USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Fitchburg > Fitchburg, Massachusetts, past and present > Part 19
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editorial care, supported Levi Lincoln for Governor of Mas- sachusetts and Henry Clay for the presidency,-candidates of the "National Republican" party.
Among the local advertisements in the Gazette, in Au- gust, 1832, were the following : Cyrus Thurston, singing- school ; William Torrey, high school; Marshall & Aber- crombie, drugs and medicines ; Julian & Safford, carriage and harness making ; M. Sawyer, Abel Thurston and Cyrus Thurston, assessors' notice ; Elbridge Wright and Horatio Fairbanks, blacksmithing; B. Cooke, book-store, circulat- ing-library, book-binding and printing ; Fitchburg Fusiliers' notice, Rufus C. Torrey, clerk ; Boston and Keene line of stages, and Fitchburg and Lowell accommodation stages.
Just before Whitcomb & Page's dissolution, in March, 1831, a new publication appeared from the Gazette office,-a monthly literary magazine, entitled The Album; or, A Pan- acea for Ennui. The first number bore the imprint of J. E. Whitcomb & Co., publishers ; the second and third were pub- lished by John Page; but Whitcomb is understood to have been the moving spirit in the enterprise. He was the editor, as well as principal contributor to its pages, and after the third number his name alone appeared in connection with it. The first six numbers each consisted of sixteen octavo pages, with fancy covers, after which the work was enlarged to twenty-four, and premiums were offered for contributions, viz. : For the best moral tale, a set of Byron's works, in eight volumes, elegantly bound in gilt ; for the second best, a volume of the Gazette and Album; for the third, a volume of the Album ;- each tale to occupy at least eight printed pages. The Album was "devoted to the cause of virtue and refinement," "dedicated to lovers of light reading," and was to be "furnished to subscribers at one dollar a year in ad- vance." The contents were largely original, and manifested a good degree of ability ; but the experiment proved an ex- pensive one, and the publication was suspended at the end of nine months.
In October, 1832, the name of the Gazette was changed for a time to the Fitchburg Gazette and Weekly Advertiser ;
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and the heading was embellished with a wood-cut of the printing-office and Fitchburg Hotel-then a wooden struc- ture ;- but sometime during the following year the original heading was restored, and the wood-cut omitted. The sub- scription price was raised to two dollars, or one dollar and fifty cents in advance.
The Gazette started as a neutral paper, but under the ed- itorial management of Mr. Cooke, took an active part in the political campaign of 1833, in support of the democratic party. During its first two years the heading of its editorial column was ornamented by the cut of a flying angel-represented with an open book bearing good tidings earthward-which by a stretch of imagination might be taken for Mercury, the messenger of the gods. The cut was accompanied by the Shakspearean quotation,
"I, from the orient to the drooping west Making the wind my post-horse, Still unfold the acts commenced on this ball of earth."
Not long after the paper took its political stand the winged messenger was displaced by the American eagle, and Shak- speare gave way to the famous declaration of General Jackson,
"The UNION ! it must be preserved."
In January or February, 1834, Mark Miller of Peter- borough, N. H., purchased a part or the whole of Cooke's interest in the Gazette, and continued its publication as a democratic paper. The general appearance of the sheet was changed on passing into Miller's hands, being enlarged by the addition of a column on each page, and having plain Roman capitals substituted for the old English or black letter of its former heading. Mr. Miller's name appeared as editor and publisher, but Mr. Cooke retained, wholly or in part, the ownership of the printing-office.
Within three months after Miller assumed the editorial chair the publication of the Gazette was discontinued, having led a precarious existence of three and a half years. In the Gazette office during the first two or three years there worked as apprentices, George D. Farwell, son of Daniel Farwell of
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Fitchburg, John Garfield, who was afterwards prominently identified with the printing business in the town, and two brothers by the name of Chapman. One of the latter after- wards went to Indiana, where he became famous in the presidential campaign of 1840, as the man who was requested to "crow."
In April or May of this year (1834) Miller and Cooke separated. Dividing the office, Miller, with his portion, moved into the attic of the building opposite the Fitchburg Ilotel, now owned by George N. Proctor, where he com- menced the publication of a new paper entitled the Massa- chusetts Republican,* the first number bearing date the 16th of May. This was also devoted to the interests of the demo- cratic party. In size and general appearance the Republi- can was similar to the Gazette, being printed on a sheet 22 by 31 inches, and having six columns to a page. The price of the paper was a dollar and fifty cents a year, to which twenty-five cents was to be added for every six months delay.
