USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > The story of Essex County, Volume II > Part 32
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"May be as how you will think that I'm out of my element in getting this put into the paper ; but d'ye see I'm out of employ just now, and must be doing some good. If I was a minister now and had my wages going on all the year round, look ye, I'd be tied up before I'd be spending my time in putting out newspapers, especially 'republican' ones, which call us Ameri- can Sailors, Tories, and want to make us all slaves, as they are in France !
"Huzza then for Washington, Federalism, and a Steady Helem !
"HARRY HAULYARD.
"Friend Cushing,
"Please to splice the above to the end of one of your columns."
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One of the most amusing circumstances connected with this period was that of the "Pictorial Gerrymander." The Democratic Legis- lature of 1811-12 had carved and cut up the towns of Essex County in such a manner as to favor the election of a Democratic member of Congress from Essex South. The district thus formed was very strange in its outlines, running from Salem all around the line of back towns, Lynn, Andover, Haverhill, and ending at Salisbury. This curious arrangement struck the eye of Gilbert Stuart, the celebrated painter, as presenting the outlines of a natural monster, and he accordingly took his pencil, and by affixing claws to the lower extremi- ties at Salem and Marblehead, wings to the back at Andover, and a "horrid beak" at Salisbury, produced the figure of a creature which he said would do for a Salamander. But Major Benjamin suggested that it might more properly be called a "Gerrymander" in allusion to Elbridge Gerry, the Democratic Governor of the State. It ever after received this title. An engraving of the monster was inserted in the "Gazette" and printed upon handbills as an electioneering document. In 1813, when the Democrats were defeated, the Federalists were in high glee over the "Gerrymander" which had been so useful to them, and on the morning after the election in April, a figure of the skeleton of the deceased monster appeared in the "Gazette" with the appro- priate epitaph, "Hatched 1812, Killed 1813." There was subse- quently published a picture of the nondescript in its coffin and a fac- simile of the gravestone, together with an amusing program of mock ceremonials at its funeral.
The amiable and gifted Cushing, on account of ill health, with- drew from the paper in December, 1822, and died two years later, aged sixty. He had strong powers of mind, warmth of fancy, a wide knowledge, and a familiar acquaintance with the best of English litera- ture, which gave attraction and fascination to his conversation.
The Salem "Register" was the eighth newspaper established in Salem, issuing its first copy in May of 1800. It was started in oppo- sition to the Federalist party, with the motto:
"Here shall the Press the People's Rights maintain, Unawed by Influence, and unbribed by Gain ;
Here Patriot Truth her glorious precepts draw, Pledged to Religion, Liberty and Law."
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In 1802, the editor, Mr. Carlton, was convicted of libel for assert- ing in the "Register's" columns that "Robert Liston, the British Ambassador, distributed five hundred thousand dollars amongst the partizans of the English nation in America." Carlton implied that Timothy Pickering had partaken of "these secret largesses, some lit- tle token, some small gratuity, for all his zealous efforts against liberty and her sons, for all his attachment to the interests of England." The editor was tried before the Supreme Court at Ipswich in April, 1803. His conviction consisted of a sentence to pay a fine of one hundred dollars and costs, to be imprisoned in the county jail two months, and to give bonds with sureties of eight hundred dollars to keep the peace for two years. This embroglio illustrates the rancor of party feeling at this time.
During his imprisonment Mr. Carlton suffered from fever and soon after his release, in 1805, he died. The paper continued under the proprietorship of his widow, then under a series of other editors. Whig party politics were vigorously pushed and later the publication supported the Republican party.
At about this time there were some periodicals of a purely literary character, such as the "Weekly Visitant" and the "Friend," which were designed to afford their patrons more agreeable reading than was furnished in the political papers. Also were there publications of a humorous nature. In 1807-08, John S. Appleton, known as a ready wit, got out two or three small humorous papers. One of these was known as "The Fool," by Thomas Brainless, Esq., LL. D., jester to his majesty, the public. Another useless, foolish publication was issued in 1807, know as the "Barbershop," kept by Sir David Razor. In all of these light-weight papers the Republican party was held up to satire and ridicule.
