History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 54

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.); Henderson County Historical Society (Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1424

USA > Illinois > Mercer County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 54
USA > Illinois > Henderson County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 54

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).

[For the compilation of the above sketch of Mercer township we are indebted to L. B. Doughty, Esq .- ED. ]

THE ALEDO WEEKLY RECORD.

Intimately associated with the history of Aledo is that of the " Record," established in 1857, the initial number appearing on July 14 of that year, by James H. Reed and Horace Bigelow, under the firm name of Reed & Bigelow. These gentlemen had been publishing the Oquawka " Plain Dealer," but had sold the office in May, 1857, to Magie & Mitchell. The material for the " Record " office was pur- chased in Chicago, shipped to Rock Island by rail, and thence trans- ported to Aledo on wagons.

Established during the heat of the canvass for the removal of the county seat from Keithsburg to Aledo, the " Record " heartily espoused the cause of its native town, and though the time was short, contrib- uted much toward insuring the success which in August crowned the efforts of those interested in the removal.

J. H. Reed was a man of good education, a vigorous and aggres- sive writer, quick and keen at repartee, and an editor of rare ability ; a good friend, but an untiring and relentless enemy in political con- tests. He was a man of fair business qualifications, but was not a practical printer. He died in Monmouth, Illinois.

Horace Bigelow served an apprenticeship at the printer's trade in the office of the Oquawka "Spectator," under Col. J. B. Patterson. In March, 1855, he purchased a one-half interest in the Oquawka "Plain Dealer," of F. A. Dallam, and was probably at that time the youngest publisher in the state, being but twenty years of age. Dal-

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lam subsequently sold to Reed, and when the firm sold the office Mr. B. spent some time in the large job printing establishment of S. P. Rounds, in Chicago, increasing his knowledge of that branch of the art. He has the reputation of being a first-class business man, and has by honest industry and energy, and careful and judicious manage- ment, secured for himself and family a good home and a fair compe- tence, owning a fine farm of 150 acres north of Aledo, adjoining the corporation, upon which he resides and which he works to advantage and profit, independent of his interest in the "Record " office.

In June, 1857, the material arrived and the office was opened in a large double building on College avenue, almost directly opposite the building now occupied. The other half of the building was occupied by Dr. S. Macy, as a dental room and drug-store, who afterward pur- chased and remodeled the building only to lose it by fire. A much better building now stands on the old site.

September 1, 1862, Mr. Reed retired from the firm, Mr. Bigelow purchasing his interest. He conducted the business alone for four years, employing Mr. John Porter as both typo and editor. Septem- ber 1, 1866, Mr. Porter purchased a one-half interest, and the firm has since been known as Porter & Bigelow.

John Porter, who has been political editor of the "Record" for twenty years, is perhaps one of the best read men, so far as the political history of our nation is concerned, to be found in western Illinois. His life has been almost passed in a printing office, he commencing to learn the trade January 4, 1834, in the office of the Richmond "Ex- aminer," in Jefferson county, Ohio, and he has stood at the case during all of these forty-eight years. He has always been a close student of political history, and possessing a memory which is almost phenome- nal, he can readily call to mind men, measures and dates of the long ago which to others are but dim scraps of forgotten history. A forci- ble writer, a wary, but not aggressive antagonist, he seeks no quarrel, but when assailed he patiently awaits his opportunity and then deals a strong and generally successful blow.

Established as a republican paper, when the republican party was in its infancy, the "Record" has remained ever loyal to the principles of the party, and has taken an active part in every campaign, whether national, state or county, and its utterences have been of no uncertain sound. It was one of the first newspapers to suggest the name of Abraham Lincoln as a candidate for the presidency, and one of his most earnest supporters, not only during the canvass, but throughout his administration, and also for his re-election. During the war it was loyal to the core, and its columns were the popular medium of

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communication between the Mercer boys in the army and their friends at home, it having a correspondent in nearly every regiment in which the county was represented.

