History of Scott County, Iowa, Part 51

Author: Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1280

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The annual fair was held commencing the first Monday in Sep- tember, 1880, continuing five days. The receipts were $6,430, of which $4,056 were paid for premiums.

The twenty-eighth annual meeting was held Nov. 6, 1880. Officers were elected as follows for 1881 : President, John Madden; Vice- President, S. F. Smith; Secretary, John W. Green; Treasurer, W. M. Grant; Directors, George Murray, L. W. Clemmons, Wm. Ren- wiek.

The annual fair was held commencing the first Monday in Sep- tember, 1881. The receipts for 1881 were $7,202, of which were paid for premiums 84,480.

The twenty-ninth annual meeting was held in November, 1881. at which time officers for 1882 were elected as follows : President. J. A. Le Claire; Vice-President, O. S. MeNeil; Secretary, John W. Greene; Treasurer, Whit. M. Grant; Directors, James Grant, J. II. Sears, A. J. Hyde.

CHAPTER XIV. THE PRESS.

There is no instrumentality, not even excepting the pulpit and the bar, which exerts such an influence upon society as the press of the land. It is the Archimedian lever that moves the world. The talented minister of the gospel on the Sabbath day preaches to a few hundred people; on the following morning his thoughts are re- produced more than a thousand fold, and are read and discussed throughout the length and breadth of the land. The attorney at the bar, in thrilling tones, pleads either for or against the criminal arraigned for trial, often eansing the jury to bring in a verdiet against the law and the testimony in the case. His words are re- produced in every daily reached by the telegraphie wire, and his arguments are calmly weighed by unprejudiced men and accepted for what they are worth. The politician takes the stand and ad- dresses a handful of men upon the political questions of the day ; his speech is reported and read by a thousand men for every one that heard the address. Suddenly the waters of one of our mighty rivers rises, overflowing the land for miles and miles, rendering thousands of people homeless, and without means to secure their daily bread. The news is flashed over the wire, taken up by the press, and known and read of all men. No time is lost in sending to their relief ; the press has made known their wants and they are instantly supplied. "Chicago is on fire! Two hundred millions worth of property destroyed! Fifty thousand people rendered home- less !" Such is the dread intelligence proclaimed by the press. Food and clothing are hastily gathered, trains are chartered, and the im- mediate wants of the sufferers are in a measure relieved.

The power for good or evil of the press, is to-day unlimited. The short comings of the politician are made known through its columns; the dark deeds of the wicked are exposed, and each fear it alike. The controlling influence of a nation, State or county is its press, and the press of Scott County is no exception to the rule

The local press is justly considered among the most important institutions in every eity, town and village. The people of every community regard their partienlar newspaper or newspapers as of

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peculiar value, and this not merely on account of the fact already alluded to, but because these papers are the repositories wherein are stored the facts and the events, the deeds and the sayings, the undertakings and achievements, that go to make up final history. One by one these things are gathered and placed in type ; one by one the papers are issued ; one by one these papers are gathered together and bound, and another volume of local, general and in- dividual history is laid away imperishable. The volumes thus col- lected are sifted by the historian, and the book for the library if ready. The people of any city or town naturally have a pride in their home paper.

The local press, as a rule, reflects the business enterprise of a place. Judging from this standard the enterprise of the citizens of Scott County is commendable. While there may have been ex- ceptions, the press of Scott County has usnally been a credit to the people, and its daily and weekly papers to-day are equal to any in the State.

In February, 1879, D. N. Richardson, editor of the Democrat, began the publication of a series of articles on the Press of Scott County, written by request of the Historical Committee of the Academy of Science. These articles have been revised by Mr. Richardson and are valuable contributions to the newspaper lite ature of this county.

THE IOWA SUN.

The Iowa Sun, and Davenport and Rock Island News was the name chosen for the first newspaper printed in Davenport, in 1838.

