USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. I > Part 33
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. I > Part 33
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Colfax County. The first paper in Schuyler appeared as the Register, on September 30, 1871, but soon came out as the Schuyler Sun, which has continued to "shine" for a long time. The next attempt was the Schuyler Democrat, in 1878, which later became the Herald, when James A. Grimison took it over.
Cuming County. The West Point Republican was established November 18, 1870; the Progress in August, 1876, and at Nebraska City, the Nebraska Volks- blatt and Staats Zeitung, started February 16, 1868, was removed to West Point during the '70s. Wisner had a paper, the Times, for about six months in 1874.
Dakota County. The North Nebraska Eagle started at Dakota City in 1866, and the North Nebraska Argus, in 1880.
Dawson County. The oldest newspaper of this county was the Dawson County Pioneer, founded November 29, 1873, with Daniel Freeman publisher and T. W. Smith editor. Hon. T. L. Warrington and W. J. Lamma started the Dawson County Press, at Plum Creek, now Lexington, also in 1881.
Dixon County. The North Nebraska Journal was started at Ponca in January, 1873. The next paper, the Dixon County Courier, started there in August, 1872.
Dodge County. The first paper in this county was the Fremont Tribune, which made its bow to the public July 24, 1868, founded by J. Newt Hays. The Tribune has become one of the best known papers in Nebraska, with Ross L. Hammond for many years its editor, one of the big figures of Nebraska journalism as well as republican politics.
The Fremont Herald, started in 1870, some five years later passed into the hands
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of N. W. Samils and became another well-known Nebraska journal. North Bend's first paper was the Independent, started in 1879, but it became the Bulletin three years later.
Douglas County. The first papers in Omaha, the Arrow in 1854, the Nebraskan, 1854, and the Times, have been already mentioned earlier in this chapter. The history of the press in Omaha presents a splendid picture of the rise and fall of journals, the consolidation of others, and the survival of a very few. The Telegraph appeared as the first daily paper of Omaha on December 11, 1860. H. Z. Curtis, its owner, ran it until late in 1861 when he closed it and sold the subscription) books to M. H. Clark, of the Nebraskan. T. H. Tibbles tried the Independent in 1877 as an organ of the Independent party, but it lasted only about a year. The Nebraska Statesman of 1864 was another short-lived member of the fraternity.
To no journal, and to the single efforts of no man, is the city of Omaha, the county of Douglas, or the State of Nebraska so indebted for the development of internal resources and to the multitude of blessings that a progressive, unselfish newspaper can bestow upon a community as to Dr. George L. Miller, who founded and built up the Omaha Herald. This paper entered its existence as a daily on October 2, 1865. All of the prior attempts to establish papers in Omaha, except the Republican, had failed. It came ont at the start unqualifiedly as a democratic organ. The firm of Miller & Carpenter dissolved in August, 1868, and Lyman Richardson and John S. Briggs took over this journal. This regime lasted but a short time, but Dr. Miller remained as editor, and in February, 1869, took back the controlling interest. The firm of Miller & Richardson continued until March, 1888. Frank Morrissey, one of the associate editors, became editor under the next ownership, that of John A. McShane. After one year R. A. Craig became owner, and Edward L. Merritt was editor. In March, 1889, Gilbert M. Hitchcock, who when associated with Frank J. Burkley, Alfred Miller, William F. Gurley and W. V. Rooker had started the Evening World, in August, 1885, took over the Herald. The union of the Herald with the Evening World brought forth the familiar title, World-Herald. This paper has been conducted for more than thirty years under the ownership of Gilbert M. Hitchcock, with a brilliant line of editors, including William Jennings Bryan, Richard L. Metcalfe and Harvey E. New- branch, its present editor, who if he has any peers, at least has no superiors in American Journalism as an editorial writer.
The Omaha Tribune started in 1871, but it later consolidated with the Repub- lican.