But while striking valiant blows for the union and for the cause of its party, it has kept itself singularly clear of what is termed "mud slinging:" the rule having ever been to make no charges against opposing candidates that were not easily susceptible of proof, or at least believed to be so at the time of publication.

Another rule of the office, and one strictly adhered to, is that no foreign advertising will be received for less than home patrons are charged for same time and space. Consequently but few "patent medicine " advertisements, and others of like nature have ever appeared in its columns.

In 1873, L. B. Doughty was employed in the office as foreman and job printer, but having had considerable experience as a local writer, he was soon relieved of most of the work in the composing room, and for the past eight years has had charge of the local department of the paper, which has constantly grown in popularity, and has been one cause of a steady increase on the subscription list, which has reached the comfortable figure of 1,300 weekly, and is still growing.

The job department of the office is deservedly popular, and is lib- erally patronized, especially in the line of commercial work. The cir- enlation having grown beyond the capacity of the press which has done faithful duty for the past twenty-five years, a new Cottrell press has recently been purchased. And now, after a quarter of a century the proprietors can boast that in all that time they have never missed an issue, have never used a "patent inside," and have never failed to ap- pear promptly on time on publication day, except in a few instances when the paper was purposely held back for important news.

As a prominent factor in the growth of village and county, as a popular means of promoting the educational interests, as well as a dis- seminater of reliable news, the "Record" has proven itself worthy of the high esteem in which it is held by those familiar with its pages ; and it has accomplished much for the moral as well as the temporal interests of the county.

THE DEMOCRATIC PRESS IN ALEDO.

Mercer county has been politically a republican county ever since the organization of that party. Issues have occasionally been made on men or measures by means of which republicans have been de- feated, and democrats or other opponents have been elected by the people ; but these instances, however frequent, were still only excep-

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tional, and the continued ascendency of the republican party has been maintained and augmented greatly by the fact that as soon as the county seat was settled at Aledo, a party organ was promptly pro- vided, the official patronage of the county bestowed on it, and the people, especially of the dominant party, slowly but surely educated to contribute to the material support of their newspaper.

The democratic party, in the minority numerically and without men of capital, or hopes of official patronage, and destitute of am- bitious leaders, made no attempt to establish a party organ for nearly a dozen years after.

In the summer of 1866, circumstances conspired to make the time favorable for starting a democratic newspaper in Aledo, something to be made a rallying center for the democrats of the county and those displeased with the action of the majority in congress at that time. President Lincoln had been assasinated the year before, and vice- president Jolinson, becoming acting president, projected an adminis- trative policy to which a majority of his party in congress was op- posed. Hostile feeling and action arose between the acting president and the congress, and many removals and appointments to office were being made, favorable to the policy of the administration and gener- ally favorable to the democrats. Appearances were that a change might be made in the political complexion of the whole country, and that, with the aid of what were called the liberal republicans, Mercer county even might be revolutionized. The reconstruction measures were then being enacted. Many of the republicans thought these measures too radical, if not wholly unauthorized by the organic law, while the democrats, in addition, felt exasperated at the political dis- advantage at which the party was placed by the disfranchisement of so many southern states.

. One of these disaffected republicans, Judge John S. Thompson, of Aledo, an able lawyer and shrewd organizer, was put up for congress against the republican candidate, Gen. Harding. The district was then perhaps 200 miles long, extending from Port Byron to Keokuk along the Mississippi river, and Charles Harris, of Oquawka, a straight democrat, had been able to be elected to congress not many years prior to this election. Hope was entertained of success under the leadership of Judge Thompson, and the democrats, in this sanguine mood of mind, some time in the month of August had an informal assembly of some of its more prominent members at the Barton house in Aledo, now the Button house.

At this meeting it was determined to raise funds and start a demo- cratie newspaper. The plan adopted was a stock company, bound by

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HIENDERSON COUNTIES.

a simple personal agreement without articles of incorporation. The shares were $10, and each member of the company was entitled to as many votes for officers as he held shares.

