USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Springfield > King's handbook of Springfield, Massachusetts : a series of monographs, historical and descriptive > Part 25
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THE FIRST ISSUE OF THE DAILY REPUBLICAN. (Four-tenths of Original Size.)
Vol 1.
Ne. T Vountata How. Moreb 23.
BLISS CHAPIN & CO.
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KING'S HANDBOOK OF SPRINGFIELD.
outlook was not particularly promising ; but the lever-press was set in op- eration, and the initial copy of "The Republican " was issued Sept. 8, 1824. The title proved a happy selection ; for the name afterwards stood for that party whose best ideas the paper consistently advocated for a score of years, until the editor of the daily had grown into the full practice of his ideal of independent journalism. The weekly began with a circulation of 350 copies. Growth during the weekly period was steady and substantial ; and, as time went on, "The Republican " absorbed " The Springfield Ga- zette " and " The Hampden Journal." From the start the paper was tena- cious of its own convictions, but its columns were open to the presentation of both sides of political questions : it deprecated useless religious contro- versies, and represented that independence of sect which marks the highest religious expression of to-day. William Hyde says of the two Bowleses, "The senior Mr. Bowles was an industrious, painstaking man, with great tact to use all available material. He was a contrast to the second Bowles, whose active mind and quick insight led to great success." The first editor of "The Republican " died Sept. 8, 1851, at the age of 54.
The second Samuel Bowles was, like Greeley and Weed, educated in the practical school of the printing-office. What other preliminary education he had came through "Master " Eaton's school. While a mere stripling, his occasional writing for the paper displayed a bright and forcible quality that attracted attention. At 18 Mr. Bowles was singularly mature, with all a man's ambition ; and after much persuasion the conservative father was in- duced to enter the field of daily journalism, then untried in the State outside of Boston. Business men doubted the feasibility of the enterprise, but the young man counted confidently and intelligently on the signs of the future. " The Daily Republican " began as an evening paper, and in its first year ran $200 behind; but by the end of the fourth year 800 subscribers had been secured, and the paper placed on a firm footing. The time of publica- tion was changed to the morning, Dec. 4, 1845. It was originally a single sheet, 17} inches by 24, with four columns to the page. These dimensions were enlarged from time to time till 1855, when the double-sheet form was introduced. The doubling-up was at first confined to the weekly and Satur- day issues : nine years later Wednesday's paper was made double, and in 1872 the double sheet became the permanent form of the paper.
Daily journalism 40 years ago was pioneer work, calling for an exhaust- ing expenditure of personal energy in the most varied directions. The Western Railroad then reached Springfield, a town of 11,000 people, and a line of telegraph connected us with the outside world; but the press had not yet called in the aid of electricity in news-gathering. It was a time of experiment, and the organization of forces ; and young Bowles plunged into the work with such ardor that in a year his strength gave out, and he was
SPRINGFIELD
REPUBLICAN
SAM
TO
THE "SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN " BLOCK,
On Main Street.
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compelled to take a journey South. The trip was extended to New Orleans ; and its fruits were a series of letters to " The Republican," which exhibited the editor's aptness in his calling. This, too, was the first of a series of vacation-travels, both in this country and Europe, taken in later years, which served to enrich the columns of "The Republican," enlarge the knowledge and sympathies of its editor, and give to the public several books. He grew by contact with the world, gathered the culture of many peoples, and through cosmopolitan associations built up a newspaper of wider scope than its immediate surroundings seemed to warrant.
Samuel Bowles was a shrewd student of men, and was happy in the selec- tion of his early editorial associates. After the untimely death of Samuel Davis, Dr. J. G. Holland was invited into the service of the paper ; and for. 16 years he wrote constantly for its pages, publishing therein the material of various volumes, and compiling, at the suggestion of Mr. Bowles, the valuable " History of Western Massachusetts." The keen political sense and admir- able organizing faculty of the editor were thus re-enforced by Dr. Holland's nice literary taste, so that the paper reflected the thought of New England. As a political force, " The Republican " was pretty steadily kept in advance of public sentiment. When the Whig party disintegrated under the de- moralization of defeat, "The Republican " exposed and denounced the " Know-Nothing " craze; and in 1855 Mr. Bowles headed the call which resulted in the formation of the Republican party in Massachusetts. " The Republican " did its full duty as a news-gatherer, and an ardent supporter of patriotism, during the war. Never subservient to parties, the editor declared his full independence of them when national progress was impeded by partisan fanaticism ; and in 1872 he was foremost in calling for a political departure which should promote reconciliation between the North and South. The paper has steadily advocated honest money, a reformed civil service, and does not abate its demand for high character in candidates for public office.