Having received his material, something over a month was con- sumed by Mr. Logan, the editor, in putting in shape and bringing out the first edition. The work was done entirely within the fam- ily, which had several boys, two old enough to be of some assist- ance. The editorial labor was performed by Mr. Logan, who, also, by the help of the boys, set the type and worked the press. Under these auspices, on the morning of the 15th day of August and the 64th day of the independence of Iowa Territory, appeared the paper above named. It was printed on paper 22 x 32 inches, four pages, six columns each; in polities Democratic. The head- ing, which was rather pretentious in length, was divided into two lines, the first being composed of the words Towa Sun, in large,

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black Roman capitals, the rest following in a longer but less con- spicuous line,-the whole indicating that in the main it would be an especial Iowa luminary, yet for the time being content to re- gard with favor the interests of Davenport and Rock Island.

The "Rock Island " part of the heading had no reference what- ever to the present city of Rock Island, which was then plain Ste- phenson; but to the island of Rock Island from which the United States troops had departed a few years before. This latter line of the heading was dropped after a while, the paper being known by its principal heading.

It announced itself to be issued "regularly on Saturday morn- ings, from its office, on Water street, from Mr. Davenport's new building, up stairs," at $3 per year if paid in advance; $3.50 at the end of six months, and 84 if the payment was delayed until the end of the year. It contained a goodly amount of advertising, which was put in "on reasonable terms," of course. Among its patrons in this way are to be noticed the names of Gilbert C. R. Mitchell, A. W. McGregor, J. M. Parker, J. H. Thorington, and S. Meredith, attorneys. This paper also contained the proclama- tion of acting-Governor W. B. Conway, forming the second judi- cial district out of " Scott, Musquitine. Louisa, Slaughter, and Johnson Counties, with the Hon. Joseph Williams, of Musqui- tine, " for judge.

The fourth number of the paper contains the death notice of Charles Edward, son of Levi S. Colton, aged eight months, the first white child born in Davenport. The following named gentle- inen-Rodolphus Bennett, James Hull, Thomas Dillon, John Litch and Joseph Noel-had been by the citizens appointed to ad- judicate the claims of squatters.

In the matter of news it was well up with the times, though in those days it took from four to six weeks for Eastern dates to ar- rive; and foreign news several months. Though it filled its place in the community, receiving a fair patronage, yet it was not profit- able to its proprietor, who provided himself with a pre-emption claim as soon as possible, to which in two or three years lie moved his family, and in 1842 suspended publication of the Sun, and be- came entirely a farmer. He sold the material to Mr. Henkle and Mr. McClelland, Mormons, who took the same down to Buffalo and printed an organ of that faith. For a while the paper was called The Bride and the Lamb's Wife, and afterward The En- sign. In a few years the material was by Mr. Henkle shipped

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to Pittsburg, whenee it came. He died there, and there we lose all trace of the material on which was printed our first newspaper. It was not new when it came here, and by mueh service had be- come too much worn for future use. The press itself was princi- pally of wood, one of those clumsy and very primitive machines, known as the Ramage-slow, clumsy, but serviceable in their day.

DAVENPORT GAZETTE.

The second newspaper founded here was the Davenport Gazette, by Alfred Sanders, assistel by Levi Divis, the first issue appear- ing on the 26th of August, 1841. It was a weekly, printed on a sheet 22 x32 inches, four piges, six columns to the page ; in politics, Whig. Mr. Sanders was sole proprietor until 1844, when Mr. Davis purchased a one-third interest in the property for $500, and the firm became Sanders & Davis, and so continued for about 13 years. This was the first time any actual valne was fixed upon the Gazette concern, which has sinee figured at more tens of thou- sands, than this sale did hundreds of dollars. During the first 12 years it was fairly prosperous only by the most persistent labor and strietest economy and good management within and withont. Not long after the beginning, Mr. Sanders saw that he must do something more than a newspaper business if he was going to make any money, so with Mr. B. Sanford, his future father-in-law, pur- chased a small stock of drugs and chemicals, and went into trade, which business he pursued a dozen years or so, in connection with that of the newspaper. It was not until 1851, 10 years from its start. that the Gazette had become sufficiently encouraged to warrant an enlargement to a seven-column paper.