The first number of the Salem "Observer" was published in 1823 by William and Stephen B. Ives-the former an apprentice of Mr. Cushing of the "Gazette." Proposals for publishing in Salem this new literary and commercial paper were advertised in the Salem "Gazette." The prospectus gives this information : "The 'Observer' will be devoted to moral and literary essays, elegant selections and short reviews of fashionable authors. It will also be open to every species of commercial intelligence, and to notices of useful improve- ments in agriculture, manufactures and the various mechanic arts.
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It is proposed also that an early notice should be given of such new law decisions as shall take place from time to time, a knowledge of which shall be thought important to the members of the various classes of society, in order to guide them in their transactions with each other. With regard to the political character of the paper, it is sufficient to observe that the conduct of it will be regulated solely by a sincere wish for the welfare of the country and the happiness of its citizens."
The "Observer" was the first newspaper in Salem to install a cylin- der press. Strangely enough, there was no mechanical improvement of any note in printing from Gutenberg's day, in 1450, until the inven- tion of the Adams press in Boston, in 1830.
In 1834, the "Landmark," a semi-weekly, was launched, standing out boldly for three things: anti-slavery, temperance, and opposition to the teachings of the Unitarian religious faith. A communication was published in January, 1835, which aroused considerable excite- ment. It was written by the Reverend George B. Cheever and entitled "Enquire at Amos Giles' Distillery." It set forth in lurid colors the evils attending the manufacture, sale, and use of intoxi- cating liquors, and depicted, with great severity of language, the responsibility of those engaged in the liquor business. It was under- stood to have personal reference to a prominent and reputable citizen of Salem, a deacon of the First Church, who was a distiller. The editor apologized in the next number for the appearance of the obnoxious article, but this did not diminish the public furor. Two weeks later Mr. Cheever was publicly whipped in Essex Street by Elias Ham, the foreman of the distillery, who used a cowhide for the purpose. In the evening of the same day an attack was made upon the "Landmark" office, with the apparent design of wrecking it, but it was defended from the inside and the assault failed. Ham was fined fifty dollars for the whipping. Cheever was tried for libel and, although defended by Rufus Choate, was convicted and sentenced to a fine of one thousand dollars and imprisonment in Salem jail for one month. He was escorted to jail by his friends, who furnished him with every convenience and luxury.
The Free-Soil movement in 1848 led to the establishment of the "Essex County Freeman," designed to aid the anti-slavery movement. There were many other papers to which lack of space prevents refer-
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PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS
ence. The Salem "Evening News" was founded in 1880 by Robin Damon to collect the local news of the town. It has been very success- ful to this day, possessing a fine plant and ranking as one of the most progressive dailies in its class in New England. In the course of the nineteenth century the art of type making advanced rapidly, as did wood-cutting. A comparison of the rough adornments of the papers of the Revolutionary period with the perfect wood engravings of the 'eighties affords a contrast nearly as great as the laborious opera- tion of the old hand press beside the wonderful rapidity of today's printing machinery.
The scientific publications should be listed as being part of the literary products in Salem. Benjamin L. Oliver was a distinguished contributor to scientific works before the Revolution, his "Essays on Comets" being published from pioneer Hall's printing office. The names of Count Rumford, John Pickering, Nathaniel Bowditch and Charles L. Page should be included. The Essex Institute and the Peabody Academy of Science have both been prolific in their publica- tions in recent decades. The "Journal" of the Essex County Natural History Society from 1838 through the Civil War period published many collections of historical sketches, now invaluable to students and lovers of history. The "American Naturalist," an illustrated journal of natural history, had its origin in Salem, but later was transferred to New York and Philadelphia.