One may be pardoned for introducing into such a limited review as this some of the conspicuous contributions which Mr. Bowles made to the busi- ness of newspaper-making. He presented the sense and kernel of things, and spared no pains to himself and others in stripping meaningless words and husks from the current news of the day. His sense of proportion was admirably developed, his taste was delicate and true, his art a noble simpli- city. The fact that a piece of news came by telegraph did not confuse his judgment of its value. He edited the Associated Press, and matters whose transmission cost money, with the same remorseless intelligence that con- densed the beginner's column into a crisp line or two. His paragraph was done with the completeness of a sonnet; and his editorial, clothed in the language of the people, was full of sharp purpose. He made his writers
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master their work before the people got it. He recorded the local life inti- mately and as a pioneer, - witness the early-begun review of the news of all New England, - but made religion, art, literature, charity, and social affairs* the field of the journalist, no less than politics. He was the first to recog- nize religious news as a regular feature of the daily paper. The department of correspondence was magnified, and individuality in all departments was encouraged. Bright young writers who had studied out something were encouraged to turn their labors over to " The Republican ; " and in its pages Professor Perry's " Political Economy," Washington Gladden's first books, Adeline Trafton's "American Girl Abroad," and Edward King's "My Paris," came to the public. "Warrington " made himself famous through his Boston letters ; Bret Harte wrote California letters; Kate Field, Mary Clemmer, "Dunn Browne," "John Paul," and "Van," all gained an audi- ence in this paper. The list might be greatly extended, but these names illustrate the editor's sagacity and generalship in the front of journalism. He was a master-mechanic, the versatile spirit that dominated the counting- room, the press and composing floors. "Warrington " (the late William S. Robinson) was coming out of the "Republican " office one day, and met the late Editor Fisk of Palmer on the steps. "There," said Robinson with emphasis, "is Sam. Bowles inside, striving after unreasonable perfection. He will sit up all night to save a turned letter from appearing in his news- paper, that is too good already!" "The Republican " has always been regarded as one of the best schools of journalism accessible to young men, many of whom it has trained, and launched upon successful careers. Its graduates are scattered throughout the country; and some of them, like Charles R. Miller, editor of " The New-York Times," and Robert G. Fitch, editor of " The Boston Post," have risen to leadership in the profession.
Between the years 1853-72, a large miscellaneous printing business and bindery were connected with "The Republican," all conducted under the firm name of Samuel Bowles & Co. In 1858 the business was first housed altogether in the block on the corner of Main Street and Townsley Avenue, now occupied by D. H. Brigham & Co.'s clothing-store. Ten years later, the firm having outgrown its quarters, another and larger building for it was put up on the opposite corner of the avenue, by the Second National Bank. In 1872 the business was divided; Mr. Bowles retaining "The Republican," and selling out his other interests to his partners, Messrs. Bryan and Tapley. In 1878 the present handsome quarters of the paper, planned by Mr. Bowles only a short time before his death, were occupied by " The Republican."
Our people are familiar with the paper as it is to-day. Its latest busi- ness improvement is a Hoe perfecting-press, which prints, cuts, folds, and pastes, - " the best." Its old ideals of public service are not lowered, and
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ambition and equipment grow apace with the broadening opportunity of its position.