In 1833 the city had become so prosperous as to demand some- thing better in the newspaper line than a weekly, and on the 3d ot September of that year a tri-weekly edition was begun, which was kept np several years. Next year the Crimean war was fought, and this had a quiekening influence upon the price of produce an } the demand for news ; moreover a railroad had been built from Chicago to Rock Island, one was starting from Davenport neross the State, a bridge was being constructed to unite the two, popula- tion was crowding in, and all branches of business were thriving under constantly increasing pressure. There was a demand for a daily paper, which was met by Sanders & Davis, who brought forth the first number of the Daily Gazette on the 16th of October,

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1854-a seven-column sheet, crowded with paying business. It was the commencement of an era of great prosperity in Davenport, one that lasted nearly four years.

During this time the Gazette had made several changes of loca- tion. First it was located on the northwest corner of Perry and Front streets ; next, and not thereafter, over Mr. Chas. Lesslie's store, northeast corner of Front and Brady streets ; next it appears on the west side of Main street, between Front and Second, corner of the first alley, in a small frame building, occupying the site of Judge Grant's office ; next in Front street, two doors east of Perry, in John Shay's building ; next in Second street, southeast corner of Brady, in the Witherwax Block ; then in 1850 into a building ofits own, built by Sanders & Davis, on the northeast corner of Brady and Second streets, where now is Cutter's dry goods store. In 1855 it made its sixth move into more spacious rooms, in what was then known as the Postoffice Block, now Viele's Block, occupying the second and third stories over what is now Warriner's shoe store. Here it remained until 1861, when Mr. Sanders purchased a part of the property on the southeast corners of Perry and Fourth streets, now owned by the Guzette Company.

Up to November, 1835, the several editions of the Gazette had been printed on a hand press, the same one, if we mistake not, that was first used. But it had become a very tedions matter; indeed, it was rapidly becoming impossible, through the increased circulation of the paper. So in that year it was supplied with steam printing apparatus, a Taylor small cylinder press, with engine and boiler, and was the first steam printing establishment in the city. The old Taylor was kept in service until 1872, when the Gazette Company moved to its new office on Third street, east of Perry, when it took on a new outfit in the way of boiler, engine, and a new large eylinder press.

As previously stated, Alfred Sanders was the original founder and proprietor of the Gazette establishment. His first part- ner was Levi Davis, who is yet an honored resident of this city. Jan. 1, 1857, the firm changed from Sanders & Davis to Sanders & Brother. On the retiring of Gen. Sanders from the Gazette, in 1862, the paper came once more into the sole ownership and under the able editorial management of Alfred Sanders. Having strong scientific tastes, and abundant means at command, he finally decided to cast off the continual drudgery of editorial and office life, and spend his days amid such congenial scientific studies and

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recreations as his taste and inelination might dictate. So, then, on the 9th of September, 1862, a little more than 21 years from the commencement of the Gazette, he sold his entire interest to a number of gentlemen, namely: Edward Russell, James MeCosh, Levi Davis, and Fred. Koops, who went into control next day under the style of The Gazette Company, which designation has been retained to this day.

Mr Edward Russell was approached with regard to assuming the editorial management of the paper, and after some hesitation he accepted. Many changes occurred in the stock company from time to time, but Mr. Russell continued as editor until Ang. 1, 1871, when, aeting on the advice of physicians, hs sold his interest to Mr. Waldo M. Potter and retired from the paper. Mr. Potter remained at this post until Nov. 4. 1875. when his interest was re- purchased by Edward Russell, who fills the position unto this day. Mr. Potter, on withdrawing from the Gazette, purchased the Clin- ton Herald, daily and weekly newspaper, at Clinton, Iowa, where he is at this time.

March 1, 1872, Mr. Hiram C. Marsh, of Groton, New York, purchased of Levi Davis a one-third interest in the office, and assumed the position as chief of the job and news department, which place he amply fills to this time. After the death of Dr. White, in the summer of 1873, a third share of the office was for sale. It was purchased March 20, 1874, by Mr. Elias C. Chapin, formerly a banker at Charles City, this State, who assumed the business management, which he. retained until March 15, 1877, when, in order to enter another field of usefulness, which he felt in duty bound to cultivate, he sold his interest to Mr. J. L. Daymnde, a long and well-known resident of Davenport, who fills the position to this time.

In the 36 years of the Gazette's existence it has had 13 proprietors, three of whom, including its founder, are dead; three of whom are proprietors still. James MeCosh is a resident of St. Louis; C. S. Ells is at the head of the Union Malleable Iron Works, of Moline; W. M. Potter prints the Clinton Herald, and Elias II. Chapin resides in Charles City.

