USA > Iowa > Polk County > Des Moines > Des Moines, the pioneer of municipal progress and reform of the middle West, together with the history of Polk County, Iowa, the largest, most populous and most prosperous county in the state of Iowa; Volume I > Part 11
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The issue of November I appears on a half sheet-"paper not reached us yet." The editor announces that as he purposes to move his establishment,8 it will be impossible for him to issue a paper, next week. He trusts that there- after he "will not be called upon to make any similar apologies."
The issue of November 15 contains a removal notice, adding: "We are just now in urgent need of money. We have published the Gazette for nearly a year now, and during all that time have not received from our subscribers as much money as would purchase the paper used."
On the 6th of February, 1851, the Fort Des Moines Gazette suspended publication, in accordance with its announcement to that effect on January 24. In its last issue, the Gazette tells a sad tale of the instability of promises and professions. Its editor, Mr. L. P. Sherman, tells the story :
It appears that some eighteen months before, a number of Polk county whigs subscribed nearly $350 as a bonus to any one who would publish a whig paper in Fort Des Moines. Relying on this subscription and supplemental assurance he began the publication of the Gazette. He worked day and night to make the paper acceptable. Disappointments and obstacles soon confronted him: but he struggled on, hopeful "that the whigs would yet come forward and give him at least a living support." As the 52nd number of his paper went to press, the question arose, should he enter upon another year. With but 125 of the 500 whigs in Polk county on his subscription list-and nearly half of these in arrears, and with the written promises of others unredeemed, should he venture? He felt he would be doing himself wrong to make the attempt. "With shame and mortification, then, he announces that, his party having failed in its promises and engagements to him, the present number terminates the existence of the Fort Des Moines Gazette." For those whigs who had stood by him he had only "grateful recollections."
In its issue of February 13, the Star comments at length on its defunct rival's sad tale of benefits forgot, making it the basis for a sharp sermon to its own halting supporters-a sermon lost on its readers as its own after-suspension reveals.
Like the Star, the Gazette was too big for the town. A five-column paper might have literally "pulled through," had Fort Des Moines been reasonably satisfied with a paper no larger than it could support. The Gazette never had half the advertising it needed to fill out its twenty-eight columns of space. Nearly all the prospectuses used as fill-ups in the initial number were carried through the fifty-one numbers, simply to save the expense of type-setting. Old- time editors well understanding the dilemma of the publisher who sees loss of prestige and influence in any such confession of weakness as an "ensmallment," and the certainty of suspension somewhere in the near future, unless some un- expected "boom" happens along to fill its columns with live advertising at good rates.
But, it becomes the local historian's duty to relate another chapter of ex- perience, thus completing the hitherto untold story of the rise and fall of pioneer newspapers in Fort Des Moines.
8 To the Alfred Lyon building, corner of Second and Walnut streets.
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The Iowa State Journal.
The Iowa State Journal succeeded to the good-will of the whig contingent. Its initial number appeared February 28, 1851, four weeks after the demise of the Gazette. Its editor was William W. Williamson, a prominent and am- bitious whig politician. Its publishers were Peter Myers & Company.9 Its one sign of financial promise was a three-column advertisement, "Proposals for Carrying the Mails of Iowa," signed by N. K. Hall, postmaster-general. The. paper carried a number of the old "ads" and prospectuses which had long filled the waste places of the Gazette. One two-inch ad was a clever bit of editorial satire on the legal profession. It announced that with only nineteen lawyers, Fort Des Moines needed an even twenty, and the town offered "a rare chance for an enterprising young man to make from three to five bits per month, exclu- sive of washing!" The ad concludes with a request that the New York Tribune and other metropolitan journals "please copy to the amount of $5, and charge acceptant."
The lawyer-editor ably advocates, as accepted whig doctrine, a limited liabil- ity law, under which "if it were proposed to build a railroad from Fort Des Moines to Dubuque, Davenport, Burlington or to Keokuk, every man in Polk county would take stock, but if by investing $100 he would thereby risk all that he has obtained by the toil of years, he would forbear to touch it."
The Republican of Iowa City is quoted as saying that the new paper is "really the Gazette galvanized into life," and the Journal does not deny the charge.