Miller at the same time published a weekly religious paper called The Christian Messenger, edited by William Cushing, and devoted to the dissemination of the doctrines of the Unitarian denomination. Mr. Cushing was a son of Col. Edmund Cushing of Lunenburg, and was at the time princi- pal of the Fitchburg academy. The Messenger was started in April, 1834, and was issued in octavo form, eight double- column pages to each number; price seventy-five cents a year. The heading of the paper was ornamented with the
*According to the recollection of some of our older citizens there seems to have been a paper printed here at one time called the "Star;" and we find an article in the daily Sentinel, in its first issue, May 6, 1873, which states (on the authority of the late Charles H. B. Snow, Esq.,) that the Fitchburg Gazette was bought out and converted into a democratic weekly called the " National Republican and Worcester County Star." This statement tallies with an item in the Massachusetts Spy, of May 28, 1834, referring to the Worcester County Republican, then just started, as an ad- vocate of whig principles, which adds-" In this respect it contrasts favorably with the leetle tory Star that twinkles so lugubriously in the same neighborhood." Pos- sibly the name Worcester County Star may have been an appendage to the title of the Republican in its earliest issues ; but if so its name was very soon changed to simply " Massachusetts Republican."
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cut of a flying angel, bearing in one hand a book and in the other a scroll, with the words, "Behold I bring you good tidings-the Everlasting Gospel." After the eighth number the name of William Cushing as editor disappeared, and Rev. Jonathan Farr of Harvard assumed the editorial charge. The Messenger lived less than three months.
After dividing with Miller, Mr. Cooke sold the remaining portion of the Gazette office to George D. Farwell, who had served an apprenticeship in the office. and in May, 1834, Farwell printed the first number of a new paper called the Worcester County Courier, William and Rufus C. Torrey, editors and proprietors. The Courier was started as a whig paper, in opposition to the politics of the Massachusetts Re- publican ; and was similar in size and general appearance to that paper ; was published weekly, terms two dollars per year, one dollar and seventy-five cents if paid in advance.
At this time there were three papers published in the town,-two political and one religious. Of course the three were but feebly supported. Up to this time, for a series of years, David Brigham, Esq., had been postmaster of the town ; but through the influence of political friends Mr. Mil- ler obtained the appointment to the post-office, with the reasonable expectation, no doubt, that the income therefrom would materially aid in the support of his paper. But finan- cial difficulties were already upon him, and he very soon resigned his position as postmaster and left the town-under a cloud. With his departure, the Massachusetts Republican came to an untimely end, leaving the Courier the sole sur- vivor of the field. The career of the Republican covered a period of not far from six months, Miller's appointment to the post office having occurred in September or October.
The Worcester County Courier was continued two full years, to June 28, 1836, when its suspension was announced. At this time the paper was conducted by George D. Farwell as publisher and proprietor, Mr. William Torrey, one of the former editors, having died a year previously, June 12, 1835, while the name of his associate, Mr. R. C. Torrey, had also disappeared as editor, he having succeeded William Cushing as principal of the academy.
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The suspension of the Courier was but for a single week, the office being then purchased by Mr. John Garfield, who resumed its publication as a neutral paper. It was reduced in size to 22 by 28 inches, having five columns to the page instead of six, but was improved in its general appear- ance. The name was changed to Fitchburg Worcester County Courier, the old English, or black letter, dis- placed the plain Roman capitals in the title, and the price was reduced to $1.25, in advance. One year later the name of the paper was made to read simply The Courier, and under it, as a motto, were the words "free discussion."
Soon after purchasing the Courier Mr. Garfield em- ployed Mr. Wm. S. Wilder as editor, and under his manage- ment the paper was continued till the winter of 1838, when, during the absence of Mr. Garfield, the editor changed the character of the paper from a neutral to a democratic sheet. Party feeling was running high at the time, and the two political parties were about evenly balanced. Mr. Wilder's course in running up political colors, created a sensation, and resulted in a suspension of the Courier, the final issue being under date of March 9, 1838. In announcing the suspension Mr. Wilder says :-
"We are no less convinced than ever that a paper might and ought to be well supported in this place, yet such are the sectional party feelings that we despair of seeing it done, unless some one can be found to conduct it who is more capable of the task than ourself. We know that some felt to regret that a political stand was taken. We appreciate their motives but do not admit the justness of their reasoning. We believed that the times loudly called for political decision and political action. * We believed that the means which were used to secure the re-election of Governor Everett, by representing him as favorable to the views of the abolitionists, were basely hypo- critical ; and the circumstances of some special efforts to this effect served to hasten our departure from neutral ground."
