USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Reminiscences of Worcester from the earliest period, historical and genealogical with notices of early settlers and prominent citizens, and descriptions of old landmarks and ancient dwellings, accompanied by a map and numerous illustrations > Part 30
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afterwards of Lynn, became the editor and manager of the pa- per, and Spooner & Church continued to be the printers, until the consolidation with the Ægis, the latter part of July, 1833. The Yeoman was started and conducted throughout in the in- terest of the anti-masonic movement, then comprising a large party throughout the union, of whom William Wirt of Virginia was the nominee for president.
THE REPUBLICAN.
The " WORCESTER COUNTY REPUBLICAN" was started March 4, 1829, as a democratic organ, on the accession of Gen. Jack- son to the presidency, with Jubal Harrington, afterwards ap- pointed postmaster, as editor. It was " printed for the pro- prietors" until Dec. 9, following, by Moses Spooner, and after that by Moses Spooner and Edwin C. Church, printers of the Massachusetts YEOMAN, the printing office being at " No. 5 Goddard's Row," nearly opposite the Centre meeting-house, in the new brick block then just built by P. & D. Goddard. Dec. 18, 1833, the name was changed to " Worcester Republican," after which it was printed and published by Moses Spooner. The office was for six months at No. 3 " Granite Row," the new brick block on the opposite side of Main street, then just built by Hon. Daniel Waldo. May 28, 1834, it was removed to the Central Exchange, and from that time published by Moses Spooner, and printed by Mirick & Bartlett till it was discon- tinued, Feb. 6, 1839, and merged in the Palladium, the last few months of that time, the editor, Jubal Harrington, claiming to be proprietor.
Among the apprentices at the Republican office, in 1837, was Maj. Ben. Perley Poor, for many years past the well-known Washington correspondent, " Perley," of the Boston JOURNAL, clerk of the Congressional Committee on Printing, and author of the " Congressional Directory."
THE PALLADIUM.
The " WORCESTER PALLADIUM" was started by John S. C. Knowlton, Jan. 1, 1834, and continued by him as sole pro- prietor, publisher, and principal editor, until his decease, July
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1, 1871, and afterwards continued by his daughters until July, 1875, when they sold it to Charles Hamilton who had been its printer for many years. He published it a few months until Feb. 18, 1876, when its subscription list and good will were purchased by J. D. Baldwin & Co., and the paper merged in the " Massachusetts SPY." Mr. Knowlton, who came here from Lowell, started the Palladium originally as a " National Republican" or "Whig paper," but during the political canvass of 1838, owing to some controversy between the friends of Judge Thomas Kinnicutt and those of Judge Pliny Merrick, both then Whig candidates for the State Senate, Mr. Knowlton went over with Col. Merrick and others to the democratic par- ty the following year, and the " Republican" newspaper being discontinued, the " Palladium" thereafter took its place as a democratic organ. The Kansas and Nebraska policy of Frank- lin Pierce was too much for him, however, and in 1856, Mr. Knowlton found it most consistent with his previous political views to sustain the nomination of John C. Fremont, for Pres- ident by the then newly organized " National Republican" party of thecountry.
The Palladium was first printed in Dr. Green's building, over Mr. Harris' bookstore, by Moses W. Grout, till May 18, 1836, and then by Henry Rogers at the same place, till Dec. 20, 1837, when the office was removed to the Central Exchange, from which time the successive firms doing printing at the lat. ter place, beginning with Mirick & Bartlett, printed the Pal ladium.
The firms doing business as printers in the old Central Ex- change have been, beginning in 1834: Mirick & Bartlett, (Charles A. Mirick & E. Ward Bartlett), to 1839; E. W. Bartlett ; Charles A. Mirick & Co. ; Wallace & Ripley, (Wil- liam A. Wallace & Joseph B. Ripley ), to 1842; J. B. Ripley ; Kneeland & Metcalf; Lewis Metcalf; Church & Fiske. In 1843, the building was burned, and Church & Fiske found temporary quarters in Butman Block. After the " Exchange" was rebuilt, they removed back, and were succeeded by Church & Prentiss ; Samuel D. Church ; Benjamin J. Dodge, from 1846 to 1849; Tyler & Hamilton ; and Charles Ham- ilton, from 1851 to the present time.