Thus have we traced the history of the Davenport Gazette from its inception to the present time-from its days of intaney, in its seven liundred dollar outfit, appearing before its Davenport audi- ence of a few hundred people, while yet Iowa was in her early territorial condition, down to the present day, in which it finds

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itself an establishment of large possessions and a representative organ in the metropolitan city of one of the most populous and most prosperous States of the Union. It has lived in an eventful period. In its almost 37 years it has heralded the admis- sion of 12 new States; has witnessed the country's increase of population from 18,000,000 to 48,000,000; lias seen our railroads inerease from 3,000 to 75,000 miles; witnessed the birth and rapid development of the telegraphie system : seen ocean linked to ocean ; the old world wired to the new; the span of the country made shorter than that of Pennsylvania 37 years ago; these things and many others, the recitation of which would fill many columns, has filled its own crowded volumes through all these by-gone years.

Edward Russell .- Among the successful men may fairly be placed the name of Edward Russell. Success brings honor in every honest occupation, and where is it better earned than by the earn- est, honest journalist and editor?

Edward Russell was born in London, Eng., on the 6th of Octo- ber, 1830. His parents, William and Elizabeth Russell, were from good Scoteh families, and were both eminent in their cirele for earnest religious faith and activity in Christian labor. His father, who is still living, an active citizen and higlily esteemed, was an early adherent to the temperance cause, and prominent in its advo- cacy among English reformers, and was for several years the secre- tary of the order of Rechabites, a temperance, secret and benevolent organization, strong in numbers and influence. From them Mr. Russell very early received religious impressions, and the stead- fastness of his convictions, which is one of his strongest character- istics, is largely due to the influence of the examples and teaching he received during his youth.

His early edneation was obtained in England, at the grammar sehool in London and at Hill House Academy in Thrapstone, Northamtonshire; subsequently only such as could be obtained from evening and home studies in New York and elsewhere in the United States. He developed early a taste for solid reading, was studious and much interested in politics and public affairs. His father's family removed to the United States in September, 1845, and from financial reverses which his father met with soon after their arrival he was nuder the necessity of laboring in aid of the support of the family. All his earnings up to the day he was 21 were given to his father. After leaving school he engaged as er-

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rand boy in a store, and after a short service was apprenticed to a carpenter and joiner on his own choice. In the fall of 1847. his father having bought a traet of native forest land in Callicoon, Sul- livan Co., N. Y., he then removed there, with the intention of helping to make a farm thereon. He assisted until March, 1848, aiding in building a small house and the clearing off of several acres of land, when he went to New York, and began to travel through several States, selling goods as a peddler for a mercantile house in that city. Although young he was very successful, and gained much knowledge of localities and men, and an experience very useful in after life. Continuing his travels he turned west- ward, and first placed foot on lowa soil on the 7th of September, 1848, at Le Claire, Scott Co., with the purpose of visiting an old friend of his father's, Rev. W. Rutledge, having been joined on his way there by his father and youngest brother.

They were so well pleased with the State that they resolved to make it their home. To this end the New York land was sold and they removed to Le Claire. After working a few months on the farm he returned to his trade and continued with a single inter- mission until the fall of 1859. About seven months of 1850 he spent traveling through the South and West in the same mercan- tile business in which he had before engaged in New York. This added much to his stock of experience and information.

He was much interested in the active disenssions of political af- fairs, resulting from the repeal of the Missouri Compromise in 1844 and 1845; and this led to his first contribution to the press, which appeared in the columns of the lowa Truc Democrat, an anti-slavery paper then published at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, after which he was a frequent contributor to and became the Iowa cor- respondent of the National E'ra, the anti-slavery paper of Washing- ton, District of Columbia. Meanwhile he labored at his trade by day, studying and writing at night. In 1856 he began to write for the Davenport Gazette, first as a correspondent, then as a contribu- tor of political articles, both over;the nom de plume of "Agricola." In 1859 and 1860 he began and continued to be an occasional con- tribntor of editorial political articles for the same paper. In the fall of 1858, on urgent request of friends, he assuned his first edi- torial position as editor of the Le Claire Express, which was soon changed to the Le Claire Republic. This he left in 1859, on find- ing that the enterprise did not pay, and returned to his trade.