A considerable amount was subscribed at this meeting, and three or four papers were prepared and put into the hands of canvassers, by means of which about $1,400 was in a short time pledged.

Before the Barton house meeting closed its sittings and put its papers in hand, it was necessary to name the paper. Several titles were proposed, of more or less partisan import ; but that fatal timidity and spirit of boundless concession that has so long been an element of weakness in the democratic party, prevailed on this occasion, and the proposed paper took the nentral meaningless title of "The Mercer County Press."

J. A. J. Birdsall, a piquant, versatile writer, and good collector of local news, who had had some experience in publishing a democratic paper in Keithsburg, was chosen as editor and publisher; and with $475, advanced by Hon. T. B. Cabeen, Birdsall went to Chicago and laid in a press and materials for printing the paper, taking some credit ; and some time in the month of September the first number of the "Press " was issued.

The pledge for the payment of stock subscriptions ran in this way: "We, the undersigned, agree to pay to the publishers of 'The Mercer County Press' the sums set opposite our names, for the purpose of publishing a democratic paper in the county of Mercer and state of Illinois, whenever called for, or in a reasonable time."

The "Press " was duly issued. The campaign was a spirited one, but lost to the democracy, and their earnest colleagues. After this collapse the spirit and enthusiasm of the Press company were rapidly cooled. The fatal clause in the compact giving "a reasonable " but indefinite time for payment of stock now began to show its turpitude ; not more than two-thirds of the stock was ever collected. T. B. Cabeen lost about $250 in money advanced to the "Press "; and T. S. Robb and I. C. Gilmore, and other liberal men who made advances from time to time to keep down expenses, had more or less of final loss. The stock subscribers were nearly all amply able to pay; but from some defect in the organization or energy in the conduct of affairs, no forci- ble means were ever employed to make collections.

The subscriptions to the paper were taken up in the same hasty, loose manner that characterized the stock subscriptions. But few were pressed to pay on sight, and all were freely trusted; besides, many were scored down on the list without having been consulted or seen ; and as a natural and inevitable result, the establishment was soon

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carrying an immense delinquent list, and suffering a large accumula- tion of unpaid bills for labor, materials, rent, and contingent expenses.

Added to these untoward circumstances was the damaging knowl- edge that the Johnsonian policy was not to succeed. The reconstruction measures went on without interruption. The acting president was hemmed in on all sides by what was known as the "radicals." The tenure-of-office act virtually took away from him the appointing power by denying him the right to make arbitrary removals. When the president's patronage was thus shorn off, his influence and prestige fell with it, and he was shortly after put on the defensive by articles of impeachment.

It was only natural that many of the liberals should quietly slide back to a more solid base ; and that the democracy, hopelessly defeated, would experience more or less demoralization in their . ranks. Mr. Birdsall, finding the pecuniary results of his labors unsatisfactory, after the first year, gave way to a young man named Wilson, of whom little seems to be known, and who occupied the editorial chair but a short time, and with not very satisfactory results. Some time later in the year 1867 David R. Waters, a former citizen of Williamsport, Penn- sylvania, but then a resident of Aledo, and a law partner of Hon. Charles M. Harris, of Oquawka, took the management of the "Press." He was a man of fine abilities in many directions. In temperament he was nervous, and possibly a little too sanguine for a safe business man ; and a little too radical for the political success of a minority party. He was, however, a fully reliable democrat, an able political writer and speaker, and a faithful worker for the cause he had espoused. His zeal for his own cause, and his abhorence of the sup- posed errors of his opponents, seemed to lead him sometimes into business and even social discriminations among those he came in contact with. The business up to about the beginning of the year 1868 had been done in a low, but roomy building that had been occupied during and before the war by Mr. Edwards as a dry goods merchant. It stood north of the Aledo house and on nearly the site now occupied · by I. N. Edwards' ice-house ; it was afterward removed to Fifth street, on the south side, between Walnut street and College avenue, on the second floor of a frame building owned and then occupied by A. M. Byers with the first bank in Aledo. Here Mr. Waters completed his labors not long after April 1, 1869, when it was sold by the com- pany to John Geiger, of Aledo, for $800; who immediately added to the materials, which were barely sufficient to issue the newspaper, a carefully-selected little job office, at a cost of about $500. This outlay, timely made, would have avoided one great source of financial weak-

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ness in the "Press," and with all its reverses might have kept it at least self-sustaining, as its successors have been ever since.

