USA > California > Sacramento County > History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1913 > Part 19
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November 2, 1852, the Union was burned out in the great fire. A small press and a little type were saved and the second morning after the fire the paper came out foolscap size, but soon resumed its former dimensions. A brick building was erected for it on J street, near Second. May 16, 1853, Jeffries & Kurtz sold to the other part- ners and to James Anthony, who had been in the business depart- ment of the paper since November, 1851. The firm became James
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Anthony & Co. Keating sold to Morrill, Anthony, Clark and Lar- kin, and in December Clark's interest passed to the firm. A steam engine was installed June 20, 1853, to run the press.
In May, 1858, Morrill sold his interest to J. Gray, and went to New Hampshire, remaining between one and two years, when he re- turned and bought back Gray's interest. In February, 1875, the firm sold out to the Sacramento Publishing Company, which also purchased the Sacramento Daily and Weekly Record and the two papers assumed the title of the Sacramento Daily Record Union. Be- sides the daily issue, the semi-weekly feature of the Record was maintained, being issned on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Since that time the daily has been issued on each day of the week except Sun- days, which day was added in 1893, with a double or eight-page edi- tion on Saturdays and a mammoth sheet on each New Year's day.
Mr. Upson remained chief editor of the Union about twelve years. He was succeeded by H. C. Watson, who served until his death in June, 1867, and was succeeded by Samuel Seabough, who served until the merging of the Union with the Record. George Frederick Parsons, editor-in-chief of the Record, then became editor- in-chief of the Record-Union, and continued as such until his re- moval to New York in 1883, and J. A. Woodson became the editorial writer. When the Record was consolidated with the Union, W. H. Mills, one of the proprietors of the Record, became the manager and remained in charge until his removal to San Francisco in January, 1883, and C. E. Carrington was appointed local managing editor, with T. W. Sheehan business manager. April 1, 1889, Mr. Carring- ton retired and E. B. Willis and T. W. Sheehan were appointed general managers of the paper, the former assuming the duties of managing editor and the latter remaining in immediate charge of the business department. Mr. Willis continued as managing editor for seventeen years, the longest term of anyone who held that posi- tion, resigning to accept the secretaryship of the state commission to the St. Louis Exposition. Mr. Sheehan remained as business man- ager until after the paper changed hands in June, 1904, Alfred Hol- man becoming publisher. Mr. Holman remained as publisher until the paper was purchased by Col. E. A. Forbes in December, 1906. In February, 1908, the paper again changed hands, the Calkins Syndi- cate purchasing it, but becoming involved in financial difficulties caused by broadening out and assuming the proprietorship of several other papers in the state, the control passed from the hands of the syndicate. In 1910 the paper was purchased by Lewey E. Bontz. who had been superintending it for the creditors, and had been busi- ness manager from Holman's time. The paper is now owned by the L. E. Bontz Publishing Company.
May 19, 1889, the publication of the Sunday Union was begun and it was mailed to all the subscribers for the Weekly Union, the
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semi-weekly having been discontinued. The fine three-story build- ing which was built for the Union in 1861, on the east side of Third street, is now occupied by the Union, the name of the paper having been changed from the Record-Union to the Union by Mr. Holman during his proprietorship. The building was remodeled by the Calkins Syndicate during their ownership and a splendid new press put in, besides other expensive changes.
Among the earliest of the defunct journals comes the Democratic State Journal, the initial number appearing February 5, 1852. It was a morning paper, about the size of the Record-Union. V. E. Geiger & Co. were the publishers and Geiger and B. F. Washington were the editors. It battled valiantly for the Democratic party, sup- porting John Bigler in his political aspirations, while its contem- porary, the Times and Transcript, supported William M. Gwin. Early in 1853 Washington retired, and was employed on the Times and Transcript, and B. B. Redding, afterwards land agent of the Central Pacific Company, became editor. The destruction of the office by the great fire of 1852 greatly impeded the paper, and in June, 1853, a new firm was composed, consisting of B. B. Redding, P. C. Johnson, S. J. May and James McClatchy. In April, 1854, Johnson sold to Colonel Snowden, and in June, Mr. May sold to Redding and Snow- den. All of these pioneer newspaper owners have been dead for many years.
