An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 289

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 289
USA > Idaho > Nez Perce County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 289
USA > Idaho > Shoshone County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 289
USA > Idaho > Latah County > An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho > Part 289

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The Fourth of July, 1894, marked the reappear- ance of the Wallace Press on the journalistic stage of north Idaho, under the ownership of Adam Aulbach, Patrick Connor acting as manager. A little later Connor became lessee, and on October 17th George S. Warren became a joint lessee. At this time the Press was printed as an eight-page half-sheet, all home print. Formerly the Press had been printed in quarto. A change had also been made in the paper's politics. Under the proprietorship of Dunn Brothers the Free Press was strongly Republican ; then it became Demo- cratic, then independent in politics ; now it appears as a Populistic journal.

George Garbutt succeeded Warren and Connor on March 25, 1896. Just before election day he was called to his Maker. Mr. Warren, the former proprietor, again took charge of the paper and remained at its head until January 1, 1903, when the present pro- prietor, E. B. Reitzel, acquired possession of the busi- ness. Mr. Reitzel is an experienced newspaper man,

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and under his ownership and editorship the Press is one of the leading papers of north Idaho. Since the campaign of 1896, when the paper supported the Silver party, the Press has been a stalwart Republican journal, and is today the leading Republican newspaper of the county. The Press plant is quite complete, including a country Campbell news press, jobbers, paper cutters, a large and modern assortment of type, etc. The busi- ness occupies the entire lower floor of the building, the editorial office being situated in the front, and the com- posing and press room in the rear of the building. Irving Wilson is associate editor of the Press. Typo- graphically and editorially the Press is a credit to those who are connected with it, and to the metropolis and county whence it derives its support.

COEUR D'ALENE MINER.

This paper was the second journal established in Wallace, and is now numbered among those unsuc- cessful ventures in journalism of which there are plenty in every section of great wealth and oppor- tunities. It was established June 6, 1890, at Wallace by Dunn Brothers, formerly proprietors of the Free Press. In size it was a five column quarto. The printing was all done at home, a fine tribute to the energy of the publishers and the loyalty of the people to home enterprise. For six years the Miner was puh- lished by the Dunn Brothers; then Charles E. Angel took the property. However, the life of the Miner was destined to be short, for the paper suspended pub- lication after the election of 1896. Then for four years the plant was idle. Finally in 1900 E. B. Reitzel and Harry F. Ingalls resurrected the Miner, and for a few months published it, after which the plant was con- solidated with that of the Press. At present Dunn Brothers own a half interest in the Press plant, although the Press itself belongs solely to Mr. Reitzel. Through- out its existence the Miner was a strong Republican paper. During the great Wallace fire on July 27, 1890, the Miner office, building and contents, was completely burned, necessitating the purchase of a new plant and the erection of another building. The build- in was erected on the corner of Bank and Fifth streets, and is now used as the domicile of the city postoffice.

WALLACE DEMOCRAT.

This journal was established by a stock company of Shoshone county Democrats in the fall of 1892, with N. J. Donnelly as manager and editor. The paper was printed in a six-column folio forni. After being pub- lished for a little more than a year the paper was dis- continued, and the plant sold to the Coeur d'Alene Miners' Union and Knights of Labor, who founded the

IDAHO STATE TRIBUNE.

On September 20, 1894. For some time organized labor in this section had felt as if it needed an organ through which to reach the general public, and the re-