On Monday, June 19, 1871. H. Geralde issued the first number of another Omaha newspaper, destined to be a great factor in the history of Nebraska, the Omaha Bee. The gradual growth of this journal furnishes one of the interesting chapters of Nebraska journalism. When it was a few weeks old, Mr. Edward Rose- water appeared as publisher and proprietor, although Mr. Geralde remained as editor. A lithographing department was added to the Bee as early as 1878. The controlling interest in this wonderfully successful paper remained in the hands of Mr. Edward Rosewater and his family until his death, and thereafter his son, Victor Rosewater, maintained charge of the paper, until in 1920 it was sold to Nelson B. Updike of Omaha. It has always been a stalwart and even "standpat" republican journal.
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In the evening field the Omaha Evening News ventured forth in 1828, backed by Fred Nye of the Fremont Tribune, but it lasted only a couple of years, though in after years it has had an illustrious successor and namesake, the Daily News, a Scripps system or Clover-Leaf system paper, with Joseph Polcar as editor.
The foregoing roster does not in any respect begin to include all of the multitude of newspapers and periodicals that have graced the journalistic field in Douglas ('ounty.
Fillmore County. In Fairmont the early papers were the Fillmore Bulletin, started May 1, 1822, and the Nebraska Signal, October, 1881. The first paper in Geneva was the Review, in April, 1876. The Grafton Gazette was started in 1881, the Exeter Enterprise in October, 1878.
Franklin County. The pioneer paper of this county was the Bloomington Guard, established in 1872 by J. D. Calhoun, later associate editor of the State Journal at Lincoln. Franklin's first paper was the Republican Valley Echo, started by James F. Zediker in September, 1881. Naponee's first paper was the Banner.
Furnas County. The early papers of this county were the Beaver ('ity Times ; Oxford and Cambridge first established papers in 1881, but Arapahoe had the Pioneer in July, 1879, and the Mirror was started there in 1882.
Gage County. The Blue Valley Record was started at Beatrice in 1867; after . changing to the Clarion in 1870, it became the Express, and under that title has continued for over forty years. The Gage County Democrat started in December, 1879, with George P. Marvin as editor, and the service of the Marvin family to Nebraska journalism is one of the longest. Another paper, started in 1823, bore the titles of Sentinel, Republican, Courier, and in 1881 became the Gage County Independent. The Weekly Mirror started at Blue Springs in 1876; in Wymore the Wymorean and the Reporter were the early papers.
Greeley County. The first newspaper in this county was the Greeley County Tribune, started at Scotia in October, 1877.
Hall County. The first newspaper in Hall County was probably the Huntsman's Echo, in 1860, published by Joseph Johnson, the Mormon editor, at the Wood River Center settlement at the western edge of the county. The first Hall County paper was the Platte Valley Independent, removed in 1870, from North Platte, where Mr. and Mrs. Seth P. Mobley had started it the year before. This paper became the Grand Island Independent and has passed its fiftieth year of continuous existence. The Grand Island Times, established in 1873, flourished as a daily for a time, a semiweekly and weekly at other periods. The Herold was started in 1880. Doniphan had a paper, the Index, started in 1879. The Wood River Gazette started in 1881.
Hamilton County. In 1873 J. M. Sechler began publishing the Hamiltonian at Orville. It moved in a few months to Sutton. The second paper started in the county was the Aurora Republican, owned by F. M. Ellsworth and Thomas Darnall, and edited by a Mr. Fox. The Hamilton County News also started at Orville in 1823, later being moved to Aurora.
Harlan County. The Standard was founded at Alma in 1879 and became the Herald; and the Harlan County News started first in Republican City in 1875, and was removed to Alma in 1881. The Weekly Enterprise started at Republican City in 1880, and the Sentinel at Orleans was started in 18:3, being Jater taken to Melrose, and then back to Orleans.