The Journal purposes, soon as its editor can find time, to find out why Polk county "is still in debt some $2,000," since "no public buildings have been erected at the expense of the county."
That Editor Williamson had little regard for the latter-day "amenities of journalism" is evident from the second number of the Journal. In the leading editorial, he accuses the Star editor of garbling, of playing the demogogue, and of not being entitled to credence without "corroborating testimony." We have already seen that Editor Bates of the Star was not the man to sit back in his chair and let a brother lawyer editorially abuse him.
The Journal editor finds himself in fine fighting trim as he sits down to write for the issue of March 14. That there may be no mistaking the object of his attack, he heads his editorial "The Star." He notes the "viperous hos- tility" in the bosoms of those who conduct that paper. "No language is too low, no motives too mean to be attributed to their conduct." The animus of the new editor becomes apparent in this personal allusion : "It is doubtless remembered by the citizens of this district how the editor of the Journal was falsely and maliciously charged by the Star press, during the can- vass of the past summer. It is well remembered how recklessly and harm- lessly they thus assaulted his personal character. The result of the canvass on his part though not successful, yet was a strong and powerful rebuke to those public slanderers, sufficient, indeed, to have driven them loaded with shame, back to their retreats of privacy."
The editor promises that for the future no notice would be taken by him "of the insulting matters contained in the Star." But he would "settle personal affairs personally without troubling the public about them."
Let us see how well the belligerent editor kept his word with the public. In the Journal of March 21, he breaks his promise just long enough to relieve the "fright" of the rival editor, with an assurance that he has no intention of casti- gating him "as he deserves." There are other ways of settling disputes. He "never entertained, for a moment, the idea of chastising 'granny' Bates-much less his blooming nosed sub-editor."
The Journal of April II pays tribute to "the Editor of the Star" in an
" Lampson P. Sherman presumably the "Company."
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editorial devoted to "the slanderous course pursued by him." A week later he sheds tears over the discovery that the Star editor is sinking lower and lower in vulgarity until he is become "so far below even common decency" that he deems it "proper to pass in silence his vulgarities."
Then follow the unprecedented floods of '51, dampening the ardor of the combatants, and cutting off supplies from the outside world.
"Owing to disappointment in the receipt of paper," the Journal of June 25 explained the non-issue of a paper last week, and intimating that there might be "no paper on the following week." The next number did not appear until July II. In this issue the glad news was given that the steamer Caleb Cope had arrived with a large supply of paper.
On August I, just before election, the Journal editor again broke his good resolutions that he might free his mind on the "palpable and barefaced false- hood" uttered in the Star, and the wilfulness of that paper's dishonesty.
The election gave the editor great satisfaction, especially in Polk county, proving clearly to his mind that the people of the county had "determined to cut loose" from the faction which for some time had been administering on county affairs. He was especially pleased with the election of F. G. Burbridge, the whig candidate for county judge. He is sure the county will be redeemed from bankruptcy, and her citizens be freed from the burden of taxation "heaped up by mismanagement."
With the issue of August 15, 1851, closed the connection of Mr. Williamson with the Journal. Justice to his business engagements forbade "a longer con- tinuance in this interesting relation." He indulged in a few reflections upon the editorial course he had pursued and the motives which had prompted him. Here we have a touch of the man's marked individuality. He frankly admits "that, in moments of excitement, something may have been written, that was not proper for a public. journal, notwithstanding it was entirely true. And," he adds, "although I may have touched at times severely, upon certain char- acters in the community, yet I am satisfied in my own mind, that if injustice has been done to any one, it has been done to myself in not chastising more severely those same individuals."
He is "happy to announce to the many friends of the Journal, that its pros- pects for success are certain."( !) "While its subscription list is daily increas- ing, and its circulation widening and extending, it is receiving an additional patronage from other sources, [?] that gives it a foundation 'sure and stead- fast.' "
Mr. Williamson concludes his valedictory with a glowing picture of the future Capital of Iowa." With poet's vision he sees "the speedy completion of those great works of Internal Improvement" which "the enterprise of the citi- zens of Central and Western Iowa has set in motion." His prophetic vision includes "the great Eastern and Western railroad" traversing the State, developing "its vast and inexhaustible resources of wealth," and connecting the future Capital city with the cities of the Atlantic States.