sult of this feeling was that the members of the union and the knights of District Assembly No. 13 secured as editor and manager S. Van der Muelen, past master workman of the Knights of Labor in Iowa, and pur- chased the old Democrat plant. As the official organ of organized labor in Shoshone county, the Tribune was at once accorded a foremost place among labor journals in the west. Mr. Van der Muelen remained with the Tribune only six months, when he was suc- ceeded by R. E. Seysler, who continued to steer the editorial helm for two years. Upon his retirement B. R. Creedon took charge and guided the Tribune's destinies for a year ; then came Clarence Smith, under whose management $3,000 was expended for a new plant, which added greatly to the facilities of the office and enabled the Tribune to appear in as neat a dress as any paper in the state. A Cottrell news press, a large paper cutter, jobbers, type, stones, etc., were among the additions to the old plant, rendering it practically a new one. On June 1, 1898, the Tribune was accorded the distinguished honor of being chosen as the official organ of the Western Federation of Miners, which position it retained for a year. On October 1, 1898, the Tribune was also greatly honored by having chosen as its editor and manager James R. Sovereign, well known throughout the United States for his work in the interest of the Knights of Labor, and labor organizations generally. However, Mr. Sov- creign remained in Wallace only a year, and was suc- ceeded by W. H. Stewart. A year and a half later, in the spring of 1900, Mr. Sovereign returned to the Tribune, and has since been its editor. At present the Coeur d'Alene Unions own the property. In the be- ginning the Tribune supported the Populist party, but subsequently gave its allegiance to Bryan and the Democratic party. The plant and offices are comfortab- ly housed in a commodious frame building situated on East Bank street. Like its contemporary in the Wallace field, the Tribune appears weekly and is print- ed in quarto form. The workmanship on the paper is first-class, as might be expected in the case of a paper conducted as the Tribune is.

WALLACE ADVANCE.

In the spring of 1900 Charles H. Stevens com- menced the publication of a weekly paper bearing the above name, using the old Miner plant. Its life was very short-not more than a few months.

COEUR D'ALENE MINING RECORD.

The Record is the only strictly class paper in the Coeur d'Alenes, its object being, as its name implies, to pay especial attention to the mining industry. For that matter, however, there is little else except mining for any of the newspapers in this county to give their attention to. The Record is also an illustrated paper, and its beautiful engravings, wide columns and cal- endered paper lend to it more the air of a magazine than that of a newspaper. It appears semi-monthly, and is printed at the Idaho State Tribune's office. H.

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

A. Moore, the publisher and editor, is well fitted for the work he has undertaken-that of advertising the wonderful Coeur d'Alene mines to the world-and his writings are regarded as semi-official by conserva- tive mining men. The Record is deserving of much commendation for its excellent work.

The Record first appeared in 1901 as the Coeur d'Alene Mining Journal, and for the first year was controlled by a stock company. Mr. Moore took the paper last year and changed the name to the Record.

BURKE INDEPENDENT.

In 1888, when Burke was in the heydey of its boom period, M. D. Scott brought to the town the old news- paper plant at Eagle City and began the publication of a small sheet known as the Burke Independent. The initial number appeared Thursday, July 26th, and was a meritorious publication. The editor came to the Coeur d'Alenes from the Black Hills. The following December Mr. Scott retired from the business, which forthwith passed into the hands of Capehart & Brite. The latter changed the paper's name to the Burke Ga- lena. Shortly after the Galena came into existence it succumbed.

THE SILVER STAR,

Published at Burke and Gem, was the next journal to aspire to fame in the Canyon creek district, but it, too, lived only a short time. H. L. Hughes was the Star's editor and C. D. Vaughn its business manager.

THE KINGSTON INDEPENDENT

Is the name of another unsuccessful journalistic venture in the Coeur d'Alenes. As its name indicates this newspaper was published at Kingston. The Indepen- dent was established in 1897. In size it was only eight by six inches, but the quality of its reading matter was good. Clarence Smith served the paper as editor.

OROFINO COURIER.

The pioneer newspaper of southern Shoshone county is the Orofino Courier, published at Orofino by Horace E. and James R. Greer. The Courier is a newsy, neatly printed, five-column paper, four pages of which are home print, and a like number of pages "patent." All of the local news is fully written up in an inter- esting style and the newspaper's enterprising editors are ever keenly alive to the interests of the community and state in which they live. The first number of this paper was given to the public May 19, 1899, and con- sisted of one sheet struck off on an army press, which, together with a few handsful of type and a small amount of other printing necessitics, were brought to Orofino in a buggy, The miniature plant was in- stalled in a corner of the Clearwater Improvement Company's warehouse near the river's bank, and there the plant remained until its proprietors were able to construct a suitable home for it. Into this building the

plant was finally removed and is today being conducted. As rapidly as possible the owners added to their equip- ment, increased the size of the paper, and made various other changes and improvements until the Courier has reached its present standard. A fine Washington hand press is in use, an improved Challenge paper cutter, a modern Chandler & Price jobber, ten by fourteen inches in size, and a large assortment of excellent type. The office stands on Main street and here in its comfortable home the editors and proprietors are ever ready to extend a cordial hand to all visitors and bid them welcome to the town. In politics the Courier is and always has been Republican.