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THE WATERFALL. CATARACT, WASHINGTONIAN, STANDARD, DEW DROP AND AGITATOR.
The " Worcester Waterfall and Washingtonian Delegate" was started at the beginning of the Washingtonian temperance movement, February 26, 1842, by Jesse W. Goodrich as edi- tor, with Lewis Metcalf as printer and publisher, in the Central Exchange. Church & Fiske took the paper in May, 1842, when they succeeded Mr. Metcalf in the printing business, and printed it as the organ of the temperance movement till March, 1843, with Mr. Goodrich as editor, when some difference arising between him and the publishers as to editorial authority, Mr. Goodrich's connection with it ceased, and the " Waterfall" was continued by the same publishers and print- ers. with Warren Lazell as editor, till December, 1843. Mean- while Mr. Goodrich had started another paper, the " Cataract and Washingtonian," as the organ of the Washingtonian move- ment, and the " Waterfall" became at this time united with it, Mr. Goodrich afterwards adding other names of deceased temperance organs, in other places, the consolidated paper con- tinuing in the field as a temperance organ for ten years there- after, with Mr. Goodrich as editor and manager.
THE CATARACT.
Jesse W. Goodrich started Wednesday, March 22, 1843, the first number of a new and spicy temperance paper, entitled " Worcester County Cataract and Massachusetts Washington- ian." devoted to total abstinence, the useful arts, morals, do- mestic economy and general intelligence, " in aid of the Wash- ingtonian Temperance Society of Worcester, all the Washing- tonian Temperance Societies of the county of Worcester, the Massachusetts Washingtonian Total Abstinence Society, and in co-operation with all the Washingtonian and teetotal societies and presses in the Commonwealth, the country and the world !" It was edited by J. W. Goodrich, whose law office was in the Central Exchange, and printed by R. B. Hancock in the Healy- Burnside Hall building. Jan. 3, 1844, the " Waterfall" hay- ing been purchased of Church & Fiske, the name was changed to " Cataract and Waterfall and Massachusetts Washington-
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ian." Sept. 11, 1845, the new heading appeared of .. Massachu- setts Cataract and Worcester County Waterfall," issued from the press of James M. Stone, then publisher of the State Sent- inel printed at the same place. From Jan. 1, 1845, it was printed by Moses Spooner, and published from the first " by an association of teetotallers," till March 25, 1847, when Jesse W. Goodrich & Danforth Brown became publishers, Mr. Good- rich continuing as editor, and Peter L. Cox becoming the print- er at No. 10 Central Exchange. Dec. 23, 1847, the " Middle- sex Standard" was consolidated with it, and the name changed to " Massachusetts Cataract and Temperance Standard," pub- lished both in Worcester and Boston. March 23, 1848, a pa- per called the " Monthly Temperance Journal," began to be published in connection with it. Aug. 31, 1848, the " Bristol County Dew Drop," a temperance weekly published in Taun- ton, was consolidated with the Cataract, giving it the lengthy name thereafter, of " Cataract, Waterfall, Standard and Dew Drop," published " simultaneously at Worcester, Boston and Taunton." From Jan. 1, 1848, the publishers were Goodrich, Brown & Co., to the close, with Mr. Goodrich as the editor from the beginning. From June 24, 1847, it was printed by Moses Spooner, who afterwards removed to Butman Block. From July 15 to Sept. 16, 1852, Rev. David Higgins was as- sociated with Mr. Goodrich in the editorial management. March 10, 1853, Mr. Goodrich issued his valedictory, announc- ing the sale of the establishment to Rev. David Higgins & Rev. Phinehas Crandall, who continued the paper a year or more under the name of " Temperance Agitator and Massachu- setts Cataract," their office being in Butman Block.