The State Journal of August 29, 1851, flies at its mast-head as editor the name of 'Charles B. Darwin, one of the foremost lawyers and whig orators in Iowa. In a lengthy editorial Mr. Darwin states that he has been "invited by the gentlemen stockholders of the Journal to take charge of its editorial de- partment." He assumes the responsibility "with some hesitancy," inasmuch as he is unacquainted with the people for whom he is to select and write. He came to the West in early life, and his "sweetest associations are linked with memories of its garden beauties." He gives free reign to his fancy thus: "We love its flower enameled prairies-its mystic groves-its ever advancing hum of on- coming improvement-its giant future promise; and we love the eloquent sim- plicity and warm heartedness of its sons."
Editing is not his vocation, nor does he desire to make it so. "It shall be for a while, because gentlemen have requested it." He adds: "Pecuniary com-
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pensation we get none, so you will not growl at us if we do as well as you would for the same pay."
He admits he is a whig: "but," he says, "while truth shall ever be our loved- one, and error our accursed, we will never be so recreant to truth and decency as to employ either in defence of the one or aggression on the other the weapons of scurrility."
He wants contributors to the Journal. "Why cannot the men of Polk county and its neighborhood utter thought as well as those in York or Boston? It is disreputable to us to ship all our ideas from the East when that rough-looking, silent, almost speechless man, if he would only open his mouth, could tell us for our benefit a thousand things. The West alone is fit to think for the West-Polk county alone for Polk county."
Unlike many a twentieth-century journalist who would silence the rest- disturbing Sunday morning bell, the Journal editor wants to know why some bell, "if only the tavern bell," can't be rung at meeting time. "All have not clocks nor is there any way of knowing when to go."
The editor is glad to hear of an effort to form a literary, or library, asso- ciation, and predicts its success. "When we think of the comparatively few books we have here, and the difficulty attendant on getting them, we incline to welcome any suggestion that promises help."
A debating society is contemplated also. Mr. Darwin extols the educating influence of such societies. His conception of education can scarcely be im- proved. He regards that man as "the best educated who can, in shortest time, bring the most mind to bear upon any given enquiry." He inclines to the opinion that a command of good books, aided by the sound suggestions of practical life, with the incentive of a well regulated lyceum, "would do more to give us useful men than all the learned jargoning or musty metaphysical mumblements of our present college system."
A cabinet of geological and mineralogical collections, with scientific lectures from time to time, is another probability, rejoicing the heart of the newcomer.
Such minor editorial items as these not only reflect the simple life led in Fort Des Moines in the early Fifties, but also reveal the optimistic spirit which the new editor brought with him, and rejoiced to find, in his new home.
In his issue of September 5, the new editor has "A Word about Money" which fills a column and a half of space. Also a column and a quarter in criticism of the curriculum of the new Iowa College, Davenport. He finds Latin enough ; and Greek enough and Mathematics enough; but not enough English, Political Economy and History, and the sciences theoretical and applied. In fact, 'Mr. Darwin shrewdly anticipates, by a half-century or more, the trend of modern schools. Greek and Hebrew do little, he says, "in making a crop of corn, in inventing a useful machine or getting built a railroad, and yet as the system is, the farmer, the lawyer, the mechanic, or the doctor has few or .no schools in which he can receive the benefits of association, cognate apparatus and instruction."
Evidently the lawyer-editor had made the discovery that editing a paper- even for recreation-does not attract clients, for he begs to be excused for saying that his editorial duties are "mere after-supper recreation" and do not interfere with his practice. He doesn't "want to beg for patronage," but as he depends "entirely upon law for bread," he wants it "distinctly understood" that his present relation is not in conflict with his "entire devotion to the law."
Again the editor dips into the future. This time his vision includes the modern "free public library." He questions if it wouldn't be "for the real pecuniary interests of this town to subscribe $500 to such an object." As he heard one of the solicitors say, "What an inducement it would be for the right sort of people to settle among us!" "We are aiming to get railroads and the Capital, &c. But these things will not come about by themselves." He ex- horts all to help make the town worthy of the future "emporium of the interior."