In 1825 Lynn received its first newspaper called the "Mirror," conducted by Charles F. Lummus. There were only nineteen lines of editorial matter in the whole paper for the first issue, nor were there any greetings to the public nor any allusions to the prospects, plans, or expectations of the publisher. An original tale occupied five of the little columns, and an original poem filled the other. Three or four advertisements appeared on the third page; and the rest of the paper was made up of news items and short extracts. The four pages of the sheet were each a fraction less than nine inches by eleven, the type was much worn, the ink poor, the paper coarse and dingy. A copy was sent in exchange to the "New England Galaxy," but came back with the second E in the word "weekly" changed to an A. For a consider- able time the "Mirror" could boast of little in quantity, in an editorial way, but what it had was good in quality. It soon became a very readable paper. As the proprietor gathered confidence and became
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THE STORY OF ESSEX COUNTY
more experienced, he displayed most excellent taste and judgment in his selections. The appearance of the paper would frequently change, as every so often a new head, a different width column, or new type would appear. A page or two was always run in large type in order to please the older readers, whose eyesight was poor. In 1832 the paper was discontinued as it no longer served to support its editor.
A great many papers during the course of the century lived a short life, and what good they had done was interred with their bones. One of these, the "Pioneer," was for three months edited in the Salem jail because its owner had assailed a local judge. In 1877 the "Daily Evening Item" came into existence. It did not miss an issue when its establishment was wiped out in the great fire of 1889, as its printing was transferred to Boston. The Lynn "Telegram" began publica- tion in 1912 as a daily evening paper in Lynn. Nearby the Saugus "Herald" is printed once a week with a purely home news content.
The first newspaper in Haverhill was started in 1793. From that time on down through the years the city was never without a local paper. It is said that the "Gazette" was the first political paper that ever came out in advocacy of total abstinence from intoxicating liquors. By 1861 there were four newspapers published in the com- munity, namely, the "Gazette," "Essex Banner," "Tri-Weekly Pub- lisher," and "Essex County Democrat," all of which aggregated a circulation of some four thousand copies. The Haverhill "Evening Gazette" is now the only daily published. It is entirely independent politically and makes its position quite clear by carrying at the head of its editorial columns: "The 'Gazette' is a fighter-it aims to be a real friend of the common people and believes in the masses more than in the classes. It espouses every deserving cause and cares nothing for so-called party obligations if the people be the gainer by advocating an independent policy."
The first newspaper established in Newburyport was the "Essex ยท Journal and Merrimac Packet," first published in December, 1774. A Federalist paper, the "Imperial Herald," came into existence in 1793, with a make-up of four pages of four columns each. It was published each Saturday afternoon and cost nine shillings a year. One hundred years later, in 1880, a "Daily Evening Herald" was started, which was the first daily newspaper in Massachusetts outside of Boston.
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PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS
The "Chronicle" was established in Amesbury in 1832. It con- tinued for many years under different names until it was surpassed in importance by the "Daily News," to which John G. Whittier, the poet, contributed so generously. At one time this famous man wrote all the political editorials.
For the first two centuries after its founding, the inhabitants of Gloucester depended on the outside press such as the Boston "News Letter" and the Salem "Gazette." In 1877 the "Telegraph" came out under the editorship of William E. P. Rogers and remained under his guidance until it was sold in 1833. As was usual with all the smaller Essex County journals, the paper changed hands many times, and was finally discontinued in 1876. Its early issues were devoted almost entirely to miscellany, little attention being paid to local and general news. The first copy was a sheet of four pages of five columns each, of which nearly one-half was devoted to advertisements. It was started as a paper neutral in politics and continued so until 1834, when upon the commencement of a vigorous political warfare between the supporters and opponents of President Jackson's admin- istration, it became a strenuous advocate of the Whigs.
Once Gloucester had a printing press the town felt impelled to publish a religious paper, the "Christian Neighbors." This did not claim to be a controversial paper, but its sectarian bias was in favor of evangelical doctrines, and its first issue contained a review of three sermons preached by the liberal clergyman of the town. The appeal for its support was not strong enough to attract a sufficient number of sub- scribers, thus no second number was printed. Later in the same year an effort was made to establish a paper in behalf of the doctrine of Universalism, and the first number of the "Liberal Companion" was issued. But this effort was also futile, and publication ended with the initial issue.