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Hitchcock County. The first paper in this far western county was the Cul- bertson Globe, started in 1879 by W. Z. Taylor, with Nat L. Baker as editor. John P. Isreal of Ottumwa, Iowa, came out in April. 1881, and took up the publication of the Sun at this point.
Howard County. The Phonograph was established at St. Paul in 1878. In 1881 the Democrat and Advocate started there, and consolidated later into the St. Paul Free Press.
Holt County. The Holt County Record was started in June, 1879, the first thirty numbers being printed at Niobrara, Knox County, and then it was removed to ('Neill. The Frontier was started on October 1, 1880, by W. D. Matthews. These papers were truly the "frontier" of Nebraska journals for some years to come.
Jefferson County. The oldest paper in this county was the Fairbury Gazette, established September 3, 1870, by George Cross; the Southern Nebraska Advance started in August, 1879, at Carleton, Thayer County; removed to Steele City in 1880 and to Fairbury in 1881. Fairbury presents a typical instance of the manner in which early newspaper ventures started up and often time flourished but a short time, as evidenced by the rise and fall of the Times, Independent, Chipper, Telegraph, New West Index and Field Notes, all within a few years' time.
Johnson County. The Tecumseh Journal was first published in Brownville in 1867, and sent over to Johnson County for distribution. This plan failed to work acceptably, and in 1868 the Tecumseh Gazette was established by Messrs. Presson & Andrews. G. W. and F. M. Fairbrother in 1869 started the Tecumseh Chieftain, which became the oldest permanent newspaper of the county. Other early papers at Tecumseh were the Herald, 1872; Journal, 1879, and Torchlight, 1880, started by the Fairbrothers after they sold the Chieftain. C. W. Pool, who in recent years served as secretary of state, while editor of the Johnson County Journal also published the Sterling News, which had been established there in 1877, and this town's next venture was the Press in 1881.
Kearney County. Minden's early paper was the Bee, which consolidated with the Newark Herald in April, 1882, to form the Kearney County Gazette.
Knox County. The Niobrara Pioneer was started in September, 1874, by Edwin A. Fry. Its first rival was the Knox County News, in May, 1879. Editor Fry started the Creighton Regulator April 26, 1882. The Knox County Times was started at Bazile Mills in May, 1881, by C. A. Hammond.
Lancaster County. Lincoln was proclaimed the capital of Nebraska, August 14, 1867, and the next day the Nebraska City Press contained the prospectus of a weekly paper to be started at Lincoln. The new candidate for journalistic honors was known as the Nebraska Commonwealth, and its founder was C. H. Gere. Its first number, issued on September 2d, was printed at the Press office, in Nebraska City, but its second number was printed at Lincoln. In the spring of 1869 its name was changed to the Nebraska State Journal. During the campaign of 1869-70 a daily campaign sheet was worked off, and in July, 1820, it became a daily paper. No paper in Nebraska, except it might be the Omaha Bee and World-Herald, has exercised a greater influence upon the history of the state than has the Journal. General Victor Vifquain and associates started the State Demo- erat, in June, 1829. In February, 1882. Albert Watkins purchased General Vif- quain's interest and assumed editorial management. A German paper, the Staats Anzeiger, started in 1881. Erasmus M. Correll, one of the leaders of carly Nebraska
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journalism, started the Western Woman's Journal in 1881, and Lincoln had a farm paper, the Nebraska Farmer, started in November, 1822.
Lincoln County. The first newspaper venture in this region was the Platte Valley Independent, in 1869, by Mrs. Maggie Eberhart, assisted by S. P. Mobley, whom she later married. They went to Grand Island a year later and sold the new venture to Col. J. B. Park and Guy C. Barton, who continued the publication as the Lincoln County Advocate. The North Platte Democrat, started in 1871, and the Enterprise, consolidated as the Advertiser, and this paper became the Republican. Judge A. H. Church established the Western Nebraskian after he sold the Republican. The Telegraph was started April 14, 1881, by James MeNulty.
