USA > Minnesota > Nobles County > An illustrated history of Nobles County, Minnesota > Part 35
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So long as the present political party is in power, wrenching from the people their hard carved money, office holders ean well afford to buy up republican editors and send their papers broadcast throughout the coun- 1rv, deceiving the people and diverting their attention to some imaginary evil in some distant part of the country, while their substance is being purloined, to again play their "confidence games" and retain their hold upon the offices,
.A. P. Miller, the "bought up editor" referred to, facetionsly announced the birth of its rival :
"The staff we understand to be as fol- low -: Owner of material and presses. W. R. Bennett : principal stockholders. L. B. Bennett. L. F. Bennett and W. S. Stockdale: editor in chief. I. F. Ben- nett : associate editors. L. B. Bennett, W. R. Bennett. W. S. Stockdale, Warren Smith and others; city editors. L. F. Bennett. L. B. Bennett. W. R. Bennett. W. S. Stockdale and others; foreman. B. Bennett : business managers. L. B. Ben- nett. L. F. Bennett. W. S. Stockdale: subscribers. L. F. Bennett. L. B. Bon- nett. W. R. Bennett. W. S. Stockdale, Major Thurber, Thomas Crever, D. Stone. O. Bigelow."
After the suspension of the Vindicator the little plant was purchased by two Worthington boys, Will S. Langdon and Clayborne Rohrer, who launched the Lit- erary Triumph. This was in the same form and style as its predecessor. except that it was devoted to the interests of young people instead of the democratic party. The first number was issued Nov. 31, 1814. and it was the intention to make the Triumph a weekly publication. but for some reason publication was not very regular. In all eight numbers were printed, the last one being on March 20. 1825. Will W. Loveless, still a resident of Worthington, was reporter for the Triumph for a time. After the suspen- sion the plant was purchased by the Ad- Vance.
The next publication to begin life in Nobles county was the Worthington Jour- nal-a paper destined to play quite an important part in the county's carly his- tory during its life of a little less than six years. There was more or less dis- satisfaction with the policy of the Ad- vance as conducted by A. P. Miller in 1836, and promises of support were given to anyone who would start a new paper in Worthington. Mr. Miller declared
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HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.
that there was no possible need for a second paper and that it was lo be start- ed for spite work." Nevertheless the paper came into existence on April 29, 18:6, with good support. The Journal was under the management of Major T. C. Bell, who was its editor, and Thomas M. Gruelle, a former employe of the Advance, who had charge of the me- chanical department. At the end of the first year Major Bell sold his interests to his partner, and Mr. Gruelle conduct- ed the paper alone for a year and a half. In May, 1818, he enlarged the Journal to an eight column quarto, four pages of which were printed in the office of pub- lication.
In the fire of August 6, 1818, which destroyed Miller hall. the Journal plant was destroyed, all that was saved being a job press and the books and accounts. The loss to the newspaper was estimated at from $3,000 to $1,000, and was cover- ed with $2,500 insurance. A new plant was immediately installed, and publica- tion was resumed. A. S. Lindsay pur- chased the Journal in October, 1828, and was its proprietor until January, 1880. For a short time in the fall of 1819 Paul Blount had charge of the paper dur- ing the absence of Mr. Lindsay, who was on a concert tour. About the first of January, 1880, Mr. Lindsay sold the plant and went to Pana, Ill., to take charge of the Argus. The purchaser of the Journal was Rov. J. C. Ogle, who was at the time superintendent of schools of Nobles county. In October, 1881, J. C. Ogle went to Winnebago ('ity, Minn., to accept a call to fill one of the pulpits there, and the management was turned over to his son, George A. Oglo.
""A half dozen office seekers and a half dozen men animated by personal feeling are about all the men in Nobles county who are
Its publication was continued until February, 1882, when a mortgage on the plant, which was held by Peter Thomp- son, was foreclosed, and the Worthington Journal became a thing of the past. The plant remained in Worthington, however, and a little over a year later it was used in publishing the Worthington Record, the history of which will be told later. Below is given Mr. Miller's account of the demise of the Journal. It is ro- produced, not in the belief that it prop- erly tells the story of the Journal, but rather to illustrate Mr. Miller's style of dealing with a contemporary :
Died-On Thursday, Jan. 26. 1882. of finan- cial exhaustion, congenital scrofula and general moral, social and business leprosy, the Worthington Journal, aged five years, eight months and twenty-eight days. And of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Funeral services from the house. Sermon by one of its fathers, the Rev. J. C. Ogle, from the text- 'It sprung up like a sparrow- grass, hopped about like a hoppergrass, and died like a ja -- donkey."
