekly resume of happenings in the county. Papers were published in Jackson county long before 1860. One was conducted at Bellefonte, the then county seat, by Robert Frazier. His conspicuous ability as a writer led to a proposition to him to purchase an interest in the Montgomery Mail, which he accepted, but he disposed of it at the end of a few months. Scotsboro became the courthouse town and Bellefonte is hardly a shadow of its former self. In 1868. the Alabama Herald was established at Scottsboro, and in 1877, the Citizen. The editor and proprietor of the former was Hon. Alexander Snodgrass, who for many years represented Jackson county in the state senate. He was a vigorous writer and made the Herald a first-class weekly paper. His daughter, Miss Fannie Snodgrass, now Mrs. King, assisted him in the conduct of his paper. Her graceful style of writing soon made her popular with her contemporaries of the press and with the people at large. After her marriage she moved to Louisiana, but on the death of her husband, moved back to Alabama and still contributes to the press. The Herald, although ably edited, was discontinued after Mr. Snodgrass became postmaster at Scottsboro. The Citizen is still published in the place, with James Armstrong as editor and proprietor. The Progressive Age, established in 1887, was also published in Scottsboro last year. Bridgeport in recent years had grown with great rapidity and now boasts one of the best papers of the state, the News. E. L. Ward is the editor and the News Publishing company proprietors. The Chronicle was established in 1567 and is still published at Stevenson.
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In the year 15-0. the Courier was established at Athens, Limestone county and it is still published. Robert M. Rawls being editor and pro- prietor. In 1-91, the Democrat also began publication in Athens, the Limestone Democrat company, publishers. with George L. Townes, editor. He has recently moved to Huntsville. Many able papers have been published in Limestone county-the late Hon. L. R. Davis having been at one time a prominent editor.
In Lowndes county, there was many a hot journalistic fight between the whig and democratic papers, published at Hayneville in the years when those parties contended for the mastery. Lowndes was generally a whig county. Many able members of that party wrote articles for the whig paper, while bright and vigorous thinking democrats did the same for their paper. In 1868, Col. Willis Brewer established. in Hayneville, the Examiner. For a year or two previously, he had been editing a paper at Camder. in Wilcox county. It was not long before the Exam- iner held a high place in popular favor. The paper was not only ably edited but well gotten up. Its articles were all readable and many of them of such character as to attract state attention. Col. Brewer was soon known as one of the ablest writers of the day. In 1876. he was nominated on the democratic state ticket for the important position of state auditor. He was elected, and re-elected in 1880, serving the people with ability and faithfulness and giving great satisfaction. He has writ- ten and published a standard work on the history and the public men of the state, and without it no library in Alabama is complete. Col. Brewer has served the people of Lowndes county in both branches of the legis- lature, and is a leading member of the present house of representatives. The Examiner Citizen is now published at Hayneville, by W. M. Garrett, editor. and J. F. Varner, publisher.
The Times was established at Hamilton, Marion county, in 1855, and is now published by J. S. Clements. The Democrat was established by E. O. Neely, at Guntersville, Marshall county, in 1880. It is still under the same management and is a vigorous and carefully edited paper. The Alliance News was established there in 1891, but is not now pub- lished. Morgan county has for years been the seat of lively political contests between the democrats on one side. and republicans. independ- ents and greenbackers on the other. A courthouse question has also been thrown in occasionally, by way of diversion. As a consequence newspaper discussions have been frequent. Foremost in all these en- counters is the Decatur News, edited and published since its establish- ment. in 1572. by Dr. L. Hensley Grubbs. There is no man in the state who has a better faulty of printing the news and of writing articles that will be read. He has made the News not only a popular paper, but an influential one throughout north Alabama. Many other papers. first and last, have been brought out against him, but he now holds the field with- out a competitor. It has been, by reason of intellect, industry and good
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management, that he has outlived all his opponents. The Advertiser, established in 1->9 by C. J. Hildreth at New Decatur, is a well edited and conducted paper. At Hartselle, Mr. J. Asa Roundtree. publishes the Enquirer, a number one paper, which is constantly growing in patronage and influence.
Pike county was always a center of interest in old political days, and one of the best editors of the state on the democratic side was Col. A. W. Starke, a lawyer at Troy. He was a member of the legislature two terms and entered the army as soon as hostilities began and died from disease at his home before the war closed. Since the war, any number of papers have been published at Troy Frank Baltzell established the Enquirer in 1875, and published it for about fifteen years. During his connection with it. he was elected to the legislature. For the past three years, he has been publishing and editing at Montgomery, the Alliance Herald, the state organ of the farmer's alliance. The Troy Messenger was established in 1867. It is still published, with W. J. Blan, proprie- tor. Some years ago, Mr. Blan met with an accident, while a cannon or charge of powder was being fired on some public occasion, which resulted in the loss of both his hands. It did not deprive him of his energy, and he conducts his paper satisfactorily to himself and the public. An- other publication of recent years. though not in existence, was the Primi- tive Baptist, by John Post, one of the veterans of the state press.
