USA > Idaho > History of Idaho, the gem of the mountains, Volume I > Part 38
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"Of those connected in any way with the pioneer newspaper, the Boise News, Mrs. Butler and myself are the only survivors, so far as I know, and we offer our greetings, with the old-time cordiality, to the State Historical Society of Idaho.
"Sincerely yours,
* * * *
"J. S. BUTLER."
On July 15, 1864, three men by the name of Reynolds arrived in Boise, then a small mining town with aspirations to become the seat of government of Idaho. The eldest of these men, James S. Reynolds, was from the State of Maine and was about forty years of age. The other two were young men, brothers, from Missouri. In their two wagons they had a printing outfit, which they were tak- ing from The Dalles in Oregon to Idaho City (then called Bannock City), where they intended to establish a printing office. They halted in front of Riggs & Agnew's place of business, where they made some inquiries regarding the way to Idaho City, and incidentally mentioned their object. H. C. Riggs and J. D. Agnew were both greatly interested in the future of Boise and knew the value of a newspaper in building up a town. Hurriedly calling together some of the other leading citizens, the owners of the printing outfit were induced to establish their printing office in Boise.
A small building of cottonwood logs, containing two rooms, "the rear one with a back entrance like the open end of a sawmill," was the only one that could be procured. Here, on July 26, 1864, was issued the first number of the Idaho
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Statesman, or rather the Idaho Tri-Weekly Statesman, a small four-column paper, the subscription price of which was one dollar a week by carrier, or twenty dol- lars a year by mail. J. S. Reynolds was the editor. He was a man of intelli- gence and great force of character, and an unswerving abolitionist. The two brothers, being from Missouri, were rather inclined to sympathize with the South, but the trio managed to get along together without friction and the Statesman was soon on the high road to success. A. J. Boyakin, who was connected with the pa- per for many years, wrote the following account of its early difficulties on the occasion of its thirty-fourth anniversary in 1894.
"In getting out the paper on time we worked nearly all night, and frequently the Boise Basin stage would pull out ahead of us and we would have to send Dick Reynolds to overtake it on a horse with the mail packages for the different mining camps. The war news made a big demand for the Statesman and we ran off an edition of a thousand copies each issue. When the details of a great bat- tle came we would get out an extra, print several hundred, and send a man on a fleet horse with them to the Boise Basin, where they sold for from fifty cents to a dollar."
Sometime in the summer of 1866 the two brothers, T. B. and R. W. Reynolds, sold their interest in the Statesman to James S. Reynolds and returned to Mis- souri. The following year Mr. Reynolds sold out to H. C. Street, Claude Good- rich and A. J. Boyakin, but after about a month they sold the paper back to Mr. Reynolds, who continued as owner and editor until 1872, when he sold out to Milton Kelly. Judge Kelly conducted the Statesman as a tri-weekly until 1888, when it was changed to a daily. In 1889 the Statesman Printing Company was organized and took over the outfit. Although there have been several changes in the personnel of the company since that time, the Statesman is still published by the Statesman Printing Company, and maintains the position it originally had as the leading journal of Idaho.
The Owyhee Avalanche made its bow to the public on September 17, 1865. It was established by J. C. Hardin and the Wasson brothers. Mr. Hardin with- drew after a few months and the Wassons published the Avalanche until August 17, 1867, when the plant was sold to W. J. Hill and H. W. Millard, who in turn sold to John McCongle in November, 1868. On October 19, 1870, Hill & Millard repurchased the property and at the same time purchased the Tidal Wave, a weekly paper started by the Butler brothers after they sold the Boise News. The two papers were then consolidated under the name of the Idaho Avalanche. It con- tinued under this name and various owners until August 20, 1897, when the name was changed back to the Owyhee Avalanche. The proprietor at that time was L. A. York. The Avalanche is still published as a weekly republican paper at Silver City, issued every Friday.
After the suspension of the Golden Age at Lewiston, the next newspaper in that city was the Journal, the first number of which appeared on January 17, 1867. It was started by S. S. Slater and William Mahoney, who published it until the following autumn, when they sold out to Alonzo Leland & Son. Under their management the Journal was a republican weekly, the subscription price of which was $8.00 a year. Even at this rate the Journal was unable to survive.
