USA > Indiana > LaPorte County > History of La Porte County, Indiana > Part 87
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
The Michigan City Times (Herald) .-- There is some discrep- aney in authorities as to the true name of this paper, some giving it as the Michigan City Times and others as the Michigan City Herald. For this reason we have given the double name above. It was established by Richard Burleigh, who was its editor. The date of its establishment cannot be definitely given,-perhaps in the year 1836 or 1837. At any rate, it was during the existence of the Michigan City Gazette. It was issued for a little more than a year, when it suspended. The reason, perhaps, for this early suspension was the fact that it was Democratic in its principles, and as the city was strongly of the Whig persuasion, the support which is necessary for the survival of even a newspaper was given to its rival, the Gazette. At any rate, whatever the cause may have been, it survived only a little more than a year.
# The La Porte County Whig, 1838 .- The full name of this paper was The La Porte County Whig and Lake, Porter and Marshall Counties Advertiser. It seems that this ought to have been enough to kill any ordinary paper,-such a name, -- but it seems to have lived very well. This paper was established in June, 1838. For a con- tinuation of its record see under " Herald-Chronicle."
The La Porte Herald. 1838 .- About the time that the La Porte County Whig, perhaps a little later, was established the La Porte Herald was founded-it may have been in July, 1838. William Haganbuch was its first publisher, and Wilber F. Storey, now of the Chicago Times, was its first editor. The Herald, under the direction of Mr. Storey, presented many of the features which has since characterized the Chicago Times. The spirit of the paper was offensive rather than defensive, and was out and out Demo- cratic. It had many a philippie with its natural political adversary, the La Porte County Whig. The two papers seem to have been as two batteries planted, each as a target at which the other might discharge the contents of their too plentifully replenished maga- zines of small shot. The corporals of the batteries trained their guns upon each other, and the burning, hissing, singeing epithet, like
The noise of battle hurtled in the air.
In the year 1839 Mr. Joseph Lomax became the publisher of the paper, and was associated with Mr. Storey in the editorial conduct of the paper. Difficulties, however, arising between the two,- difficulties of such serious character, it is said, that to settle them according to " the code of honor " required the calling for " pistols and coffee for two," -- the paper was finally removed to Mishawaka, St. Joseph county, and forever ceased to be a La Porte county paper in the year 1841.
The Indiana Tocsin, 1842 .- In the year 1842 Mr. Thomas Jernegan, having bought the press upon which the La Porte Herald had been printed, and which had been removed to Mishawaka, brought it again to La Porte, and founded the Indiana Tocsin.
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This he continued to publish until the spring of 1846, when it was suspended as the Tocsin.
The Michigan City News, 1846 .- After discontinuing The Tocsin, Mr. Jernegan removed to Michigan City, and in April of 1846 established the Michigan City News. This was perhaps the ontgrowth of a felt want in Michigan City, for after the suspension of the Gazette in 1841 the city had been without a paper. The politics of the paper was Democratic. Mr. Jernegan continned to issue the paper until September, 1853. The office was then burned, and as Mr. Jernegan was the postmaster at the time, the paper was not resumed, as he did not care to do so; hence the record of the Michigan City News is bound up between April of 1846 and September, 1853, and its history was abruptly terminated, going up in the flame.
The Michigan City Transcript, 1854 .- The next year after the burning out of the Michigan City News, Mr. Richard W. Colfax supplied its place by establishing the Michigan City Transcript, in the summer of 1854. The city was, therefore, without a paper, this time almost a year; and when it possessed again this needed agency, it found itself with a Whig, instead of a Democratic, paper. For a further history of the Transcript .see the account of the Michigan City Enterprise, which is given below.
The Westville Free Press, 1852 .- In the spring of 1852, Mr. L. P. Williams began the publication of the Westville Free Press. The editorial work was done some five miles from Westville, in Porter county, and the press work was done at the Observer office, in Valparaiso. This paper was short-lived, dying in its very infancy, only two numbers of it being ever issued.