In the fall of 1854 William Walker, who afterward became known as General Walker, of Nicaragua filibuster fame, the "gray-eyed man of destiny," became editor. Mr. MeClatchy sold out to D. J. Thomas in October, 1854. Walker retired in February, 1855, and Mc- Clatchy became editor, being succeeded in a month by John White. In 1856 Snowden sold out to Redding and Thomas and in June, 1857, the party having failed to give adequate support to it, the paper was sold, under attachment and bought in by the printers in the office. It resumed publication in about four weeks, with Henry Shipley & Co. as publishers, and after various vicissitudes yielded up the ghost June 24, 1858. At one time it ran a column in French and was the only Sacramento paper that had a department in a foreign tongue.
In August, 1852, T. Alter began the publication of a weekly Bap- tist paper, with O. C. Wheeler and E. J. Willis as editors. It had its office in the courthouse and lived about a year, losing $3000 to its publishers.
November 17, 1852, E. Williamson & Co., with James McClatchy and D. J. Thomas as editors, started a settler Democratic daily paper, super-royal in size and in April, 1853, S. J. May bought one- fourth interest and became editor. It was burned out and started again in an old deserted kitchen bought from the county for that pur- pose. On July 30th it fused with the State Journal.
The California Statesman, a morning paper published by J. W.
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Gish & Co. and edited by Henry Meredith, started November 13, 1854. It was Democratic and supported William M. Gwin for United States senator against Broderick. March 1, 1855, Gish & Woodward, the publishers, sued Gwin and Hardenbergh on a claim that they had agreed to pay $2500 for the support of Gwin by the paper. They alleged that Gwin also agreed to give the paper the public printing. They placed their damages at $20,000, but were thrown out of court on the ground that the agreement was contrary to public policy. Hardenbergh then sued for possession and the Statesman died.
The California Farmer and Journal of Useful Science, which had been published in San Francisco, appeared in Sacramento in May, 1855, as a weekly paper, published by Warren & Son, and J. K. Philips & Co. In 1856 it moved back to San Francisco.
In March, 1854, Dr. Morse and S. Colville issued the first and only number of a monthly magazine called "Illustrated Historical Sketches of California, with a minnte history of the Sacramento Val- ley." It was a good number, but the business department was poorly managed and the second number never appeared.
The Pacific Recorder appeared July 15, 1854, edited by E. J. Willis and was to be the organ of the Baptist church. It was a neat semi-monthly and July, 1855, it became a weekly, but in March follow- ing it was discontinued.
June 8, 1855, the State Tribune, a daily paper, appeared, edited and published by Parker H. French and S. J. May. It was pro- fessedly independent of politics, but had Democratic proclivities. In September French sold out to May and left with the Nicaragua expedition. J. N. Estill became editor August 1st, and opposed John Bigler and the Democracy so vigorously that it soon became promi- nent as an opposition journal. French returned to the state and bought into it again, but some of the arrangements for payment were left in such form that difficulty ensned. He sold to George W. Gift, who had assigned to Monson and Valentine, who attached the paper. S. J. May and his three remaining partners set out these things in a card and issned a new Tribune, so that October 16, 1855, two Tribunes appeared, each claiming to be the genuine one. May & Co.'s issue was from the material of the defunct Statesman. The other Tribune was published by Farwell & Co. Both papers were ardent American or Know-Nothing sheets, and each was very bitter against the other. The war lasted two weeks, when Farwell & Co. Tribune gave up and the Tribune came ont with James Allen & Co., as publishers, still advocating Know-Nothingismn. It lived till June 1, 1856. A new paper sprang up the next day from its ashes, called the California American, and was as radical in its Know-Nothingism as its predecessor. James Allen, J. R. Ridge and S. J. May were the proprietors. Allen at the time was state printer and was said to
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have sunk $15,000 on the paper, which never was a success. He died in February, 1856.
The Water Fount and Home Journal, a weekly paper, was issued December 15, 1855, by Alexander Montgomery & Co., with Montgom- ery as editor. It was the official organ of the Sons of Temperance and lived only nine months.
December 6, 1855, George H. Baker and J. A. Mitchell started an independent evening paper called the Spirit of the Age. In June, 1856, it changed its name to the Sacramento Age, and was enlarged, with A. A. Appleton & Co. as publishers. In the summer of 1856 it was sold to the Know-Nothings and made their fight till the elec- tion was over, dying in 1857.
December 24, 1855, A. Badlam & Co. started the Daily Evening Times, a gratuitous advertising sheet 10x18 inches and worked on a wooden press made by the publishers. It died of inanition in March, 1856.
