An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 288

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1524

USA > Idaho > Kootenai County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 288
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 288
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 288
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 288

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nexationists in northrn Idaho. Very strenuously did he apply himself to combating the arguments of the veteran Lewiston editor, Mr. Leland, on this subject.

In October, 1883, Mr. Parker's interest was at- tracted to the Coeur d'Alene mining country, and sell- ing the News to a man named Abbott, he became one of the pioneers in the New Eldorado, where he en- gaged in the publication of the Coeur d'Alene Eagle. Mr. Abbott disposed of his interests in the News to Messrs. McConkey & Beeson, who published it until the return of Mr. Parker from Shoshone county in April, 1885, when he resumed charge. In June, 1886, Mr. Parker disposed of the property to Adams & Bee- son, and himself went to the thriving town of Grange- ville, where he established the Idaho County Free Press, becoming the pioneer journalist of Idaho county. Shortly after Messrs. Adams & Beeson took charge of the News they sold out to Judge Norman Buck and A. Quackenbush, who changed the name to the Stars and Bars. Judge Buck was a power in Idaho politics at that time, and with such a man at its head the Stars and Bars quite naturally took a leading position among its contemporaries, but it failed to give satis- factory financial returns, and in a short time sus- pended. In June, 1889, the plant was removed to Palouse City, Washington.

THE LEWISTON TRIBUNE

Is the only daily in north Idaho, and its permanent establishment as such was an important forward step in the journalism of this section of Idaho. In work- manship, style of make up, typographical appearance, and the literary ability displayed in both news items and editorials it takes high rank among the newspa- pers of the state. Its genial editor, Albert H. Alford, ex-regent of the state university, and ex-speaker of the lower legislative body of Idaho, bears the reputa- tion of being among the foremost editorial writers in the northwest. He and his corps of assistants have made for the Tribune an excellent reputation at home and abroad.

The Weekly Tribune was established at Lewiston in September, 1892, by two of its present proprietors, Albert H. and Eugene L. Alford. The office was in a small, one-story building on Main street. Here, with limited facilities, these gentlemen began the issu- ance of their little paper. It was a most vigorous ad- vocate of Democracy and is today, although more in- dependent than formerly. During the campaign of 1896 the Tribune was published as a semi-weekly, and so well was it received by the public that the publish- ers determined to try a daily. This they did in May, 1898. They met with gratifying success in their enter- prise, success sufficient to justify their making the daily a permanent thing. In 1900 Wallace B. Stainton, who had been connected with the Tribune since its es- tablishment, became a full partner in the business. The same year the company secured the Associated Press morning franchise for Lewiston. Meanwhile the week- ly publication has been continued. It is an eight-page paper ; the daily a six-page. From the very first the Tribune has been an "all home print."

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

After occupying several different homes, always rented ones, the Tribune at, last has its own building, erected by the company last year. It is a handsome brick structure occupying a prominent location on Fourth street in the down town district. In the com- pleteness of its equipment the Tribune has a great advantage, its plant and office being superior to those of any paper in the state. It furnishes employment to not a few skilled workmen and writers. Mr. E. L. Alford, who kindly piloted the writer through the establishment, estimates its value at between $15,000 and $20,000. A. H. Alford is the editor of the Tri- bune, Eugene L. Alford the business manager, and Wallace B. Stainton city editor.

THE DAILY PATRIOT

Completes the list of the newspapers which have been published in Lewiston. This pioneer Lewiston daily was established September 1, 1897, by Frank M. Rob- erts and his son, Coral F. Roberts. It was published for about three years, then, as before stated, was ab- sorbed by the Teller during the campaign of 19oo. Mr. Roberts is now engaged in the newspaper business at Stites.

IDAHO COUNTY FREE PRESS.

To the Free Press belongs the honor of having blazed the pathway of journalism in Idaho county, and no inconsiderable amount of credit is due to this pioneer paper and its energetic and intrepid publisher and editor during the first fourteen years of its ex- istence for the important part they have taken in the upbuilding of Idaho county. The Free Press has labored faithfully and well for the people of the region it represents, and Mr. Parker has wielded a tireless and skillful pen in his efforts to make the Free Press a representative newspaper in every sense of the word. For many years after its birth, June 18, 1886, the jour- nalistic field in this sparsely settled and but poorly developed county was indeed a barren one, but the country presented vast opportunities, a tremendous la- tent power, which the pioneer paper has lived to see only partly developed, and yet of astonishing strength. It was founded as an independent journal, and has al- ways retained its freedom of thought on matters af- fecting the county at large. For several years it was independent in politics : it then came forth as a sup- porter of the Democratic party, and has since been the leading county paper of that faith.

