USA > New Jersey > Camden County > History of the press in Camden County, New Jersey > Part 2
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From a paper of purely local influence, Mr. Chew soon by his forcible editorials and fair treat- ment of both friend and foe made his new ven- ture one of the leading papers in South Jersey. He was a clear and lucid writer with a perfect com- mand of the English language which he always used with telling effect. During the Civil War he was bitter towards the opposition party and his scathing criticisms of the editorial policy of the "Camden Democrat" brought forth many tart and caustic paragraphs in both papers. In the "Demo- crat" of June 4, 1862, Morris R. Hamilton, reply- ing to one of these articles said :
"Mr. Sinnickson Chew of the West Jersey Press volunteers to furnish an epitaph and not wishing to be excelled in editorial courtesy, even in so grave a matter, we undertake to return the favor by sub- mitting the following: 'Here lies one who s-chew-d the Constitution and died of nigger on the brain' ".
The office of the "American Star" was at first
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HISTORY OF THE PRESS
on Whitehall, now Front, street between Cooper and Market streets, and was later removed to the southwest corner of Second and Market streets oc- cupying the second story of a frame building which formerly stood on the site of the brick building, af- terwards used as a drug store by James C. Morgan, and later by Simeon Ringle. At that time Charles H. Ellis occupied the first story of this building as a store. The "Camden Mail" under Porter & Wolohon was also located in this building and re- mained there until January, 1833, when the office was moved to the second building on the west side of Second street below Federal, under Mr. Ham. For a short time, under P. J. Gray, the office was located in the old "Arcade" building, at the south- west corner of Second and Plum (Arch) streets, but in September, 1834, was moved to the frame building on Front street two doors above "Toy's" Hotel, where it remained until December 1, 1852. On the latter date the office was moved to the "new building" on the south side of Market street, three doors above the West Jersey Hotel. After several changes from the north to the south side of Market street, west of Front, the West Jersey Press was, in 1872, finally located in its own building at the northeast corner of Front and Market streets. In 1913, the building at Nos. 37 and 39 North Third street was erected and has since been occupied by this newspaper.
About the year 1831, a paper was established in
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HISTORY OF THE PRESS
Camden under the title "Camden Republican". The venture proving unsuccessful it was placed in the hands of a receiver who sold it to Josiah Har- rison, at that time city clerk and later the Law Re- porter of the State of New Jersey. By the latter the name was changed to "National Republican," and issued as a Democratic organ in opposition to the "Camden Mail". Mr. Harrison, not being a practical printer, placed the publication in the hands of "two good workmen", E. E. Camp and A. S. Barber. About 1833, these two men left to establish the Woodbury "Constitution", and Harrison continued the publication until May 27, 1843, when it was discontinued, because its pro- prietor was moving to Salem. In the following November, Franklin Ferguson revived the enter- prise under the title "National Republican". Pre- vious to coming to Camden, Mr. Ferguson had edited and published "The Washington Whig" in Bridgeton. The new owner soon changed the pa- per to a "Native American" organ, entitled "The Tribune", better known, however, as "The Two Thousand Gratis", from the fact that the adver- tisers were assured the circulation had reached this figure and to make good his word a large part of every issue was given away. After publishing seven numbers, Ferguson became discouraged and sold his establishment. He later established "The Dollar Weekly" at Burlington.
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Charles D. Hineline* started the "American Eagle" in the "building lately occupied by the Post Office, adjoining the Railroad Hotel". He is supposed to have been the purchaser of a large part of the equipment of the "Tribune". The first number was dated Wednesday, September 29, 1842, and the second number was issued on Satur- day, October 8, after which time the latter day was the regular one for its publication. It was printed on a sheet 13 x 20 inches, four pages, five columns to a page and the last issue under this title was dated December 24, 1842, as No. 13. Mr. Hineline was soon joined by Henry Curts, a prac- tical printer, and on December 31, 1842, the first issue of the "American Eagle and West Jersey Ad- vertiser" was published by Hineline & Curts, as Vol. II, No. 1, Whole No. 14. The last number put out by this firm was dated May 18, 1844. Hineline, having sold out his one-half interest in the plant to Henry Bosse, moved West. The issue of June 15 was published by Bosse & Curts and this
* Charles D. Hineline was born in Northumberland County, Pa., in 1817, and died in Philadelphia on May 9, 1862. He entered the newspaper field on the "German Democrat" of Easton, Pa., in 1829, subsequently going to Philadelphia "Inquirer," under Jesper Harding, and coming to this city to start the "American Eagle." He soon emigrated to Indiana where he began publishing the New Albany "Ledger." He came back to Camden in 1846 and, as noted elsewhere, started the "Camden Democrat," which he later sold to Colonel Isaac Mickle, and started the Phillipsburg (N. J.) "Standard." His next venture was the "Spirit of '76," which was afterwards merged with the "Democrat." Under President Buchanan, Hineline held a position in the Phila- delphia Custom House. He later started the Philadelphia "American Mechanic" in connection with a Mr. Van Nortwick. His next move was the "Pennsylvania State Sentinel" of Harrisburg, where he came into friendly relations with Governor Packer, who rewarded him for his party fealty by an appointment as Superintendent of Public Printing. He later came back to Camden, but his ambition to found further newspapers was gone, and he devoted his time to reportorial work for several years.