The suspension of the Courier was immediately followed
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by the appearance, from the same office, of a small sheet, half the size of the Courier, called The Times. This appears to have been designed chiefly as an advertising medium, and was printed by Garfield for Mr. Wilder, though no name appears as publisher or editor. For want of patron- age the Times was discontinued after two or three months, and for a period of four or five months no paper was pub- lished in the town-Mr. Garfield, in the meantime, continu- ing the business of job printing.
On the twentieth of December, 1838, the first number of the Fitchburg Sentinel made its appearance-J. Garfield, printer, Ezra W. Reed, editor,-neutral in politics.
With the starting of the Sentinel a new era commenced in the journalism of Fitchburg. The paper was destined to live and become one of the established institutions of the town. In its initial number the intention was announced of making it a family newspaper, "devoted to the interests of the farmer, the mechanic and the manufacturer, and also to the interests of the common schools." At first the size of the sheet was 19 by 26 inches, but at the end of two months it was enlarged to 20 by 28, and otherwise improved in appearance; the price was $1.25 per year, in advance, or, if payment was delayed, "twelve-and-a-half cents to be added at the end of every three months." Mr. Reed con- tinued to edit the paper about one year when, owing to fail- ing health, he gave up the position. He died Jan. 9, 1840.
During the first two or three years the columns of the Sentinel were enlivened by frequent contributions, both of prose and poetry, from a coterie of local contributors, some of whom developed decided literary talent. Among the more prominent of these writers were-Henry C. Whitman, then a law student with Torrey & Wood-afterwards judge of the Supreme Court of Ohio, who wrote a series of articles on education, over the nom-de-plume of "Publius;" Franklin Reed, a brother of the editor, who wrote on moral, historical and society matters, over the initials "2". N. T .: " Miss Louisa Beckwith, later Mrs. Leander P. Comee, whose poetical contributions were signed "Louisa;" William C.
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Elleck, a harness maker, later editor of the "Cold Water Cup," who wrote under the nom-de-plume of "Conrad;" one Patterson, an operative at the Fitchburg woolen mill, whose articles, both poetry and prose, were over the signa- ture of "Syphax;" and a young man by the name of Augustine Joseph Hickey, then about sixteen years of age -an apprentice in the Sentinel office-whose contributions bore the pseudonym of "Julian." It was during this period that a spicy controversy arose between the three writers last named, in which the articles of "fulian," ( whose identity was unknown to either of the other two, and, in fact, to any- body save one or two confidential friends,) were wrongly attributed to different individuals of professional or classical education, and were least of all supposed to come from the printer's devil. After leaving Fitchburg Hickey assumed the name of Duganne, and became well known in literary circles as an author and poet.
The Sentinel prospered and continued to be published by Mr. Garfield till March, 1841, when William J. Merriam purchased the office and continued the paper. In January, previous to Mr. Merriam's purchase, William S. Wilder again took the editorial chair, "with a full assurance that the management of a neutral paper is a task replete with diffi- culties and trials." He retained the position during the year, but in January, 1842, Mr. Merriam assumed the entire management. The paper was now enlarged to 21 by 30 inches, and a new engraved heading of fancy letters super- seded the plain Roman capitals which had been in use from the first.
The town had now taken a start, and was fast increasing in population and importance. The subject of railroad com- munication with Boston was beginning to be agitated. The first public meeting to consider this subject was held at the town hall on the evening of Nov. 12, 1841, pursuant to a notice in the Sentinel of the IIth. The Sentinel columns were freely opened for the discussion and furtherance of the project. The railroad was completed from Boston to Fitch- burg in February, 1845, and opened for use on the 5th of the following month.