The advent of a newspaper in Idaho county was, hailed with great joy by the inhabitants of that section of north Idaho. The people of Grangeville made the printing of the first number a gala occasion, which will live long in the memory of those who participated. The brass band honored the publisher with a concert ; flags were hoisted all over the town, and the first paper was sold at auction to J. S. Fockler, of Salmon river, for $50.

During the first three years of its life, the Free Press was a four-page, six-column paper. In 1889,

however, the columns were lengthened and another added, and in this size it now appears. For a long time the two inside pages were "patent," but years ago the publisher gladly made the change to home print.

The newspaper met its first serious reverse on Christmas Eve, 1897, when the building it occupied was burned to the ground. Of the contents, nothing except the files, ledgers, subscription and account books. and the editorial desk, were saved from the flames. This loss was a serious one, but Mr. Parker had faith in the enterprise, and immediately set about making for his paper a better home than it had ever had before, with the result that at present it occupies a sightly, convenient and commodious building on Hall street, just opposite the old Grange hall. The first home of the Free Press was in the Harris building on Main street, about where the present Pfeufer block now stands. Then it was removed to the building at the corner of Hall and Main streets, which was de- stroyed by fire.

The Buffalo Hump boom in 1899 called forth the Daily Press, the first number of which was printed January 9, 1899. H. E. Waggoner acted as city editor. This daily publication, a small half sheet, was regularly published until December 2d following. During its brief career the daily was eagerly read, as Mr. Parker maintained the same high standard in this paper as he did in the weekly. During March, 1899, a fine, new cylinder news press, operated by water power, was installed.

On September 28, 1900, after nearly twenty years of continuous service, dating from early in 1881, when he took charge of the Nez Perces News, Mr. Parker retired from the field of active newspaper work, and is at present devoting himself to his real estate, mining and other business interests in the county where he has resided for the past eighteen years. He has been a tireless and successful worker in his chosen pro- fession, and has left an indelible mark, not alone on the journalism of north Idaho, but also on its his- tory.

Elmer McBroom, formerly the business manager of the Roseburg, Oregon, Review, succeeded Mr. Parker as editor and publisher of the Free Press, and the product of his work is creditable to his abilities as a writer. The Free Press is prosperous and thriv- ing. It is the official county journal, which adds to its prestige. The plant is well equipped with a cylin- der news press, jobbers, paper cutter, news and job type, etc.

THE CAMAS PRAIRIE CHRONICLE,

Formerly the Cottonwood Report, is the second oldest existing newspaper in Idaho county, it having been preceded only by the Free Press and a short lived paper at Denver. The Report made its bow to the public January 27, 1893, the Camas Prairie Publishing Com- pany being the publishers, and Tannatt & Hogan busi- ness managers. It was published weekly on an army press, and was a four-page, seven-column paper, all

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

home print. Elmer Waldrip served the paper as editor until the plant was disposed of July 15, 1893, to J. S. Rhoads and T. W. Turner, when Philip W. Pearson became the local editor. With the issue of May II. 1894, the Report passed under the editorial manage- ment of L. J. Hornaday, and for the first time discard- ed its independence in politics. Mr. Taylor was suc- ceeded by J. M. Wolbert in September, 1895, who retained charge only a few months. Then the publica- tion was purchased by Rustemeyer & Wimer, they as- suming the editorial management at the same time. During their ownership the Report became the Camas Prairie Chronicle. Last January Mr. Rustemeyer re- tired from the business, leaving Mr. Wimer the sole proprietor. The plant is a small one, consisting of an army news press, an Excelsior jobber, type, etc. The paer is now twenty-four columns in size, with "patent" inside. Devoted to the best interests of Cot- tonwood and Idaho county in particular, newsy and neatly printed, the Chronicle commands an excellent patronage from both advertisers and subscribers.

THE GRANGEVILLE STANDARD.

