USA > Michigan > Saginaw County > History of Saginaw County, Michigan; historical, commercial, biographical, Volume II > Part 70
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AAlthough there was a good business prospect for an afternoon journal, the early days of the News were full of trouble. Mechanical difficulties were few compared with others which had to be met. There were two morn- ing papers in the field and one of these sought to head off the News by printing an evening edition called the Evening Express. Possessing a fully equipped newspaper plant, a large press, an organized staff, a telegraphic news franchise and established delivery routes the odds were largely in favor of the Express. The News efforts to obtain the day service franchise were strongly opposed by the publishers of the Express, and the early issues of the former were minus press despatches excepting a few costly specials. So it was a fight for existence, and the fittest survived, but it cost the News publishers many months of hard work, long hours, and much worry as to where the funds for the regular pay rolls were to come from.
It was due to a sense of justice shown by the publishers of the other morning paper that the anomalous situation was ended. Charles V. Deland, the proprietor of the Herald, espoused the cause of the News and used his influence in its behalf : and after considerable delay the evening paper secured the Associated Press day news service, enabling them to publish a newspaper in fact as well as in name. Its early rival, the Express, suspended publi- cation about a year after it was started leaving the News alone in the evening field for several years. Other evening papers appeared at different times. including the Journal, a West Side publication, which died of inanition, and the Mail which secured the United Press service and proved a strong com- petitor, making existence fairly precarious for both evening papers. Upon the suspension of the Mail, the United Press franchise was purchased by the News.
In 1885 the News, which had been published at 319 Genesee Street (upstairs), was removed to the new building of Seemann & Peters on Tus- cola Street, and remained there until its final removal to its handsome new building at Washington and Germania Avenues. Meanwhile, the paper was sold to E. N. Dingley of Kalamazoo, who took charge on February 15. 1893. He soon after disposed of the property to Eugene McSweeney and John T. Winship, who conducted the paper successfully until 1910, when they sold the property to the present owners. The name was then changed to Saginaw Daily News by which it is known today.
During the management of Messrs. McSweeney and Winship, covering a period of about seventeen years, the News made a great advancement, not only in circulation and advertising matter, but in its general make-up. appear- ance of the sheet and the influence it exerted upon the public mind. In 1893 the paper was printed on a Cottrell press, all the type was set by hand, and the daily circulation was only twenty-six hundred. That year it purchased a Duplex perfecting press, and shortly after a battery of three Mergenthaler
65S
HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY
-
THE NEW HOME OF THE SAGINAW DAILY NEWS
type-setting machines was installed. It was not long before the business outgrew this equipment, and a single-deck Iloe press replaced the Duplex, and two more type-setting machines were added. About that time the publishers purchased the second evening newspaper, the Saginaw Globe, giving it the entire afternoon field and placing it far in the lead among the Saginaw newspapers.
From a humble beginning and steady progress the News has grown to be one of the strongest and most influential newspapers in the State, and the leading daily of northeastern Michigan. Its circulation continued to increase rapidly and when it reached twenty-thousand daily and its quarters became very cramped. in 1908, a three-deck Goss press, with color attach- ment. was installed in additional space secured in the old Armory building on North Franklin Street. A large room was also provided at that time for a news boys' recreation hall, a feature which was greatly appreciated by the urchins, large and small, who delivered the paper to thousands of Saginaw homes and sold the paper on the streets.
It was the ambition of the owners and managers of the Daily News to own a modern newspaper printing plant, in which all its various activities and operations might be centered. This ambition, however, was subservient to the effort to first publish a paper that would meet every want of the community which it sought to satisfy. and it was not until 1915 that the way seemed clear to provide the much needed improvement. In that year the valuable property at the southwest corner of Washington and Germania Avenues was purchased and plans drawn for a three-story terra cotta, brick
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VARIED COMMERCIAL INTERESTS
and concrete building to occupy the site. The handsome building of white terra cotta facing was completed in September, 1916, and on Thursday the twenty-first it was opened to public inspection.
This magnificent building is a monument of faith which is held by the Daily News in the future prosperity of Saginaw. It is the first structure of the kind in this city, is as nearly fire-proof as modern construction with steel girders, concrete and brick with terra cotta can make it, and is equipped with an automatic two-source sprinkler system having four hundred sprinkler heads. From a short distance the building looks like a mass of marble having wonderful window effects, and lerds an impression of dignity and character.