The second strictly local paper was the "Gloucester News," which was first issued October II, 1848. It was published on Tuesday and Friday mornings, while the above-mentioned "Telegraph" was issued on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and the rivalry between the two papers was at times exceedingly keen. Another paper also entered the field of competition, called the "Cape Ann Advertiser." It was devoted for the most part to local news and established the policy of having special correspondents in the neighboring towns and suburban
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THE STORY OF ESSEX COUNTY
villages. During the Civil War it maintained correspondents with practically all the Gloucester companies which served in the Union armies, thus securing an invaluable record of the experiences and doings of the men who represented Gloucester in the camps and on the battlefields in that great struggle.
The Gloucester "Daily Times," which was started in 1888, has outlived all its competitors, having had the field to itself without competition since 1909. It was the first paper to be printed upon a perfecting press. Originally starting with four pages, it now prints as many as sixteen pages, as the demands of the news and advertising may require.
The first newspaper in Lawrence, according to the historical rec- ords, was the "Merrimack Courier," undertaken by J. F. C. Hayes in October, 1846. It suspended shortly after Lincoln's election in 1860. In 1848 a Democratic paper, entitled the "Vanguard," was published by Fabyan and Douglas. The name was subsequently changed to the "Sentinel." Perhaps Lawrence amply illustrates the typical trend of journalism in the nineteenth century in that a great many papers lived but a few years. It was decidedly a case of the ulti- mate survival of the fittest. It is a long step from a weekly paper like the "Merrimack Courier," of small size and circulation, to a modern daily such as the "Evening Tribune," with its large circulation and extensive advertising patronage, giving its readers probably more news matter in a single issue than the old-time weekly did in a three months' period. These weekly publications were, however, the foun- dation of present day journalism; although their progress was slow, there was a continuous advance until the more daring of the publishers experimented with a daily issue. For instance, here is an abbreviated chronological list of the Lawrence publications during a part of the last century :
1847-"The Weekly Messenger," published by Brown and Becket for about two years. "The Engine," issued by E. R. Wilkins, of only two issues.
1848-"The Herald," published by Amos H. Sampson for a few months.
1855-"The Lawrence American," published by George W. Sar- gent and A. S. Bunker.
1856-"The Home Review," later merged into the "Courier."
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PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS
1867-"The Essex Eagle," started by Charles G. Merrill and H. A. Wadsworth.
1871-"The Lawrence Journal," started by Robert Bower, who soon sold it to Patrick Sweeney, who changed its name to the "Sunday Register."
The Lawrence "American" gained rapidly in influence and was considered among the foremost weeklies of New England. In July, IS68, an afternoon daily was issued under the same name and was highly esteemed throughout the State. The proprietor, Major Mer- rill, who was of considerable political influence, disposed of his plant in 1892 to William S. Jewett, who started a new paper called the "Sun." In 1914, under new management, the "Sun" was discon- tinued and the name of the afternoon paper changed to the "Sun- American." The "Sunday Sun" still continues as the only Lawrence Sunday newspaper, and the "Daily Eagle" has the honor of being the oldest daily newspaper in the city. In 1873 these papers were sold and resold in 1890. The "Evening Tribune" was begun as an after- noon paper in 1890. It was successful from the very beginning and steadily gained in influence and prestige.
Until 1851 Beverly depended upon Salem newspapers for its local events, but finally the Beverly "Citizen" appeared as a six-column folio printed in Boston. It passed through various hands until it sus- pended in June, 1919, on account of the high cost of material and labor. The Beverly "Evening Times" was established in 1893 by the publishers of the "Weekly Times." With the rapid population growth there seemed to be need of a home daily. When the question of a city charter for Beverly came up for discussion, a daily edition of the "Times" was promised by the publishers of the "Weekly Times" if the charter should be granted. The city was canvassed and six hun- dred subscribers for a daily paper were secured. In spite of the panic of 1893, the first issue of the "Daily Evening Times" was printed, and inside of six months the circulation increased to one thousand. The paper commenced as a six-column folio and at the end of the second year had eight columns.