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The paper was again enlarged in August, 1845, to 24 by 34 inches, by adding a column to each page. The suppres- sion of the liquor traffic and the promotion of the cause of temperance in the town was then agitating the public mind. The Sentinel took strong ground in favor of legal measures against the traffic, and its editor, by this means, brought upon himself the wrath of the dealers, one of whom threat- ened to publicly horsewhip him for articles published con- cerning liquor prosecutions in which he, the dealer, was defendant.
About the time the Sentinel was started the printing office was moved to the second story of a wooden building, a little to the rear of the old office-about in the present driveway to the hotel stables. Its entrance was through an alley, and by a flight of outside stairs, between the old office and the present Emory House. The room vacated was used for years afterwards as a lodge room by the Masonic fraternity. In February, 1849, the office was moved into the present Sentinel building, then owned by Crocker & Caldwell. Pre- paratory to re-build- ing the hotel, in 1850, the old office buildings were re- moved, the Gazette building to the lot PRINTING OFFICE. now known as Mon- ument square, where it was fitted up for tenements. It was afterwards removed SENTINEL BUILDING. to Oliver street, cor- ner of Adams, and is now owned by Marraton Upton. The old Sentinel building was moved to Central street, between Brook and Vine, where it still stands.
In December, 1850, Mr. Merriam sold out to Elisha and John Garfield. The Sentinel now appeared with new type, the heading was changed to a text, or old English shaded letter, and the amount of reading matter was considerably
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increased. About this time the project of a new county, with Fitchburg as a shire town, was being pushed, and the Sentinel entered into the discussion with a lively interest in its favor. In September, 1852, J. F. D. Garfield bought John Garfield's interest, and in connection with his brother, Elisha, continued the business eight years, to October, 1860. At the commencement of 1853 the paper appeared in a new dress ; it was somewhat enlarged, and had seven columns to a page instead of six. From October, 1860, through the war period, the Sentinel was conducted by Elisha Garfield alone. In April, 1864, John Garfield again became a half- owner, and in September, 1865, sole owner of the establish- ment. Mr. James M. Blanchard became a partner with him, from April, 1866, to March, 1867, when Mr. Charles C. Stratton succeeded Mr. Blanchard as partner. In Janu- ary, 1870, Mr. Bourne Spooner took a third interest in the concern, and the style of the firm was Garfield, Stratton & Co., until January, 1871, when Mr. Garfield sold his interest to Messrs. Stratton & Spooner. In March, 1873, Mr. John E. Kellogg was admitted a joint partner, the new firm taking the name of The Sentinel Printing Company. In July, of the same year, Mr. Spooner withdrew, and Mr. Thomas Hale of Keene, N. H., a former editor of the Keene Sentinel, purchased Spooner's interest and became associ- ated with Messrs. Stratton & Kellogg in the editorial man- agement. Two years later Mr. Hale retired from the firm, and from that time to the present, Messrs. Stratton & Kellogg have constituted The Sentinel Printing Company, and had the entire management of the paper. In May, 1873, the Fitchburg Daily Sentinel was started, the first number being issued May 6. It was an evening paper, in size 21 by 30 inches. The Daily Sentinel has been well conducted, and has continued vigorous and healthy to the present time. In October, 1881, the paper was enlarged to 23 by 35, and again in September, 1885, to 25 by 39, and in October, 1886, to 27 by 44 inches, both the daily and weekly being now of the same size. At different periods in its history the col- umns of the Sentinel have had the benefit of valuable editorial
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services from different individuals, among whom may be mentioned Hon. Joseph W. Mansur, William B. Town and Charles H. B. Snow, Esqs., and Col. E. P. Loring.
In February, 1842, a small sheet, 13 by 20 inches, was started, christened the Cold Water Cup and Fitchburg Washingtonian. It was issued weekly, devoted to the cause of temperance, edited by William C. Elleck, and printed and published, at the office of the Sentinel, by W. J. Mer- riam. With the twelfth number the Cold Water Cup was discontinued, and its list of subscribers transferred to the Waterfall, a similar sheet then recently started at Worcester.
In January, 1845, a new paper called The Wachusett In- dependant was started by William S. Wilder and E. R. Wil- kins. Wilder was formerly editor of the Courier, and for one year edited the Sentinel. Wilkins was a printer. The paper was devoted to the "working-men's cause, genuine de- mocracy, anti-slavery," etc., published weekly, terms $1.25
per year. The office was at first located in the attic of Snow's building, opposite the Fitchburg Hotel, now owned by G. N. Proctor ; but was soon moved to the building at the corner of Main and Laurel streets, now known as the Citi- zens House. This was the first printing-office in that part of the village then known as the "old city." The Independant was discontinued at the end of six months, and its subscrip- tion list transferred to the Sentinel.