December 11, 1856, C. Babb and W. H. Harvey, with Paschal Coggins as editor, started the publication of a daily morning inde- pendent paper of small size, called the City Item. It lived seven months.
Cornelius Cole & Co. commenced the publication August 15, 1856. of the Daily Times, a morning paper, Republican in politics. It was very lively in the canvass for Fremont, and was edited with ability. It became an evening paper in November and issued a weekly, but became so weakly that it succumbed January 24, 1857. Mr. Cole, the editor, afterwards became United States senator.
The Chinese News, which began publication in December, 1856, lasted for a couple of years, first being a daily, then a tri-weekly, next a weekly and finally a monthly. It was printed in the Chinese language, Ze Too Yune, alias Hung Tai, being editor and publisher.
The Temperance Mirror, a quarto monthly, issued one number in January, 1857, O. B. Turrell, publisher, and W. B. Taylor, editor. It removed to San Francisco, where it died in March.
The Daily Morning Bee was born February 3, 1857, as an inde- pendent in politics. J. R. Ridge and S. J. May were the editors, and the proprietors were L. C. Chandler, L. P. Davis, John Church and W. H. Tobey. It was much smaller than the present Bee, having but five columns to the page. April 6, 1857, it became an evening paper, and in the following summer Ridge retired and James McClatchy suc- ceeded him. The firm changed in 1858 to F. S. Thompson, L. P. Davis and W. H. Tobey and the paper changed its size to seven col- umns. April 8, 1860, Thompson's interest was purchased by J. O'Leary and the firm name changed to L. P. Davis & Co. Decem- ber 28, 1863, C. H. Winterburn bought out Tobey and sold his in- terest to James McClatchy, February 12, 1866. McClatchy bought the interest of Davis June 26, 1872, and the firm name became, as
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at present, James McClatchy & Co. August 1, 1872, J. F. Sheehan purchased a one-third interest from McClatchy. Since that time the paper has been further enlarged and is today one of the most pros- perons and profitable journals in the history of Sacramento. James McClatchy admitted his son, Charles K. McClatchy, to a partner- ship in the business and the firm members were then J. F. Sheehan, James McClatchy and C. K. McClatchy. October 23, 1882, James McClatchy died at Paraiso Springs, leaving his title and interest in the paper to his wife and two sons. January 29, 1884, J. F. Shee- han sold his interest in the paper, it being purchased by the mem- bers of the McClatchy family, the firm name remaining James Mc- Clatchy & Co. From then on the paper was conducted by the two sons, C. K. as managing editor and V. S. as business manager. Steadily progressing in circulation and influence, it is one of the afternoon papers that receive the full Associated Press report, and is regarded as one of the most influential papers on the coast. It put in a fast stereotyping plant in 1888, and was the first evening paper in California to do so.
In July, 1857, the Star of the Pacific, a religious journal, Rev. A. C. Edmonds, a Universalist minister, editor and proprietor, re- moved from Marysville to this city. In December, 1857, it suspended animation, revived in May, 1858, and passed away that fall.
The Daily State Sentinel, a Republican paper, was issued in small size July 27, 1857, by J. R. Atkins & Co., as a morning paper. In October C. D. Hossach & Co. took hold of it and C. A. Sumner be- came its editor. It had bright prospects for a while, but followed to the charnel house in 1858.
C. A. Sumner, August 22, 1857, began the publication of a sheet called the Eye Glass, but only one number appeared.
The Covenant and Odd Fellows' Magazine, a monthly of thirty- two pages, started August 31, 1857, with J. D. Tilson publisher and A. C. Edmonds, editor, but gave up the ghost with the tenth number, in 1858.
The Temperance Register, H. Davidson & Co., began as a monthly September, 1857, changed to a semi-monthly in October, and on De- cember 12 became a monthly again and then died.
A Sunday paper, the Herald of the Morning, appeared in De- cember, 1857, with J. C. McDonald & Co., publishers, and Calvin McDonald, literary editor. It was a spiritualistie paper and passed to the spirit land in four weeks.
The Phoenix, afterwards the Ubicuitous, was a scurrilous sheet, fathered by E. McGowan, issued as an occasional in the fall of 1857. and as a weekly during the following winter. The hot summer weather killed it.
The Watch Dog, a similar publication, issued January 1, 1858, died in the following March.