Henry Leland, a son of Alonzo, and Robert A. Rowley then bought the outfit and on March 9, 1872, issued the first number of the Lewiston Signal, which con-
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tinned for about two years, when it was succeeded by the Lewiston Teller, pub- lished by Alonzo Leland and his son, C. F. Leland. In 1890 they sold to C. A. Foresman, who conducted it as a republican weekly for several years, when it passed into history.
The first Lewiston Tribune was established in September, 1880, by a stock company, with W. H. Brooks, an experienced newspaper man in charge. In January, 1881, the plant was sold to Aaron F. Parker, who was succeeded in 1883 by the firm of Abbott, Conkey & Beeson. Judge Norman Buck and a man named Quackenbush were the next owners of the paper. They changed the name to the Stars and Bars and continued it under that name until June, 1889, when the plant was removed to Palouse, Washington. The present Tribune was started about three years later by A. H. and E. L. Alford, who, having made it a first- class journal, still continue its publication.
Latah County's first newspaper was something of a novelty-similar in char- acter to the "Acta Diurna" of ancient Rome. It was called the Moscow Argus and was published during the winter of 1878-79 by the Moscow Literary So- ciety, with Dr. William Taylor, R. H. Barton and George P. Richardson as the editorial staff. The literary society had neither type nor press, so the editors "wrote out the news" and the reading of the Argus was one of the leading fea- tures of the weekly meetings.
On July 4, 1882, the first number of the Moscow Mirror came from the press. Willis Sweet, Idaho's first representative in Congress after the admission of the state, was editor and C. B. Hopkins was the publisher. It has long been the boast of the Mirror that during the first twenty-five years of its career it never missed an issue. The North Idaho Star began its existence on October 1, 1887, under the editorial management of J. L. Brown. In the fall of 1893 he sold out to H. C. Shaver, an experienced journalist, who improved the paper and made it a prominent figure in Idaho newspaper annals. Subsequently the Mirror and Star were consolidated and the Star-Mirror is now published every day except Sunday.
The first newspaper in Kootenai County was the Lakeside Leader, the first number of which was issued at Coeur d'Alene in January, 1882. It was a short- lived affair and its brief history cannot be ascertained. In the fall of 1882 Mark W. Musgrove began the publication of the Kootenai Courier at Rathdrum. Mus- grove was a lawyer, a man of considerable ability, and the Courier soon won popularity.
C. F. McGlashan and W. F. Edwards launched the Coeur d'Alene Nugget on March 15, 1884. It was published at Eagle City and after a few weekly editions had been issued the founders sold out to A. F. Parker. The last number of the Nugget was issued in August, 1884.
The Coeur d'Alene Pioneer was the next newspaper venture in Kootenai Coun- ty. The first number of this paper made its appearance on April 28, 1884, with Henry Bernard as editor and publisher. Soon after the Pioneer was started Bernard killed one of his employes during an altercation and left the country. This forced the suspension of the Pioneer, leaving the field to the Kootenai Courier, which for a number of years was the only newspaper in the county.
Bonanza City, in the western part of Custer County, was laid off in 1877 and within a year it was a thriving town. On July 24, 1879, the first number of the Yankee Fork Herald made its appearance, the paper taking its name from the
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branch of the Salmon River upon which Bonanza City was situated. The Herald lived but a short time and Bonanza City has dwindled into an insignificant hamlet.
One of the oldest newspapers in Southern Idaho is the Paris Post. It was founded in 1880 by some of the leading men of Bear Lake County, with J. C. Rich, afterward judge of the fifth district, as editor, and was first called the Bear Lake Democrat. Subsequently the name was changed to the Southern Idaho In- dependent and still later to the Paris Post, under which name it is still published.
Another newspaper started in 1880 is the Idaho Falls Register, the publica- tion of which was commenced at Blackfoot on July 1, 1880, by William E. Wheeler, a native of Vermont, who had previously been engaged in the publica- tion of a newspaper at Evanston, Wyo. In 1884 he removed the Register to Idaho Falls and added a job printing plant.
In 1881 George J. Lewis, secretary of state under the Steunenberg ad- ministration, started the Ketchum Keystone and conducted it in an able manner for about five years in the interest of the mining enterprises of the Wood River Valley. Mr. Lewis was once burned out, but rebuilt and continued the publication of the Keystone until 1886, when he sold to Isaac H. Bowman, one of the men who purchased the Boise News from the Butler brothers in 1864. Mr. Bowman published the Keystone for about fifteen years, when it passed out of existence.