Epitaph: "Here lies the Worthington Jour- nal, a mi-happen newspaper Caliban. It was conceived in ringism, born in a blaze of rowdyism, and nurtured in spite and fraud."
It never paid its taxes; it burned a $7,000 building to get an insurance of $1,800 on it» accursed life; and it led a career of fraud, dishonesty and strife. With few upright and decent men for backers, it was nevertheless a rendezvous and mouthpiece of about all the sneaks, frauds, dead-beats, seandal jockeys, hypocrites and white trash of the community. It died as it lived, phy- sically a Caliban. politically a Guiteau, and morally and socially a Ruloff.
Although Adrian had been founded in 1826 it was several years later before a newspaper made its appearance there. A little advertising sheet, called the Adrian Advertiser, was published for a short time in the spring of 1849, beginning early in March, by Geo. H. Carr, one of the merchants there. But no legitimate newspaper was issued there until May, 1883, when the Guardian was started. In
demanding a new paper."-Advance, March 30. 1876.
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HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.
the fall of 1ss? W. M. Patrick, editor Tinnes purchased the Guardian and con- of the Mendota ( Il.) Index, decided to come to Adrian and establish a paper to be called the Adrian Press. and went so far as to issue a prospectus to that effect. He expected to start before win- ter, but did not, and in the spring word was received that he had abandoned the project and was abont to engage in the busmess in Lyndon, 11.
The people of Adrian were determined to have a paper and opened communica- tion with S. S. Hai-lett, who had been publishing the Heron Lake Guardian since 1880, with a view to having hint locate in the Nobles county town. Mr. Hai-lett decided to make the change and moved the plant. issuing the first num- her of the Adrian Guardian on Saturday, May 19, 1883. The motto of the Guard- ian, conspicuously displayed for SO many years was: "While the Guardian will the people's rights maintain, we pub- lish it for bread and butter, not for fame." During the many years he was at the helm of the Guardian, Mr. Hais- lett issued a creditable publication, and received liberal support from the people of Adrian. Ile retained the active man- agement until late in August, 1896, when he leased the plant to his son, Orrie M. Haislett, and t'. (. Spaulding. Later lie again took charge for a short time. but on April 28, 1899, his sons, Orrie M. and S. S., Jr., took the management, and the founder retired from newspaper work. In December, 1899, the firm of O. M. & S. S. Haislett, Jr., was dis- solved, the junior member of the firm assuming entire charge.
D. J. and Chas. T. Tinnes leased the plant a little later, and for a time con- ducted it under the firm name of Tin- nos Bros. In April. 1902, D. J.
"This Is the same A. E. Caldwell who In more recent years had charge of The Worth- Ington Globe.
dueted it over three years. Publication was suspended early in November, 1905, owing to lack of support. and Nobles county's second oldest paper went out of existence. after a life of over 22 years. During its carly history it was a paying institution, and it assisted materially in making Adrian the prosperous town it has always been. The Guardian was re- publican in politics.
After the suspension of the Worthing- ton Journal in January, 1882, the plant, which was the property of Peter Thomp- von, remained idle until the summer of the following year. Then two Sioux Falls printers, 1. E. Caldwells and R. J. W. Bloom, were induced to come to Worthington and resuscitate the Journal. Parties in Worthington had given the partners considerable encouragement, and on Thursday, June 2. 1883. they got out the first number of their paper, which they named Worthington Record, hav- ing Jeased the plant from Mr. Thomp- son. A little over a month later Mr. Caldwell gave up his interest in the pa- per and returned to Sioux Falls.
Mr. Bloom presided over the destinies of the Record until March 10, 1881. when he relinquished his interest in the paper and turned the property back to Mr. Thompson. The owner then sold to Goo. W. Penn, formerly of New Cas- tle, Pa., who look charge of the paper in April. The new editor changed the politics of the Record from republican to democratic, and it was at the time the only democratic paper south and west of Mankato in the state of Minnesola. Mr. Penn remained in charge only until Nov. 26, 1881, but during this time he demonstrated the fact that he was an able and forcible writer and a good news-
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HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.
paper man. On the last named date F. of Worthington; Neil Currie. of Currie; M. MeCormack, formerly of Sheldon, and Geo. A. Iselin, of Mountain Lake. The principal place of business was to be Worthington, the capital stock was to be $10.000, and the corporation was to commence June 1. 1884. lowa, leased the plant from Mr. Penn, made it a republican paper, and publish- el it until Jan. 29, 1885. Mr. McCor- mack issued a good paper. but the neces- sary support was lacking, and he did not make a financial success of the venture. Mr. Penn returned to look after his interests, found the affairs of the Record in a bad way financially, and on Feb. 21, 1885, the plant was sold at sheriff's sale, being bid in by Daniel Shell, who held a note against Mr. Penn for $325. The plant was then purchased by C. S. East- wood, who was the publisher of the Lake- field Citizen, and removed to Ellsworth, where it was used in publishing the Ells- worth News, which was established by G. 11. Eastwood.