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During the same March, the Sacramento Visitor, by Brown, Ingham & Co., J. Coggins, editor, a daily evening paper of moderate size and lively and independent in tone, began publication, but ceased to exist June 1, 1858.
The Sacramento Mercury, a straight-out Democratic newspaper, began publication March 28, 1858, with H. Foushie, publisher, and W. S. Long, editor. It was about half the size of the Record-Union and in the summer A. Montgomery became its editor, but it died. October 12, 1858.
The second California Statesman took the place of the old one in May, 1858, with S. W. Ravely, publisher, and A. C. Russell, edi- tor, as a Democratic daily. It succumbed June 24th, the same year.
The Californian, second of that name, a neutral daily of small size, was edited by D. J. Thomas. It was born July 9, 1858, but lived only one week, departing July 15th.
The Baptist Circular, the third effort of the Baptists to start a paper in Sacramento, commenced in August, 1858, with Rev. J. L. Shuck as editorial manager, but only survived until the next spring.
In 1858 and 1859 the Democracy became split into two factions -the Lecompton and the anti-Lecompton. The contest between them became so hot that the anti-Lecomptonites, goaded by the assaults of Charles I. Botts from the Lecompton side, started a paper called the Daily Register and issued every morning except Monday. It was about the size of the Bee. Dr. Houghton furnished most of the money and the firm was Harvey, Houghton & Co. The editors were J. C. Zabriskie and William Bausman, who held small interests. It was vigorous, but too scholarly and not lively enough for the times and Bausman soon left it. The Register office was at the corner of Fifth and J streets and the outfit and dress of the paper were good. Houghton sunk a large amount of money in it, but the second day before the general election that fall, it died a peaceful death.
The Register's rival, the Daily Democratic Standard, a better paper from a purely journalistic point of view, was born February 26, 1859. J. R. Hardenbergh was its publisher and Charles T. Botts its editor. It was a morning paper, about the size of the Record- Union and was a vigorous exponent of the doctrine of the Lecomp- ton faction. In July, 1859, Bolts became its proprietor. Its office was on Third street, between I and J. June 2, 1860, it ceased its daily issues, and for some months appeared weekly, with M. G. Upton and Hon. G. Gorham as editors, but soon after the fall elec- tion in 1869 it became defunct after draining the pockets of its owners.
In June, 1860, Henry Bidleman & Co. started the Daily Demo- crat, issued from the Standard office, with M. G. Upton as editor. It made a lively campaign, but died with the election.
June 24, 1860, F. R. Folger & Co. put forth the Daily Morning News, a Douglas Democratic newspaper and the Folgers were its
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first editors. Later, George C. Gorham and Albert S. Evans were its editors. It continued about nine months.
The Evening Post, published by R. W. Lewis & Co. in October, 1860, as an independent paper, subsequently became Republican in politics. Small in size at first, it was enlarged and when it was five months old W. S. Johnson & Co. took hold of it. Various writers became its editors and it was discontinued September, 1861.
The Independent Order of Good Templars began the publication of its organ, The Rescue, in San Francisco, in 1862, removing shortly to Stockton and then to Sacramento. Its first editor was Edwin H. Bishop. He was followed by W. H. Mills, 1864 to 1871. Then came Albert D. Wood, of Vallejo, who conducted it till 1876 and was suc- ceeded by Rev. George Morris of Dixon. It was removed successively to San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Francisco again. In October, 1855, it was brought back to this city and George B. Katzenstein became its editor. The editors of the paper were elected by the Grand Lodge of the order or its executive committee. It has been removed from this city since.
The Evening Star was started as a daily by J. J. Beebe, Alexander Badlam, G. I. Foster, J. Simpson, M. M. Estee and H. C. Bidwell, May 25, 1864. It was an independent journal. It sunk under financial diffi- culties in about three months.
The California Republican, a Democratic paper of the hard shell variety, began publication January 4, 1863, and died a natural death that fall. The publishers were Conley, Patrick & Co., and the editor Beriah Brown, afterwards of the Free Press of San Francisco, which was destroyed by a mob in the early part of 1863.
The Golden Gate, a spiritualistic weekly started by Ingham & Mc- Donald in the spring of 1894, died soon after its birth, surviving only a few weeks.
Judd & McDonald started a gratuitous sheet called the Advertiser, in 1860, but it lived only a few weeks.