On June 15, 1881, T. E. Picotte issued the first number of the Wood River Times, the pioneer newspaper of Hailey. Mr. Picotte was born in Montreal, Canada, in 1848 and learned the printer's trade in New York City. Before coming to Hailey he had been engaged in the newspaper business at Denver, Colo .. and in Nevada. The Times is still published daily except Sunday, and a weekly edition is issued every Friday. The News-Miner, successor to the Hailey News first issued in 1881, is still published by E. R. Richards, as a daily except Sunday, at Hailey.
W. C. B. Allen founded the Shoshone Journal in 1883. At first the paper was a two-page weekly, but it was soon doubled in size. In 1894 the plant was pur- chased by a company composed of the leading republicans of Lincoln County, who wanted a party organ, and the Journal was then leased to R. M. McCullom. It is still published.
The year 1886 witnessed the advent of several new publications in Idaho. Among these were the Idaho County Free Press, the Malad Enterprise, the Idaho Recorder, published at Salmon City, the Albion Nugget and the Kellogg News. The Idaho County Free Press was founded by A. F. Parker, who had formerly been engaged in the newspaper business in Lewiston. The Malad Enterprise was started by J. H. Streight, who sold out after a short time to R. H. Davis. W. E. Beers purchased the plant in 1896 and published the Enterprise for several years. It is still published every Thursday.
The Blackfoot News, the Salubria Citizen and the Wallace Free Press were all started in the year 1887. The first began its career in June, with Col. John W. Jones as editor and proprietor. The second was established by Dr. S. M. C. Reynolds. Both the News and the Citizen have ceased to exist, but the Wallace Free Press has been more fortunate. The first number of this paper came from the press on July 2, 1887, and bore the names of A. J. and J. L. Dunn as editors and publishers. They continued the publication until the spring of 1889, when they sold out to Edward and Frank Tibballs, who dropped the word "Free" from
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the headline and published the paper as the Wallace Press. Adam Aulbach pur- chased the Press in 1892 and removed to the rooms under the Masonic Hall, where he installed a new outfit. During the industrial depression of 1893, the Press was suspended for a short time, but it was revived in July, 1894, with H. W. Ross as editor and publisher. Several changes in ownership followed and in 1903 E. B. Reitzel became the proprietor. He began the publication of a daily edition. The Press is still published daily, except Monday, and a weekly edition is issued on Friday.
The Pocatello Tribune was founded by a stock company and the first number was published on August 14, 1889. On January 1, 1893, it was purchased by George N. Ifft and William Wallin and in March, 1897, it joined the Associated Press. The following May, Ifft & Wallin purchased the Idaho Herald, which had been established in Pocatello in 1885, and merged it into the Tribune. The Tribune is now published as a daily, except Sunday, and semi-weekly editions are issued on Wednesday and Saturday.
The foregoing account of territorial newspapers does not include all the news- papers published in Idaho prior to its admission into the Union. A number of newspapers were started, flourished or languished for a time, and then departed without leaving any history behind them. Among those founded during the terri- torial period and still in existence may be mentioned: The Challis Messenger, founded in 1881 ; the Weiser Signal, 1882; the Wood River News-Miner, started by C. H. Clay at Hailey in 1883; the Genesee News, established in 1888, and the Elmore Bulletin, started at Mountain Home in 1888, by George M. Payne.
Probably the most important adjunct of our modern civilization is the news- paper. Through its efforts not only do the people of any section become ac- quainted with events occurring in their own particular neighborhood, but with happenings in every part of the world, and the people of every community are drawn closer together through the efforts of the newspapers published in their sec- tion. They are broadened and take a more active interest in public matters, having a better conception of events occurring under their observation through the efforts of their local papers. In fact, a community is judged, to a great extent, by the newspapers it supports and such papers almost invariably reflect the pre- vailing ideas, the underlying emotions and the real sentiments of the communities in which they are published and by whom they are supported. To conduct a news- paper in any community is a matter requiring the best exertions of persons par- ticularly fitted for that kind of work. To run a newspaper on the frontier of civilization is an uphill business. In no locality was this better demonstrated than in Idaho in its early days. Without telegraphic service or even the advantages of fast mail communications, it is not surprising that the news pub- lished in the earlier newspapers of Idaho was many days old before it reached the editor and necessarily stale to a great degree before given to the reader. Telegraphic service came with the railroads and more prompt delivery of mail matter then prevailed, making possible great improvement of the newspapers. There has been no just reason for complaint on the part of the people of Idaho on account of its local press. Under the most adverse circumstances the news- papers maintained their standing and more than did their part in building up both the territory and the state. Anyone who examines the files of the first newspapers published in Idaho, which have been to a great extent preserved
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in the archives of the Historical Society of Idaho Pioneers, will be surprised at the evidence of devotion to duty and the energy displayed in collecting news items, as well as the ability of their editorial writers.