Mr. Goodrich conducted the paper for more than ten years, with great ability, displaying very much newspaporial talent. Several columns each week were devoted to full reports of tem- perance meetings held in the " Upper Town Hall," that being the era of the great " Washingtonian movement" of which this paper was the especial organ and promoter.
Mr. Goodrich was a man of decided talents, possessed of strong literary tastes, and wrote with much elegance and ex- ceedingly grammatical punctiliousness of style, though his sen-
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tences were frequently so long as to provoke much criticism. Hle was a great inventor of new and expressive words, seldom writing an article without something original in this direction. Among his many eccentricities was the manner in which he at- tempted to enter into the " state of matrimony." Instead of the ordinary method of procedure by a selection from those he became acquainted with in practical life, he inserted an ad- vertisement in Fowler & Wells' " Water Cure Journal," in New York, setting forth his want, his means and situation in life, and calling upon all marriageable young ladies to send in their proposals for the contract he desired to make, with a particular description of themselves, accompanied by their daguerreotypes. He described himself to them as " perfect in all his physiological functions and developments," and they were required to go into the minutest particulars in their own de- scription of themselves. In response to this request, a bushel of daguerreotype pictures were received, but while the recipient was engaged making his selection from such a multitude of contestants for matrimonial honors, he was suddenly removed from all earthly felicities, by death, June 14, 1857, aged 50.
THE STATE SENTINEL.
The " STATE SENTINEL" was the name of a weekly democratic paper, of the same size as its cotemporaries in Worcester, start- ed Jan. 1, 1844, by Granville Parker & William B. Maxwell, as the organ of the Van Buren or northern wing of the party, in opposition to the Palladium, the interests of which were sup- posed to be with the Calhoun or southern wing. The nomina- tion of James K. Polk for the presidency at the succeeding national democratic convention, by the adoption of the two- thirds rule, (Van Buren having a majority in that convention,) induced the proprietors to sell out the paper to James M. Stone, then of Lowell, who subsequently conducted it. It was printed during the first five or six months by R. B. Hancock in the Healy-Burnside building, and after that in the same printing office with the Cataract and Waterfall in the Central Exchange. The Sentinel was continued for a year or so after the election, supporting " Polk and Dallas" but opposing the annexation of
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Texas and kindred pro-slavery measures of the administration. The paper was afterwards united with the " Reformer," a temperance paper started by J. B. Ripley, and continued a while under the name of " Sentinel and Reformer," after which R. B. Hancock added the lists of other deceased papers thereto, and published a consolidated weekly paper for a short time under the expressive name of " Omnium Gatherum."
THE CHRISTIAN CITIZEN.
The " CHRISTIAN CITIZEN," commenced Jan. 1, 1844, by Elihu Burritt as editor and publisher, was devoted to the advocacy of religion, peace, anti-slavery, education and general information. It was continued seven years, the first year and a half it was printed by Church & Fiske and Church & Prentiss, then two years by Henry J. Howland, and after that in connection suc- cessively with the JEGrs and SPY printing offices. During the last four years, T. W. Butterfield was associated with Mr. Burritt as publisher, and Julius L. Clarke, Thomas Drew and James B. Syme were successively the resident associate editors. The Citizen had at one time a circulation of over four thou- sand, in almost every quarter of the civilized world, but the pa- per in the end was not a financial success, Mr. Burritt being absent in Europe most of the time, and extensively engaged there in his lecturing enterprises. He did not therefore, and could not, pay the requisite personal attention to this business enterprise at home to ensure its continued success. Mr. Bur- ritt was born in New Britain, Conn., Dec. 8, 1811, learned the trade of a blacksmith, and acquired such proficiency in the study of different languages, while working at his trade, as to have conferred upon him the cognomen of " The learned black- smith," first bestowed upon him by Gov. Everett, by which title he has been known all over the world. He came to Worcester in 1838, and worked for some time in the blacksmithing depart- ment of the late William A. Wheeler's iron works on Thomas street, the occasion of his coming here, being that he might have the advantages of the Antiquarian Library, for the pur- suit of his studies. Among those most instrumental in bring. ing him to public notice were Gov. Everett and William Lin-
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coln. Mr. Burritt's fame soon spread, both as a lecturer and writer, and there was a great demand for his services as a lecturer, and for his writings. He gave the first lecture ever given before the Worcester County Mechanics' Association, Feb. 21, 1842, in the Town Hall, at that time the rival of Brin- ley Hall for public entertainments, the hall being crowded to its utmost capacity. Mr. Burritt lectured during that winter sixty-eight times in different places, with great success, on scientific and moral subjects, astronomy, peace, natural philoso- phy, &c. His published translations and writings on various subjects would comprise a large number of volumes. After the starting of the Citizen, he devoted himself largely to the cause of peace and universal brotherhood, both in this country and in England, where he went in 1846, remaining several years. He was for some years resident consul at Birmingham. For nearly twenty years past he has resided in his native town.
