USA > Montana > Yellowstone County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 101
USA > Montana > Park County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 101
USA > Montana > Dawson County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 101
USA > Montana > Rosebud County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 101
USA > Montana > Custer County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 101
USA > Montana > Sweet Grass County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 101
USA > Montana > Carbon County > An illustrated history of the Yellowstone Valley : embracing the counties of Park, Sweet Grass, Carbon, Yellowstone, Rosebud, Custer and Dawson, state of Montana > Part 101
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The Enterprise always has been and still is one of the leading papers of eastern Mon- tana. The plant is one of the best to be found in the state devoted exclusively to the publica- tion of a weekly journal. Among the recent improvements was the installation of a Mer- ganthaler linotype in December, 1906.
Now let us return to the boom days of 1883, when all kinds of new business enter- prises were being started in the town of Liv- ingston, and tell of the founding of the fourth Park county newspaper. This was the Nation- al Park Pioneer, and came into existence June 26th. Although there were then two news- papers in Livingston-the weekly Tribune and the Daily Enterprise-W. D. Knight, pub- lisher of the Yellowstone Journal at Miles City, thought. there was room for the third and backed his judgment in the launching of the Pioncer. He remained at its head only a short time, selling to Wright & Hendry, of the Daily Enterprise, on August 26, 1883. The latter firm had, up to this time, published only a daily paper, and they now made the National Park Pioncer their weekly edition, without changing its name. On April 6, 1884, how- ever, they changed the name to the Livingston Enterprise, and on this date the history of the National Park Pioneer ends, the subsequent history of the Enterprise having been already told.
The Livingston Sentinel was the name of a weekly publication that was circulated in the
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county seat town during the campaign of 1888. It was a campaign paper, printed in Bozeman, but bearing a Livingston date line.
For a few years after Wright & Hendry purchased the Tribune the Enterprise was the only publication in Livingston and Park county. But in 1889 came opposition in the form of the Livingston Post, one of the three Park county newspapers still in existence. This was started April 19. 1889, by J. D. Whelpley, who until a short time before had been with the Enterprise. It was an eight column folio, Republican in politics. In August, 1890, J. E. Hull & Co., assumed control of the Post, Mr. Hull having been connected with the paper as an employe since the publication started. Under this management the paper was still re- publican. In the fall of the same year George Alderson bought the Post and became its editor, still continuing it as a Republican organ.
June 8, 1898, articles of incorporation of the Post Publishing Company, capital stock $5,000 were filed. The stock was subscribed by three men-George Alderson, $2,450; Benjamin F. Myers, $1,300; Maurice Roth, $1,250-and the Post became Democratic. George. Alderson retired from the management in August, 1901, and A. M. Alderson became editor and proprietor. During the summer of 1904 the paper was run as a semi-weekly, but soon returned to the weekly edition.
Mr. Anderson leased the plant on January I, 1905, to J. E. Mallery that he might accept the position of adjutant general of the state militia. He returned to the control of the paper later and still conducts it. The Post is Democratic. It ranks well up among the weekly papers of Montana, and has a well equipped plant.
The Livingston Herald was the name of a paper which had an existence of a little over seven years during the nineties. It was foun- ded April 22, 1891, by De Hart & Mahoney, was an eight column folio and Democratic in
politics. On the 5th of August, 1891, the pro- prietors began the publication of a daily edi- tion, with the intention of making it a permanent institution. Lack of patron- age proved its downfall, and the daily was suspended September 12th of the same year. A stock company secured the Herald plant in September, 1892, and Thos. J. Bouton, late of the Buffalo (Wyoming) Echo, was installed as manager. He conducted the paper until May 9, 1898, when the plant was bought at a mortgage sale by Geo. Wright for $605, the amount of the mortgage and interest due. The publication was then discontinued.
Montana Agriculturist was the name of a monthly farm paper which began life March 9. 1895, at Livingston. It was an eight page, four column paper, made up mostly of plate matter, and the subscription price was fifty cents a year. Geo. Wright was the publisher, and it was issued from the Enterprise office. It was discontinued in August, 1895, because the postoffice authorities ruled against its admis- sion to the mails as second class matter.
The county campaign committee of the Silver Republican party issued the Silver Re- publican from October 15, 1898, until Novem- ber 5th, of the same year. It was a campaign paper and was issued from the office of the Livingston Enterprise.