The list of the papers being published in the state early in the year 1919, with which this chapter ends, will be of interest not only to readers of the present, but to the people of Idaho in the future, as well.
IDAHO NEWSPAPERS OF 1918
The following list of Idaho publications is taken from Ayer's Newspaper Annual, which is recognized by publishers as being the best authority on the ubject. Of course, constant changes are going on, new papers are started and old ones change hands, while some suspend publication altogether, but this list is believed to be as nearly complete as it can be made at the end of the year 1918.
Aberdeen-The Aberdeen Times, founded in 1911; a republican weekly pub- lished every Thursday by Jenkins & Jenkins.
American Falls-The Press, established in 1902 and now published every Friday by The Press Pub. Co., Ltd .; K. E. Torrance, editor; republican in poli- tics. The Power County News, founded in July, 1914 by Edward A.' Strong; a democratic weekly published every Friday.
Arco-The Advertiser, established in 1907 as an independent weekly; now published every Friday by C. A. Bottolfsen.
Ashton-The Enterprise, a non-partisan weekly; established in 1906 and issued every Thursday by C. M. Mercer & Sons.
Bancroft-The Bancroft Standard, established in 1910; democratic in politics ; published every Friday by C. B. Hale, editor and owner.
Bellevue-The News, a democratic weekly, established in 1904, published every Thursday by the Wood River Publishing Co., George D. Wheeler, editor.
Blackfoot -- The Idaho Republican, established in 1904; republican in politics ; issued every Monday, Wednesday and Friday by Byrd Trego. The Bingham County Daily News, established in 1907; published daily ; independent, demo- cratic in leanings-H. G. Knight, editor and manager.
Boise-The Capital News, established in 1901 by Richard S. Sheridan and others; first published on North Ninth Street ; since 1908 in its present location on Idaho Street immediately east of the city hall; published every afternoon except Sunday, and a Sunday morning edition ; Richard S. Sheridan, publisher ; Harry A. Lawson, editor; independent politically. The Golden Trail, estab- lished 1914; published monthly by Earl W. Bowman. The Children's Home Finder, established in 1911; a philanthropic quarterly published by John W. Flesher. The Idaho Farmer, (member Pacific Northwest Farm Trio) an agri- cultural weekly established in 1895 and published every Thursday by The Cowles Publishing Company, A. E. Gipson, editor. The Idaho Statesman, established in 1864; a republican daily published by the Statesman Printing Company and edited by Calvin Cobb. The early history of the Statesman is given in connection with the territorial newspapers. The New Freedom, established in 1913 and published every Friday as a democratic newspaper by Fred Floed until August, 1919, when ill health compelled his retirement, James D. Whelan becoming edi- tor and manager.
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Bonners Ferry-The Herald, established in 1891 ; a republican weekly issued every Tuesday by Charles W. King. The Kootenai Valley Times, established in 1915 as a democratic weekly ; A. A. McIntyre, editor ; Times Pub. Co., publishers ; issued every Friday.
Bruneau-The Owyhee Nugget, established in 1891 ; an independent weekly ; published every Thursday by Charles Pascoe.
Buhl-The Herald, established in 1907 as an independent democratic week- ly; published every Thursday by H. W. Barry. The Pioneer, established in 1909; a weekly democratic newspaper published every Wednesday by John W. White.
Burley-Burley has two newspapers, both published on Friday. The Bulle- tin was established in 1905, is independent in politics and is published by S. D. Parke. The Southern Idaho Advocate, a democratic weekly, was established in 1913 and is published by the Southern Idaho Printing Company.
Caldwell-The College Coyote, published by the students of the College of Idaho, was established in 1910 and is issued semi-monthly. The Idaho Odd Fellow, established in 1894, is published monthly in the interest of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows by A. E. Gipson, P. G. M. It is the official organ of all branches of the order. The News, established in 1895; tri-weekly, issued Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; weekly every Friday, by C. J. Shorb. The Tribune, founded in 1883; published for some time by the late Governor Steu- nenberg and his brother ; now issued Tuesday and Friday as a republican news- paper by Tribune Publishing Company ; M. H. Gibbons, Mgr., Aden Hyde, editor.
