History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens, Part 60

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1150

USA > Illinois > McDonough County > History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens > Part 60

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"The Democrat will be the only organ of democracy in Bushnell, and therefore asks the hearty support and co-operation of Bushnell democracy, and, while in a political sense, it will be a party organ, it will know no party in working for the moral, social and material advancement of Bushnell and the community at large; therefore, we feel free to ask the support of the entire community.

"The political tone of the Democrat will be more fully exemplified when our state and national conventions have

placed the issues before us. Hoping to merit the best wishes and support of the public, we submit the paper with con- fidence.

"This is no experiment, we have come to stay."

The Democrat was first issued as a seven column folio, but December 11, 1884, was changed to its present form, that of a five column quarto, to accom- modate increasing patronage. The pro- prietors are both young men of nerve and ability, and issue a neat paper, full of spicy local paragraphs and fluent editorial criticism.

Charles C. Chain was born in Lewis- town, Fulton county, Illinois, on the 11th of November, 1863. In April, 1871, he removed to Nebraska, but soon returned to his native state, locating near Cuba, Fulton county, on the 14th day of July, 1874. In June, 1880, he removed to Bushnell, in this county, where, in Sep- tember of that year, he apprenticed him- self to learn the "art preservative" in the office of the Gleaner, then under the editorial management and proprietorship of J. E. Cummings. Here he remained until in May, 1884, when the Gleaner of- fice was destroyed by fire. On the 3d of July, 1885, he became editor of the Dem- ocrat. He is the son of W. H. and Ame- lia H. Chain. His father is a native of Ohio, but who, at the age of 21, came to Illinois, and located at Lewiston. His mother, although born in Delaware county, Ohio, can almost call Illinois her native state, having been brought here while quite young, and had been raised at Cuba, Illinois. Mr. Chain, although quite a young man, shows promise of reaching a high point in his avocation.

531

HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

DAILY INDEPENDENT.

In August, 1879, Mr. H. H. Stevens commenced the publication of a five-col- umn paper of the above name, in connec- tion with his weekly, the first issue ap- pearing August 18. It was run until November 15, when it was discontinued.

PRAIRIE CITY CHRONICLE.

This was the name of the first paper published in the town of Prairie City, the first number of which bears date April 23, 1857. It was edited and pub- lished by R. W. Seaton, and was a seven- column folio, well printed, and an honor to the town, although its local news was very limited. The introductory shows that its editor was very sanguine of suc- cess. In speaking of it's then limited circulation, he says: "Our circle at pres- ent is small, like that of a pebble drop- ped in the ocean, but it will gradually and silently expand in every direction until it reaches the far-off boundaries of civilization." In about one year it ceased to exist, but its editor, like many more of the craft, had more grit than money, and determined on the establishment of an- other sheet on its ruins; and accordingly in May, 1858, appeared the first number of the

PRAIRIE CHIEF,

A four-column quarto, and published in the interests of the Good Templars. It lived but a few weeks, the order not giving it sufficient patronage on which to exist, and having no local news of any kind, the people of the town in which it was published failed to render it any aid. Next appeared the

PRAIRIE CHICKEN.

Of the career of this paper, very little can be said, as no copy of it is accessible. However, it lived but a short time, and never amounted to much.

PRAIRIE CITY HERALD.

The paper with the above name was instituted in 1870, by C. W. Taylor, in the town of Prairie City. . It was a neat eight-column folio, and was noted for its excellent local columns, and spicy edi- torials. For many years it was run by the originator and his brother H. B. Tay- lor, who succeeded him. In 1882, it sus- pended and was not revived.

Before the publication of the Herald was suspended, a new newspaper was launched, with the name of the

PRAIRIE CITY BUGLE.