Another paper that played a part in the press history of Park county was the Park County Republican, which came into existence December 23, 1899. The Republican party of Park county at this time was badly split, and the Republican was founded as the mouth- piece of one of the factions. The Enterprise at the time was supporting the Silver Republi- can party ; the Post was Democratic; it looked like
a good opening for a straight Republican paper. A. M. Williams was the founder of the new paper, which was an eight column folio. It continued its existence until early in June, 1902,
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when the causes which led to its found- ing were removed, and it was sold to Frank Wright of the Enterprise, who discontinued its publication.
The only Park county paper ever estab- lished outside of the county seat was Wonder- land, published at Gardiner. It was founded in May, 1902, by M. W. Pettigrew, who con- tinued to preside over its destinies until Oc- tober, 1903, when Frank D. Geiger took charge. Mr. Geiger, who had formerly been connected with the Big Timber Pioneer, ran it for some time, when it was discontinued. As the Wonderland News it was revived in June, 1906, by W. F. Gossel, formerly of Chi- cago. This paper, a five column quarto, is still published by Mr. Gossel.
SWEET GRASS COUNTY.
Four weekly newspapers have had an ex- istence in Sweet Grass county at one time or another since the first was started in 1890, all having been published at Big Timber. These were the Big Timber Pioneer, the Sweet Grass and Boulder Blade, the Big Timber Express, and the Yellowstone Leader. Of these four only the first named is now published.
The Big Timber Pioneer was the first paper published within the boundaries of the county of Sweet Grass. The first issue, a five column folio, was put forth on the 24th day of November, 1890, when Big Timber was yet a place of slight importance among the towns of Montana. M. W. Hatch was the editor, and M. W. Hatch & Co. were the pub- lishers. For the first nine months of its life the Pioncer was printed in the office of the Livingston Enterprise. July 11, 1891, the paper was enlarged to a quarto, and late in August of the same year Hatch & Co. installed a plant and began printing the paper in Big Timber.
J. M. Ramsey purchased a one-half interest in the Pioneer on March 15, 1892, and there-
after the publishing firm was Hatch & Ramsey. Two months after this change in proprietor- ship the paper was enlarged to a seven column folio. August 9th the announcement was made that the Pioncer would support the Re- publican ticket, it having been previously an independent paper. Mr. Ramsey did not long remain with the paper, disposing of his inter- ests to Mr. Hatch September 20, 1892, the cause of the sale being "differing views as to conducting the paper." After Mr. Hatch be- came sole proprietor, the hard times period came on, and the Pioneer became anything but a paying business. During this period there were many changes made in the size and form of the paper to meet the exigencies of the pat- ronage. These changes were as follows : May, 1893, five column quarto; February 15, 1894, seven column folio; April 26, 1894, five col- umn quarto; September 6, 1894, six column folio; November 6, 1894, five column quarto; March 28, 1895, six column quarto.
With the issue of April 16. 1896, the Pioneer Publishing Company, incorporated under the laws of the state of Montana, assum- ing charge of the destinies of the Pioneer. The personnel of the company was about the same as it had been, Mr. Hatch being the prin- cipal stockholder and editor. During the cam- paign of that year the paper underwent a change of politics, as did so many other papers of Montana at that time. It supported Mr. Bryan for the presidency and worked for the success of the Democrat-Silver Republican county ticket.
Mr. Hatch, who since the founding of the paper had been the guiding spirit of the enter- prise, disposed of his interests in January, 1897, and retired from newspaper work. He died in November, 1899. Messrs. L. C. Olm- stead and F. D. Geiger succeeded Mr. Hatch as managers of the journal, announcing that they would continue the publication without material change in policy or form. However, soon after taking charge, they reduced the size
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to a five column quarto. January 20th Mr. Geiger sold his interest to his partner, and Mr. Olmstead became editor and manager. He made the Pioneer a Republican paper which has been the politics of the paper ever since.
Mr. Olmstead retired from the active man- agement on February 15, 1900, to accept the appointment of postmaster of Big Timber. He was succeeded as manager by Mr. J. E. Sheri- dan, the ownership being vested in the Pioneer Printing and Publishing Co. In April articles of incorporation for that company were filed, the incorporators being J. E. Sheridan, R. H. Bemis and L. C. Olmstead; the capital stock was $4,000. Mr. Sheridan continued at the head of the Pioncer for six years. Under his management there were the following changes made in the size of the publication : December 6, 1900, six columin folio : September 12, 1901, five column folio; December 5, 1901, five col- umn quarto; March 13, 1902, six column quarto; February 9, 1905, five column quarto; July 27, 1905, six column quarto.