OROFINO OPTIMIST.

The Optimist is also published at Orofino, and is a sprightly journal, smaller in size than the Courier, but containing more pages and fully as much news matter. Its publishers are the Optimist Publishing Company, composed of several of the leading business men of the community, and under the management and editorship of Charles Hofstetter the paper is deservedly popular. The Optimist was established only a few months ago, the first number appearing December 5, 1902. The equipment is both modern and complete for a country office, comprising presses, paper cutter and a fine as- sortment of new type.

PIERCE CITY MINER.

As its name implies the Pierce City Miner, pub- lished at Pierce City, is especially devoted to the min- ing interests of this famous camp, although the Miner really is interested in the whole community, and does not hesitate to publish all the news that can be gatlı- ered relative to that section of the county. The journal is published in half-sheet size, eight pages, four of which are printed at home, and it is only just to say that the paper faithfully represents the section to which it is indebted for support. Greer Brothers, of Orofino, established the paper March 2, 1902, and until April Ist of this year they owned the property. On that date it passed into the hands of the following representative Pierce City business men : President. M. A. Ellis ; secretary and treasurer, Samson Snyder : directors, L. F. Culver and Col. W. J. Todd. David M. Nulty, an experienced newspaper man, originally from Canada, who had been managing the paper since November 14, 1902, was'retained in the capacity of editor and manager hy the new company, and in his hands the Miner will continue to keep the outside world posted regarding the development of the Pierce City district. The office is equipped with a jobbing outfit in addition to a country newspaper plant.

THE WARDNER NEWS

Represents the metropolis on Milo creek in the Coeur d'Alen journalistic field. The News is a five-column folio, neatly printed, newsy and well edited. In poli- tics it is Republican. Aaron Frost is the present

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HISTORY OF NORTH IDAHO.

publisher. The News plant is quite complete and modern, including all the requisites of a first-class country newspaper and job office, and occupies a com- modious home on Main street in the heart of the business center. The News is now in its seventeenth volume, having been established June 11, 1886, by the Coeur d'Alenes' pioneer newspaper man, Adam Aul- bach. The paper was published under his management and proprietorship for some time during the early years of its existence, but since then its career has been checkered. It was started as a weekly and is still published as such. J. S. Langrishe, the veteran come- dian and newspaper man of the northwest, was among the early editors of the News. Of him it has been said that he so conducted his paper that not a harsh word was ever found in its columns, while at the same time his work made a lasting impression upon the people of this section. He died November 30, 1895, at the age of seventy-four, and was buried the follow- ing Monday. It is said that his funeral was the largest ever held in Wardner. In respect for his memory a majority of the business houses were closed during the funeral hours. R. E. Brown' was also among the former editors and publishers of the News, having acquired the property in January, 1892.

COEUR D'ALENE BARBARIAN.

This journal, which attained to considerable local fame in its life, was established as a monthly during the closing days of the year 1891, by R. E. Brown, who, because of his connection with the paper, was at once given the title, "Barbarian Brown." At first the paper was published at Wallace; then an edition was published simultaneously at Wardner and in this form the Barbarian was published for a long period. Subsequently a semi-weekly was issued. It passed into memory a decade ago.

THE WARDNER CITIZEN

Was another of Wardner's unsuccessful journalistic enterprises, which was established by C. R. Burrus during the middle 'nineties. The Citizen was inde- pendent in politics and is spoken of as a well edited and creditable paper.

COEUR D'ALENE RECORD.

The Record was established at Murray in 1886 by G. N. Culver and son, Otis. A six-column folio, all home print, was published, and is said to have been a paper creditable both to the publishers and the camp. At first the Record was a tri-weekly, but later it be- came a weekly. In politics it was Republican. Imme- diately after the great Spokane fire, the paper was discontinued and the plant shipped to Spokane.

MULLAN TRIBUNE.