The next Nobles county paper to be considered in the chronological order of founding was a monthly publication, the Minnesota Home, from which later sprang the Worthington Globe. The pub- Fication came into existence as the result of a desire on the part of the real estate dealers of southwestern Minnesota to ad- vertise the country's resources. Originally it was proposed to raise $2,100 in the seven southwestern counties to be spent in printed matter to advertise the Blue Grass region. Peter Thompson and Geo. J. Day of Worthington. who were then partners in the banking and real estate business, conceived the idea of a publish- ing company for the purpose of issuing a regular monthly paper, to be the or- gan of the real estate men.
The plan of the Worthington bankers was adopted, and on May 31, 1884, articles of incorporation for the Minne- sota Home Publishing company were filed, with the following incorporators : Joseph Flanders, of Madelia; E. J. Graves, of Heron Lake; Peter Thompson,
The first number of the Minnesota Home was issued in October, and the pa- per was published until the spring of 1886. Geo. J. Day was the editor. Five thousand copies were issued each month for free distribution. A Campbell print- ing press (the one now employed in the (lobe office) was installed and other expensive machinery was purchased. A building was erected on Third avenue as the home of the new publication, and the building is still used as a printing office. In the spring of 1886 publication of the Home was discontinued. and its place was taken by the Worthington Globe, mention of which will be made later.
The village of Ellsworth was only about six months old when its first news- paper came into existence-the paper which has ever since been published there. When the Worthington Record suspended in March, 1885, the plant was purchased and moved to the new town in Grand Prairie township, and there, carly in April. the first number of the Ells- worth News was printed. It was a seven column folio, republican in politics, and G. H. Eastwood was the owner and pub- lisher. The News celebrated its second birthday by reducing the form to a five column folio and taking in Frank East- wood as a partner. Soon thereafter G. II. Eastwood became sole owner again. The paper was enlarged to an eight column folio, which form it retained many years.
On June 23, 1892, the office of the Ellsworth News, together with the resi- denee of Mr. Eastwood, was almost en- tirely destroyed by fire, causing a total
HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.
low- of about $2,500, covered by only Sono insurance. Several hundred dollar- were raised by the people of Ellsworth . assist Mr. Eastwood in replacing his plant, which was done after the paper had in sed two issues. On Aug. 24, 1891, the paper was enlarged to a five column marto, with four pages printed at home. After fourteen years satisfactory service a- editor and proprietor of the News, Mr. Eastwood in December, Is98, sold to P. F. Lavins, formerly of Clare, lowa.
Mr. Levins made the News a demo- cratie paper. On March 1. 1901. he on- larged it to a six colmon quarto, installed a new pres-, and otherwise added to the equipment and value of the paper. He retained possession about five years, and during that time built up a fine business. E. E. Lovrien, formerly of New Hamp- ton, lowa. took possession of the News on August 1, 1905, having purchased it two months before, and has since directed its course. October 1. 1906, he made it an all home print paper, and it is now one of the three Nobles county papers which is printed entirely in the office of publication. Mr. Lovrien conducts the News as a democratic paper.
Those who were opposed to the policy of the Worthington Advance under the management of A. P. Miller were ever on the alert to secure an opposition pa- per. When the Minnesota Home was launched there was a rumor that another local paper was to be published from that office." but the paper did not materialize. In the spring of 1886 the rumor was again revived. It was said that induce- ments had been offered lo the proprietor of a job office in Sioux City to come lo
9"We hear talk of another paper to be is- sued from the Mhmesota Home office, but we doubt whether Worthington partles have any more money to waste in that way." Advance, March 26, 1585.
The Globe Job printing office, opened by 14. Hitchcock & Son, has been picked up and
Worthington and launch a second paper. This rumor was verified.10 and on March 23. 1886, the first munber of the Worth- ington Globe was taken from the press. The Sioux City job printing office had heen combined with the Minnesota Home plant. The Globe was started as a re- publican paper by Edward Hitchcock & Son. It was an eight commun folio, with two "patent" pages.