The Voice of Industry, a weekly paper devoted to the cause of labor, was started May 29, 1845, "by an association of working-men ;" W. F. Young, editor ; terms, one dollar in advance ; the size of the sheet being 21 by, 28 inches. The printing-office was opposite the Fitchburg Hotel, in the quar- ters vacated by the Wachusett Independant. As stated un- der its editorial head, the Voice professed to "labor for the abolition of idleness, want and oppression-the prevalence of industry, virtue and intelligence." The editor was a harness maker by trade, had practiced the profession of a dentist, and could do a "good job" at either ; as demonstrated by his labors, daily, while carrying on his editorial work.
The shares in the Voice "association" were placed at five
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dollars each, and a goodly number of working men were in- duced to invest in the enterprise ; but when the original in- vestment was exhausted, and an attempt was made to assess the shares, there was trouble in the camp. The Voice con- tinued to be published here five or six months, and was then transferred to Lowell, where its publication was continued for a time.
In February, 1847, a paper called the Fitchburg Tribune made its appearance from a printing-office located in Roll- stone block; George A. White, publisher and proprietor. The size of the sheet was 23 by 34 inches, published weekly, at $2.00 a year. It was well printed and its editorials well written, but it failed to receive the patronage necessary to become firmly established, and was discontinued in May fol- lowing its first appearance. Its editorial department was for a while in charge of Charles C. Haswell, Esq., of Concord, an experienced journalist, though his name did not appear.
In January, 1852, The Fitchburg News, a weekly paper, made its appearance. Its size was 23 by 34 inches, price $1.25 a year in advance, and was printed in Rollstone block, the former office of the Tribune. The News was edited and published by Dr. Charles Robinson, afterwards Governor of Kansas, and was at first announced as "neutral in politics and religion ;" but its editor was a man too decided and posi- tive in his ideas to remain long on neutral ground, and the paper soon took a stand in support of the Free Soil party. It was spicy in its criticisms and newsy in its treatment of local affairs. Dr. Robinson continued the publication of the News one year, to January, 1853, when he sold out to Rol- lins & Knowlton, publishers of the Winchendon Mirror, which latter paper was discontinued. Under its new man- agement, the Vews took a rapid decline, and in June follow- ing, it died a natural death.
The Fitchburg Reveille, the first number of which ap- peared March 30, 1852, was a political paper, established to advocate the principles and policy of the old whig party. It was published semi-weekly, on a sheet 23 by 33 inches, the terms being $3.00 a year in advance. Mr. John J. Piper
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was the editor and proprietor, and the office was in Central block, (third story.) next west of the city hall. Mr. Piper was not a practical printer, but had had experience as a newspaper editor and manager previous to his coming to Fitchburg, having been for some years connected with the Semi-weekly News, published at Gloucester, Mass. He conducted the Reveille with marked ability, during a period of nearly seventeen years, to the time of his death, which oc- curred on the 3d of February, 1869. An interesting sketch of his life appeared in the Reveille of the IIth of that month. Mr. Piper was a fluent and forcible writer, and at times tipped his pen with a raciness and keenness of satire that caused his paper to be frequently quoted, and made his columns the field for many a sharp skirmish with political opponents.
In the presidential campaign of 1856, the Reveille es- poused the cause of the republican party, advocated the elec- tion of Fremont, and was thereafter a staunch advocate of the principles of that party. The paper was enlarged in April, 1859, to 24 by 36 inches, and continued to be issued as a semi-weekly till October, 1861, when it was changed to a weekly, and the price made $2.00, or $1.75 in advance. In October, 1866, it was further enlarged to 26 by 38 inches, and again in April, 1869, to 27 by 41 inches, having eight columns to the page. After the death of Mr. Piper, in 1869, his brothers, Joseph L. and Henry F. Piper, continued the publication of the Reveille, and soon removed the office to Rollstone Bank building. J. L. Piper retired from the concern in May, 1874, and the paper was conducted by Henry F. Piper alone till Frank L. Boutelle became a part- ner with him in May, 1875.
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