USA > Iowa > Lucas County > History of Lucas County, Iowa containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc > Part 57
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This transaction was, doubtless, a good speculation for Mr. Coles, as he said to the writer, and one in which the county was the loser, as it resulted. The general government has been, most generally, badly imposed upon by those making selections of land, under its various laws making grants of swamp, saline, mineral, and other lands to states. In this instance some twelve thousand acres of swamp land was selected in this county, and only eight thousand acres passed muster at the United States land office; and quite likely this number of acres was twice as many as there really were in the entire county. However, in some of the counties railroad companies have been the recipient of these lands by way of subsidies, which, sometimes, realized to the people of the county lasting benefits. But Lucas county was benefitted only to the amount she received for her one thousand acres taken in exchange for eight thousand acres. The only difference in the qualities of these lands was that much of the latter was speculatively called swamp land; but, we venture the assertion that it realized as much per acre to its owners, as did the former. It occurs to us that swamp lands are selected very much as an ex-United States land register, in this state, told the writer, that the
SALINE LANDS
of Lucas county were selected. Some person found some " deer-licks" upon the public domain in a certain locality, and imagined they were salt springs, whereupon he made a showing to the general government of these imagined facts, and the result was that twenty-five thousand and two hundred acres of splendid land, in Lucas county, was granted to the state as salt lands, when in fact there is not salt enough in any of the . springs of the county to salt the porrage of the man who imagined he discovered it.
The lands thus selected as " salty" comprise sections 1, 6, 9, 10, 11, 15; 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, in Benton township, and sections 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 21, 22, 27, 28, 34, 35, 36, in Chariton, now Lincoln township; also sections 35, 36, and 240 acres in section 31, in Warren township, as shown by the records of the county.
However, these lands were turned to a good use. By an act of the legislature, approved October 7, 1861, the state turned them over to the State University, authorizing the register of the state land office to issue patents therefor. Thus the educational interest of the state is bene-
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fitted through the imagination of some one that deer-licks were salt springs.
THE PRESS OF LUCAS COUNTY.
The newspaper has risen in this busy age to a position second to no other interest. It is the best and most valuable of libraries. Its cheap- ness is one strong point in its favor. It finds an entrance into homes, no matter how moderate-goes, as a rule, where books rarely do. It comes daily and weekly. It is read and loaned; caught up and read for a moment, giving knowledge to the reader; a single item frequently giving what pages of book-bound matter would have to be waded through to learn.
The newspaper, with the present facilities for almost instantly learning what is happening in every portion of the habitable globe, is the reflection of the hour equally as much as of past ages. By it, the north and the south, the east and the west, are brought together. We know of the crashing of the ice and of the curling heat of the sun; of the massing of snow, and of the rush of great waters; we are with the daring explorer seeking for the north pole; travel through the jungles of Africa; have a bird's eye view of great battles; sail over every sea; dive with the whale in its fabulous depths; are present in the parliament of nations; listen to the last words of a dying potentate, and take by the hand his successor.
A wonderful, concise, most skillfully painted panorama of the affairs of the world is the newspaper; a map of its busy life; a faithful reproduction of all its lights and shadows, and at the most nominal cost; at the merest bagatelle to books, even in these days of exceptional cheapness. Week after week, the paper comes filled with all that is rare, new, interesting and instructive. It is a history of nations in fifty-two volumes; an ever- continued encyclopedia of trade, science, biography, agriculture and the arts; is the "boiling down" of all books in so minute a form, that the mind can grasp at a single glance, and be saved the trouble of wading through ponderous volumes of uninteresting detail-to the great saving of time. It is, in fact, the grandest of all circulating libraries, at only a penny fee; the throwing open to the public of all the costly and exclusive archives of the world. The newspaper of to-day is a perfect omnium gatherum. Noth- ing escapes its notice. Every event of importance is instantly photo- graphed upon its pages. The whispers breathed in every clime are caught and fixed. It is a marvel of intelligence; is the stereotype of every mind. We look back in wonder at the days when it was not, and human intelligence shudders to think of the barbarism and ignorance and super-
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stition that would follow the blotting out of this, the sun of the solar system.