The main entrance on Washington Avenue opens into a spacious lobby, about which are arranged the business offices. The floor is of mosaic tiling, the counters are of quarter-sawed oak with marble base, while the ceiling is finished in tints of old gold. The offices are equipped with every convenience for persons transacting business with the News: and at the left of the en- trance is the office of the editor and manager from which the entire business of the institution is directed. Immediately back of the business office is the mailing room, well lighted and well ventilated, with every modern con- venience for assembling and sending out the large mail edition of the News.
BATTERY OF LINOTYPES
COMPOSING ROOM
FOUR-DECK GOSS HIGH-SPEED PRESS
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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY
The press room is back of this department, and is specially designed for its work and provides for any additional press equipment that may be necessary in the future. Enormous windows afford abundant light and give a view of the press room from the street. At the west end of the build- ing is the boys' delivery room so arranged that papers are passed out as they come from the press, eliminating confusion and delay. A twelve-foot alleyway on the west and south sides of the building affords every facility for rapid loading of motor trucks for speedy delivery of the paper to trains.
On the second floor are situated the editorial, composing and stereo- typing rooms, which share the feature common to all in the building of being splendidly lighted and scientifically ventilated. In the front part is situated the editorial department housing the Associated Press special wire service carried by the Daily News, and the city, telegraph and society editors and the editorial writers and reporters. In such admirable quarters work becomes a pleasure. On the south side is the library and conference room, an apartment specially appointed for the purpose. The composing room is long and broad, decorated in orange and old ivory tints, and the provision for artificial lighting is the best known to the electrical world. The mechanical equipment consists of six linotype machines and all-steel composing room appliances. Adjoining this room is the stereotyping depart- ment where all matrix casting and finishing work is done. There is direct elevator connection with the press room below, for lowering the forms ready for the press cylinders. The mechanical departments are provided with shower baths and toilet arrangements in keeping with the sanitary equipments of the building.
The News Auditorium occupies the entire third floor, and is one lofty apartment beautifully finished as to general decorative scheme. It is a daylight hall, forty-five by one hundred and five feet in size, capable of seat- ing a small audience with unobstructed view from one end to the other. Above and over the roof is a thirty-one foot steel flag pole bearing the Stars and Stripes.
It is within the last eight years that The News has made its greatest advances. In this time its development in all departments has been remark- able and its sphere of influence and standing among journals has been materially increased. Its mechanical facilities have been largely augmented by the installation of a battery of new linotypes, six in number, with a complete change in composing room material and the substitution of all-steel equipment for the old style wooden cases and imposing stones. This new equipment has made it possible to serve its family of readers with the news up to the minute of going to press in a more comprehensive manner than before.
In addition it has added to its press a fourth deck giving it the most complete printing press to be had. This machine gives double speed and carries a larger number of pages than before, thus making possible a more newsy paper and a quicker delivery. The News also adopted the standard metropolitan size of newspaper, eight column in width, thus giving to Saginaw and contiguous territory a newspaper fully complying with the most modern methods used in the largest cities of the country.
Just as it has advanced along mechanical fines, so has The News pro- gressed in its editorial department. In addition to the complete service of the Associated Press taken over a special leased wire direct in its own home, it has the unequalled Newspaper Enterprise Association's features and illus- trative service and in addition a number of specially selected valuable features entertaining for every member of the family.
NEWSBOYS' ROOM
MANAGING EDITOR'S OFFICE
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
BUSINESS OFFICE
LIBRARY AND CONFERENCE ROOM
662
HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY
At the time of the sale of The News in 1910, its management passed into the hands of two of the most experienced and successful newspaper men in the State. Ralph H. Booth, at that time president of a number of successful State dailies, was its president, and Charles M. Greenway, for many years business manager of The Grand Rapids Press, became its general manager. Under these officers The News immediately developed its field to a greater extent than ever before and became a greater newspaper. Mr. Greenway was succeeded upon his removal to Flint to become editor and manager of The Flint Daily Journal, by Arthur R. Treanor. as editor and manager of The Daily News. Mr. Treanor began his newspaper career in 1901 as a cub reporter on The News and in the intervening years had passed through the various offices in both the editorial and business departments. He was made business manager of the property in 1913, and in 1915 became editor and manager.