The history of the Globe is a romantic one. Since its founding in 1886 it has had no less than seventeen editors, and it has advocated the policy of every politi- cal party that has had an existence dur- ing that time. From its office was is- sued the first daily paper ever published in the county, one being issued by Mr. Hitchcock during the holiday season of 1886-Dcc. 12 to 25. The founding of the Globe was not a financial success to the Hitchcocks. and they departed late in 1882. The Globe Publishing company, of which Peter Thompson and Geo. ... Day were the members, became the owner after Mr. Hitchcock departed. In April. 1888, when the dissolution of partner- ship between Messrs. Thompson and Day took place. the former became the pro- prietor, and he has had an interest in the plant ever since.
When the founder of the Globe left Worthington in the closing days of 1882 Rev. E. R. Lathrop, pastor of the Metho- dist church, was made managing editor, and he conducted it until Nov. 22. 1888. Then Frank G. Martin, who had been foreman of the office, assumed charge and was at the head of the paper until Nov. 19, 1891. On the date last named 1. J. Williams and Ernest Perry bought
will be shipped tomorrow to Worthington. Minn., where extra inducements have been of- fered the proprietors to publish a paper. To the material shipped from this city will be added a large assortment of new type, and the paper will appear about the iwentleth of March. It will be called the Globe." Sioux ('Ity Journal, Feb, 28, 1886.
GRAND-ARMY FOST
This . Picture, Was Taken About 1882 From a Window of the Old Hexagonal School Building, Worthington. It Shows a Portion of the Town to the South of that Building.
CADVANCEA PRINTING OFFICE
THE MILLER BLOCK
The Pride of Its Builder, A. P. Miller, Who Stands in Front of the Building. From d Photograph Taken Immediately After its Construction in 1882. To the Rear is Shown the Site of Several Present Day Handsome Brick Structures.
L
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HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.
the plant, and for a time published the paper under the firm name of Perry & Williams. Mr. Williams was the editor and Mr. Perry the business manager. They changed the form of the paper Dec. 24, 1891, to a six colunm quarto, with four pages printed at home. The firm was dissolved May 20, 1892, and Mr. Perry became sole publisher.
The ownership had returned to Peter Thompson, and on Sept. 1, 1893. Ernest Perry and E. K. Smith took the Globe on a lease. The first of the following year Mr. Smith became sole manager and conducted the paper until July 1. 1895, as a republican paper. John S. Blair took a lease of the plant when Mr. Smith retired and conducted it as a democratic paper until February, 1899. Ile issued a creditable journal and rendered his party excellent service. The Christmas edition of the Globe, published by Mr. Blair in 1895, was the largest paper ever issued in Nobles county, both as to num- ber of pages and the amount of advertis- ing carried. A lease was taken in Febru- ary, 1899. by Dan Devaney and Harry Allen, who were the publishers until May 19, 1899, when the latter became sole publisher. He was succeeded Oct. 1, 1899, by Deacon Donham, who hailed from St. Peter. Mr. Donham ran the Globe as a democratic organ until May. 1900. Then John Watts, of Blue Earth City, took the management and ran the paper two months.
A. E. Caldwell, of Sioux Falls, who for a short time had been part owner of the Worthington Record in 1883, leased the Globe in July, 1900, and announced that he would run a straight democratic paper. He did until June 27. 1902. when he announced that thereafter it would be independent in politics. Mr. Caldwell was a good newspaper man and made the Globe a creditable publication.
Ile retired from the management August 21. 1903. For a short time thereafter Mr. Thompson was the publisher and O. B. Congdon, who had been employed on the paper for the preceding three years, was made editor and manager. I. A. Roshon · conducted the paper under a lease from May. 1904, to Oct. 12, 1905. A. E. Smalley was the next editor, he tak- ing it under a lease from Mr. Thompson when Mr. Roshon retired. He attempted the publication of a daily Globe, which had an existence from Dee. 11, 1905, of about one month. He retired Oct. 14, 1906, when the plant was purchased from Mr. Thompson by J. L. Berkhimer. A daily was issued, for a short time in December, 1906, by the new management. Mr. Berkhimer departed in the fall of 190; for other green pastures, and the ownership of the paper reverted to Mr. Thompson. That gentleman is now the publisher, and Frank Duster is the editor and manager.
For a period of five years, from the time of the establishment of the Globe in 1886 until the starting of Adrian's second paper in 1891, newspaper found- ing was at a standstill in Nobles county, if we except the Independent, a call- paign paper started in September, tss8, in the interests of some of the independ- ent candidates of that year. The sheet was printed in the office of the Worth- ington Globe and was fathered by E. S. Mills, independent candidate for county auditor.