O. G. Maury had just returned from the west, and, as he was a practical printer and an editor of experience, his father, John W. Maury, one of the early settlers of Prairie City, was anxious to have his son established at home in the pursuit of his chosen profession. Ac- cordingly, he made overtures to the pro- prietor of the Herald for the purchase of its good will and material. Being un- able to obtain these at what he deemed a reasonable price, he decided to put in a new office for his son, and start anoth- er paper. A short time before, the pub- lication of the Knoxville Review had been suspended, and as the press and material were then lying in that town unused, he bought the outfit, and soon had it again put in shape, and all ready for the launching of the new craft. After some study he decided to call the new

532

HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

paper the Bugle. On the 8th day of February, 1882, the first number appear- ed, being a seven-column folio, with pat- ent outside, and inside well filled with local news, and the name of O. G. Maury appearing at the mast head as editor and publisher. This young man had learned his trade in the offices of the . Prairie City Herald and Macomb Eagle, and had finally drifted into Nebraska. There, in company with J. H. Case (afterward a representative from Clay county in the Nebraska legislature), es- tablished the Nuckolls county Inter- Ocean, at Nelson, Nebraska. This paper existed for nearly a year and half, when its proprietors gave up the venture "hav- ing been convinced," as Mr. Maury aptly said "of the impossibility of pub- lishing a seven-column newspaper in a one-column town." For the three suc- ceeding years, the proprietors labored at Fairfield, Nebraska, in the publica- tion of the News. At the expiration of that time, Mr. Maury went to St. Joe, Missouri, and was engaged there as re- porter. After a short time, he went to Elmer, Colorado, and, to use his own words, "in the highest altitude of any paper in the world, the Eagle spread its wings;" but although he was successful he longed to return to his Illinois home, and as a consequence, we find Mr. Maury, as before stated, at the helm of the Bugle, in Prairie City. . In his saluta- tory, Mr. Maury takes occasion to say:

"'With charity for all, and malice to- ward none' and with our heart full of hope for the success and improvement of Prairie City, we enter upon the pub- lication of the Bugle. When, in after years, a beautiful city shall be erected

upon the present site of our town, when magnificent edifices shall be erected in the places of those now fast falling to decay, when the vast fields of coal and resources for manufacturing shall be fully developed, then we shall receive our reward, and the name of the Bugle and its editor be placed on the list of those who have lived to carve their names in the history of Prairie City."

The course of the paper was announced to be independent as regards politics.

With the issue of March 1, 1882, the name of W. E. Lewis, (present city at- torney of Prairie City), appears at the' head of the editorial column as a part proprietor with Mr. Maury, and the issue of that date contained the an- nouncement of the addition to the firm, and the continued publication of the paper by Maury & Lewis. The paper, under this management, continued to boom Prairie City, and did much toward directing the improvement and develop- ment of the natural resources of the town. The last paper published by this firm was the issue of June 21, 1882, when Mr. C. D. Hendryx, a law asso- ciate of Mr. Lewis, leased the interest of Mr. Maury. In the following issue, the latter appeared in a card, in which he bade farewell to the paper and the people of Prairie City, and spoke words of kindness for the new proprietors of the paper. He soon took his departure from the scene of his boyhood days, and finally obtained a situation on the Chi- cago Times as a compositor, which he still holds. Mr. Hendryx also had a few words to say in this issue, over his signature, by way of introduction in his new field of labor. Mr. John W. Maury,

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

who had all along owned the material, sold the outfit to Hendryx & Lewis. The issue of December 6, 1882, appeared with a change of the form of the paper, its new size and shape being those of a five-column quarto, which, like its predecessor, was neat and tidy in ap- pearance. On the 24th of May, 1883, the paper was enlarged to a six-column quarto. In July, 1883, Gardner Bolles and Milton Scott, of Macomb, leased the material, and, without announcement of change, continued the publication of the Bugle, until September, 1883, when it reverted to Hendryx & Lewis.

The last issue of the Bugle appeared on the 28th of September, 1883. With the same material and press, Dr. C. H. Pearson took up the broken thread, and launched the Prairie City Transcript, the first number appearing on the 12th of October, 1883. It was a seven col- umn folio, and appeared in its first num- ber with 12 columns of displayed ad- vertisements and several columns of local notices. The new publisher made 'very little display about the change in name or editor, having but one article in regard to new subscribers, and the following, which may be called a salu- tatory:

" Concerning the metamorphosis of Bugle to Transcript the process was as easy and natural as from cocoon to but- terfly. Not that we arrogate to our- selves the beauty and flight of that bright-winged object-although there is some butterfly to us bipeds of this office at meal time. A clean purchase, cash down, full possession, and the good wishes of the sellers. Isn't that nice?" The last number issued by Mr. Pearson

was that of November 24, 1884. At this time Henry L. N. Miller leased the ma- terial, and continued the publication of the paper, retaining the same name and form. The paper has always been inde- pendent in politics.