The " LITERARY GEMINE," a monthly periodical of forty-eight pages, one half filled with the " choicest morceaux of French literature" in French, the other half being printed in English, was published by Elihu Burritt for one year from June, 1839.
THE GAZETTE.
The " WORCESTER COUNTY GAZETTE" was started Jan. 2, 1845, as an organ of. the " Liberty Party" in politics, by Rev. R. B. Hubbard, for three years previous principal of the Latin Grammar or High School in the centre district, and the nom- inee of his party for Representative in Congress in the campaign of 1844. It was printed by Rev. Jonathan L. Estey for about six months, and after that until its discontinuance, Feb. 24, 1847, by J. L. Estey & D. C. Evans, in Charles Paine's block, corner of Main and Pleasant street. Estey & Evans were also the publishers after Aug. 6, 1845, Rev. R. B. Hubbard being the editor from the beginning.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS.
" The AMERICAN HERALD and WORCESTER RECORDER" was the name of a paper published in Worcester, one year and two months from Aug. 21, 1788, by Edward Eveleth Powers, print-
Elihu Burritt
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er and bookseller. During the preceding seven years it had been printed in Boston under its first name " AMERICAN HERALD." It was devoted chiefly to agriculture.
" The INDEPENDENT GAZETTEER" is the name of a paper com- menced Jan. 7, 1800, and published by Nahum Mower, (brother of the late Ebenezer Mower,) and Daniel Greenleaf, (father of the late William Greenleaf,) until Oct. 7, following, from which time Daniel Greenleaf continued it to Jan. 1, 1802, when the list was transferred to the SPY, on which paper both had previously been employed as printers, and where they had learned their trade. It was printed in the same place where the Ægis was first printed.
Four numbers of a small sheet called the " Massachusetts Herald, or Worcester Journal," were printed on Saturday, Sept. 6, 13, 20 and 27, 1783, " by Isaiah Thomas at his office near the Court House."
The " WORCESTER MAGAZINE AND HISTORICAL JOURNAL" was published by William Lincoln & Christopher C. Baldwin, in quarto form, for one year from June, 1825, comprising two vol- umes. The numbers comprising the first volume, were issued twice a month, and those of the second volume once a month. Besides selections of a general historical and biographical char- acter, this publication contained brief histories of different towns in the county. Isaac Goodwin was among the princi- pal contributors of historical matter.
The WORCESTER MAGAZINE, published by Wm. Campbell, the first news dealer of Worcester, and edited by J. Milton Thayer, student at law with Wm. Lincoln, Esq., now Gov. of Nebraska, was a pamphlet of 32 pages, started in Jan., 1843, and continu- ing only till July. It was edited with ability, had a corps of the best writers at home and abroad, but having no financial basis, it succumbed to the inevitable after a brief existence.
" THE WASP" is the name of a democratic campaign paper of small size, issued from the office of the " Worcester Palla- dium" for three months preceding the election in 1842.