Under the progressive management of the Daily News it is the policy not only to keep pace with the advancement of the community but to keep well in the lead as becomes a newspaper as a co-operating factor in a city's growth and prosperity. The News has achieved a circulation which is the best evidence of its popularity and its service, and it goes into practically all the homes of Saginaw and into thousands of others in this part of Mich- igan. This paper takes an independent stand in politics, believing that it can thus best serve the public. It aims at impartiality and fairness in treat- ment of all public questions : and it gives the best possible news service, its resources in this direction being unusually large and comparing creditably with those of metropolitan newspapers.
The Saginaw Press Saginaw Publishing Company
A more recent acquisition to the news and publicity craft of this city is the Saginaw Press, a weekly newspaper which is published by the Saginaw Publishing Company. This corporation was organized in 1912 by Emmet L. Beach and George W. Baxter, with one hundred and ten stockholders and a capital of ten thousand dollars. Its first print shop was situated at 210 North Hamilton Street, and the paper was published daily (except Sunday ) under the name of Saginaw Evening Press.
This was the only Democratic newspaper in Saginaw County and it filled very satisfactorily a want in both city and townships. So rapid was the increase in the business that the original quarters became very cramped, and about three years later Mr. Baxter erected at 410-412 Hancock Stret, a modern brick building with high basement, arranged and adapted especially to the requirements of the printing and publishing business. In this building was installed a complete printing plant with the most modern equipment, including a Mergenthaler linotype machine, cylinder press, paper cutters, stitchers, etc., all operated by individual electric motors.
The daily newspaper field was very well covered and the difficulties of printing a daily journal were such that in December, 1912, it was deemed expedient to change the Evening Press to a weekly paper. This was done and since that time the paper has appeared regularly as the Saginaw Press. It has a wide circulation on the West Side and in the country districts, and is everywhere appreciated on account of its clean reading pages, its vigorous editorials and valuable farm and country news. It prints from eight to ten pages weekly, and for the last two years, and one year at a previous time, was the official paper for printing the county records.
In addition to publishing the newspaper the company does a general job and book printing business ; and its complete equipment affords every facility for printing directories, pamphlets, catalogues, etc.
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PRINTING PLANT OF THE SAGINAW PRESS
On January 1. 1917, the Saginaw Valley News was taken over by the Saginaw Publishing Company and consolidated with the Press, and on October 1, of the same year the Saginawian, an old weekly newspaper was united with the Press, leaving the latter paper the only newspaper published on the West Side.
George W. Baxter, the general manager, is an old Saginaw boy who has had a wide experience in the newspaper field. He was on the staff of the Detroit News, the Jackson Patriot, and daily papers in Kendallville, Indi- ana, and Dowagiac, Michigan. In 1912 he returned to Saginaw, for which he had always had a longing and, in association with Mr. Beach, started the Saginaw Press.
As a means of ready reference, files of old newspapers are invaluable to the historian and those seeking to confirm some fact or solve some question. To this end the bound files preserved in Hoyt Library of some of our earliest papers are valuable additions to the catalogue of reference books, and may be consulted by anyone. The list of such bound files is as follows: Spirit of the Times, published at Saginaw City, from February 17, 1853 to May 24, 1859 (incomplete ) ; Weekly Enterprise, from September 8, 1853 to December 29, 1859, (very imperfect ), and from Inne 12, 1860 to December 25, 1873, (a few numbers missing ) ; Weekly Courier, from June 16, 1859 to December 6, 1866, and from January 1, 1876 to December 25, 1890 (incomplete) ; and the Saginaw Globe, from January to June, 1891 (incomplete) : The Daily Courier and Courier-Herald, from January 1. 1868, and the Saginaw Evening News from July 1, 1890, both complete to date.