Mr. Sheridan died February 22, 1906. Thereafter for a short time attorney A. G. Hatch conducted the business for the Pioneer company. Then, on April 19, 1906, J. T. La Fond, proprietor of the Yellowstone Leader, became manager of the Pioncer, consolidated the two plants and discontinued the publica- tion of the Leader. Since that time the Pio- necr has been the only newspaper in Sweet Grass county. Mr. LaFond has made many improvements in the paper since he assumed charge. It is now a six column quarto, all home print, and is one of the several first-class papers of the Yellowstone valley.
The second publication to bear a Big Tim- ber date line was the Sweet Grass and Boulder Blade, which made its appearance on June 7, 1893, under the management of B. T. and E. L. Boardman, formerly of the Red Lodge Picket. The Blade was an eight column folio. Coming into existence as it did just before the panic, it was not destined to live long and
soon passed away. Its untimely demise was said to be a matter of deep regret by the peo- ple of Big Timber. The plant remained in Big Timber until the spring of 1895, when it was purchased by Shelby Eli Dillard, of the New Idea at Red Lodge, and used in the pub- lication of that paper.
The third newspaper to venture into the Sweet Grass county field was the Big Timber Express, which was started in 1895 and con- tinued in existence nearly six years. The first issue was taken from the press on October 2nd from a plant which had been in use up to that time in the publication of the Columbus Ex- press; in fact, the Big Timber paper was sim- ply a continuation of that publication. Walter Aitken and A. C. Potter, under the firm name of Aitkin & Potter, were the publishers, and continued to direct its destinies until April, 1896. On April 13, of that month, Mr. L. C. Olmstead purchased the interests of Mr. Pot- ter, and the publishing firm became Aitkin & Olmstead. The junior member of the firm soon sold out to his partner and acquired an interest in the Pioncer, and Mr. Aitken became sole publisher. Up to the campaign of 1898 the Express had been Republican in politics, but a change of faith was announced at that time, and thereafter until its death the paper was a Democratic organ, of one faction or another.
Mr. Aitken departed from Big Timber in June, 1900, having leased the plant at that time to Walter Lesser, who conducted the paper during the 1900 campaign in the interests of the Daly faction of the Democratic party. He left in December of that year, and Mr. O. H. Segerstrom became the lessee. That gentle- man conducted the Express until March, 1901, when, on account of ill health, he was com- pelled to relinquish his lease, and publication was suspended. The field was entirely too small for the three newspapers that were then being published in Big Timber, and there were not many regrets when one was given up. The
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subscription list of the Express was turned over to the Pioncer, and that publication filled out the unexpired subscriptions. The plant of the Express was purchased by John R. Stout and moved to Glendive.
The fourth paper to make its appearance in Big Timber was the Yellowstone Leader, Democratic, which was started by State Sena- tor William J. Hannah on September 30, 1899. There was a story connected with the birth of this paper to the effect that Senator Hannah while in the legislature of 1899 had received $15,000 for his vote for William A. Clark for United States senator, and that it was part of this money that was used in the establishment of the Leader, and that the paper was started for the sole purpose of working in the interest of Mr. Clark. In fact, the matter of brib- ery of Mr. Hannah was definitely alleged in affidavits presented to the senate of the United States when Mr. Clark's seat in that body was contested. Mr. Hannah, who never had the reputation of spending much time looking through the dictionary to find mild words to express his thoughts in his issue of December 16, 1899, said what he thought of those who accused him of selling his vote, as follows :
The editor of the Leader is in some doubt about the journalistic propriety of using these columns for the explanation of matters concerning himself. But in view of the allegation that he received $15,000 for snp- porting W. A. Clark, which was presented to the United States senate last week by Hon. Robert Smith, Hon. H. C. Stiff, Hon. A. J. Campbell and Hon. Chas. S. Hart- man, W. J. Hannah, as an individual, is prepared to say that these men are four dishonorable liars.
The Leader was started as a seven column folio, but was soon enlarged to a quarto. There were many changes in size and form during the life of the Leader. The paper was issued semi-weekly a short time during the fall of 1902.