In 1853, W. E. Gilbert and M. M. Barron started the Eagle, at Louina, Randolph county, with the latter as editor. He retired in 1857, and J. D. Barron, now and for some years past, secretary of state, succeeded him. It was removed to Wedowee and the name changed to Southern Mercury, and afterward to the Randolph County Democrat. The paper's outfit was sold by Mr. J. D. Barron, just before the late war commenced, and the paper went down. In 1-55, Messrs. Burton & Borden estab- Ished the Wedowee Eagle as a know-nothing paper. In 1859. it was re- moved to Jacksonville. Calhoun county, and died soon afterward. At Roanoke, Randolph county, Capt. B. H. Kieser is editing and publishing the Roanoke Herald, with W. H. Hooker as assistant. The paper was estabished in 1876. At Wedowee, the county seat, the Clipper and the Reformer were both published in 1-92.
At Girard, in Russell county, a paper was published for a number of years between 1845 and 1860. The Register. established in 1875, is pub- lished at Seale by Benton & Tucker. At Columbiana. in Shelby county, the Shelby Sentinel was established in 1875. The paper now published there is the Chronicle, established in 15-3. It is conducted by C. C. DuBose. The Guide was established at Montevallo in 1878 and published for a number of years. At Calera, two papers are published-the News, established by Campbell & Co .. in 1890, and the Journal, by F. W. Gist, in 1-91. The Mountain Eagle was established at Jasper, in Walker county, in 1872. It is still published, the Eagle Publishing company
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being the publishers. Several others have been started there, but they have all disappeared.
The Herald was started at Double Springs, in Winston county, in 1881. It is now published by George W. Adkins. Wilcox county has two good papers published in Camden: the Progress was established in 1987 and is now managed by Messrs. McMillan and Donneley. The New Era was established in 1889 and is now published by William D. P. Miller. It is necessary, to a proper understanding of the political classification of papers in Alabama, to state that with very rare exceptions they support the democratic party. Since 1865. to date, new counties have been formed as follows: Bullock, Chilton, Clay. Cleburne, Colbert. Crenshaw, Cullman, Elmore, Hale, Escambia. Etowah, Geneva, Lamar and Lee. Papers were published in some of them while they formed part of the territory of other counties, Colbert. Elmore and Hale, containing the towns of , Tus- cumbia. Wetumpka and Greensboro having been heretofore referred to. At Union Springs, in Bullock county, a paper was started almost with the county in 1866, under the name of the Union Springs Herald, and the town has never been without one and sometimes two or three since that time. It now supports one paper, and that the one originally established.
A paper was published at Gadsden. before the war, when the town was in Cherokee. The Times was established at Gadsden, in Etowah county, in 1867 and is still published under the name of the Times and News. Its publishers and editors. Messrs. Meek and Johnson, are among the finest business men of the state and have been eminently successful in their newspaper enterprise. Another paper was published there in 1892, called the Leader. Many other newspapers have appeared. leaving the Times and News, the last, as it was the first, possessor of the field. A paper, the Herald, was established some years ago at Attala, Etowah county. .
The first paper published in Cullman county was at Cullman, in 1873. It was a German settlement and the population is still largely of that nationality or descent. The paper was called the Staats Zeitung, half English and half German -Messrs. Julius and Ruddlph Damus being the publishers. It was afterward moved to Warrior. thence to Birmingham, in 1877-and back to Cullman. where it was republished by Julius Damus. In 1874. Beckert & Wallington started the Southern Immigrant. It was published until November 1. 1-80, when J. A. Johnson bought out and consolidated the Tribune and Immigrant, and after publishing it as such for a short while, the Immigrant was dropped and the name of Alabama Tribune was continued and was published by J. A. Johnson until September 1, 1892, when it was sold to Simpson & Hawlett and is now published by them. It has been an unflinching democratic journal from the time it passed out of the hands of Damus until now. William H. Davidson continued the publication of the View in 1855-a republican paper. It continued but for a short while as an independent paper, with
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decided republican proclivities. In 1957, Mr. H. W. Wallington com- menced the publication of the Southern Progress, and for over a year it was published as an independent paper, but after about a year, ceased to exist and the material sold to the Tribune. Since that time the Tribune is the only paper that has been published in Cullman.