"The Springfield Union" never before so satisfactorily filled its mis- sion as an evening newspaper. Every candid journalist must admit that it ranks high among papers of its class, both in enterprise, news arrangement, and editorial sense. The management see their field and opportunity clearly, and few evening papers anywhere surpass "The Union " as a piece of careful, intelligent newspaper work. "The Union" dates from the late war days, having been founded in January, 1864, by Edmund Anthony of New Bedford, who conducted it until December, 1865, when it passed into the hands of "The Union " printing-company. During the next few years the paper changed owners several times ; but in 1872 it had become a paying property under the ownership of Lewis H. Taylor, who made the evening paper one of our institutions. When the firm of Samuel Bowles & Co. was dissolved in 1872, and the Clark W. Bryan Company was formed by the men who withdrew from the former firm, the new company bought "The Union," and incorporated it with their printing and binding business. William M. Pomeroy, who had been managing editor of "The Republican," was made editor of "The Union ; " and he retained that position until March, 1881. He was succeeded by the present editor, Joseph L. Shipley, who began his newspaper life on " The Republican " in 1863, and became connected with " The Union" a few weeks after it changed hands in 1872. Mr. Shipley held the position of editor under the ownership of the Springfield Printing Company, which had succeeded the Clark W. Bryan Company, until May, 1882, when he bought the paper, and transferred it to a stock company, retaining a majority interest, and assuming the responsible management of the paper. He has placed it upon a solid and substantial financial basis. It is the only evening paper in New England, west of Worcester and north of Hartford, which has the Associated Press franchise ; and its present man- agement aims at giving its constituency the promptest and completest news service, both in the local and general field, which it is possible for an even- ing paper to accomplish. Never so much as now has " The Union " seemed to realize the distinctive features which characterize successful evening journalism, and working out that line of journalistic effort is proving advan- tageous for both the owners and readers of the paper.
" The New-England Homestead " occupies a field peculiarly its own, and under the direction of Edward H. Phelps, who received his journalistic training during nearly ten years of service with the late Samuel Bowles, is a conspicuous business success. " The Homestead " was, until Mr. Phelps bought it, a purely agricultural paper. It was founded in 1867, as a monthly, by Henry M. Burt, now of " The Newton Graphic," and began its career at Northampton, but was soon moved to this city. Mr. Burt continued to pub-
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lish "The Homestead " until October, 1878 (meantime printing in turn "The Saturday Evening Telegram " and " The Sunday Telegram," local papers, both now dead), when Mr. Phelps and Herbert H. Sanderson, then employed on "The Evening Union," bought the "Homestead " plant ; in 1880 Mr. Phelps purchased his partner's interest, and established the Phelps Publishing Company, a corporation which he controls. " The Homestead " has had a remarkable growth since 1878, mounting in circulation from 1,350 copies to more than fourteen times that figure ; and its agricultural edition is edited with a freshness, vigor, and point novel in journals devoted to the farming interest. The editor's training in daily journalism gives him an obvious advantage over competitors who have become wonted to slower methods, and he is assisted by many practical and successful farmers who contribute to " The Homestead." To utilize his familiarity with local news, Mr. Phelps added a city edition to his agricultural paper; and that is what Springfield knows as "The New-England Homestead." The farm matter is replaced by the social chat of the town; the paper ranging with freedom over all fields, taking many matters which the dailies do not care to glean, and sampling life in every circle. The editor makes a strong point of musical criticism, and has introduced original caricatures as a weekly feature.
"Farm and Home " is a sixteen-page monthly, which was begun in 1880, and has gained a circulation of 30,000 through its price of fifty cents a year. It is a compilation from the agricultural edition of "The Home- stead;" and it, too, is published by the Phelps Publishing Company men- tioned above.
" The Daily News," the first penny daily in the field, and edited by E. and C. J. Bellamy, - favorably known as writers of fiction, - was begun in February, 1880, and in May of the same year came out every evening. In September the proprietors bought a double cylinder press. The establish- ment was practically burned out Dec. 9; but it did not miss an issue, and the paper was soon enlarged. "The Sunday News " was begun Jan. 28, 1883, and has since been changed to "Every Saturday." "The News " is now commodiously quartered on Worthington Street, in the building so long occupied by the Morgan Envelope Company. It employs a force of 20 in all departments, and is a four-page paper of 28 columns, measuring 21 by 36 inches when unfolded. Its editor says, "'The Daily News' has made its more particular aim to interest and entertain its public, always keeping a full record of the news of the day, than to attempt to set forth in its limited space the opinions of the editors, and the tedious homilies of moral- izing contributors."