The La Porte Commercial Times, 1852 .- After the suspension of the Indiana Tocsin, in 1846, the Democratic party had no organ in La Porte city until the establishment of the La Porte Commercial Times, at the beginning of the year 1852. The founder of the Times was Mr. E. A. Graves, but he did not remain connected with it very long. Before the close of the first year, the paper had passed into the possession and under the control of Messrs. John C. Walker and John W. Holcombe, editors and pro- prietors. At the expiration of another year, Dr. Orpheus Everts was associated with these gentlemen in the publication of the paper, and the firm name was Walker, Holcombe & Everts. The duty of principal editor devolved upon Dr. Everts for a number of years, that is, to about the year 1857, at which time George H. Sweet was associated with him in the editorial chair. In the Congressional campaign of 1858 one of its publishers, Col. John C. Walker, was a candidate for Congress. His competitor was Schuyler Colfax, who was elected. The Times waged a warm warfare in behalf of Col. Walker, but it availed not to elect him. The Republican party was young and vigorous then, and its victories seemed to be inevitable. After his defeat for Congress, Colonel Walker assumed the super- vision of the Times for a time, and gave it his personal attention.
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
Soon after, however, we find Flavius J. Clark on the editorial tri- pod; and then for awhile a young man named Palmer, and at last Henry Higgins, who was its last editor. The paper was called at first the La Porte Commercial Times; and then it was changed to the Republican Times, and at last to simply the Times. Dur- ing all its existence, it was a straight Democratic paper; and the key of its note was never mistaken. In the campaign of 1860, it was a staunch advocate for the election of Stephen A. Douglas for the Presidency as against John C. Breckenridge, the candidate of the Southern Democracy. With the defeat of its favorite, it yielded up the ghost; for its last issue was on the 10th of Novem- ber, 1860. Its proprietor, who was now Colonel Walker, offered the paper and office for sale in that issue, and then suspended its publication. It is proper to mention that at two different times during its career, Mr. John S. Weller was connected with the Times; first, during the year 1852 or 1853, as publisher, and second, in the year 1860, as local editor. Following is a part of the editor's valedictory :
For one year and a half we have held converse with the readers of this paper, and it is with regrets we leave them now. We have endeavored to do something for the cause of Democracy. What little we have done has been done with earnestness, and with a strict adherence to principle. Short "good-byes" are the best; so we will shake hands and retire, assuring our friends that we will always be found on the side with the Democracy, battling for Democratic principles. To our brethren of the press, we say, "Farewell." We part in peace and friendship. HARRY HIGGINS.
Thus the editor bowed himself out of the editorial sanctum, and with that bowing, the La Porte Commercial Times, later, the Repub- lican Times, and latest, the Times, ceased to be.
The Westville Herald, 1856 .- In the spring of 1856, a young man sought the home of an uncle who resided near Westville, who was named C. G. Townsend; and his uncle's name was Alfred Townsend. These two combined, and established the Westville Herald, the former as editor and the latter as publisher. The first number of the paper was issued on the 2d of May, 1856. For its further history, see below under "Herald Chronicle."
The Daily Union, 1859 .- The first attempt to establish a daily paper in the county was that made by Messrs. B. B. Root and Jasper Packard. Thinking that such an enterprise as this was feasible, these two gentlemen embarked in it; and accordingly, on the 3d day of January, 1859, the Daily Union began to make its appearance, a fellow paper with the La Porte Union. For three months these gentltmen labored to make it a success, but at the expiration of that time Mr. Packard retired from it. Mr. Root con- tinned to publish it, and by hard work succeeded in keeping it alive for, perhaps, two months longer. It then expired, failing to be remunerative; and having a life of about five months in all, it testified that La Porte was not then ready to support a daily paper.
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
The La Porte Democrat 186 -. - After the suspension of the Times in 1860, the Democratic party had no organ in La Porte; and this continued until Platt McDonald, who has more recently been connected with the Plymouth Democrat, established the La Porte Democrat. This he did not very long after the demise of the Times, and his paper continued through the war, and down to about the year 1867. Then for some canse it suspended and ceased to exist.
The Michigan City Review, 1863 .- As will be seen further along, there was a suspension of the Michigan City Enterprise for about a year and six months, during the years 1863-1865. In the interim between its suspension and resumption, the Messrs M. & J. Cullaton established another paper at Michigan City, and christened it the Michigan City Review. This they continned to publish for one year, and then it, like many of its predecessors in the county, found its place among the things that were but are not.