The Standard, the third oldest newspaer in Idaho county, was established at Grangeville, March 25. 1899, A. J. MacDonald, editor and manager. Its platform then is its platform now: "Republicanism, truthful- ness, reliability on mining subjects, the advancement of the interests of Grangeville and Idaho county, and the advancement of the morals of the community." The management of the paper has undergone many changes. On May 10, 1809, the Standard Printing Company, Charles F. Lake, editor and manager, assisted by John Flittie, succeeded A. J. MacDonald. Editor Lake was soon succeeded by George W. Goode, and he in turn by Frank M. Roberts, the latter taking charge April 27. 1901. In August, 1901, William Leach, formerly with the Clarkston, Washington, Chronicle, assumed the management of the Standard, W. W. Goode being proprietor at that time. The present owners, C. J. Lisle and H. L. Brown, purchased the property in September, 1901, taking charge September 13th. Both are experienced men, formerly of Butte, Montana. Mr. Lisle was employed on the editorial staff of the Daily Inter-Mountain.

Although the office was fairly well equipped at the beginning, Brown & Lisle have made so many changes and improvements that the plant is now practically new. No printing house in north Idaho carries a better line of type, and the Standard is without doubt as neat- ly and tastily printed a newspaper as there is in the state. Nor are its news and editoiral columns less worthy of praise, for they reflect in an interesting and breezy style the life around and in Grangeville. The job office of the Standard is very complete and mod- ern, a new Chandler & Price jobber being among the recent acquisitions. The newspaper is printed on a Campbell cylinder, operated by water power. This press, however, is to be removed soon and a new one of greater capacity installed in the new home that the propiretors contemplate for their establishment. The

Standard at present is an eight-page, five-column paper, all home print. It is not too much to say of the Stand- ard that it is representative of the best type of the American country newspaper.

THE GRANGEVILLE NEWS

Is Grangeville's youngest newspaper, having been es- tablished April 4, 1902, by H. L. Herzinger, a veteran journalist of the Northwest. All who come in con- tact with Mr. Herzinger note his strong, energetic and generous character, and the News itself is the best measure of his journalistic powers. Although still very young and forced to compete with two other strong weeklies, the News is steadily gaining strength. The plant occupies a commodious office on Hall street, and is equipped with a Washington hand press, a job- ber, paper cutter, type and other necessities of the newspaper and job office. The News is a four-page, seven-column paper, issued weekly. In politics it is Democratic.

THE IDAHO MOUNTAINEER

Is published at Kooskia, on the Clearwater Short Line, and is a neatly printed, newsy little weekly, mirroring the life around its home. The Mountaineer was estab- lished four years ago, at the time that Kooskia was being built. H. E. O'Donnell is the proprietor and editor of this journal.

THE IDAHO COUNTY PATRIOT

Was first known as the Register, under which name it was established at Stites, February 22, 1901, by W. N. Robinson. Frank M. Roberts, an experienced news- paper man, formerly the publisher of the Daily Patriot at Lewiston, purchased the Register in August, 1902, and changed the name to the Patriot, its present title. Mr. Roberts is a strong writer and the Patriot is a popular little paper. Like the Mountaineer, the Patriot is printed in folio size.

THE MORTALITY LIST.

The Idaho Gold Miner was the second paper pub- lished in Grangeville. This short lived paper was founded by T. E. Edmundson and was published dur- ing 1894.

On December 4. 1895, the Camas Prairie Cayuse, a breezy little sheet, was established at Grangeville by Goodell & Ruggles. Its battles with the waves of ad- versity was short, and it was soon submerged, never to rise again.

Another of Grangeville's early papers was the Re- publican, published in the spring of 1896, by Winfield Harper. The paper was founded as a political organ. Col. W. D. Robbins was interested in this enterprise.

The Cottonwood Times made its appearance at that prairie town during the first week in December, 1898. Messrs. Turner & Short were the publishers. During its life it was a creditable paper.

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

Franklin P. Turner commenced the publication of the Alta Idaho Area at Stuart, now Kooskia, in January, 1898. The railroad boom passed away within a few months, however, and with it came the demise of the Area.

COEUR D'ALENE NUGGET.