" The Daily Democrat " was founded in September, 1883, to meet the demand of local party men for a Democratic paper. Its stockholders include
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prominent Democrats in various parts of Western Massachusetts, and Law- son Sibley of this city is president of the Democrat Publishing Company. The paper is sold for a cent, and it displays more ambition in the collection of news than is common in low-priced dailies. The editors of " The Demo- crat " are B. F. Arrington, formerly of " The Salem News," and W. T. Tucker, who has had newspaper experience as correspondent of "The Boston Journal " and " The Boston Advertiser." "The Democrat," of course, takes an active hand in politics.
The Religious Weeklies comprise "The Herald of Life," "The Weekly Evangelist," and "The Springfield Herald."
" The Herald of Life " has been published here since 1872, with Rev. W. N. Pile as editor, and is now in its 21st volume. It is the organ of the Life and Advent Union, that branch of the Advent body which believes in no resurrection for the finally impenitent. Rev. Mr. Pile is one of the ablest men of his denomination.
"The Weekly Evangelist " is published by S. G. Otis & Co., from the Evangelist Building on State Street ; and among its contributors are some of our Congregational clergymen.
"The Springfield Herald," formerly published by John C. O'Hara in the Union Block, gleans thoroughly the Catholic Church and secular news of this region. Its management, in the latter part of 1883, passed into the hands of Philip J. Ryan.
"The New-England Journal of Dentistry" is a monthly publication, whose mission is sufficiently explained by its name.
" The Domestic Journal" is an unsectarian religious, family, and tem- perance monthly, sold at 50 cents a year, and published by S. G. Otis & Co.
- SOLOMON BULKLEY GRIFFIN.
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The Financial Institutions.
STATE AND NATIONAL BANKS, SAVINGS INSTITUTIONS, CLEAR- ING HOUSE, PRIVATE BANKS.
T "HE growth of Springfield in institutions of capital and credit follows the law which has characterized all its development: it has been in- digenous to its own soil, and entirely independent of aid from other commu- nities. It has leaned upon no other centre of business, but on the contrary has been itself metropolitan to a surrounding circle of communities, one of which has already become a thriving city. Before the introduction of banks, the moneyed men of the town loaned to a large extent upon land and mortgage. The names of the Dwights, who were the rich merchants of the early part of the century, recur frequently in the old records of real-estate transactions and pledges.
It is a curious fact, that the first bank of discount was established in 1814, when the country was in the midst of the war with Great Britain. which, up to that time, had resulted only in national disaster and damage, It must have taken a hardy spirit, at such a time, for the corporators to gather in Uncle Jerry Warriner's tavern to proceed to the organization of a bank, whose capital should be "$200,000 in gold and silver," paid in in four instalments. This was March 24, 1814, when our entire coast was block- aded, and five months before the capture and burning of Washington. Springfield then included a much larger territory than now, and had about 3,000 inhabitants.
The founding of the bank at that time is a strong illustration of the light thrown upon the history of the nation by the history of the town. It was, in fact, part of a general movement throughout the country for the expansion of banking facilities. In 1811 the first United-States bank had been refused a re-charter by the casting-vote of Vice-President George Clin- ton. A great impetus was thus given to the development of State banks. The war, and the interruption of commerce on the ocean, had had two im- portant results, - to drain the country of specie, and to protect native indus- try. New England, which was opposed to the war, nevertheless experienced a powerful stimulation in all her manufacturing interests : the Legislature of Massachusetts, under the Federalist Gov. Strong, chartered numerous cotton and woollen manufacturing companies ; and, at the same session which chartered the Springfield Bank, about 30 other banks were chartered
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in this State, which then included Maine. On the Ist of January, 1811, there were 15 banks in Massachusetts, with a capital of $6,292,144; in four years the number had increased to 21, and the capital to $11,050,000 ; on the Ist of January, 1814, the six banks of Boston held nearly $5,000,000 in specie, and had out notes to the amount of only $2,000,000. New-England banking then established its high character for conservatism, and continued to redeem its notes, while the banks throughout the rest of the country all suspended specie payments about the time of the capture of Wash- ington.