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combination continued until August 17, when on account of ill-health, Mr. Bosse sold his interest to Curts. The paper was then continued by Henry Curts, or Henry Curts & Co., under the same title until November 23, 1844, when its name was changed to "Phoenix and Farmers' and Mechan- ics' Advertiser".
Curts, in an editorial in the issue of November 30, 1844, states that the reason for the change in the title of the paper was that the names of both the contemporaries in the city corresponded in some degree with the name of the "American Eagle and West Jersey Advertiser"; Ferguson's was called the "Franklin Advertiser", while the other one ("The Camden Mail") has the affix "General Advertiser" in its title. This led to much confusion among his exchanges and letters, which often were addressed merely "The Advertiser". Democracy, whose organ his paper was, had re- cently gone to defeat and it was hoped it would "rise from the ashes of defeat more vigorous, and, as we trust, more powerful than ever"-hence the name "Phoenix".
In January, 1844, Isaac Mickle assumed editor- ial charge of the "Eagle", and P. J. Gray editor- ially in the "Mail" of January 10, 1844, said, "We perceive from the last No. of the American Eagle, that our esteemed young townsman, Isaac Mickle, Esq., has assumed the editorial control of that paper. This connection cannot but be grati-
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CAMDEN DEMOCRAT
CAMDEN. N. L., SATURDAY, MAY 26. 1860.
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fying to every one who entertains any regard for the reputation of the Press of the State". Mickle continued as editor until December, 1844, when he announced that private business required his re- moval to another state and consequently his with- drawal from all connection with the paper. In the issue of December 21, 1844, the name of Henry Curts appeared as both editor and publisher. Curts continued its publication as a weekly under the same title for some time and then changed the name to "The Semi-Weekly Phoenix and West Jersey Democratic Journal".
This change was made in June, 1850* and there are two copies of this paper in the Library of Con- gress. During the period when it was published semi-weekly it was issued on Mondays and Thurs- days. The size of the paper was 101/2 x 16 inches, of four pages and four columns to a page, and the price was one cent per number. D. W. Belisle says it was subsequently published semi-occasion- ally and finally died a natural death about 1860. The office of the "Phoenix" and of the "Semi- Weekly Phoenix" was originally at the south- west corner of Second and Plum streets ("The Ar- cade") and later at 413 Federal street.
There was a paper called the "Hickory Club", edited by Chas. D. Hineline and published by Ed- ward Chandler. It was apparently a four page
* "The West Jerseyman," June 19, 1850.
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HISTORY OF THE PRESS
campaign sheet but the only trace of the paper so far located is one page of the issue of May 17th, 1844, in the Library of Congress.
Ferguson soon after selling out the "Tribune" established the "Franklin Advertiser", also known as the "Dollar Weekly", and continued its publica- tion until 1846, when C. D. Hineline, who had again returned to Camden, purchased his interest and soon changed the name to the "Camden Demo- crat". Practically nothing would now be known of the "Franklin Advertiser", were it not for a ref- erence to it in a contemporary newspaper and the editorial by Curts above cited as no copies are known to be in existence. It must, however, have had some influence in the community, as other- wise Curts would not have felt constrained to change the title of his publication in order to avoid confusion with the "Franklin Advertiser".