The Coeur d'Alene Nugget was the first newspaper to be published in Shoshone county. This pioneer journal was called into existence by the settlement of the Coeur d'Alenes and made its bow to the public at the historic town of Eagle City, March 15, 1884. At that time thousands of miners thronged the hills and canyons of the North Fork country, and it was not strange that the press made its appearance so soon after the opening of the region, for this has been an almost universal experience in American history, since the Civil war at least. C. F. MeGlashan and W. F. Edwards were the publishers of the Nugget. 'In size the paper was a five-column, four-page folio, and the old copy which fell into our hands was unusually well printed and edited. After an irregular life of several weeks the Nugget was absorbed by the

COEUR D'ALENE WEEKLY EAGLE.

The second oldest paper in the camp and county. The Eagle was owned and edited by Aaron F. Parker and George W. DeSucca, and during its four months' ex- istence was an able and energetic exponent of the great mining camp from which it derived its support. Mr. Parker tells us that the first number was published April 12, 1884, in a tent occupied jointly by the Eagle and the postoffice. For this rude home the lessees paid $75 a month. The postoffice remained in the tent until the arrival of Postal Inspector General Curry, who ordered Postmaster Parker to move the postoffice into a wooden building. This move was necessary because the moisture during wet weather caused the stamps to stick together. The Eagle was printed on four pages of six columns each and a perusal of the files shows that Messrs. Parker and DeSucca did ered- itable work upon their journal. On June 12th Mr. Parker retired from the business, leaving his former partner in full charge. Subsequently Mr. Parker re- turned to the paper. In August the last number ap- peared, the re-action of the boom proving too great for the paper to withstand.

COEUR D'ALENE PIONEER.

The next newspaper to appear in the Coeur d'Alenes was the Coeur d'Alene Pioneer, published first at Eagle City and later at Murray by the Pioneer Pub- lishing Company, of which Henry Bernard was the manager. No. 2 of this paper came into our hands in the course of our researches, and afforded much in- teresting material of a historical nature. It bore the date of April 28, 1884, and was printed at Eagle City. It was a four-page, six column sheet. In those days the subscriber had to pay dearly for his paper, all of

the early Coeur d'Alene papers selling for twenty-five cents a copy or six dollars a year. The Pioneer was a weekly. Not very long after the first number appeared the editor and manager became involved in a quarrel with one of his employees and killed him. The murder was a most dastardly one, and Bernard was threatened with a popular trial and execution. The Pioneer suis- pended publication soon after the affair took place.

COEUR D'ALENE SUN.

Most prominent and important among the pioneer newspapers of the Coeur d'Alenes is the paper of which we now write. For nearly twenty years the Sun has regularly appeared, some times daily, at others tri- weekly, but generally weekly, and a careful, exhaustive perusal of its files from beginning to end enables us to judge its merits and few papers there are which have more accurately and full portrayed pioneer conditions and recorded the growth and progress of a great mining camp. First, last and always the Sun has been an ardent believer in the greatness of the mineral section which is its home ; its columns have been freely given to mining discuss- ions, discoveries and progress, while at the same time the Sun has gained for itself an enviable reputation for accuracy in these matters. The Sun has always been a valiant champion of clean, honest government, and its voice has been a strong one in county affairs. As a disseminator of news it early took a leading position in north Idaho, and as a careful, strong critic of terri- torial and state affairs it has excelled.

The founder, publisher and editor of the Sun, Adam Aulbach, began his labors in newspaper work forty years ago, and long before he came to the Coeur d'Alenes he had gained an experience and a reputation which easily gave him a leading position among the newspaper workers of Idaho when in the winter of 1883-84 he came to this young territory to take up his labors. He arrived upon the scene early in the winter and decided the field was a good one for a newspaper. So he ordered a complete outfit of suffi- cient size to print a small paper and decided to locte temporarily at Belknap, Montana. Accordingly on May 13. 1884, the Belknap Sun, printed on a half Medium Gordon, made its bow to the world. The first issue contained fifteen columns of solid reading matter. At first the Sun was published tri-weekly. Of course it gave its principal attention to the Coeur d'Alene mines. As time passed Mr. Aulbach became more and more convinced that the camp was a sub- stantial one, and finally he decided that the time had arrived when it could support a properly conducted newspaper and prepared to remove the Sun plant to Murrayville. This was accomplished at great ex- pense, a large pack train being required to transport the material over the uncut and snow-drifted mountain trails across the Bitter Roots. On Tuesday, July 8, 1884, the Idaho Sun appeared for the first time and at once drew to its support a host of friends. The pub- lisher promised the Coeur d'Aleners a good paper and the files show that this promise was very faithfully

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

kept. The first of the succeeding year another change was made in the name, this time Coeur d'Alene being substituted for the word Idaho, and the Coeur d'Alene Sun it has since remained. The field proved to be an excellent one, and the Sun took every advantage of the opportunity presented and prospered exceedingly.