The first newspaper established in Chilton county was the Courier, at Clanton, the county seat, in 1874, by William A. Collier. Esq. Its pro- . prietor being a practicing attorney, and having his hands full of pro- fessional business. disposed of his paper to Messrs. Brooks and Martin, of Tuskegee, who conducted it but a short time, finding it an unprofi :- able venture. In October, 1881, the Chilton View was established by Haywood Laurence, of Tuscaloosa. This paper has been under his man- agement ever since, except about nine months, which he spent in Florida, leaving the paper in charge of his brother, J. C. Laurence, now' editor of the West Alabama Breeze, at Northport. in Tuscaloosa county. The View has met with more than ordinary success for a country journal. The editor started out with $300 of borrowed capital. He has added a good plant, owns a comfortable home and has made some successful business ventures in Montgomery. He is a practical printer and a good writer. The View has invariably been democratic. Mr. Laurence mar- ried a daughter of the late Samuel G. Reid, who was so prominent in Alabama during his life as a publisher and editor. In 1886, an opposi- tion paper was established at Clanton by H. G. McCall. Its title was the Clanton Call. It existed about six months. During 1892, a third party paper, the People's Banner, made its appearance under the management of T. H. White. Its publication was spasmodic and irregular and it soon succumbed to the inevitable.
About 1867. W. H. Burton started a little paper at Ashland, Clay county, called the Times. Afterward it was published by John B. Sted- ham for two or three years. Hon. J. D. Barron was its editor in 1873 and 1874. It was afterward called the News and is now published as the Advance. During the past year, a third party paper was published in the county, but of its present state we have no information.
Two papers are published in Crenshaw county-one at Luverne, called the Enterprise. established in 1854 by M. Tucker, and the other at Rut- ledge, called the Wave, established in 1890-both are democratic. Cleburne also boasts of two or more papers at Edwardsville and one at Heflin. The Edwardsville News and Standard was established in 1880, the Plowboy in 1890 and the New Era, at Heflin, in 1590. Escambia had in 1892 a paper at Brewton called the Standard Gauge, and another. the Leader-the first named established in 18-7 and the last in 1892. Several papers have been tried first and last in Geneva county since its organiza- tion. The only one reported in 1892 as existing was the Geneva Demo- crat, P. McLellan, editor and publisher.
Vernon, the county seat of Lamar county, has been the field for a
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number of newspaper ventures, but only one, the Courier, established in 1886, now remains. Lee county has been the scene of a great deal of newspaper rivalry. At Opelika quite a number of papers have been pub- lished, and, owing to many local squabbles and splits in the democratic party, contests have often been of an exceedingly warm nature. One of the earliest papers established, in 1868 or '69, was the Locomotive, by H. P. Screws and H. H. Hamill. They conducted it for a considerable length of time and disposed of it to other parties. The veteran Capt. B. H. Kieser has published more than one paper at Opelika, assisted generally by Mr. W. H. Hooker. They are now publishing the Herald, at Roanoke, in Randolph county. In 1890, Messrs. H. M. Wilson and C. H. Greer established the Industrial News, and now have the field to themselves. They publish a live weekly paper, in keeping with the bustling community in which they live. and are rapidly extending its circulation over east Alabama. They are thoroughly practical news- paper men and, having a wide field in which to operate, will strive to meet the wants of their constituency.
The newspaper progress of Alabama has been fairly comparable with that of many of the states, though far behind quite a number as to the general circulation. The conditions. however, are different in all the states, with a considerable negro population, from those where the popu- lation is altogether white. The latter have a much larger proportion of reading people, because very few negrces, until recently, have been readers, and prior to 1870 none of them were at all educated. Upon a white basis, therefore. the proportion of newspaper readers is larger than the state has been generally accorded. Still there is a fearful backward- ness in this respect, when it is remembered that the aggregate number of inhabitants to the aggregate circulation of newspapers and periodicals for the whole United States in 1880 was 1.58. In Alabama, the figures were 13.56, South Carolina had a worse record in this respect-14.24. Missis- sippi, 12.87, while in Maine it was .53, Massachusetts, .88, and the District of Columbia, .53. The census returns of 1590 are not yet ready for publi- cation and the status in this respect at that time cannot be given. The history of the press of Alabama, during the years of the war, would be the most interesting of its existence and no effort should be spared to col- lect all the facts and incidents bearing on the subject, that can be obtained, Many of the papers published in that period have long since been discontinued and those connected with them have been gathered to their fathers. Files can, no doubt. be found in all the courthouses, that withstood the ravages of fire and war, and from them editors of the present day can compile interesting articles for their papers and at the same time furnish history for those to come after them. At many places, publication had to cease because of their occupancy by Federal troops. For much of the time. it was difficult to obtain printing paper. ink and other necessary articles, while such a thing as a new lot of type was not
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thought of during the whole four years of strife. Some papers came out for weeks, printed on common wrapping paper, yellow, blue, or what- ever color could be obtained,. Notwithstanding the fact that these publi- tions were of more recent years, it has been possible to obtain much fuller information of the earlier papers than of those of the last third of a century.