Madison County. The Norfolk Journal was started September 15, 1881, by Norton & Sprecher. The Times was started September 1, 1880, but lasted only fourteen months and its material went into the new Journal office. Madison had the first paper in the county, the Madison Review, established in 1874, but it discontinued in 1878, and in 1879 the Chronicle was started.
Merrick County. The pioneer paper of this county was the Merrick County News, which made its first appearance March 21, 1822, at Lone Tree, the county seat. The next paper was the Lone Tree Sentinel, with W. II. Webster and George A. Pereival as editors. It lasted only until its mission in advocacy of the Midland Pacific bonds was accomplished. Mr. Percival and L. Waters, in April, 1874. started the Lone Tree Courier, which absorbed the Merrick County News. The Clarksville Messenger started in May, 1878, and the Merrick County Item. January 14, 1880. The Central City Nonpareil was started on January 1. 1882, and this proved to be a permanent venture to date, almost forty years later.
Nance County. The Nance County Journal was the first paper in this part of the country. Its first number was issued in October, 1879, by A. E. Verity. Its name was changed in September, 1881, to the Lariat, but soon returned to the old name. The Nance County Republican was started by J. N. Reynolds, in October, 1881. Richard Nunnely, commonly known as "Antelope Diek." in July. 1879, started the Genoa Magnet, which became the Leader, in February, 1880.
Vemaha County. The foundation of the Nebraska Advertiser has already been mentioned in the early part of this chapter. For a few weeks in 185% a sheet called the Snort was issued from the Advertiser office. The Nemaha Valley Journal was removed from Nemaha City to Brownville, but moved back again in a short time. The Aspinwall Journal came to Brownville in 1861 and was con- tinued but a few months longer. The second Nemaha Valley Journal, started in 1867, was later taken to Falls City. Richardson County. The first paper in North Auburn was the Sheridan Post, established in 1879 by F. B. Tiffany.
Nurkotls County. The Elktonian, started in 1822, was the first paper in this county-printed in Lincoln and issued in Elkton, an aspirant for the county seat. The Southwestern Chronicle and Inter-Ocean were established at Nelson in 1815. but soon removed to Fairfield and became the News there. The Nuckolls County Herald was established in 1877. Hardy had a weekly paper, the Herald, in June. 1882, and the ('lipper, a semi-monthly real estate publication, familiar in those days.
Otoe County. The Nebraska City News has been heretofore mentioned. The People's Press started in the spring of 1858. It became the Press and Herald and later the Nebraska Press. In 1872 it became the Press and Chronicle, and
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finally dropped the latter name and became known as the Press. The Nebraska Deutsch Zeitung, later known as the Staats-Zeitung, started in 1861. Short-lived journalistic attempts were the Star of the West, at Otoe City, and the Phunny Phellow and the Daily and Weekly Chronicle as started in August, 1868. The Nebraska City Daily Sun was started April 29, 1879.
Pawnee County. The first paper in the county was the Pawnee Tribune, started in August, 1868. Its successor was the Republican, the name it assumed in 1872. The Enterprise was started at Table Rock in August, 1877, and was moved to Pawnee City in 1878.
Pierce County. The first paper in this county was the Pierce County Call, established October 6, 1877, at Pierce.
Phelps County. Two papers started at Phelps Center late in the '70s. They were the Nebraska Nugget and the Phelps County News.
Platte County. The first paper published in Columbus was the Golden Age, started on June 21, 1866. The next one to be issued was the Platte Valley Journal, which was followed soon by the Columbus Journal, first issued May 11, 1870. The Columbus Gazette was started in March, 1881. The Independent was first issued in 1878. In May, 1875, the Columbus Republican had been started, which Cahner McCune later moved to David City. The Era, which later became the Democrat, was started in February, 1874, with W. N. Hensley as editor.