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The " WORCESTER TALISMAN," a literary and miscellaneous journal, consisting principally of selections, was published on successive Saturdays, during one year from April 5, 1828, on an octavo sheet, forming one volume, by Dorr & Howland, booksellers, and was continued to Oct. 15, 1829, in quarto form, by John Milton Earle, in connection with the SPY.
" THE HEART OF THE COMMONWEALTH" started in 1854, was a compact and pretty little weekly edited and published about a year by Pliny Earle, a son of the editor of the SPY. It was rather more than a boy's paper, and a little less than a man's- so men and boys were its patrons, and it enjoyed a good cir- culation.
The " BAY STATE PRESS," a Temperance paper, was started by Blake Bros. in 1869, but endured but a few weeks ; The ANTHROPOLOGICAL JOURNAL, a monthly, was printed for a few months by J. F. Smith in 1868; and a cloud of boys' papers which we have no means of enumerating, make up the list of enterprises which have been undertaken during the last thirty years.
THE FRENCH NEWSPAPERS.
There have been several newspapers in Worcester printed in French. The first one was "L'Idee Nouvelle," half in English and half in French, began in 1869, three pages published in Burlington, Vt., and the fourth page in Worcester, printed by Tyler & Seagrave, Mederic Lanctot, editor and publisher. It existed only three months. It was succeeded by " L' Etendard National," in October, the same year, also printed by Tyler & Seagrave, Ferd. Gagnon being editor and proprietor. This lat- ter was published one year in Worcester, and afterwards in Montreal, illustrated, but dated from Worcester. Its circula- tion was 3000, and it existed till April, 1875.
" Le Foyer Canadien," Gagnon & Houde, editors and pro- prietors, was started March, 1873, and published here till Octo- ber, 1874, since which it has been published in Montreal by. Fred Houde.
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" Le Travelleur," a sheet 26 by 37 inches, was begun in October, 1874, by Ferd. Gagnon, editor and proprietor, office in the Central Exchange, as was also that of " Le Foyer Canadien" while printed here. "Le Travelleur" is the most permanently established Franco-Canadien newspaper in the United States. It has a special edition for the State of Rhode Island, dated from Worcester, under the name of " Le Courrier Canadien."
THE DAILY PAPERS.
The DAILY SPY is noticed in conjunction with the Weekly with which it is connected. The cotemporary dailies, started independent of existing weeklies, and living for a longer or shorter period, are as follows :
THE DAILY TRANSCRIPT.
The first daily paper started in Worcester bore the name of the " DAILY TRANSCRIPT," of which the first number was printed June 23, 1845. This was published and edited by Julius L. Clarke, (now State Auditor,) Mr. Clarke having been for a short time previous connected with the " Christian Citizen." During the first six months, it was printed by Estey & Evans, and after that by Peter L. Cox in the Central Exchange. Af- ter Jan. 9, 1846, it was published by J. L. Clarke & J. H. Everett. July 10, following, J. H. Everett became sole propri- etor and publisher, and after March 11, it was published by J. H. Everett & Co. at what was then No. 205 Main street (now No. 341.) During the latter portion of its existence, a weekly paper called the " Bay State Farmer and Mechanics' Ledger" was published in connection with this daily, and both were continued until May 1, 1847, when the subscription lists of both daily and weekly were purchased by John Milton Earle, and incorporated with the SPY. Mr. Earle continued this con- solidated daily for a year under the name of the " Daily Trans- cript," and then changed the name back to "Daily SPY," June 24, 1848, at the beginning of the memorable political campaign of that year, the weekly paper in connection all the while bear- ing the same old historic name of " The Massachusetts SPY."
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Mr. Clarke not long after started another daily paper called the " Worcester Daily Telegraph," printed by Cushing & Gerrish, successors of Peter L. Cox in the Central Exchange, which was continued for a brief period till the spring of 1849, and then another daily called the " Daily Tribune," was pub- lished for a short time by J. Addison Allen & Co.
THE SECOND DAILY TRANSCRIPT-AFTERWARDS EVENING GAZETTE.