Much is said of the power of the press, of the privileges of the press, the prerogatives of the press, and of the perfection of the press through a long catalogue of virtues. To earn these positions, the press has duties to perform. One is, to give the news, and to comment intelligently thereon. Second, to be truthful and unprejudiced. Newspapers have ceased to be private enterprises, merely. The power they have attained makes them amenable to the same general laws as railroads and telegraphs. When the newspaper steps outside of its proper functions, and for personal spite, or greed, attaints the character, life or service of any citizen; or assaults any interest of the community, it should be held to strict account- ability by law, as well as by an enlightened public sentiment. Third, to suggest that which, followed out, will make news. For instance, thoughts concerning the development of business possibilities: the starting of facto- ries, the building of railroads, the beautifying of the town, the improve ment of schools, the bettering of public manners, and, if need be, of morals also; the relief of the poor; as well as of scores of other questions in all the ramifications of events, political, industrial, commercial, social, religious and moral. It is not necessary that political events should come first (in a campaign sense) in a local paper. The term political should mean just criticisms or commendations of the government of the county and towns
Next to the newspaper's duty of looking after, urging and defending good civil government, law and order, is that of showing up the moral and religious influences of the community-noting church doings, not merely puffs of festivals and picnics, but reports of special services, sketches of sermons, containing more of love than wrath; of the clearing away of church debts, the prompt payment of the preachers, and of the growth, attendance and special doings of the Sunday-schools. The church plays an important part, as a teacher, in every community, and its work should have its proper place in the chroniclings of the local paper.
Then, too, the schools should receive attention. The editor should take his own advice, and visit the schools, and extend to the teachers and pupils kindly words of encouragement in their work, encourage them in new efforts with the knowledge that the editorial eye is upon them, and would tell the world of the progress made by them. Besides thus noting the general progress, the newspaper should give reports of examinations, exhibitions, the closing exercises, tempering criticisms with a spirit of kindness and suggestions; commend faithful and efficient teachers, earnest scholars, and worthy directors, and properly expose wrong and reckless doing regardless of where the guilt belongs. Reports, too, from the county superintendent concerning the schools in all parts of the county;
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of the interest manifested by teacher, pupil and parent; and last, but not least, concerning the financial management of the schools, the receipts and expenditures of the public money in this great work of educating the rising generations. This is of vital interest to the people who maintain this grand educational system of the state.
The doings of the social world demand impartial reports by the county press. The exercises of literary or debating societies, library and lecture associations, reading clubs, musical or other entertainments, and all other social gatherings for mutual improvement, should receive appropriate mentions.
The people look to the newspaper in its making of the history of the day or week, for the record of births, marriages and deaths; the transac- tions in real estate; the doings of the county and town officials; and the doings and decisions of the courts of law. Then, too, the industrial and commercial interests of the county demand prominent attention, and make interesting and valuable chapters in local history, if followed up by intelligent explanation, and thoughtful and comprehensive comment. Everything noteworthy, as accidents, fires, and all the numerous incidents which go to make up every day life, should receive prompt and impartial attention, the editor bearing in mind that clear statements of facts serve a better purpose than the hair-raising, blood-curdling sensational style of the dime-novel. The election returns, complete down to the pre- cinct officers; holiday anniversaries, and other days, the observance of which law or custom has sanctioned, should receive due attention. Neigh- borhood correspondence of local happenings, brief and crisp, should have regular appearance.
Then there are matters of personal history, which may be properly used by the editor, to the profit of his readers. For instance, sketches of business men, who have grown up in the community, and aided in its development, and illustrated the ways to prosperity through honorable and industrious means; men whose lives have been worthy examples of emulation by those who come after them; and men departing this life, leave behind them memories bright with noble thoughts and deeds.
Petulance, grumbling and officiousness should never find utterance in newspapers; but fair comment, and unprejudiced criticisms, based upon knowledge and understanding coming from faithful, comprehensive study, and intelligent reflection, should always displace them. Extended argu- ments and lengthy clippings from metropolitan papers, rarely find accept- able place in local papers.