PRAIRIE CITY HERALD.

A new venture in the journalistic field was initiated in Prairie City in the spring of 1885, the first number making its appearance on the 30th of April with the following salutatory, from the pen of Charles E. Keith, the editor:

"It is a hard task to run a newspaper to please anybody, it is an utter impossibil- ity to so conduct it as to please every- body; for one mayhaps it is too indepen- dent, and for another not independent enough; to try to please all would be to please none, and we sincerely hope the honest efforts of the publisher to run a newspaper as acceptable, as the average, will counterpoise all omissions and com- mission to which he is liable. The lo- cal paper is the criterion by which to judge of a city's prosperity. We have never yet seen a dead town with a live newspaper, nor a worthless newspaper in a live town. The one is inconsistent with the other.

"Where in all christendom is there a town so abounding in natural resources, made up and surrounded by that sub- stantial industrious element which in it- self is prosperity? where is there a soil so fertile, a people so energetic, so de- serving of a good newspaper, so capable of making it a good one, and so willing to lend their aid to that end, as that in Prairie City and the country tributary to it? It is with this knowledge, this

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· HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

feeling, that we are prompted to return to Prairie City.

"We do not come here to publish a newspaper individually and alone. It is not within the power of one individual to do so much, and rash to assume that he does. Bnt we come to lend our fee- ble co-operation with the people in mak- ing for Prairie City and for the territory about it that which it has so long needed and which it so richly deserves-a first- class newspaper.

" There is no need to outline a policy, issue a proclamation of promises or enunciate a platform of principles, as a paper `published by and for the people can pursue but one course and that for the interest of the people, for the good of the city, for the advancement of the country and for the fuller extension and better development of the legitimate field of which Prairie City is the center.

"Witlı this end in view, this object be- fore us, we shall labor untiringly and un- selfishly to perform our part of the task, feeling that with the increased prosper- ity of otliers comes our own reward.

" We have not come among you unso- licited nor unwillingly. We need no in- troduction, for it is the home of our child- hood. We make no apology, for our bus- iness is legitimate. We come not as a last resort nor accept the field in a "this- or-nothing" desperation; but in the midst of editorial duties on the Burling- ton Hawkeye, we lay down the pencil of a salaried writer and pick up the burdens of a country publisher, because it brings us to the old haunts of younger days, to the scenes of that most joyous period of life, marked by the transition of child-

hood to youth, and because we know we are welcome and know we are wanted.

" More than a year since, a solicitation, unexpected and unsought, not of one but of many, found us out in tropical Flor- ida. It was urgent and earnest, encour- aging in its contents and complimentary by virtue of its request to "come back;" "come home." From then dates our ne- gotiation for the only paper in Prairie City, which did not reach a conclusion until the first day of last April, when we bought the outfit and business, subject to a lease which was then upon the prop- erty. Had the conditions of this lease been fulfilled or had there been a dispo- sition on the part of the lessee to fulfill them we would not have possession of the office to-day, we could not had we so wished. To say that the lease lias been terminated is to admit that there have been violations of its conditions. Not technical but gross, as all acquainted with the details will attest.

"Now, that we are here, we are here for good; not for a day, nor a week, nor a year, but for life time; not as an 'adven- turer nor a speculator who preys on tlie known liberality and leniency of the community, but as one who expects to remain while the brittle thread of life keeps whole, and who trusts for support and patronage on the grounds of merit alone, and who will work with you and for you.

"Friends, we rest our.case."

The paper started as an extremely 'neat, well gotten-up, six-column folio, but was shortly afterwards changed to a seven-column quarto. It is well and ably edited, Mr. Keith being a sharp and racy writer.