The German Papers
In 1866, in order to reach the large German population in this county, Anton Schmitz started the first newspaper printed in German, styled the Saginaw Zeitung, with Count Solms as editor. The paper was fairly success- ful and filled a want among our German citizens. Later the paper was por- chased by Constantine Beierle who conducted it until about 1890, when it was sold to Ernest Zoellner. About 1895 Seemann & Peters published the Zeitung but two years later sold it to the Saginaw Post, which had been established in January, 1887, by F. & C. Reitter. These publishers then operated a job printing office in German and English at 118 South Franklin Street, in connection with the Post, and upon consolidation with the other
664
HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY
German paper. the name became Post-Zeitung under which it is published at present. In February. 1913. the Post-Zeitung, its printing plant and other property, was sold to Seemann & Peters who have since published the paper with complete equipment at their plant on North Franklin Street. The paper is ably edited by Hans Dabis, a veteran journalist, and is managed by George .\. Klette who has been connected with it for ten years.
Saginaw Post Offices.
The mail facilities of early times, before there were any roads leading to civilization, were primitive in the extreme, and the settlers had to depend upon each other for such news as reached the frontier. A single mail carrier used to come on horseback over the old Indian trail from Flint, once a week, and cross the river at Green Point, the only crossing at that period. Joseph Busby, one of the early pioncers, records having met him once near the river and, as he had some business with the elder Busby, accompanied him to his home on the banks of the Tittabawassee (now the Paines tarm). As the carrier did not want to be troubled carrying the mail bag there and back, he pitched it into the bushes at the side of the trail and left it there until he returned. At that time the mail was not a heavy onc.
The first post office in this valley was opened at Saginaw City, on October 10. 1831, with David Stanard as postmaster ; and he was succeeded by Thomas Simpson, on December 4. 1832. Ephraim S. Williams assumed the office on May 7, 1834, and he held it until 1840, when he removed with his family to Flint. At this period the post office was in the trading post of the Williams Brothers, which was in the old "red warehouse," at the foot of Mackinaw Street. Later it was located in a frame building on South Water ( Niagara) Street near Van Buren Street. Gardner D. Williams, whose portrait appears with that of his brother on page 90, succeeded him as postmaster on March 10, 1840, and retained the office for nine years.
Thereafter the postmasters at Saginaw City and Saginaw, West Side, ( the name changed March 17, 1892), with dates of their appointments, werc : George W. Davis. Mar. 21, 1849 Edwin Saunders. Aug. 20. 1866
Egbert J. Van Buren . Feb. 10, 1853 William 11. Taylor April 5, 1867
Daniel I .. C. Eaton Aug. 8. 1853
James A. Hudson .Oct. 4, 1870
Henry J. Northrup. July 6, 1880 James N. Gotce. July 8. 1854
lliram T. Ferris. April 7, 1857
George F. Lewis Feb. 9, 1888 James N. Gotee. Nov. 1. 1857
Levi B. Kinsey June 10, 1890 Jay Smith Aug. 1, 1861
William Moll April 26, 1865
Fred 11. Potter. Mar. 26, 1895
Martin N. Brady succeeded to the postmastership on March 3, 1899. and held the office for sixteen years, when, under a Democratic adminis- tration, he was supplanted by William F. Hemmeter in 1915, the present incumbent. More than twenty years ago the post office was removed from the old location on Hamilton Street, between Court and Franklin ( Hancock) Streets, to a large and well appointed room in the Merrill Block on Michigan Avenue, between Court and Adams Streets.
The post office at South Saginaw was established as "Spalding" on May 13, 1863, Aaron Linton being the first postmaster. The succeeding postmasters at this office, the name of which was changed on September 4. 1866, to South Saginaw, with dates of their appointments, were:
Henry H. Beebe. Jan. 23. 1865
Arnold P. Sikes. July 19, 1872 Lester P. Beebe. Jan. 22, 1866 Jonathan S. Rouse. Dec. 16, 1872 Charles P. Hess. Oct. 20. 1866 Theron T. Hubbard. April 13, 1874 Theron T. Hubbard. April 5, 1867 Adolphus R. Moeller . June 20, 1878
William T. Cook. Oct 9. 1871
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VARIED COMMERCIAL INTERESTS
ALFRED M. HOYT First Postmaster at East Saginaw
This office was discontinued August 7, 1884, the postal business of the "South End" thereafter being transacted through the East Saginaw office.