The "North Shore Breeze" was started in the spring of 1904 by its editor, J. Alex. Lodge. From the beginning it focused its atten- tion upon the summer resort people in the section between Boston and
Essex-59
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THE STORY OF ESSEX COUNTY
Newburyport. In form it is a magazine, ranging from twenty-four pages in the winter months to more than eighty in the summer season. The "Breeze" is very popular with the large floating population of wealthy summer residents, thus the subscriptions are by the year and the magazine follows them to their winter homes. It has been said that the "North Shore Breeze" is probably read by more millionaires than any other weekly paper in America. It was first printed in Bev- erly, but in 1906 Editor Lodge moved it to his home town of Man- chester because he had bought a small printing office that later devel- oped into one of the best equipped publishing plants in Essex County. The publication was incorporated in 1910, the only stockholders out- side the original owner being a few of the representative summer resi- dents, whose personal interest in the enterprise had much to do with the constant growth of the business. In 1913 a weekly named the "North Shore Reminder," published in the Swampscott-Marblehead section and quite similar to the "Breeze," was purchased by Mr. Lodge. This consolidated the entire North Shore field from Nahant to Newburyport, including Cape Ann, but the paper still maintains a local interest in that section of the shore line including Magnolia, Manchester, Beverly Farms, and Prides Crossing.
The first local newspaper in Ipswich was the "Journal," issued weekly from 1827-28. Next came the "Register," which only lasted a year, leaving the town without a newspaper until 1850, when a fortnightly of good news content, called the "Clarion," was issued. In 1868 the "Bulletin" appeared, whose owner proposed to furnish a paper to several nearby towns by merely changing the name of the paper, thus the Rockport "Quarry" and the Ipswich "Bulletin" had the same content, but different names. This idea in journalism was soon followed by the "patent" sheet system of stereotyped stories and news. The only paper that has survived is the Ipswich "Chronicle," established in 1872. Politically independent, it is printed on eight pages, each with six columns.
The first newspaper in Marblehead, the "Register," was pub- lished for three years after 1830 by an editor who struggled heroically to make the venture a success, but his efforts were futile, and he was obliged to suspend publication. Several others were later published, but met with the same fate, save for the "Messenger," whose genesis was in 1871, and whose sheets are still being circulated throughout the town on each Friday.
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PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS
It has been necessary to treat the newspapers of the county in a somewhat telescopic manner because of lack of space. Not all of them have been discussed or even mentioned, but it has been the pur- pose of this work to deal briefly with the subject, putting more empha- sis on the early papers than on the present publications, which are able to speak for themselves. Needless to say, the county's activities in regard to the news have been more than energetic, and have been in keeping with the characteristics of its people.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to take up the printing activities of the Essex towns and cities, but in order that the general trend may at least be noticed, a particular example has been chosen; namely, a brief account of the history of printing in Andover. Already the field has been amply recorded in a monograph by Scott H. Paradise, of the Phillips Academy faculty. This condensation is such an excellent piece of work that the author, in conclusion, prefers to invigorate the reader with that account rather than by any remarks he might make :
"In August, 1912, an old brick building was torn down which had stood for eighty years close to the Phillips Academy campus. It was the building connected with the famous Ando- ver Printing House, which one hundred years ago had done so much to make Andover Hill a theological and spiritual power throughout the whole world.
"When Eliphalet Pearson, the first principal of Phillips Academy, for twenty years professor and sometime acting president at Harvard, returned to Andover in 1806 to pro- pose the establishment of America's first theological seminary, there were two great aims which he wished to accomplish. The first was to create a stronghold of Calvinism, which might counteract the spirit of Unitarianism then spreading at Harvard. The second was to make the new seminary a place not only for acquiring but for improving the literature of theology, and especially to provide for the publication of learned treatises.
"As early as 1798 Messrs. Ames and Parker had set up a printing press in Andover. Galen Ware was conducting it in 1810, and in 1813, five years after the founding of the Semi- nary, this press was enlarged through the enterprise of Dr.
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Pearson and established on the second floor of the 'Old Hill Store.' This was an ugly, angular building built in 1810 near the present site of the P. A. E. Society House by Deacon Mark Newman who, though principal of Phillips Academy from 1795 to 1809, had now retired as bookseller to the Academy and Seminary folk, and publisher of religious treatises.
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