One of the results of this prosperity was that on January 1, 1886, Mr. Aulbach commenced the publi- cation of a daily instead of a tri-weekly edition, which was continued until June 2, 1888. During this period of nearly two and one-half years the news service of the Sun was its strongest feature, and in all probability there have been few mining camps which have enjoyed a better service in their infancy. Thence on the placer camp began to decline, as a result of which the Sun experienced corresponding hard times. The South Fork country succeeded to the prosperity which had once belonged to the people of the North Fork, and many towns sprang up in that section during the latter part of the 'eighties and the early 'nineties. To this new field Mr. Atulbach was temporarily drawn, and in July, 1890, he turned the Sun over to a syndicate of Murray business men to conduct while he went to Wal- lace. Charles Swaine became the Sun's editor and business manager, and remained in this capacity until January 1, 1891. when the property was leased to Charles A. Ervin, who took personal charge of the paper. Mr. Ervin conducted the paper until April 28th of the following year, when he gave up his lease. A week later the Sun was indefinitely suspended, Mr. Aulbach assigning as a reason that he himself was busy with the Wallace Press and that lie could find no one Lo either lease the Sun or conduct it for him.

For six months the Sun remained lifeless. Then Mr. Aulbach removed to his old home, Murray, and again took the helm of his first love, applying himself with renewed vigor to the work. Since then the path- way of the Sun has been one of alternating smooth- ness and roughness. At times the shadows have fallen with discouraging density across the path, but each 'time the Sun has pierced the darkness with unwaver- ing faith, and still gives forth its messages of encour- agement and confidence, despite the fact that the sec- tion referred to is passing through the most trying time experienced since its settlement.

Typographically the Sun has always maintained a high standard. The equipment is all that could be desired in a country newspaper office, the machinery being operated by water power installed in 1886. Pub- lished first in a rough log cabin, it soon outgrew these rude quarters, and the office was removed to the old Murray bank building, standing on the corner of Sec- ond and Main streets, where its present home is. The building is a fine frame structure, one of the best in the town. In politics the Sun has been strongly inde- pendent, always supporting the men whom it has thought best fitted for office.

THE EAGLE STAR.

This was a short-lived paper, published at Eagle City in the fall of 1885 by S. E. Dillard. The first copy appeared on November 21st. While it lived the

Star was an excellent paper, but the camp was unable to maintain it.

WALLACE FREE PRESS.

On July 2, 1887, Alfred J. and John L. Dunn. brothers, who came originally from Missouri, com- menced the publication of the Wallace Free Press int a little frame building on the site of the present O. K. block. Their plant was of fair size, including a Wash- ington hand press, and the brothers threw their whole energy and soul into the work with the result that the Free Press was not long in gaining for itself a more excellent reputation, both at home and abroad. It was not our privilege to look over the files of this pioneer newspaper, owing to the fact that they had been mislaid, but from notices which appeared in con- temporary journals and from the lips of those who read the Free Press we have no hesitation in saying that it was a first class journal in every way.

Dunn Brothers continued the publication of the Free Press until the spring of 1889, when they sold the property to Edward Tibhals and his brother Frank. They changed the name of the paper to the Wallace Press. Subsequently the business came into the hands of Adam Aulbach, of the Murray Sun, under whom the Press enjoyed great prosperity. Among other im- provements made was the installation of the plant in a new. two-story brick building on Bank street, between Fifth and Sixth streets, where it still remains. The upper story was occupied as a Masonic hall ; the lower story, jointly by the Press and Easton's jewelry store. Mr. Aulbach was the proprietor of the Sun until July, 1892, when it was sold to R. E. Brown, better known locally as "Barbarian" Brown, an amateur journalist of considerable ability. Under his ownership the name of the paper was again changed, this time to the Coeur d'Alene American. H. W. Ross succeeded Brown. entering upon his management just as the hard times of 1893 reached the Coeur d'Alenes. The journal failed to weather the storm, and late in the year sank beneath the waves of adversity.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 288

Author: Publication date: 1903 Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1524

Author:
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: [S.l.] : Western Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1524