The Tribune was established in 1889 by H. C. Piggott. Subsequently it was sold to Adam Aulbach,

Piggott going to Osborne, where he published the Coeur d'Alene Statesman. Then the Tribune passed into the hands of F. K. Jerome. During the middle nineties it was discontinued, but later revived under the name of the Mirror. At the time of the labor troubles in 1899 the Mirror, under the management of W. H. Stewart, was confiscated by the government because of its utterances. A portion of the material was destroyed, we are informed. The following Octo- ber Larson & Greenough revived the Journal, and un- der their ownership it was continuously published until July, 1903, when it was again suspended. The Mirror was Republican in politics.

JOURNALISM IN KOOTENAI COUNTY.

What the social, political and financial condition of Kootenai county might be today had no newspapers been printed within its boundaries from the date of its. formation to the present time, it is impossible to tell. It is not possible to estimate the weight of their in- finence in the development won of the past nor in that of the future. That this influence has been essential to the attainment of present conditions, all must admit, and there are certainly none of any degree of intelli- gence who would expect uninterrupted progress with- out it. An honest newspaper is a power for good, a guide for the student of local and general affairs, and in many ways a conservation of the best interests of its constituents. The power of a newspaper lies not so much in its purely intellectual power of expression as it does in the public confidence that its opinions are honest opinions, unbiased by partisanship or personal friendship. The public has no use for the opinions of an editor if it once discovers that he does not discuss public questions honestly and disinterestedly from the single point of view of public welfare. An editorial opinon is worthless to the public unless there is a man of good sense and information behind it, who is as courageous and impartial as a just judge in the trial of cases in the courts.

A newspaper is at once a private business and a pub- lic trust. A mixture of motives, all entirely honorable, may govern and dictate the conduct of newspapers ; but a newspaper cannot in the long run hold the con- fidence of its patrons if it fails to discuss public ques- tions with honesty and disinterestedness. The public weal must be its point of view if it expects public con- fidence and respect. The public does not expect that its editor will always be acute in mind and able in policy, but it has a right to expect that he will be upright in purpose and incorrupt in action, and the influential editor seldom fails his people. Merciless personalities in politics are sometimes manifested through the press, just as they are elsewhere in the or- ganized expression of human thought, feeling and business, but no newspaper ever rose to influence and long maintained it whose editor made his private piques, his unquenched personal animosities, his un- wreaked personal revenge and unsatisfied private in- terests the polestar of his working career. The value of a newspaper to a people and to a community de-

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pends largely also upon its devotion to local interests. If the editor's energies are expended exclusively for personal financial success or political preferment, re- gardless of his obligations, not alone as a moulder of sentiment, but as a medium through which knowledge of local affairs and conditions is conveyed to the pub- lic, he ceases to be a useful member of society and the usefulness of his paper is lessened to a very great de- gree.

Kootenai county has been fortunate in that the men who have come from various parts of the country and assumed editorial charge of its nwspapers, have come with a view to becoming permanent residents. They are men of intelligence, who have made homes in the various communities, have become imbued with pride in local and general progress, have become identified with public works and many of them have become worthy representatives of the people in places of honor and trust. The first newspaper men to visit Kootenai were, like many others, in search of fortune in whatever form and in whatever place they might be able to find it. Like the prospector they blazed the trail, exposed the precious mineral, sold out and moved on. None of the papers published at the time of the formation of the county are now in existence, and there is no paper now published in the county that had an existence prior to 1890.

The first paper published in Kootenai county was the Lake Side Leader, its first issue appearing in Jan- uary, 1882. It was issued at Fort Coeur d'Alene, and existed but a few months during the summer of that year. We have not been able to ascertain the name of its editor. In the fall of the same year Mark W. Musgrove commenced the publication of the Kootenai Courier at Rathdrum (then called Westwood). Mr. Musgrove was a lawyer of considerable ability, who was connected prominently with the important cases tried in the early courts, and who was prominent in the early politics of the country, serving in various official capacities. For a number of years the Courier was the only paper in the county. It suspended publi- cation in 1892 and its editor left the county and state. Another of the early papers was the Coeur d'Alene Times, established in 1889 by C. A. Curtin and Harry Bronson. In 1892 it was purchased by Earnest Duer- senler, who took the plant to Rathdrum, where he continued its publication as the Rathdrum Times, until the summer of 1893, when he suspended and sold press and material to a Mr. Cornell. Mr. Cornell again changed the name of the paper to the Rathdrum Register. Under this name it ran butt two or three weeks, when it was closed out and ceased to exist. The Post Falls Post was established in 1890 by A. J. McDonald. In June, 1893, Mr. McDonald removed with his paper to Rathdrum, where he issued it as the Rathdrum Post until April, 1895 : at this date it sus- pended. The Hope Examiner was another of the pioneer papers that ran a short time during the late eighties. The Hope Prospector was established in 1890 and quit publication in 1894. John F. Yost, now of Sandpoint, was one of its several editors. At Sand- point the pioneer paper, now defunct, was the Jour-