.
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Anticipating the forthcoming railroad convention at Iowa City in October, Mr. Darwin takes up the railroad situation, first with argument and then with a remarkable rhetorical flourish. Accepting his argument without question, let us try to follow him a little way in his aviation. "And when we have a good road laid to Keokuk, and Dubuque, and Davenport, and are upon the main line to the Pacific, we'll not have to read stale books and news-lose a crop to visit a friend or parent in the East, or let our lands lie idle for want of a market. What else would we want to complete the interesting picture? Nothing; but that as the rising sun looks upon our Capitolean hill his 'first rays' may mingle with the radiance of a noble State House dome."
At about this time Dr. A. Y. Hull became associate editor of the Star. Mr. Darwin pictures the Doctor as "a fine looking man, and as gentlemanly withal, as the county holds." He regrets that such a handsome man should "lend his countenance to democracy."
After several issues marked by an exhaustive output of editorial essays on a wide range of ethical and sociological subjects, the Journal of October 3 an- nounces that "continued indisposition of the editor will account for the lack of editorial this week."
A week later, the editor says: "We mix up with our editorial duties this week, cooking. victuals, washing the dishes, sweeping the house, making the bed, administering medicine to our sick family, with various other little domestic items, that we never knew before needed in a house-have hardly had time to remember that we ourself were sick." And here follows a pleasant little side-light on the community life on the frontier before the days of "maids," "domestics," or even of their predecessors "hired girls,"-not to speak of that modern institution, the "trained nurse." He says: "This is not, gentlemen, a sickly country, but if you are sick, all labor is so greatly demanded that it is difficult to get help save that furnished by the native generosity of the people, which is as great as anywhere in the world."
October 30, Mr. Darwin announces that continued sickness in his family, and consequent neglect of editorial duties and his own continued indisposition, coupled with "a design to spend the winter with friends a little remote" led him for the present, to resume again "his freedom from the Journal." He tenders his sincere thanks "to the very amiable and gentlemanly co-editor and printer, Mr. Sherman," "for the very kind manner in which he has ever sought to lighten" the editor's cares.
In the same issue the Journal gives the Star the credit of first suggesting that the name of the town be changed to "Des Moines," and says the sugges- tion is a good one. "It would save much time. It looks better and sounds better, and besides 'Fort' is, to one afar off, always suggestive of Indians and of rudeness." But the Journal suggests "Desmoines," "all written together and pronounced in English," adding that "if written separate, there are and ever will be two modes of pronouncing the name, the French Day Mwoin or Dey Mwan, and the English as by most of us now." Readers of the present genera- tion need not be told that "most of us now-in this second decade of the Twen- tieth century have fallen into the use of an illogical cross between the French and the English, namely "Day Moine."
The Journal of February 19, 1852, has a strong editorial on "our Coal Resources," in which the extent of the Des Moines river coal field and the quality of its coal are presented at some length. In this connection the editor, well says that "the permanent upbuilding of any town depends more upon local enterprise than upon any factitious foreign influences. In our excellent soil and mineral deposits, we have, within an area of a few miles around us, a more golden California than any which the shores of the Pacific can present. And he who will seize his plow, hoe, pick-axe, or mechanical implements, and wield them faithfully a few years, will more certainly reap a [more] golden harvest than
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in any country lying between Salt Lake and the setting sun." A prediction amply verified by time.
The Journal of July I announced that it is "the first newspaper issued upon paper of lowa manufacture." It was made in the new mill of Green & Company, in Bentonsport.
The next week's issue of the Journal gave another sign of insufficient nour- ishment. It appeared with six columns to the page, but printed on the usual seven-column sheet, leaving a very wide margin.
In this issue appears, enclosed in "turned slugs," indicative of mourning, a feeling editorial on the death of the great whig party leader, Henry Clay ---- which occurred more than three months before-no report of which had reached the Journal on the date of its last issue!' "The structure of his fame," says the editor, "stands side by side with those of Washington and Jefferson, and, like theirs, towers towards the heavens. . His fame was not won at the expense of the blood of millions-his conquests were those of peace and com- promise."