The La Porte Argus, 1869 .- The break in the existence of a Democratic paper at La Porte, caused by the suspension of the La Porte Democrat in 1867, was filled up by the establishment of the La Porte Argus by Messrs. John B. Stoll and Henry E. Wadsworth, the first number of which was issued on April 15, 1869. For its further history see below under "The present papers of the county."
The Chronicle, 1874 .- Hon. Jasper Packard conceived the idea that the county could sustain another paper, or rather that it needed a semi-weekly paper, and accordingly he became the founder of the Chronicle, the first number of which was issued on July 18, 1874. The history of this paper is given under the heading, " Herald- Chronicle," which see.
The Michigan City News, 1875 .- As we have noticed, one Michigan City News has already been born, run its course, and died. Even if it is not an evidence that a resurrection is possible, yet it is true that its name was applied to another progeny; for in the month of March, 1875, there was an accouchement among the paper maternity of Michigan City, and the delivery was called the Michigan City News. It was under the paternal care of Mr. J. F. Rowins. It was not, however, destined to grow to a vigorous man- hood until it should become an orphan; for Mr. Rowins soon left it in the hands of Mr. N. Conover, who became its sole protector. This paper was strongly Democratic in its political sentiments. It at last went like its predecessors, the Gazette, the Times (Herald), the former name-sake, and the Review. The presumption is that there was not " pap " enough to sustain it, and hence its demise.
The Daily Evening Chronicle, 1875 .- One effort has already been made to sustain a daily paper in the county, as we have already noted, and after five months of hard work it failed. This was in 1859. Again, in 1866, a like attempt was made by the Messrs. Cullaton, who thought that they would, in connection with the weekly Union, of which they were then the proprietors, found and
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
issue a daily paper. Accordingly it made its appearance; but a week's attempt proved the futility of the enterprise, and its course ended with its sixth issue. Not thoroughly discouraged with these failures to establish in the county a daily paper, when Mr. Paekard had established the semi-weekly Chronicle he determined to make the third attempt; and so, on October S, 1875, he issued from the Chronicle office the first number of the Daily Evening Chronicle. It only took two weeks to determine that the receipts from its sale could not be made to equal the expenditures; therefore, after a life of twelve days, it was taken off, the cause for which was a lack of "nourishment." Thus it appears that the publication of a daily paper in the county has been quite thoroughly tried, and found impracticable; and these efforts, perhaps, will settle the question for some time to come. At least, it is not likely to be tried any more until some one, who has the means to spare, will undertake it who will run it at a loss until it can be permanently established and made a paying enterprise.
The Prison Reformer, 1876 .- Philanthropists have long been at work 'endeavoring to devise ways and means by which there can be some reformation in the penal institutions of the land, not only in this country, but in all other civilized and enlightened countries as well. This reformation has called out the warmest sympathies and the deepest concern of the wisest and most active of the lovers of human kind. This county has located in its midst one of these great penal institutions of this country,-the Northern Indiana State Prison, in which there are now (Sept. 24, 1SS0) confined 570 convicts. Cells, dungeons, enforced labor, weighed or measured food, etc., are not the most happy means for reforming men and making them valuable citizens; yet they seem to be a necessity in order to the enforcement of the proper laws of the land. The question at stake in the reform is. How can this proper end, neces- sary for the security of life, rights, and property, be attained, and at the same time the highest good of those convicted of violating these be secured? Rev. M. S. Ragsdale was appointed by the Legislature of the State as Moral Instructor in this prison. In order to discuss the principles of this reform, and to call the attention of the people to it, and thus by its agitation effeet, in the end, some of the desir- able results had in view, Mr. Ragsdale established at Michigan City a paper devoted to "Prison Reform and the Reformation of Prisoners," which he called the Prison Reformer. The first num- ber of this paper was issued in March, 1876. The further history of the paper we are unable to give, save that it is not now published, at least not at Michigan City.
The Michigan City Dispatch, 1879 .- The last paper which has been brought to life in the county is the Michigan City Dispatch, which was founded by its present proprietor and editor, Mr. Harry H. Francis, who issned the first number on Sept. 4, 1879. Its history is continued in another place.