Articles of incorporation for "The Leader Company" were filed March 3. 1903, and this
company became the publishers of the Leader, which, however, brought about no change in the management of the paper. The incorpo- rators were W. J. Hannah, Margaret A. Han- nah and Edward Roberts; the capital stock was $25,000, of which $6,500 was paid in. The paper was again issued as a semi-weekly in the spring of 1904, but the twice-a-week edi- tion was discontinued after a very short time.
The Yellowstone Leader was purchased by J. T. LaFond on May 1, 1904, and Mr. Hannah retired from the newspaper business. Mr. LaFond continued the publi- cation of the Leader until April, 1906, when he became manager of the Pioneer, consoli- dated the two plants, and discontinued the publication of the Leader.
CARBON COUNTY.
The Red Lodge Picket was started in 1892 by E. L. Boardman, who remained in control one year and then sold to W. A. Lemas. That gentleman conducted the paper until 1898, when he sold to W. A. Alderson, who has since had control.
Another paper that came into existence at Red Lodge in 1892 was l'ociferator, which was established by Shelby E. Dillard. The Vociferator talked to the people of Carbon county only about six months.
The New Idea was founded at Red Lodge in October, 1895, under the editorship and management of Dillard & Weber. It remained in existence two years.
The Carbon county Sentinel came into be- ing in the latter part of the nineties. V. H. Beeman and Chas. Howard were interested in its publication.
In the latter part of the year 1899 a stock company was formed and the Carbon County Democrat was launched at Red Lodge. J. D. Matheson, of Billings, was installed as edi- tor.
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The Carbon County Chronicle made its ap- pearance at Red Lodge June 25, 1901, with Jean P. Kirkpatrick as editor.
Another Red Lodge paper that came into existence was the Carbon County Republican, with Johns & Cushman at the helm.
In November, 1903, F. T. Sheppard estab- lished at Joliet a paper named the Taxpayer. This was purchased the following June by B. A. Harlan, who changed the name of the pub- lication to Joliet Journal. Later Walter Worthington became associated with Mr. Har- lan in the management of the paper.
The Bridger Tribune enjoyed a brief exis- tence. It was owned by S. H. Glidden and was edited by C. J. Leucke. It suspended publi- cation in January, 1905.
YELLOWSTONE COUNTY.
Yellowstone county has a newspaper hist- ory covering a period of over twenty-five years. During that time there have been established a total of twelve weekly or semi-weekly, five daily and two monthly publications. Of this number two daily, two semi-weekly and one monthly are in existence today. These are the Daily Gasette, Daily Journal, the Semi- weekly Gasette, the Times (semi-weekly), and the Yellowstone Monthly, all of Billings; the Tri-County News (weekly ), of Columbus ; and Laurel Sentinel (weekly), of Laurel.
Many were the trials and tribulations of the newspaper publishers of Billings in the early days, especially during the period following the "busting of the boom," and the later per- iod of depression following the panic of 1893. During prosperous times, however, the news- paper men reaped the benefits of their labors, and were highly successful. Judge J. D. Matheson, who has been in the newspaper bus- iness in one capacity or another ever since Yellowstone county was organized, has writ- ten of these times :
"The pioneer journalists had not the mod- ern facilities for printing good papers, and their patrons were few and widely scattered, but a perusal of the old files of their papers shows that they were public spirited and fully alive to all matters and schemes which it was thought would be of benefit to the city. From the earliest period of the city's history the Bil- lings papers were widely quoted, and no oppor- tunity was lost to speak flatteringly of the prospects of Billings. Optimism appears to have been the key note of the early newspapers, and in the bright lexicon of Billings' youth there was no such word as 'fail.' "
The county's newspaper history begins with the month of January, 1882, and to Abel Kelsey Yerkes, afterward known as "the poet of Sour Dough Creek," belongs the credit of being the founder of the first newspaper in the future Yellowstone county-in fact the first in the Yellowstone valley west of Miles City. In the Yellowstone Journal ( Miles City) of January 7, 1882, we find this modest announcement of the intention of Mr. Yerkes to found the Coulson Post; "On Mon- day next A. K. Yerkes, formerly of this office, will leave with a complete newspaper equip- ment for Coulson, where he will establish the Coulson Post. Mr. Yerkes will, we have rea- son to believe, prosper in his new departure." The plant was purchased from the proprietor of the Yellowstone Journal, the material in that office being considered sufficient to supply two papers, and Mr. Yerkes freighted the outfit to the little town of Coulson. There, late in January, he issued the first number of the Post. Mr. Matheson has written of the life of the paper there as follows : "Coulson was the busiest town of the Yellowstone for a few months, with several general stores, hotels and restaurants, and more than the average of sa- loons and gaming houses. There was a con- stant influx of homeseekers, and every 'pil- grim' made it a point to call on the editor and
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secure local mention of his arrival, and pur- chase a liberal number of copies to send to his friends 'back east.' "
When, in the summer of 1882, Billings sprang into being, after an ineffectual attempt to stay with the old town, most of the resi- dents moved to the new city, and the Post came with them, taking the name "Billings Post." That publication said of the removal : "About the end of June last it was evident that Billings, and not Coulson, was to be the com- ing city, and the office was removed to its pres- ent headquarters." On the 4th day of July. of the same year, just after the change in lo- cation, Mr. Yerkes sold the Post to J. D. Matheson. The later conducted the paper until late in April, 1885, when a consolidation was effected among the newspaper publishers then in Billings, which resulted in the found- ing of the Gazette, mention of which will be made later. The Post was a weekly publication, and was Republican in politics.