December 23, 1866, Alexander Montgomery removed the California Express, a Democratic journal he had been publishing at Marysville, to this city, expecting patronage from the then dominant party. He did not receive it, however, and the paper, which was issued as a morn- ing daily, died in July, 1867.
The Sacramento Daily Record, published by an association of printers composed of J. J. Keegan, John L. Sickler, J. R. Dray and R. E. Draper, first appeared as an independent evening paper February 9, 1867. Its first editor was Draper, who was succeeded in about a month by W. S. Johnson. He remained about a year and was succeeded by J. B. McQuillan, who gave way in a few months to R. A. Bird. The paper was subsequently sold to William H. Mills and A. D. Wood. Mr. Wood was afterwards manager of the Record-Union. A portion of the then and subsequent Record editorial staff, as also a portion of
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the Sacramento Union's then and subsequent staff, afterwards com- posed the Record-Union staff. Among these was E. B. Willis, who had been a member of the Union staff, and also of the Record staff. The Record became a morning paper December 2, 1867. At first it was a small five-column sheet, but after being enlarged several times finally attained the present size of the Record-Union. During the winter of 1871 and 1872 the Record distinguished itself by the fullest and most elaborate phonographic reports of legislative proceedings ever pub. lished in the United States, frequently printing morning after morning nineteen columns of solid nonpareil of the proceedings of the Senate and House. For several years the Union had published annual New Year's statistical sheets. The Record entered the same field January 1, 1873, and eclipsed its rival by publishing the largest and fullest holi- day statistical sheet ever published in the United States to that time. Each year afterwards until 1906 it and its successor issued a similar mammoth paper. It was the first daily paper here to publish and main- tain a semi-weekly edition. The contest for patronage and public favor was very warin between the Record and the Union for years, and until they were consolidated in February, 1875. Thereafter the consolidation was known as the Record-Union.
The Expositor, published by C. D. Semple, as a daily and old-line Democratic paper, appeared July 23, 1867, and died the 9th of Sep- tember.
February 24, 1864, Richard Bowden published a juvenile paper, The Young American, as a weekly. It ceased publication eleven weeks after, on the death of Mr. Bowden, who was accidentally killed.
Several other weekly papers, of a local character, were published about this time, viz: My Paper, Pioneer, Blusterer, The Anti-Office Seeker, a lot of State Fair papers, the Sunday Times, Hesperian, Stu- dents' Repository, and others.
Charles De Young, afterwards of the San Francisco Chronicle, began the publication in the winter of 1864, of the Dramatic Chronicle, a gratuitous daily advertising sheet of small dimensions. He removed it to San Francisco about nine months later, enlarged it and published it until the Daily San Francisco Chronicle grew up from it, the old Dramatic Chronicle being swallowed up by the Figaro of San Francisco, published by J. P. Bogardus.
The Traveler's Guide was published as an advertising sheet weekly by L. Samuels and N. Towns in 1865. T. W. Stanwell began in the same year the monthly Railroad Gazetter, published by H. S. Crocker & Co.
The State Capital Reporter, a daily Democratic paper, appeared January 12, 1868, with a glowing announcement of its plans, and nomi- nated H. H. Haight for President of the United States. By legislative enactment it became the litigant paper, in which all summonses had to be published. While this gave it a good income, it rendered it obnox-
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ious to the entire press of the State and made it unpopular with the people. The act of February 21, 1872, repealed the litigant act and deprived the Reporter of its fat job. It ceased to appear as a daily, sending out its last daily issue May 7, 1872, when the law took effect. Thereafter it issued a half sheet once a week, to run out the legal adver- tisements on hand and July 30, 1872, it gave up the ghost quietly. It was published by a joint stock company and lost money for every one who touched it. At first it was controlled by John Bigler, and its first editor was Henry George, afterward of the San Francisco Post, who became widely known to the world as the author of "Progress and Poverty," and the chief apostle of the land theory of single tax. The paper was edited with much ability and for a long time was a vigorous periodical. J. F. Linthicam, an old editor, still living in this city, suc- ceeded.Mr. George, and kept up the able tone of the paper. John Bigler, ex-governor of California, who about this time had returned from Chile, where he had filled the post of minister, was editor of the Reporter some months before it died and conducted it with vigor and dignity. O. T. Shuck was its last editor.
The Sacramento Democrat was a small daily born August 3, 1871; died September 5, 1871, just after the election. It was started under the auspices of a publishing company, with Cameron H. King as editor and its office was at the corner of Third and J streets.
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