The farmers alliance was quite a strong organization in Nobles county in the early nineties, and inducements were offered W. O. Lester to start an or- gan of that party at Adrian in opposi- tion to the Guardian. About the middle of April, 1891, he issued the first num- ber of the Adrian Citizen, a seven column folio. It was enlarged early in the fol-
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HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.
lowing year to a quarto, but carried six of the smaller towns to support a paper pages of "patent" matter. Mr. Loster was Bigelow. In February, 1892, there continued the publication, with indiffer- ent success, for two years, and then publication was suspended."
Over a year before the Adrian Citizen suspended a third paper had made its appearance in the west end metropolis, making the sixth in the county. This was the Nobles County Ihmocrat, which was started in February. 1892, by John E. King, formerly of the Rock Rapids Re- view. As its name implies, it was domo- eratie in politics, and it was the only democratie paper in the county at the time. It was a six column quarto, was printed from new material. and present- ed a very neat appearance. Mr. King published the paper nearly ten years, and during that time issued one of the best papers ever published in the county. Ile made a financial success of the ven- ture, which is not always the case with country newspapers. For a short time soon after the establishment F. Il. Mill- ard was associated with him in the pub- lication. From Dec. 1. 1891. to JJuly 1. 1895, John S. Blair had an interest in the paper.
1. 1. Schaeffer became the owner and elitor of the Democrat on August 30. 1901, and he has since presided over its destinies. He has maintained the high standard set by the former owner, and today issues one of the best country newspapers in the state. It is a six column quarto, and all right pages are joblished at home.
Prior to 1892 there had not been a newspaper established in the county out- side of the three leading towns-Worth- ington, Adrian and Ellsworth. The first
1º With this Issue the Cluzen completes ils second year, and also completes its labors. The move is not new to our minds; in fact we have contemplated taking this step ever ples The alliance people failed to fulfil their agreements at the beginning. But circum-
came into existence the State Line Sen- tinel. bearing a Bigelow date line. It va- founded by John A. Flower, and was printed in the office of the Sibley Gazette. B. 1. Tripp was the local edi- tor. The Sentinel was published for a short time only.
Three papers were established in the county in 1892. The third of these was the Nobles County Independent, which first saw the light of day April 19. The Independent was a seven column quarto, with six "patent" pages, was democratic 'n polities, and was edited by Leon Carr. It had a troubled existence of less than a year, and then Mr. Carr discontinued the paper and removed the plant from Worthington.
Another paper which had a short ex- istence in the county seat town was the Minnesota Allahanda, a paper printed in the Swedish language and catering to the whole state. Geo. Bylander was the founder of this publication, which came into being during the hard times period in the fall of 1893. It was independent in politics. Although it gained a circu- lation of 500 or 600, it did not fill a long felt want, and about the first of April, 1891, the last number was printed. Its suspension is said to have been has- tened because of the inability of the publisher to rescue his ready prints from the express office.
Rushmore's first newspaper experience was in 1894. when the Rushmore Gazette was founded by Fred II. Millard. The first mumber was issued Feb. 9. 1891, and was a six column folio, two pages of which contained local news. The paper
stances have never seemed to warrant closing until the present. We have never considered an alliance or peoples party paper at Adrian as a paying Institution unless it could have the active support of its friends, and this has never been given."-Adrian Citizen, April, 1893.
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HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY.
was printed in the office of the Nobles County Democrat, at Adrian. Mr. Mill- ard ran the paper some months and then turned the management over to Emmeti Carrell. Publication was discontinued early in 1895.
On September 20, 1894, the Kinbrae Herald was established by T. E. Cole and Chas. Hamstreet, under the firm name of Cole & llamstreet. The plant upon which it was printed was brought from C'aliope, lowa. The Herald was a lit- tle four column quarto and was printed on a job press. Mr. Hamstreet was edi- tor and manager and had entire charge of the paper, which was republican in politics. After running it three years un- der the firm name of Cole & Hamstreet, the junior member purchased his part- ner's interest and became the sole pub- lisher. In 1897 the paper was enlarged to a seven column folio, which form was maintained until its suspension. In November, 1899, Mr. Hamstreet leased the plant to the Misses Fuller and Lind- sey, who ran it till the following Febru- ary. Thereafter there were several dif- ferent people in charge, who conducted it for short periods under lease from the owner. Mr. Hamstreet obtained posses- sion in September, 1901, and ran it un- til February. 1903, when he suspended publication and removed the plant to Rushmore.
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