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In November, 1859, he removed to Davenport and took a posi- tion as clerk in the office of the county recorder, staying till the first of May, 1861, when he was appointed assistant postmaster at Davenport, which office he resigned in 1862, and became editor and one of the proprietors of the Davenport daily and weekly Gazette.

In August, 1871, by the advice of his physician, and in conse- quence of nervous prostration and threatening congestion of the brain, resulting from excessive labor, he sold his interest in the Gazette.

He held the position of assistant postmaster from the 1st of May 1861, till the 31st of August, 1862; was appointed postmaster and entered upon the duties of the office on the 1st of May, 1864, from which position he was removed by President Johnson for political offenses, in October, 1865. He was the first official in the United States removed by Johnson on political grounds. The reason of his removal was that he had gained prominence as a radical Re- publican, by early taking grounds against Johnson's reconstruction policy, the Gazette being the first paper in the West to do so, and by introducing into and carrying through the Iowa Republican Convention of 1865 what was known as the negro-suffrage amend- ment to the fourth resolution of the platform. This occasioned much discussion in the party at the time. He was appointed post- master by General Grant, taking the office on the first of May 1869, and was re-appointed four years after, again in 1877, and still again in 1881, in accordance with the almost unanimous ex- pression of the business men and citizens of Davenport, no one having else than praise for the manner in which Mr. Russell has condneted the postoffice in that city. He was appointed secretary of the county Republican organization formed through his efforts in the years 1860 and 1861.

He is an earnest worker in the Sabbath-school canse, and was president of the Sunday-school Union from 1865 to 1871; was pres- ident of Scott County Sunday-school Association in 1871; was for several years treasurer of the Scott County Bible Society .

He has done perhaps more in the aid of the Young Men's Chris- tian Association in Iowa than any other one man in the State. He was president of the Davenport Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation 1873, 1874 and 1875, and of the State Young Men's Chris- tian Association in 1874 and 1875. He has also been chairman of the State executive committee, and corresponding member for Iowa of the National Young Men's Christian Association. He has been

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superintendent of the Sunday-school most of the time sinee 1856. He is a member of the Masonie order, having joined in 1856; was prior to 1876, for several years, a member of the Sons of Tem- perance. He is a radical total abstainer from all intoxicating bev- erages, and has never even tasted spirits, ale or beer.

Mr. Russell has ever been prominent in the advancement of all enterprises for the benefit of the eity and country. He is a mem- ber of the Board of Trade and very active therein.

In 1876, at the earnest solicitation of leading members of his party, he consented to the use of his name as a candidate for the Republican nomination for Representative in Congress. Withont the slightest effort or request on his own part the Scott County Re. publican Convention of that year unanimously adopted a resolution presenting Mr. Russell to the Congressional Convention as such candidate, and selected delegates who in the latter body voted for him throughout 84 ballots. Then, at Mr. Russell's sugges. tion and request only, the vote of Seott County was transferred to Hon. H. Price, who was made the nominee of the convention.

In 1863 Mr. Russell wrote, as an editorial in the Davenport Gazette, the first line printed in advocacy of the construction of a eanal to connect the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers, on or near a line from Hennepin to Rock Island. The advocaey thus entered upon has been by him actively and eeaselessly continued to the present time. Desiring to make that more effective, he proposed in February, 1881, drew the artieles for and seeured the organiza tion of "The Illinois and Mississippi River and Canal Improvement Commission," of which body he was made the secretary, a posi- tion he still holds. Under the inspiration and direction of that organization was held the great canal convention of May 25 and 26, in Davenport, and the same useful body is now pressing upon Congress the appeal for an appropriation for the construction of the much-needed eanal which is designed to connect the water-route of the North and South with that from the West to the East. Mr. Russell is, however, always proud to acknowledge that he received the first suggestion of the desirability of such a canal from his old friend, the late Hon. John L. Davies, to whom it had oeeurred at the instance of his then business partner, Hon. George H. French.

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History of Scott County, Iowa, Part 51

Author: Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing co. Number of Pages: 1280

Author: Inter-state Publishing Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1280