Other Papers of the County .- Besides those enumerated above,
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
there have been other papers issued in the county, at various times. I believe there have been two German papers published in the county, one for each of the two great political parties, but of these we have not the data to speak advisedly now, having mnade efforts to obtain them, but have so far failed.
The Crisis .- A paper, in the interest of the "New Jerusalem, or New Christian Church," or, as it is usually called, " the Sweden- borgian Church," from its founder, Emanuel Swedenborg, of Sweden, was at one time established and published at La Porte by Mr. John S. Weller. The editor was the Rev. Henry Weller, who exhibited marked ability in his condnet of the paper. This paper has since been removed to Chicago, where its publication was con- tinned.
THIE PRESENT PAPERS OF THE COUNTY.
We come now to speak more particularly of those papers which, through the vicissitudes of time, continue to live, and are issued from the press at this time. Some of these are of but young growth, and others are of more mature years. None of them are, however, so young as to be childish; neither are the others so old as to be decrepit. I believe that it may be truly said that the papers which are now printed in the county will stand right up, side by side, with any other county or local papers which are issued in any part of the country, either in point of ability or in workmanship. They are a credit to the county in which and for which they are issned. All of these papers, excepting one I believe, are what is called " patent ontsides," or " patent insides,"-that is, one side of the papers, containing the general and foreign news, the markets, the agricultural, literary and household reading matter, etc., is printed at some large newspaper establishment in the cities; while the local news, the local politics, the local markets, advertise- ments, etc., filling the other side of the sheet, is printed at the local office. This is thought by many to be the most advantageous way of publishing a local paper. At any rate it has many advantages, among which may be mentioned the following: The large news- paper establishments can have better facilities for gathering the general news, markets, information, etc., than the sinaller local establishments; and as the general news is adapted to one locality as well as to another, the copies which may be taken from the same forms can be so largely increased as to very materially cheapen the work of printing. These reasons, no doubt, have induced many publishers to adopt this plan, rather than do all the work at the " home office." Yet there are advantages on the other hand which have been sufficient to induce at least one of the papers, the Mich- igan City Dispatch, to do all its own " composition " and " press- work" at home. Following are the special histories of these papers, together with a few biographical sketches of those who are now, and have been, connected with them, either as publishers or editors.
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
THE HERALD-CHRONICLE, 1833-1880.
Taking into the account its ancestry, the Herald-Chronicle is the oldest of the papers now published in the county, dating back to 1838; but counting back only to the time when it began to be published as the Herald-Chronicle, it is the youngest, beginning its present period only so short a time ago as February of the pres- ent year, 1880.
The La Porte County Whig, the great-grandfather on one side of the present paper, was first issued in June, 1838, with James M. Stuart as editor. Its size was a six-column folio, the usual size of nearly all the Western papers at that time. Mr. Stuart continued his connection with the paper for about a year. It then passed into the possession of Captain A. P. Andrew, Jr., who became its pro- prietor and editor, and who continued its publication until the latter part of 1840, he at that time removing to Michigan City. During this period occurred the stirring campaign of " barbecues, log-cabins. and hard cider," in which it participated with vigor and effectiveness. Its natural political adversary was the La Porte Herald, in the sanctum of which was the now noted W. F. Storey. The editorials of these two papers at this time were "sharp, sting- ing and saucy."
The successor of Captain Andrew was Mr. T. A. Stewart, subse- quently one of the founders of the Chicago Tribune. Ile took charge of the Whig in 1840, and continued his connection with it until about 1845. During this time he was sometimes the edi- tor, at other times other parties did this work. Mr. M. H. Orton, it appears, in 1842 sat upon the tripod and wielded the quill of the paper. In 1842 or 1843 Mr. E. P. Johnson was associated with Mr. Stewart in the proprietorship of the paper.
At this point there is a discrepancy among the authorities as to the succession which followed. What we give below is based upon the authority of Mr. C. G. Powell, who was long connected with the paper subsequently, and which we cannot help receiving as reliable.
In 1845 Stewart & Johnson were succeeded by William Millikan in the proprietorship of the paper. Mr. Millikan came from the South Bend Free Press. He subsequently associated with him his brother, John Millikan, and these continued the publication of the paper until Sept. 13, 1854. At that time they were succeeded by Messrs. F. M. Horan and Richard Holmes.