The Springfield Bank, now the Second National Bank, had as its cor- porators the two Jonathan Dwights, father and son, James Byers, John Hooker, Moses Bliss, jun., James S. Dwight, George Bliss, Justin Ely, Edward Pynchon, and Oliver B. Morris. The first list of directors included the first five of these. Pynchon was the first cashier, and Jonathan Dwight the first president. The subsequent cashiers were, Moses Bliss in 1815, at $500 salary, and Benjamin Day, both serving for short terms, until in 1823: John Howard was chosen, and paid a salary of $1,000: he retained the office until Lewis Warriner took it in 1836. Mr. Warriner served for over 45 years. The presidents were as follows: Jonathan Dwight, 1814-17; John Hooker, 1817-19; James Byers, 1833-36; John Howard, 1836-49; Benjamin Day, 1849-56; E. A. Morris, 1856-59; Henry Alexander, 1859-78. John Howard was with the bank, as cashier and president, 38 years. During a large portion of this time the bank owed much to another director, William Dwight.
Mr. Morris was one of the ablest men ever at the head of the bank, and during his brief term did much to repair its fortunes. A leading bank- officer of our city, who received his first tuition in "the old bank," entered upon service there in 1838. In those days, under the Suffolk-bank system, the bank kept a deposit of specie with the Suffolk Bank at Boston, to redeem its bills when they were presented there for payment. It was the custom for each bank to collect the bills of other banks, as a balance against its own, and send them to Boston by trusty citizens whenever business called them that way. Periodically, Mr. Howard would go to Boston by stage, and return with perhaps $100,000 of the bank's notes in his valise. His clerk recalls more than one occasion in which he had taken charge of this precious baggage, of an evening, from Mr. Howard's house (James D. Brewer's present residence), down to the Bank Building on State Street.
One of the first acts of the bank, upon its organization, was to buy a site- for the building, which Jonathan Dwight had already purchased, on State Street, in his own name, from Rufus Colton. The building was erected im- mediately, and was a handsome two-story brick structure, with a Grecian
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porch of pillars. It has now been enlarged and remodelled out of all resemblance to its original form, and is occupied by Wilder & Puffer as a grain-store. The bank had difficulty in getting all its stock subscribed, and in 1816 reduced its capital to $100,000. This was increased in 1819 to $150,000, and in 1828 to $250,000, and would have been raised at a later period to $400,000 if the starting of other banks had not forestalled its action. Notes were circulated, and were destroyed when finally redeemed ; so that none are now in existence, so far as is known. No interest was paid on deposits, to any extent, until after the last war. Forty and fifty years ago the manufacturers in this vicinity, instead of drawing cash for their pay-rolls from their deposits, were accustomed to make six months' drafts on their Boston agents. These drafts were discounted by the banks, thus affording the ready funds for the payment of help. The risks thus taken required banking ability of the first order to prevent loss. In 1839, for instance, a vote of the directors was passed requiring D. & J. Ames to reduce their indebtedness to the bank to $ 100,000, - a risk upon one firm which no bank at the present time in the city would be disposed to take, even if it were not forbidden by law. Several years after, the Ameses, indeed, failed, and spread wide ruin over this section of the country; for they were the Spragues of their day, at least in the paper manufacture. The Springfield Bank was not, however, seriously crippled by their failure, as it had been inevitable for some years. It lost much more heavily by the total and unexpected failure of Ben Jenks, the great manufacture of Jenks- ville, about 1853. The bank lost $100,000 at that time, and the stock went down to about 70. The habit of the bank to loan heavily to large manufac- turing concerns in Western Massachusetts had given occasion for criticism in stockholders' meetings, and for the organization of other banks; and it took some years to recover from the effects of this policy. Yet it may be questioned, whether the old bank did not follow the course best calculated to develop the manufacturing interests of this section of the State at that period, though it was done at a loss to itself.
The Second National Bank is the Springfield Bank, re-organized in 1863 under the National Bank Act, and was one of the first to apply for organization. It was managed with great ability through the whole period of the war, and subsequently, by its president, the late Henry Alexander. Lewis Warriner, the late cashier, served the bank over 50 years as clerk of the corporation, and cashier. The present building, on the corner of Main Street and Townsley Avenue, called Franklin Block, was erected in 1866. The present organization of the bank is as follows: President, Alfred Rowe; directors, Alfred Rowe, Horace Kibbe, Gurdon Bill, Hins- dale Smith, Albert T. Folsom, Henry M. Phillips, Virgil Perkins, P. P. Kellogg, W. H. Wright, Emerson Wight, William P. Porter ; cashier, Charles
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