This summary of what the local county paper should be, reflects a fair average of what it is in Iowa to-day; of the character and range of the matter offered weekly, in ninety-nine counties within her borders; and it is'
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but just to say, that but few, if any, counties in this grand commonwealth, are better represented than is Lucas, all things considered.
THE CHARITON MAIL
was the first regular paper brought into existence in Lucas county. It had its birth in the eventful year of 1856, in which was witnessed the free- state and border ruffian struggle in Kansas; when was drawn the first red drops of the flow that ended in the deluge of the rebellion. Through the county of Lucas, this same year, passed that reckless son of freedom- John Brown-accompanied with his sons, on their way to Kansas, in wagons freighted with guns, which, in the hands of these earnest and dar- ing men, made reports that were heard around the world; and still, like the old hero's soul, go marching on, carrying their echoes to tyrants everywhere, that all men are endowed by their Creator with the unalien- able rights of life, liberty, and happiness. Chariton was on the over- land route, from the end of railroad transportation, at Iowa City, to the field where a sectional conflict was raging for the mastery. Another event of 1856, was the outgrowth of the republican party, from the Kan- sas conflict, and the presentation of Fremont and Dayton to the American electors, as the exponents of the principles embodied in the everliving declaration, that "all men are endowed with the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and happiness." This year, too, was projected the ocean telegraph, and the introduction of Chinese sugar cane, or sorghum, into the United States; and last, that James Buchanan was the last president chosen by the democratic party.
This digression, in this connection, will be pardoned. Nevertheless, it will be agreed that the first regular newspaper in Lucas county- The Mail -was started in an eventful year. George M. Binckley was the founder of this pioneer publication, which he first christened the Little Giant, presum- ably in honor of its ideal statesman-Stephen A. Douglas. Binckley was somewhat noted in his day, as a prolific creator of newspapers, but his productions were usually short-lived. After two or three issues-more or less-of his paper under its first name-Little Giant-he changed it to The Mail, and associated with him in its publication, A. C. Cameron. Soon after W. T. Wade, the then county treasurer, purchased the astab- lishment; but the life of its dual production was brief. A few months only, sufficed, to herald the birth of the Giant and the Mail, and to announce, in mournful numbers, their demise. Thus passed the first champions of democracy in Lucas county; the existence of which is now traditonal, as no copies of them are known by the writer to exist.
The next newspaper established in Lucas county was the
CHARITON PATRIOT.
This was founded by John Edwards, in 1857, with whom F. M. Fairbrother became associated in its publication. It immediately suc-
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ceeded the defunct Mail, and gathered to it such of its remnants as it could utilize. The Patriot might be said to be the first permanently established paper in the county. It was established the next year after the national organization of the republican party, of the principles of which it was an earnest advocate; and although Lucas county was democratic, it faithfully battled for the principles of its party-opposition to the encroachments of the slave power. The conflict between freedom and slavery was waxing hotter and hotter, which were represented by the two great sections of the country - north and south. All the barriers which had hitherto prescribed the limits of the slave power, had been swept away; and, through the congressional measures of 1850, and the Dred Scott decision, the free states had been made hunting-grounds for escaped fugitives. The God-given prerogatives of freedom, whether of speech, or of the press, or of action, were denied wherever this power extended its sway. Against this, the conflict was waged by the party of freedom, until the arbitrament of the sword secured to it the mastery.
This was a period when the spirit of true patriotism was awakening to earnest action, and every aid possible was marshaled to its strength. Hence, the birth of the Patriot. It has, from the first, been a faithful and earnest worker in the ranks of the republican party under its various man- agements. In the absence of its early files, it is possible to give only the names of those under whose control it passed, as editors or proprietors, from time to time until the present. These were Val. Mendel, Charles Austin, E. B. Woodward, T. M. Stuart, Eugene Fawcett, J. W. Ragsdale, Geo. H. Ragsdale, Moses Folsom, T. W. Fawcett and W. H. Maple. In 1878, George H. Ragsdale, the present editor and proprietor, again succeeded to its management. In the fall of 1880, he commenced the issue of a daily edition of the Patriot, which has been made a very creditable little sheet, really beyond the support a town of the size of Chariton is likely to give it. Mr. Ragsdale has the true conception of what a news- paper should be-a means for making the world purer, stronger and wiser; that journalism is not a mere seeking for a livelihood-an attempt to extort an unwilling pittance from the public-but a work of magnitude, dignity and honor.