In the disastrous campaign of 1852, when Pierce was elected President over Scott, the Whig party received its quietns, and was not known in the politics of the country afterward. Its place was taken by the robust form of a rising new party, which was subse- quently called the Republican party. After the party was dead, the name of the paper became a misnomer; and hence after it passed into the possession of Messrs. Horan & Holmes, they changed the name from the La Porte County Whig to the La Porte Union.
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
The La Porte Union .- Mr. Horan was not connected with the paper very long, only to the 15th of the following November, about two months. At that time he sold out to his partner. Mr. Holmes continned alone in the publication of the paper until Jan. 31, 1855, when he sold a half interest to Mr. John Millikan (he was ont of the office only about four and a half months). Holines & Millikan continned issuing the paper until the winter of 1858-'59, at which time Mr. Holmes retired, Mr. Millikan continuing in the office until he sold it to Messrs. M. & J. Cullaton in 1866. These continued its publication until the following year.
The Westville Herald .- On May 2, 1856, Mr. C. G. Townsend, as editor, started a paper at Westville, which was called the West- ville Herald. This he continued until the following November, when he gave it np, and it was suspended for two weeks. At the expiration of that time, Mr. Charles G. Powell was induced to take charge of it for six months. At the conclusion of that period, like arrangements were made for a like period. Finally Mr. Powell bought it, and continued its publication at Westville until Ang. 7, 1859.
The La Porte Herald .- In August, 1859, Mr. Powell moved the Westville Herald to La Porte, and changed its name to the La Porte Herald. From this time on, until Oct. 1, 1867, the La Porte Herald and the La Porte Union were published side by side. At that time Mr. Powell bought the Union of the Messrs. Cullaton, and merged the two papers into one under the name of his foriner paper, the La Porte Herald. Of this paper, thus consolidated, he continued the editor and one of the controlling proprietors until February of the present year, 1880, having had a connection with the paper for nearly 24 years. Because of the leading part which he has taken in the editorial labors of the county, we here furnish the reader with the following sketch of the life of-
Charles Granson Powell, who was born in Monroe county, New York, Dec. 3, 1829. His father, Isaac Powell, was born in the year 1783, and died in La Porte county, in August, 1863, in his SOth year. His mother, Miss Anna Heaton, was born in the year 1791, and died in Angust, 1871, likewise in her SOth year. She also died in this county. Mr. Powell removed with his parents from Monroe county to Cattaraugus county, New York, in 1833, where they remained until 1837, when they again changed loca- tion, settling in Erie county, New York. Here they remained until the year 1840. Believing that they could enhance their temporal interests, the parents of Mr. Powell again determined to change their location; and coming West, they settled in Clinton township, of this county, thus making their son a citizen of the county at the age of 10 years, and he has continued to reside in it for 40 years.
The school education of Mr. Powell is such as the public schools of New York and Indiana afforded in the years of his boyhood. But men are often educated who do not attend schools, academies
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HISTORY OF LA PORTE COUNTY.
and colleges. They are students, whether in or out of school. Mr. Powell began his literary and paper career by writing for the papers when quite young. He wrote especially for the Indianap- olis papers as early as 1854, during the excitement consequent upon the agitation of the Kansas and Nebraska question. This correspondence gave him a free hold upon his pen, and confidence in its ultimate power. His paper career began when he assumed the control of the Westville Herald, as narrated above, in Novem- ber, 1856. From that period until February of the present year his life has been sketched in giving the outline of the papers with which he has been connected.
Mr. Powell is a man of strong Republican convictions as to poli- tics, and his papers have always defended them. He has maintained the confidence of those with whom he has affiliated, and twice have the Republicans sent him to the National Convention,-1st, to the convention at Chicago in 1868; and, 2d, to the Convention at Philadelphia in 1872, at both of which General U. S. Grant was nominated as the candidate for President. He has also been the President of the Northern Indiana Editorial Association for four years,-from 1872 to 1876; and is at present connected with the State Editorial Association, being one of its Directors, and a member of its Executive Committee. Besides these recognitions, he has received the appointment, and is now the Postmaster of the city of La Porte.
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