The first postmaster at East Saginaw was Alfred M. Hoyt, who opened the office on September 15. 1851. He was succeeded by Morgan L. Gage whose appointment bears date of November 11, 1852. The office was there- after held by the following well-known citizens:
Moses B. Hless April 27. 1853
George Lockley April 20, 1871 George G. lless April 8, 1857
Thomas Saylor Dec. 15, 1875 De Witt C. Gage. Mar. 13, 1861 William G. Gage. Jan. 24, 1884 John Nugent Aug. 15, 1861 M. V. Meredith June 2, 1885 DeWitt C. Gage. Oct. 9. 1861
Edwin R. Phinney .Oct. 16, 1889 Solomon B. Bliss.
Aug. 20. 1866
Abram G. Wall. Mar. 9, 1894
Perry Joslin Mar. 19, 1867
William S. Linton. Mar. 22, 1898
Under continuous Republican rule Mr. Linton held the postmastership for sixteen consecutive years, rivalling Mr. Brady of the West Side post office in length of service, and was only relieved of the responsibilities of the office by the appointment of Charles E. Lown. a leader of the Democracy in this city, on March 20, 1914. Mr. Lown assumed the office on April 15. following, and has since held the government position with general satis- faction to the public. The name of the post office was changed on March 17, 1892, to Saginaw, East Side, and again on June 24, 1898, to Saginaw, Michigan.
SOME OLD-TIME POSTMASTERS OF THE SAGINAWS
James A. Hudson, 1870-2 George G. Hess, 1857-8 George Lockley, 1871-5
William Moll, 1865 James N. Goter, 1854 Dr. J. S. Rouse, 1872-4
Levi B. Kinsey, 1890 Charles P. Hess, 1866 M. V. Meredith, 1885
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Early Growth of Postal Business
The rapid growth of the postal business of East Saginaw in the form- ative period is well illustrated by a comparative statement of the transactions of the office. for the years ending June 30, 1866 and 1874;
1866
1874
Number of clerks employed.
2
5
Number of registered letters sent.
280
1,070
Number of registered letters received.
192
1,358
Amount of paper postage.
$ 333.16
$ 941.71
Amount of box rent
466.00
2,150.00
Amount received for envelopes and stamps.
7,616.00
14,217.11
Number of letters received, per week.
3,175
15,000
Number of lock pouches sent out, daily
22
Number of domestic orders issued.
636
4,479
Number of domestic money orders paid.
155
2,826
Amount of domestic money orders issued
$9,990.21
$74.540.14
Amount of domestic money orders paid.
3,072.37
55,843.85
Average per day of money orders issued.
2
14
Average per day of money orders paid
1
9
Average amount of each order issued.
$ 15.70
$ 16.64
Average amount of each order paid.
19.17
19.76
As many letters were registered at this office, and the amount of postage on regular printed matter was as much, for the last quarter of 1874, as during the whole fiscal year of 1866; and often there were as many money orders issued in one day in 1874 as during a whole month in 1865. The box rent was nearly five times more in 1874; and despite a reduction in all foreign postages and on printed transient matter, the receipts for stamps, envelopes. etc., doubled during the eight years. Sixty thousand postal cards were sold in 1874 instead of three-cent stamps for first-class postage.
When Colonel Lockley took charge of the office on April 20, 1871, he found it necessary to double and quadruple the capacity for business, and introduced every improvement in the way of space, boxes, drawers and and other appliances. At his own expense he placed several letter boxes on street corners for convenience of business men. William Glover Gage was the deputy postmaster at this time and gave "perfect satisfaction." The post office was then located at the corner of Washington and German Streets.
While Colonel Thomas Saylor was postmaster the office was in Lloyd's Block on Washington Street, and later was removed to North Franklin Street, between Genesee and Tuscola, in the Everett House Block. Some time later it was removed to the Cass House Block, at Baum and Tuscola Streets, where it remained for a number of years. Afterward the office occupied the ground floor of the Flint & Pere Marquette Building, at Wash- ington and Tuscola Streets, from which it was removed in 1898 to the new Federal Building.
The Federal Building
Under an Act of Congress of 1889, when Colonel Aaron T. Bliss was representative of this district, an appropriation of one hundred thousand dollars was made for a federal post office building at East Saginaw. The city then owned the north portion of the block bounded by Jefferson, German, Warren and William ( Janes) Streets, a very convenient site for such a public building, and after much discussion the property was deeded to the govern- ment. There was much opposition to this plan, many citizens believing that the ground should be covered by a city hall building, and the whole matter dragged along for several years.
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