April 1, 1851, a paper called the " DAILY MORNING TRANS- CRIPT," (having no connection with the " Daily Transcript" begun by Julius L. Clarke in 1845,) was started by J. Burrill & Co., publishers and proprietors, who had a periodical office at "No. 5 Merchants' Row," in the one-story block then in front of the " Worcester House." It was the first two-cent daily in Worcester, neutral in politics, and edited by Julius L. Clarke. May 22, 1851, the material, subscription list and good will were purchased by Silas Dinsmore, who con- tinued the paper as publisher and proprietor from that date as an organ of the Whig party, with Mr. Clarke as editor, chang- ing it to a cent paper, and altering the . heading to " Daily Transcript." In 1854, Charles E. Stevens succeeded Mr. Clarke as editor for six months, followed by Edwin Bynner, John B. D. Coggswell, (now president of the senate,) and others. Mr. Dinsmore printed the paper at his present location, over his store. He sold it, April 1, 1855, including the " Weekly Transcript" published on Saturdays in connection with it, to William R. Hooper, who immediately conveyed it to Edward R. Fiske & Werden Reynolds. This firm published it one year, with Z. K. Pangborn as editor. The paper was then published by the " Worcester Transcript Company" as an or- gan of the " American Republican" party with Mr. Pangborn as editor, till Feb. 1, 1857, when William R. Hooper took it again uniting with its weekly the "National Ægis," and publish- ed the " Daily Transcript" and " Weekly Ægis and Transcript" at the former office of the Ægis in Butman Block, as Republic- an papers, till April 1, 1864, when he sold out his newspaper establishment to Caleb A. Wall. The latter edited and pub-
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lished the " Daily Transcript" and Weekly " Ægis and Trans- cript" at the old quarters till Jan. 1, 1866, when he sold out to S. B. Bartholomew & Co., (Charles A. Chase being the Co.) They enlarged the daily, and changed the name to " Worces- ter Evening Gazette," and that of the weekly to " Ægis and Gazette," removing the office for a year to the Central Ex- change, and then removing to the present quarters in Butman Block. Charles H. Doe & Charles H. Woodwell purchased the establishment, May 3, 1869, and since the death of Mr. Woodwell, Jan. 30, 1871, Charles H. Doe, Charles A. Chase, and Alexander F. Wadsworth have been the proprietors, under the firm of Charles H. Doe & Co., with Mr. Doe as managing editor and publisher. Preceding Mr. Doe, May 3, 1869, Chas. B. Thomas had been editor for two years, and for six months subsequent to the change of proprietorship, Jan. 1, 1866, Ger- man W. Foss, (twin brother of Samuel S. Foss of the Woon- socket Patriot,) was the editor. The " Transcript" became an evening paper, Doc. 11, 1859, and its successor, the " Evening Gazette," has established itself as a permanent institution among us. Its manager, Mr. Doe, now in his ninth year of service here, had had several years' previous experience in an editorial capacity on the " Boston Advertiser."
WORCESTER DAILY JOURNAL.
A paper called the " WORCESTER DAILY JOURNAL," was started Sept. 1, 1847, by James Hartwell Everett, previously of the " Transcript," as publisher, and A. W. Thayer as editor, office in Bowen's block, corner of Main and Mechanic street. After a hiatus of two weeks, the second number was issued Sept. 15, the office being then and afterwards at "Bancroft's auction- room" on the south corner of Main and Exchange streets. Jan. 1, 1848, the publishing firm was changed to J. H. Everett & Co., and the paper was discontinued May 22, 1848. It was neutral in politics, with anti-slavery and temperance leanings. This paper was started again, enlarged, Oct. 2, 1849, by J. H. Everett & S. V. Stone, as publishers and proprietors ; Wm. Hunt, editor ; and J. Addison Allen, printer. A semi-weekly and weekly were also started in connection with it, the weekly being called the " Bay State Farmer and Mechanics' Ledger," but all had only a brief existence, being discontinued Oct. 22.
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