nal, edited by J. R. Law. L. H. Faust, now a state senator in Montana, also published a paper a short time at Sandpoint, which he called the Republican. Not one of these papers is now in existence and their files were not preserved.

The Silver Blade was established at Rathdrum June 1, 1895, by John F. Yost, as a Silver Republican paper. February 10, 1897, it was purchased by J. C. Brady and continued as an organ of the Silver party. Mr. Brady continued its editor until his death in July, 1901, when it was published for a time by the Silver Blade Publishing Company. In August, 1901, W. A. Logue became its editor and manager and so con- tinued until April, 1902, when he was succeeded by W. M. Miller. Mr. Miller remained in charge until the plant was purchased, July 11, 1902, by Charles W. and J. R. Culp. Charles W. Culp is a man of experience in newspaper work, having for a number of years been connected with various papers in Mon- tana, among them the papers of Helena, the "Mon- tanian," and the "Montanian" of Libby. J. R. Culp fitted himself by study and correspondence for the work he has chosen. The brothers are both natives of Montana. In May of the present year they changed the name of their paper from the Silver Blade to the Tribune. Since coming to Rathdrum they have fa- miliarized themselves with political, commercial and social conditions, and have made many friends by in- telligent and conscientious devotion to the locality in which they have made their home and to the best in- terests of Kootenai county. The Tribune is Republican in politics and fair and fearless on all questions of public interest.

The Panhandle News was launched into the news- paper world August 7, 1902, at Rathdrum. Its editor and proprietor is W. A. Logue, formerly editor and manager of the Silver Blade. The News is an ex- ponent of Democratic principles, and has already built up a large patronage, which includes not only its political friends, but some of its political enemies. Mr. Logue is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, but spent his youth and early manhood in the Colorado mining re- gions. For a number of years he conducted the Boul- der (Colorado) News and was for a time connected with the Denver Tribune. Before coming to Kootenai county he was connected with the papers of Baker City and Canyon City, Oregon. Mr. Logue is an en- tertaining writer, and in his editorial columns discusses the leading questions of the day in an interesting man- ner. He takes special interest in county and state poli- tics, and is bringing his paper to the front ranks of Kootenai county's weeklies.

The Coeur d'Alene Press is one of the oldest pa- pers now published in the county, having been estab- lished by its present owner and editor, Joseph T. Scott, in 1892. From the beginning it has been a leading paper in all matters pertaining to county and state affairs. It was started as a Republican paper and so remained until the great campaign of 1896, when its editor espoused the cause of Democracy. It has since that time been the recognized organ of Democracy in Kootenai county. Mr. Scott is a man of wide experi-

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ence in the newspaper field, and of recognized ability in any intellectual field of endeavor. He is a native of Ohio, in which state he was educated. His first edi- torial work was done on the Glendive (Montana) Times, with which he was connected during the year 1882. For seven years, beginning in 1883, he edited and published the Dickenson (Montana) Press. Dur- ing these years he was an active participant in Montana territorial politics, and assisted in the organization of the state. In1 1900 he was elected a representative of Kootenai county in the state legislature. He has been closely identified with all efforts to build up the beau- tiful city of Coeur d'Alene, and the magnificent county of Kootenai, and his labors have been fruitful of ma- terial results. He has recently added to his plant a Babcock cylinder press, which is operated by steam power, new type, perforating machine, and job press, made necessary by gradually increasing business. The Press is one of the substantial institutions of the county.

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An illustrated history of north Idaho : embracing Nez Perces, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone counties, state of Idaho, Part 289

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