Camas-The Leader, established in 1915; devoted chiefly to local news; published every Tuesday by A. B. Kennedy, Jr.
Cambridge-The News, established in 1890; independent in politics; issued every Friday by E. M. Olmsted.
Cascade-The News, established in 1915; an independent weekly news- paper ; published every Thursday by Burt Venable.
Challis-The Messenger, established in 1881; republican in politics; pub- lished every Wednesday by M. A. Dillingham.
Coeur d'Alene-The Journal, founded in 1902, was purchased in 1919 by G. R. Scott, of the Press, and discontinued. The Press, established in 1891, issued daily, except Sunday by the Press Publishing Company. The Review, established in 1910 as a democratic weekly; issued every Friday by the Coeur d'Alene Publishing Company.
Cottonwood-The Cottonwood Chronicle, established in 1893; independent in politics ; issued every Friday by George Medved.
Council-The Adams County Leader, an independent weekly; issued every Friday ; F. H. Michaelson, publisher.
Culdesac-The Enterprise, established as an independent republican week- ly in 1907; R. B. Cummins editor and proprietor ; issued every Thursday.
Deary-The Latah County Press, established in 1916; independent; issued every Friday by J. C. Peterson.
Delco-The Independent, established 1886; an independent weekly, every Thursday ; Fred B. Liston, publisher.
Donnelly-The Long Valley Advocate, established at Roseberry in 1904 and later removed to Donnelly. Purchased by Burt Venable in 1917 and con- solidated with the Cascade News.
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Downey-The Idahoan, established in 1911; issued every Friday as an in- dependent newspaper by F. B. Porter.
Driggs-The Teton Valley News, founded in 1913 as an independent week- ly ; issued every Thursday by F. C. Madsen.
Dubois-The Enterprise, founded in 1914 by C. P. Button ; now consolidated with the Banner, as the "Clark County Enterprise and Dubois Banner," Dubois Pub. Co .; S. C. Idol, lessee ; issued every Thursday as a republican newspaper.
Eagle-The Enterprise, established in 1914 as an independent republican weekly; issued every Tuesday by the Johnston brothers.
Eden-The Eden Eagle, first started at Seven Devils, moved to Meadows; later to New Meadows, where it absorbed the Tribune; in 1919 moved to Eden. Eden Printing Co.
Elk River-Elk River News, established in 1919; independent in politics ; issued every Friday by W. J. Marineau and A. S. Honer, editors and publishers.
Emmett-There are two weekly newspapers published in Emmett-the Index, a republican weekly, established in 1892 and issued every Thursday by Edward Skinner; and the Examiner, an independent publication, issued on Thursday by Samuel A. Motz. It was started in 1910. .
Fairfield-The Camas County Courier, established in 1906; independent in politics and devoted chiefly to local news; published every Thursday by Camas County Pub. Co., D. W. Zent, editor.
Ferdinand-The Enterprise, established in 1912; issued every Thursday by H. G. Sasse as an independent newspaper.
Filer-The Record, successor to the Journal, established in 1910, by J. W. Tanner; an independent weekly, issued every Thursday by Henry E. Lammers and Juneau H. Shinn.
Fruitland-The Banner, established in 1914; issued every Friday as a local newspaper by W. A. Cloud.
Genesee-The News, founded in 1888; independent in politics; published every Friday by P. C. McCreary.
Gifford-The Gazette, established in 1914; republican in politics ; published on Friday of each week by A. J. Collins.
Glenns Ferry-The Gazette, founded in 1908; published every Friday as an independent newspaper by Harmon Cline.
Gooding-The Gooding Leader, established in 1908; issued every Thursday as an independent weekly by F. F. Swan.
Grace-Gem Valley Progress, established in 1914; published by Gem Valley Publishing Company every Friday as a local newspaper. Hector T. Evans, editor and manager.
Grangeville-The Globe, established in 1907 as an independent republican weekly; issued every Thursday by the Globe Printing Co .; Geo. A. Smith, editor and manager. The Idaho County Free Press, established by A. F. Parker in 1886, published every Thursday as an independent newspaper by James Clifford Safley.
Hagerman-The Hagerman Valley Herald was started as the Hagerman Valley Sun; name changed to the Herald in 1916; an independent newspaper issued every Friday by W. B. Hardwick.
Hailey-The Wood River Times-News-Miner; a consolidation of the Wood
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