Polk County. The first newspaper in this county was the Polk County Times, started at Stromsburg in 1872, edited by W. D. Ferre. The Osceola Record was inaugurated just before the death of the Times in 1872 as the Homesteader. The Herald, founded in December, 1879, by G. R. Nunnelly, in 1880 was changed to the Home News, and later consolidated with the Record.
Red Willow County. Indianola's first paper was the Courier. MeCook's first paper, the Tribune, was started June 8, 1882, by J. P. Isreal, who had sold his interest in the Culbertson Globe to found this paper in the new town.
Richardson County. Richardson County presents a list of early papers, illustra- tive of the early journalism. The Broad Axe was started in Falls City in the fall of 1858, owned by Maj. J. E. Burbank and edited by Sewall Jamieson. Its motto was "Hew to the mark, let the chips fall where they will." "There is a destiny which shapes our ends, rough hew them as we will." It later became the Southern Nebraskian. "The Little Globe, a small journal with great aims," was established in 1823 with a flaming prospectus, of which the following extract will give some idea : "Little, but Oh, Lord! Prospectus of the Globe (the little) a journal of the third class, to be published every Saturday at Falls City, Neb. The Little Globe will be intensely local, and as independent as a hog on ice. We hope to bless this town." This modest announcement was signed "the meekest of men, Ed. W. Howe." This man's name has become a household word through the success he has since accomplished in Atchison, Kan., with his quaint but practical column of humor. The little journal he started, after a relapse, came forth in consolidation with the Nemaha Valley Journal as the Globe-Journal. The Journal had started at Brownville in 1868. The Falls City Press was started on February 1, 1825, and later became the News. The Richardson County Register was established in August. 1881, at Rulo. The Ilumboldt Sentinel was started on November 2. 1877. The Farmers' Advocate made its bow on July 9, 1881. The People's Paper was
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the spasmodie and erratic product of a character known as "Peanut" Wilson and did not remain long in the field. Salem's early paper was the Advertiser.
Saline County. The first news journal in this county was the Saline County Post, at Crete, which was started in May, 1821, by Rev. Charles Little, a C'on- gregational minister. It was consolidated in 1876 with the Saline County News, and that paper later became the Saline County Union. The Wilber Record became the Saline County Standard at Crete. In 1879 this paper came into the hands of F. O. Mark and W. G. and E. H. Purcell. The Saline County News had been started in Pleasant Hill, then the county seat of the county. It was removed to C'rete after a year of existence. The Crete Sentinel was established in 1875 and the Saline County Demoerat in 1826. The first paper attempted in Wilber was called the Opposition, a paper first published at DeWitt, where it continued until 1827. The Wilber Record has been mentioned; and the Free Press came over from DeWitt in 1828, and a Bohemian sheet called the Besada was tried in 1877 for a short time.
Sarpy County. The Palladium has already been well discussed as well as the Gazette and Platte Valley Times. The first paper in Papillion was the Sentinel, which started in 1872, and the Papillion Times, established in 1874, was the next.
Seward County. The Nebraska Reporter, at Seward, was founded in October, 1871. The Blue Valley Blade was started in 1879 and the Seward Gazette in 1882. At Milford the Seward County Democrat was started in February, 1882.
Sherman County. The first paper in this county was the Loup City News, issued on November 3, 1873. Its name was soon changed to the Sherman County Times, under which name it has remained.
Stanton County. Lewis Ley started the first paper in this county, the Stanton Bugle, in 1873. An opposition paper called the Stanton County Echo came out a year or so later. The Index followed the Bugle into the field, and also out of it. The Stanton Register was started in 1879.
Thayer County. The first member of the Thayer County press was the Hebron Journal, which one citizen said, while designated a "weekly" should be "weakly." He remarked it was a "tri-weekly" that is, "get out one week" and "try to get out the next." This journal was established by E. M. Correll, one of the leading figures of early Nebraska journalism, when the town had only three houses and the county a population of 500. In 1881, the Thayer County Sentinel and the Journal were consolidated. An alliance paper, the People's Advocate, was started on March 18, 1882. At Alexandria the News was started in 1879 by S. E. Babcock, first under the name of the Alexandrian.