535

HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

BLANDINSVILLE ARGUS.

A paper with the above title was started in the town of Blandinsville, by George W. Smith, the former editor of the Macomb Independent, in 1857. This was the pioneer journal in this town. It did not last but a short time, when it was compelled to suspend, on account of a lack of patronage. For several years the place was without a journal of any kind, but about 1874 or '75, William Brown established a newspaper, which he called

THE BLANDINSVILLE ERA,

which run but about two years, when it ceased its existence. Of neither of these papers are any files accessible, and but little data can be obtained from which to give any history of them or their editors.

In the fall of 1877, John G. Hammond established at Blandinsville

THE MC DONOUGH DEMOCRAT.

This sheet was, as its name implies, democratic in politics, and ably con- ducted. For about two years it was kept up, when Mr. Hammond, being about to remove, with the office, it was purchased by a company of the citizens of that place, under the name of the Blandins- ville Publishing Company. The follow- . ing notice appears in the columns of the paper, under date of November 13, 1879: "With the present issue of this paper, begins the career of the McDonough Democrat, under the management of the Blandinsville Publishing Company-a corporation legally organized under the laws of the state of Illinois. When the fact became known that John G. Ham- mond, former editor of this paper, had

formed a copartnership with the Macomb Independent, and intended removing the office, with its appurtenances, Ma- combward,negotiations were commenced at once, with a view to purchasing the entire outfit, and keeping the paper in this place. Terms were soon agreed upon, and Friday, the 7th day of No- vember, the office became the property of the Blandinsville Publishing Com- pany. The time was, probably, in the history of Blandinsville, when the need of a newspaper was not fully realized, but that time has passed and gone; a new and different state of things pre- vail. The people now believe, and know, that the press is one of the important factors of human progress, that it exerts a wide influence in favor of morals and good society. We are aware that the people of Blandinsville, and vicinity, have been disappointed more than once in the newspaper enterprise, in the years that are gone. More than once have they lent their assistance to set on foot a plan that would give them a home paper, but for many reasons, that could be mentioned, the enterprise would die out, and leave the town without a paper. There is one thing that can not be said of Blandinsville, and that is, she will not support a paper. The last two years have demonstrated to the contrary. The Democrat has been patronized liberally by the business men and citizens, irre- spective of party, and the ex-editor, had he shaped matters properly, could have established a business, remunerative to himself, and an honor to the town.

"It will the earnest endeavor of the managers of this paper to make it, in every way, worthy of the patronage it

536

HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

shall receive. While the paper will be democratic in its principles, it will, in politics (as in everything else), aim to pursue a straightforward course-pro- mulgating nothing but sound doctrine, and advocating no principles, except those that will be for the best interest of the community, in which it circulates. In the first rank of progress, on the side of reform, law, and order, the Democrat will ever be found working zealously for the promotion of every cause that ren- ders a community happy and prosper- ous. We make no prediction concern- ing the future of this paper. Its success will depend largely upon the support and encouragement it receives from an intelligent and liberal public. If you are interested in the growth and devel- opment of your town and community, in moral, intellectual, and material pros- perity, you will maintain your home paper. In conclusion, we would say that if you wish to see Blandinsville ad- vance in all her interests-moral, social, and educational, and keep abreast with the civilization and progress of the.19th century, you will foster and contribute to the enterprise, under the cogomen of the McDonough Democrat.

The office was run by George S. Fuhr, as editor, for a time, when he finally be- came proprietor. In the spring of 1882, Frank Fuhr purchased an interest in the paper which was carried on under the firm name of Fuhr Bros., until Oct- ober 1, 1883, when George retired from the firm, leaving Frank P., to continue at the helm. During the month of May or June, 1884, the editor saw fito change the politics and name of the paper, making it

THE BLANDINSVILLE REPUBLICAN in name and republican in politics. Throughout the campaign of 1884, it advocated the principles of that party," and continued so to do until in March. 1885, when it passed into the hands of Lucien Reid, who changed its name to that of

BLANDINSVILLE REVIEW.