The Patriot is regarded as not only the oldest living, and leading paper in the county, but is also among the leading papers of this congressional district. From an acorn it has grown into a sturdy oak-an excellent and well conducted county paper, complete in its job. and other mechanical departments, and with a circulation which reaches every neighborhood and hamlet in the county, and of which its proprietor is justly proud.
As evidence of the Patriot's terse and " much in little " method of treat- ing any subjects from bottom to top, we quote from its columns of recent
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date, an article of much interest, and quite apropos in this connection, entitled "Iowa Newspapers":
No other influence has contributed so much to the progress and development of Iowa, as the newspapers of the state. No class of men have labored more assiduously and disinterestedly for the development of the state, and the advancement of her material interests, than her editors. The number and char- acter of the papers read and published in the state indicate the mental activity of the people, and their general intelligence and enterprise. Hubbard's Record for 1880, gives 510 as the number of newspapers published in Iowa, of which 29 are dailies (30 with the Daily Patriot), 462 weeklies and 19 monthlies. The great continents of Africa and Asia, with European Turkey, Portugal and Nor- way and Sweden thrown in, possess barely more than half the number of papers issued in lowa, a region in which fifty years ago no white man lived. And Jowa has more papers than the continent of South America and Mexico and the Central American states combined.
The states of Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, North and South Caro- lina are reported as having 447 papers, or 68 less than the goodly Hawkeye state. Politically, the republicans lead off with 226, followed by 83 democratic, 39 greenback and 87 independent and neutral sheets. There are 28 publications in the German, Bohemian and Norwegian languages. The educational papers number 7, religious 8, agricultural 3, and temperance 2. Society, literary, legal and miscellaneous publications complete the list. As to names, there is no lack of variety. Twenty-three indicate their political creed by sailing under the title of Democrat, and the cognomen Republican is found at the heading of 21 sheets. Twenty papers are called News, 17 Times, 13 Journal, 11 Independent, and 9 Gazette, with 3 to 6 as Tribune, Herald, Union, Express, Register, Leader, Enterprise, Reporter and Hawkeye. Odd titles are not few, as Phono- graph, Telephone, Eureka, Eclipse, Delta, Dial, Vedette, Signal and Kosmos all testify. There is the Sentinel and the Pilot, the Bugle and the Plain Talk, the Radical, the Liberal, the Conservative, and the Freeman, the Monitor, the Vin- dicator, and the Watchman. The Mirror reflects the sentiments of three com- munities, the Star twinkles for an equal number, the Eagle screams for two, the Sun shines for three, a Blade is wielded for one, and one has an Opinion. Then there is the Beacon, and the Beacon Light, the latter a greenbacker. Ordinary titles, by the way, do not seem to meet the views of the fiat-money people, and therefore we find such names as Greenback World, People's Dollar, National Advocate, New Era, and Independent American. Among foreign names we notice Volks-Zeitung, De Volksvreind, Beobachter, Slovon Americky and Freie-Presse, the latter representing three sheets. The Express, the Locomo- tive, the Onward, the Advocate, the Patriot, the Clipper, the Plain Dealer, the Telegraph, the Messenger, the Courier, the Ledger, the Review, and the Consti- tution all do duty as names for some of the good papers of Iowa.
The first paper ever issued in this state was the Iowa Visitor, at Dubuque, in 1834, since which time no doubt a thonsand newspapers have lived and died in Iowa.