The new proprietor, recognizing the fact that the "Press," not- withstanding its able editorial management, had closed out a financial failure, and was virtually a pauper, believed that public confidence could sooner be secured by starting a new paper, with a title more expressive of its character and objects ; and with this view he made no attempt to resurrect the shattered fortunes of the "Press," but April 13, 1869, issued the first number of "The Democratic Banner." The few years that had now passed since the war, had begun to temper its ascerbities, and with the better feelings and better facilities the new venture received a fair share of remunerative business. It was con- ducted a while longer in Byer's building, and afterward a small frame building on College avenue, 18×36 feet in size, was purchased of Jacob Cool, the same that, with its open, red-trimmed front, is now used for a primary school; to this place the office was removed, where it remained until some time in the autumn of 1872.

The "Banner" during this time held the leading principles and sentiments of the old school democracy ; and frequently found occasion to dissent from the new methods and policies propounded by platforms and leaders of the times. The editor had, in 1872, voted alone in the state convention, against a resolution favoring the nomination of Horace Greeley. And when afterward the nomination was made by the national convention, he denounced both the nomination and the nominee, without reserve, as being unfit, whether viewed in the light of principle or of policy.

The nomination was, however, accepted all over the Union. Here in Mercer county, besides the remnant of liberal republicans that had not returned to their old home, there was an informal, unorganized, intangible, but omnipresent little party, then sometimes known as grangers. This fugitive gypsy body, as well as the liberals, were enthusiastic adherents to Horace Greeley. [Mistake : grangers didn't spring up till spring of 1873 .- Ricker]. And by their ardent proffers of material, as well as moral support, O. P. Arthur was induced to make purchase of the "Banner " office, and he took possession early in July 1872. He was a young man but lately from the Monmouth College, and at this time was a law student in the office of Bassett & Connell. He had energy and learning, and a good order of talent ; and withal could give to the " great commoner " a consciencious sup- port. The "Banner " was still conducted as a democratie organ, and supported democratic men and measures. The business was for awhile conducted at the little red front building, but was shortly after removed

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to Seventh street, and afterward to Richey Brother's old briek build- ing on Fifth street, east of the Aledo house.

Some time after the defeat of Greeley at the approach of the depres- sion of 1873, the greenback party began to materialize; and besides the political gypsies of the country, many from each of the established parties, from one cause and another, arising mostly out of the pressure of the times, gave adherence and active support to the new party. The " Banner" supported the movement with such vigor that the party promised at one time to become at least second in the county in point of numbers. Arthur was a leader of acknowledged influence. About this time he changed slightly the name of the paper. Dropping the word "Democratic," the title thereafter was "The Aledo Banner." By trenchant articles on the financial abuses of both parties, by public speeches and ingenuous enterprises for increasing his circulation, he brought its reading patronage at one time nearly, if not quite, up to that of the old established "Aledo Record."

But reverses came, or rather culminated. Arthur was young and without experience or capital. His dash and talent brought him admir- ers and even friends ; but only feeble and dilatory material support. Had he known the hollowness of proffered patronage he would never have been tempted into the uncertain field of party politics. He had not then read, with proper interpretation, the history and achievements of Col. Mulberry Sellers, or he would not have leaned on the broken reeds that failed him when the hour of need came.