In the issue of March 6, appears the following explanation of the retiring ed- itor:

" With this issue the Blandinsville Republican passes into democratic hands, who will change its name to Re- view and its politics to democratic. During the short administration of the Republican we have been fearless in the advocacy of the principles of the repub- lican party and all other things that in our judgment we considered right and just; and while we lay down the Repub- lican, as the separation of a dear and true friend, we feel it a duty we owe to ourselves; and we are confident it is with greater zeal and with a stronger desire to live and work in that party than ever before; for under its benign influence the nation awoke as from the dead and sprang forth into newness of life; and as the immortal Washington is regarded as the father of his country, so may the republican party be regarded as its great builder; and we feel proud that for such a party, we have given at least a feeble effort, and thankful that we still have the privilege to extol its virtues.

" In conclusion we thank our democra- tic friends for their patronage during the time we were editing the Republican,

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

and shall ever regard them as true, manly men; especially do we thank our good republican friends for the noble manner in which they stood by us from the very birth of the Republican, and ask them to not deal with our successor as a portion of the democrats did with us, but in accordance with the great principles that have made and ever char- acterized the republican party."

Lucien Reid, although a young man possesses ability and will make the pa- per a success. In the opening number of the Review he says to his friends:

" With this issue we begin the publi- cation of the Blandinsville Review. As has been the custom for more than a century, it devolves on an editor to state in the first issue of his paper what will be the policy of the journal, we will fol- low the beaten path in this one particu- lar.

"It shall be our earnest endeavor to keep the people posted on the local and general news of the day, devoting espec- ial attention to that of our village and vicinity. We believe a live local paper will be a benefit to the community, and to that end we shall devote most of our attention. We shall at all times advo- cate anything which will tend to build up and strengthen our business relations. " Politically the Review is democratic, because we believe the party is to-day a party of progress and reform, and a party which is as free from corruption as is possible for any organization or body of men to become. We shall advocate these principles, asking all to give us a fair trial before condemning."

Lucien S. Reid, the present editor and publisher of the only paper in Blandins-

ville, is a McDonough county man, hav- ing been born in Lamoine township, November 12, 1860. Early in life he evinced an interest in newspaper work, and seems well adapted for that branch of business. His parents were native Kentuckians, and came to this county about 1857, settling on a farm in La- moine township. Lucien remained on the farm with his parents, assisting his father in the various occupations inci- dent thereto, and attending to some ex- tent the common schools until 1876. He then went to Galesburg and spent two years in attendance at Knox college, re- turning home in the spring of 1878. His next move was to Hiawatha, Kansas, where he began to learn the printer's trade in the office of the Kansas Herald. He there remained 18 months, then went to Beatrice, Nebraska, and en- gaged in work on the Courier of that place. The paper was a failure, finan- cially, and after spending one year there he went to Omaha, and got employment in the job office of the Herald, where he remained for six months. Then re- turning to Plymouth, Illinois, which place was the home of his parents, he soon joined Woods' Western Theatrical Company. The season of that company ' closing in the September next following, he joined the Nelson Dramatic Company and with them continued about two months. In November, 1882,at Jefferson city, Wisconsin, he joined the McCready New York Theatre Company, and re- mained with them until the close of their season, in April. He then went to Chicago, and worked at his trade in the office of Rand, McNally & Company until November, 1883. He then came

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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.

to Colchester, in this county, where his father resided, having moved from Ply- mouth. In March, 1884, he went to Geneva Lake, Wisconsin, and worked on the News, of that place until June, when a change having been made in the man- agement of that paper, he returned to Colchester and was employed on the Independent, published by Van. L. Hampton, under lease from H. H. Stevens. The following August he bought the paper from Mr. Stevens, and before the lease expired sold it to Mr. Hampton, and continued to work there until March 1, 1885, when he bought the Blandinsville Republican, changed its name to Review and its politics to dem- ocratic, and started out with the deter- mination to make it a good newspaper. The historian of the future will chron- icle his success, or failure. The auspices seem favorable, and a proper apprecia- tion of his efforts will make the Review one of the leading papers of the county.

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History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens, Part 60

Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co. Number of Pages: 1150

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1150