Valley County. The Valley County Journal was founded in February, 1879, by J. H. Capron, and the Ord Weekly Quiz was founded on April 6, 1882, by Will W. Haskell. These two papers are running in 1920, approximately forty years later. Mr. Capron is a successful abstractor and real estate broker of Ord, and Mr. Haskell retired about two years ago after almost forty years' continuous service with the Quiz.
Washington County. The earliest newspapers of this county were established at Cuming City, when, in 1856, the Nebraska Pioneer was started, and in 1858 the Cuming City Star began to twinkle. The early papers in Desoto, among others, numbered the Desoto Pilot, established in 1857 by Isaac Parrish : the Washington County Sun, established in 1858 by P. C. Sullivan ; and the Desoto Enquirer, by Z.
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Jackson. Blair's early papers were the Pilot, brought from Tekamah by J. T. Lambert in 1874, and the Republican, started by W. H. B. Stout and others in 1820.
Other early papers in Blair were the Blair Register, started in May, 1869, by Hilton & Son, and which L. F. Ililton took charge of in 1871. The Wash- ington County Democrat was started in September, 1881.
Wayne County. The Wayne County Review was started May 22, 1875, at La Porte by Huse & Hunter.
Webster County. The Webster County Argus was started in August, 1878, by A. J. Kenney. The Red Cloud Chief was established in July, 1873, by C. L. Mather. In its early days the Chief was printed on a Washington hand press, on which the oldest paper in Nebraska, the Brownville Advertiser, was first published in 1856. It is said that the first issue of the Lincoln Daily State Journal was also printed on this same press.
York County. The oldest of the newspapers of York is the Republican, which was founded in May, 1872. The Monitor, the Sentinel and the Record were the real early names of the first York papers. The name Republican was adopted by Messrs. Morgan and Ross in April, 1876. The York County Tribune was inaugurated by Frank A. Wellman, in March, 1877. The York County Times was established August 13, 1880.
NEWSPAPERS OF NEBRASKA TODAY
A review of the roster of Nebraska newspapers of this period will serve several purposes. It will show those few which have been able to survive a quarter-century and now and then one that has reached the half-century mark. It will serve as a catalogue of those towns large and small throughout the state that have reached a sufficient stage of importance to have a newspaper. A newspaper serves as the voice of the community, and no matter how smali the town or how diminutive . the "sheet" that issues forth each week from its post-office, its paper stamps the town as a community of individuality, progress, co-operation, optimism and real boosting spirit, or the opposite.
A study of the names of Nebraska newspapers brings out many characteristics of the state. Many of the papers reflect the days when polities had a mueh sharper partisan tinge than it has had in recent years. Republicans, Democrats, Inde- pendents, Free-Press, Vindicator, Eagle, Delegate, are titles that suggest the old political rivalry, especially in many towns where one paper still bears the title Republican, and its aneient rival Demoerat. The common names of papers expressing the purposes of a newspaper abound, such as Herald, Courier, Chronicle, Reporter, Tribune, Times, Messenger, News, Clarion, Advocate, Press, Journal, Monitor, Argus, Register. Dispatch, Review, Telegraph, Telepost, Post, Graphic, Items, Index, Call, Mirror, Exchange, and Observer; and some of the names denote speed and "Progress," such as Advance, Express, Optimist, Booster, AAuxiliary, probably the only paper in the nation of that name, at Fairfield, except the national trade journal, "Publishers Auxiliary"; Locomotive. Spotlight, Beaeon, Echo, Standard, Leader, Clipper, Rip-Saw. Enterprise and Banner. Unusual names as Vidette and Visitor appear. Sometimes a town is reflected as Waconion or Wymorean. The nature of the country sometimes is intimated as in Star, Breeze. Wave (though no ocean is near Nebraska), and Sun. The carly Indian period
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