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Judge Nourse, in his centennial address gives this history of the Visitor's printing press:
In the spring of 1836, John King purchased at Cincinnati, Ohio, and brought to Dubuque, a Smith press with the necessary type, and published a newspaper called the Dubuque Visitor. Wm. Cary Jones was foreman of the office at a salary of $350.00 a year and boarding. Andrew Keesicker was compositor. In 1842, this press and type were taken to Lancaster, Wisconsin, and on it was printed the Grant county Herald. Subsequently the same press was taken to St. Paul, Minnesota, and from it was issued the first paper printed in Minnesota Territory, called the St. Paul Pioneer. In 1858, the same press was taken to Sioux City Falls, in Dakota Territory, whereon to print the first newspaper pub- lished in that Territory, called the Dakota Democrat. In March, 1862, the Sioux Indians burned the town of Sioux City Falls, and this pioneer of American civilization perished in the flames.
It may not be uninteresting in this connection to give a few brief facts con- oerning journalism in the United States, as follows:
First newspaper-Colonial Press, Boston, 1690.
First political paper-Journal, New York, 1733.
First daily paper-Advertiser, Philadelphia, 1784.
First religious paper-Recorder, Chillicothe, Ohio, 1814.
First agricultural paper-American Farmer, Baltimore, 1818.
First commercial paper-Price Current, New Orleans, 1822.
First penny paper-Morning Post, New York, 1833.
First independent paper-Herald, New York, 1835.
First illustrated paper-News, Boston, 1853.
First religious daily-Witness, New York, 1870. First illustrated religious paper-Weekly, New York, 1871.
First paper west of Mississippi-Republican, St. Louis, 1808.
First illustrated daily in the world-Graphic, New York, 1873.
First Woman's rights paper-Lily, Seneca Falls, New York, 1847.
The Lily was started by Mrs. Amelia Bloomer, now an honored resident of Council Bluffs. The Lily flourished six years.
Iowa is the fifth state in the Union in the total number of publications. New York leading with 1,239, Pennsylvania 835, Illinois 832, Ohio 653, and Iowa 510. In the matter of subscriptions about 200 Iowa papers charge $2.00 per annum, 200 $1.50 and the rest divide up between $1.00, $1.25 and 81.75.
The total number of publications in the United States, is placed at 9,723, representing politics, religion, science, commerce, the trades, finance, amusements, in short every interest, occupation and profession, has its organ. The oldest paper now extant in the United States is the Mercury of Newport, R. I., which was established in 1758. The number of newspapers in the world is over 23,000.
THE CHARITON DEMOCRAT
was the next paper started here, which appeared in 1867; and its name indicates its political proclivities. John V. Faith was its founder, proprie-
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tor and editor. He was a sharp, incisive writer, with occasional lapses from fairness, which often caused the loss of the respect of his readers. The public usually likes hard hitting when the occasion demands it, but the blows must, in the phrase of the prize ring, be above the belt. A distortion of facts invariably undermines confidence in the editor, resulting in the loss of both dignity and power. In 1870, Clint Parkhurst, a well- known Iowa journalist, became associated, for a short time, with Mr. Faith in the publication of the Democrat, but the two combined, generated too much mental friction to work successfully together, and the relation soon terminated. In 1871, Mr. Faith removed his office to Osceola, Clarke county, where he continued the publication of his paper under its old name of Democrat. After a few months' experiment here, he sold his establishment to other parties, and soon after the paper went where the woodbine twineth, for want of support.
One striking event in the career of Faith, while in Chariton, was his encounter with Gen. Weaver. The latter assaulted him because of a sav- age onslaught in the Democrat upon the general's character. Weaver so far got the worst of Faith, that he made the latter apologize in the next, issue of his paper. The apology duly appeared, but it was a somewhat difficult matter to find where it came in. However, since the general's rise to political fame, he is not so sensitive to newspaper criticisms.
THE CHARITON LEADER
next appeared as the champion of the democracy of the county, and to occupy the field which Faith's Democrat had abandoned a few months before. The first issue of the Leader was on the 27th of April, 1872, under the proprietorship of Best & Axline, with N. B. Branner and D. M. Baker as editors. In June, following Mr. Branner stepped aside, leaving the editorial work to his associate. Later on, Messrs. Best & Baker suc- ceeded to the proprietary interest of Mr. Axline, and under that firm with Mr. Baker as editor, the Leader has been conducted until April, 1881, when the latter gentleman disposed of his interest to N. B. Branner, his former associate editor. The proprietors are now Branner & Best, with the former as editor.
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