The total number of newspapers and periodicals published in the United States in 1810 was 359. In 1828, the number had increased to 852. The first report as to newspapers in Alabama was in 1928 and it shows that the number in existence was ten. It has already been shown in these pages that more than that number had been established and the difference must be accounted for by consolidations and deaths. The publications were all weekly with a possible exception in Mobile. The papers were located at Huntsville, Tuscumbia, Moulton, Tuscaloosa. Mobile, Cahaba, ' Selma, Montgomery, Claiborne and Greensboro. The next aggregate statement of publications and periodicals, shows that, in 1840, the total number in the United States was 1,631, of which 138 were daily, 1.141 weekly, 125 semi-weekly and tri-weekly, and 227 periodicals. Of these, twenty-eight were published in Alabama, three of them daily, twenty-four weekly and one semi-weekly. The dailies were in Mobile and Montgomery, though there is no record evidence obtainable of the exact date of com- mencement of daily publication in either of those cities.
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In 1850, the increase does not show up in proportion to the preceding decade, as the total number of publications then footed up only 2,526, of which 254 were daily, 115 tri-weekly, thirty-one semi-weekly and 1,902 weekly. In Alabama, however, there was an increase of over 100 per cent. in publications. the total of all classes being sixty, and of this num- ber six were dailies, with an average daily circulation for each of the six papers of 445. The dailies were published in Mobile, Montgomery and Selma. The number of tri-weeklies was five, semi-monthly and weeklies forty-eight. The aggregate weekly circulation was 1.509.040, and for each paper 314. The next decade report shows that, in 1860. the total number of publications in the United States was 4,051. The dailies had increased to 357; tri-weeklies. eighty-six; semi-weeklies. seventy-nine; weeklies, 3. 173; semi-monthly. ninety-five; monthly, 100: bi-weekly, five; quarterly, nineteen; and annual, sixteen. Alabama's growth was more than fifty per cent. during that period. the number of dailies increasing to nine. They were published in Mobile, Montgomery and Selma. Their average daily circulation was 8. 820, not quite 1.000 each. The tri-weeklies were six, with 2,2-6 circulation. semi-weekly one, circulating 400. weekly seventy-seven, with a circulation of 74,2-9, very nearly 1,000 each. Semi- monthly three, with a circulation of 7.200. In the report on newspapers and periodicals in 1860, the census department says, "the increase of printing presses in the book and newspaper manufacture has been greatly beyond all precedent, and has exerted the most beneficent influence by
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cheapening and multiplying the vehicles of instruction. Its effects are everywhere apparent. . Never did an army before possess so much of cultivated intellect or demand such contributions for its mental food. as that now marshaled in its country's defense. Many of these reading sol- diers ripened their intellectual tastes during the last ten years. In fact, many divisions of our army carry the printing press and type and the soldiers issue publications and print the forms for official papers. The press is, indeed, the great prompter of enterprise. It constantly travels with the emigrant to diffuse light and intelligence from our remotest frontiers, where it speedily calls into existence the paper mill and all the accessions which it supports in older communities.'
"At the present day. the newspaper and the periodical have become popular educators. The tabular statement appended to this report relating to this subject, strikingly illustrates the fact that the people of the United States are peculiarly a newspaper reading nation, and serves to show how large a portion of the reading is political. Of 4,051 papers and period- icals published in the United States at the date of 1860. 3,240 or 80.02 per cent. were political in their charact; 298 or 7.35 per cent. are devoted to literature, religion, and theology compose the province of 277 or 6.83, per cent; while 2.34 or 5.77 per cent. are classed as miscellaneous. The last decade in our civil history had been one of extraordinary political agitation. Accordingly, we find that there has been a very large increase in the number of political papers and perodicals, as compared with corresponding publications at the date of the preceding census. In 1,850 the number was 1630. In 1860, it was 3,242, being an increase of nearly 100 per cent. In 1850. the number of religious papers and periodicals was 191. In 1860, it was stated at 277, being an increase of 45 per cent. In 1830. the number of papers and periodicals of all classes in the United States was 2.526. In 1960. the aggregate reached 4,051, showing a rate of increase of 60.37. These figures show how largely the increment of the newspaper and periodical circulation has ex- ceeeded the increase of population during the last ten years. In 1950, the annual circulation of all kinds afforded 21.8 copies to each white person in the Union. In 1-60, the total circulation was at the rate of 34.26 per person."
The war period then broke upon the country. Its effects upon the newspaper business was felt in the southern states more than in any portion of the Union. At the first suggestion of hostilities, editors and printers were ready to rush to the field and many of them yielded up their lives in defense of the Confederate cause. The increase in the entire country in the number of publications was from 4.051 in 1860 to . 5,871 in 1870. This was very nearly a proportional increase, as compared with former reports, but in some states, and notably Alabama. there was, if not a decrease, at least not an increase. This can be easily accounted for upon the ground, that thousands of reading men had been killed in
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