The Journal of July 2-9, in its last word to the voter, compares the two tickets, but more particularly the rival candidates for the State Senate. John Lewis, an old resident of the county, a farmer, and an honest man, was "bound by no clique, nor fettered by strict allegiance to party." If elected, his sole en- deavor would be to promote his constituents' interests. Dr. Hull is characterized as a gentleman of talent and ability, "who with 'fair spoken words' promises you well," "but is one of those with whom party is before the people."
The issue of August 12 calls attention to the fact that the Journal was ven- turing upon volume two. "We say venturing," says the editor, "because our experience has taught us the certain and discouraging truth, that we have to encounter great and harassing difficulties. But the most discouraging item the printer has to contemplate and suffer from, is the total indifference of a class of subscribers to the call or dun for subscription. Some seem to consider it an act of presumptious impertinence on our part to dun them -they ain't used to being dunned, and won't stand it-they'll stop the paper, certain; while others, being admonished every week by the very fact of perusing the paper, give us a wide berth, when they see us, and 'pass by on the other side.' Still another class wrong us and themselves, intending fully to pay, yet put it off- procrastinate, until the very last minute. Now, gentlemen, we cannot stand this much longer-we have creditors who are clamorous, and ought to be paid; and we cannot pay them unless you pay us. One half of what you all owe us would liquidate all our liabilities, and start us fair and encouraged into the new year. Is there not enough of generosity and justice in your composition to move you in our behalf, without any more delay? You will feel all the better yourselves, and at the same time relieve us. We ask nothing but what is just, and our due. Our individual resources are exhausted, and if you fail us now we must neces- sarily go down."
August 26, '52 the editor pathetically states that little attention was paid to his call for funds. He again makes his plea for support, declaring that "our necessities are pressing and demand all our resources-we cannot wait any longer, and what's more we wont."-And it didn't. It simply ceased to be, leav- ing the still lingering Star in full possession of the field-a field affording scant nourishment for even one newspaper, as is revealed in the story of the Star, already to be told in these pages.
FORT DES MOINES JOURNALISM FROM '54 TO '58.
Whether the death of O'Grady already referred to as immediately preceding the suspension of the Star, was the final cause of, or only a convenient pretext for, the suspension, any experienced publisher can see at a glance at the Star's advertising columns-filled as they were with prospectuses of the previous win-
HOYT SHERMAN Taken in the '70s
LAMPSON P. SHERMAN Pioneer Whig Educator and Founder of the Journal
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ter and other dead matter-that the growth and prospects of Fort Des Moines had not brought prosperity to the pioneer newspaper.
The old order was changing. The democratic party in Iowa, as in the nation, was fast losing ground. Grimes, the whig candidate for Governor, had defeated Bates, editor of the Star. Even in his own county of Polk, where Bates had ex- pected a sweeping majority, the vote on the governorship was a tie, and Fort Des Moines, in which Bates had counted on an overwhelming vote, gave the whig candidate a majority of 35 !
In the winter following the suspension, the Star was purchased by "Will" Tomlinson and re-christened the Iowa Statesman. Dr. W. H. Farner became as- sociated with Tomlinson in its publication. In 1855, "Will" Porter, a bright young journalist, and B. D. Thomas entered the service of the Statesman. Tom- linson as an editor was as bellicose even as Williamson of the Journal in his time had been. Farner went to the other extreme of "masterly inactivity." Between the two, the Statesman's life was not a happy one. In the fall of 1856, Tomlin- son, a strenuous "East-sider," moved his printing office across the river, much to the chagrin of its West-side supporters.
In 1858, Will Porter bought out Tomlinson and moved the Statesman back to the West side. By the time it had reached its destination it had been re-named the Iowa State Journal. Tomlinson attempted to revive the Statesman, but after a precarious existence of a few months it died, leaving the Journal in command of the field. Porter was a good all-round newspaper man, and under his man- agement, the Journal had a successful career for nearly three years, finally be- coming the property of Stilson Hutchins, afterward a successful journalist in Washington.
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