The second paper to be established in the future county of Yellowstone was the Billings Herald, the first number of which was taken from the press on June 1, 1882. The founders were Alexander Devine, formerly secretary to the general traffic manager of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha railway, with headqquarters at St. Paul, and E. A. Bromley, the firm name of the publishers be- ing Bromley & Devine. Billings was just starting at the time, and the Herald began pub- lication in the fourth building erected in the town. It was an eight column folio, and two of the pages were composed of "patent" matter. The subscription price was four dollars per year, which in this advanced age would be con- sidered rather a fair price for a weekly publi- cation, and the publishers met with unbounded success in the booming town. Billings had not at that time secured a postoffice, and the Her- ald was entered as second class mail matter in the Coulson office. The publication was Demo-
cratic in politics and worked heartily for the success of that party.
On November 23. 1882, the firm of Brom- ley & Devine was dissolved, Mr. Bromley re- tiring and Mr. Devine assuming full control. The size of the publication was reduced to a seven column folio on January 4, 1883, but at the same time it became an all home print pa- per, which practically made the change an en- largement. Publication of a daily Herald was begun April 1, 1883, and Billings boasted its first daily paper. Its contemporary, the Bil- lings Post, said of the establishment of the daily edition : "The daily Herald made its appearance Monday afternoon. It is a five column folio, and its appearance is very cred- itable. If it is kept up to the standard of the first issue, Billings need have no cause to be ashamed of its first daily." Mr. Devine soid a half interest in the paper to Walter Matheson on May 12, 1883, and the publishers of the daily and weekly became Devine & Matheson. After giving the daily a fair trial it was found that the advertising public would not render the support necessary to make the venture a financial success, and it was discontinued Jau- uary 16. 1884, the weekly edition being con- tinued. Another change in proprietorship was made September 6. 1884, when Mr. Matheson sold his interest to Charles S. McFarlin. De- vine & McFarlin then conducted the Herald until late in April, 1885, when the consolida- tion took place, and the name "Billings Her- ald" passed out of existence in everything ex- cept memory.
The next venture in the journalistic field of Yellowstone county was the daily Rustler, which was founded at Billings November 5. 1884, by J. W. Kinsley. For a short time the paper was printed in the Herald office under a contract with the publishers of that journal. and then a plant of its own was installed. No weekly edition of the Rustler was issued. In the spring of 1885 J. W. Cobb, who was later
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badly burned in a fire and died of his burns, became the publisher. He issued only a few numbers when the plant was sold to the com- bination that was formed for the publication of the Gazette, and the Daily Rustler passed out of existence.
In the month of April, 1885, there were being published in Billings the following papers : Billings Post, by J. D. Matheson ; Bil- lings Herald, by Devine & McFarlin ; and the Daily Rustler, by J. W. Cobb. The idea was conceived of uniting all these papers under one management and issuing but two papers-a daily and a weekly. In accordance with these plans the publishers of the Post and Herald (Alexander Devine, J. D. Matheson and C. S. McFarlin) formed the Gazette Publishing Company, bought the plant and good will of the Rustler, and made preparations for the first issues of the Daily Gazette and the Montana Stock Gasette, the latter to be the weekly edi- tion. The three plants were moved into one building May 2nd, and that night the building and the combined plants were destroyed by fire, which also burned one of the business blocks of the city. All was destroyed except the lit- tle Pearl job press and a few cases of type which were mostly in the form of "pi." The company's loss was $5.500, insured for $2,750.
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