The net earnings of the " Banner " office were, however, considerable, and from his surplus Arthur added largely to the material of the estab- lishment. But in his confidence he had married a wife ; and among the unseen calamities of all lives, it happened that his young wife shortly after took sick of a lingering and incurable disease. Personal distrac- tion from business, and large continued expenses, deprived him of the means of a thorough prosecution of his work ; and on his invitation, about June 1, 1877, John Geiger was associated with him, and as an equal partner and editor-in-chief changed the paper once more to a straight democratic organ. Arthur's wife died in the ensning winter; and about May 1, 1878, he sold his remaining half of the office to John Geiger, who again became sole owner of the paper he had established mine years before. Arthur, after settling up his accounts and arrang- ing his financial affairs, went to Colorado, where he has since held several important trusts and established himself in a very respectable and fairly Inerative law practice.

When the " Banner" returned to its original owner, a commodious building was purchased for it on College avenue, where the paper was

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conducted to the end of its checkered life, which the reader will be pleased to listen briefly to.

During the heated campaign of 1878 for some cause, never fully declared, but generally understood here, Rev. P. F. Warner, who had formerly made some favorable acquaintances here as a preacher of the Congregational church, came on several occasions and offered to buy out the " Banner " office and run it as an independent paper. Geiger having bought the office only with a view of closing up its affairs honorably, now sold to Mr. Warner, reserving one column for the use of the democratie campaign not yet closed ; and on September 20, 1878, the new proprietor took the chair. He was a graduate of Yale Col- lege. He had considerable literary ability ; wrote fine essays on theological and moral subjects for the pulpit, and wrote with some force and elegance on political topics so far as he had made acquaint- ance with them. But he was unacquainted with the details of news- paper making, and was obliged to trust much to employés. He was a good collector and financial manager, and while he held the demo- cratic support turned over to him, the business was prosperons.

But some time in the next year, either with a view of supplanting the " Record " office as an organ, or from some abnormal working of a political conscience, he gave up the independent position, and came out a full fledged republican.

While this movement gave pleasure to some republicans that were not wholly satisfied with the "Record," it gave displeasure to a great number of democratie supporters, who did not think themselves dealt with in entirely good faith. Slowly many of these dropped out, while no material strength was drawn from the other political party.

After the presidential campaign of 1880 had so far developed as to give the democrats hopes of carrying the national election, John Gei- ger was again solicited to give the party a campaign newspaper. To this he assented, but the season was already advanced, and the enter- prise would not admit of delay, nor of an expensive outfit. R. Russell had a neat little job office over W. H. Holmes' hardware store on the avenue. To this was added the old press of the Woodhull enterprise, and a small collection of good material bought of one Remington, who had some time before conducted a little "snide " paper in the professed interest of the local republicans, but really for his bread ; and a few more were obtained from L. F. Jobusch, Jr., who, then only a lad, after experimenting a while with a toy press, started a sheet called the "Democratic Press," which, however, deserves only to be mentioned as the visionary scheme of a boy, abandoned for want of

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means to sustain, or ability to conduct it. He has, however, since occupied an advantageous position of society editor on Carl Pretzel's paper in Chicago. He is a plausible and genial young man. With these fragments added to Russell's job materials, the paper was started about the second week in July ; a seven-column folio, to run six months, for $1 per copy. A circulation of about 500 was gathered up, and the enterprise about paid the expenses, as expected. As the first of January drew near, a strong wish from different parts of the county was expressed that the paper now so nearly established and the party so finely organized should not be separated ; but that with the present basis we should go on and establish a permanent organ for the party in Mercer county. Other new materials were promptly purchased, and the paper which was called " The Aledo Democrat," was enlarged to an eight-column, and the first number issued in Janu- ary, at the close of the campaign edition.

About or near June 1, 1881, the proprietor of the " Democrat " associated with himself R. Russell and George M. Eames, two sober, industrious young men of Aledo, well skilled in newspaper and job printing ; and the new firm of Geiger, Russell & Eames bought out the old "Banner " materials from Mr. Warner, and adding them to the other materials of the "Democrat," moved all into the " Banner " building, and the " Banner " then ended its singular career and disap- peared, Mr. Warner, its last owner, making another venture in IIa- vanna, Illinois.

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History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 54

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.); Henderson County Historical Society (Ill.) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co. Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.); Henderson County Historical Society (Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1424