The first issue of the "Camden Democrat" which was a twenty-eight column folio paper, was in No- vember, 1846 .*
In acknowledging receipt of the initial copy, Judge Gray, in "The West Jersey Mail" expressed the opinion that while "competition is said to be
* We have been unable to locate a copy of the first issue of the "Democrat" which Prowell and others state was dated January 3rd. However, "The West Jersey Mail" of November 25, 1846, states that it is called upon to announce the appearance of another paper under the title "Camden Democrat," published by Charles D. Hineline. As the "Mail" was issued on Wednesdays and the "Democrat" on Saturdays, it is fair to assume that its first number was dated November 21, 1846. In the early numbers of the "Camden Democrat" the date of its establishment is given as 1832, evidently tracing its founding back to Harrison's "Republican." As the latter was changed to a "Native American" organ, this claim is not well founded. We have, therefore, assumed that Hine- line was the original founder of the "Democrat."
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the life of trade", this old adage "will better bear a general rather than a particular application". "For instance, further competition, where it al- ready prevails to a ruinous extent, will not 'give life', but must rather be the death of 'trade'. Such, we imagine, must be the result produced by the addition to the number of newspapers already in Camden" .*
This was a new enterprise and was located in a frame building at Front and Federal streets. The publication office was, however, soon moved to the second and third floors of the frame building next door to Joab Scull's grocery store located at the southwest corner of Second and Federal streets. At this location it was entirely burned out on June 26, 1851, and was then moved to the frame building at the eastern end of Laning's Row on Federal street.t That the adage, "blood is thicker than water", is true in newspaperdom as well as in the family, was demonstrated by the fire. About this time the "West Jerseyman" and the "Democrat" were hav- ing a heated battle over the political issues of the day and the discussion grew so warm that it de- scended to personalities. This naturally engen- dered bad feeling between the editors, but when the fire broke out, Mr. Gray's first thought was for his recent antagonist. In describing the fire in the next issue of his paper he said much of the infor-
* "The West Jersey Mail," November 25, 1845.
t "The West Jerseyman," July 2, 1851.
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mation was obtained from others, as he was too busy trying to save the effects and supplies of the "Democrat" to personally observe what was tak- ing place in other parts of the burned area.
During a portion of the time the "Democrat" was owned by Mr. Hineline. D. W. Belisle acted as editor and also assisted in setting type and print- ing the paper. After they separated, a most bitter feud sprang up between them, which came near culminating in a tragedy.
C. D. Hineline sold the paper in April, 1852, to Colonel Isaac Mickle and upon his death it passed to his cousin Isaac W. Mickle, who in 1856, took James M. Cassiday into partnership. In 1857, John Hood, who had for many years been con- nected with the "Bridgeton Chronicle", succeeded Cassiday and the next year (July, 1858) became the sole owner. Henry L. Bonsall became assistant editor and foreman of the office under Hood's pro- prietorship. With the issue of June 2, 1860, Hood was induced to part with the property, and Oscar D. Douglas became the publisher while Morris R. Hamilton was the new editor. The latter had been formerly connected with the Trenton "True Amer- ican", the New York "National Democrat" and the New Jersey "Herald". The paper was continued under the new management without material changes until the first issue of the Fifteenth Vol- ume,* on March 2, 1861, when according to a pre-
* How the 15-volume commenced on March 2, 1861, we have been unable to learn.
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vious announcement, three columns more of read- ing were provided by increasing the length of the pages and its appearance was greatly improved by the aid of new type. Douglas severed his connec- tion with the "Democrat" in September, 1861, to take charge of the "Atlantic Democrat" of Egg Harbor City along with Mr. J. Gifford. During the management under Hamilton, William Zane became foreman of the press room and after Mr. Douglas' retirement Mr. Hamilton's son, Ellis, took charge of the financial affairs of the paper.
Morris R. Hamilton remained with the "Demo- crat" until September, 1865, leaving to take charge of the Newark "Journal", and subsequently be- came State Librarian. He was one of the best known journalists among the New Jersey Demo- cratic editors and his exit from the "Democrat" was severely felt by his party.
The next editor was Charles N. Pine, who, when Hineline moved with the "Franklin Advertiser", from the building at Front and Federal streets, took possession of it and began the publication of the "Jersey Blue". The latter paper endorsed the Whig policies, but does not seem to have made any material progress and was soon discontinued.
Pine, in 1855, moved to Princeton, Indiana, and became the editor of the Bureau county "Demo- crat". He was later appointed postmaster of Princeton and in 1858 selected as United States Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois, be-
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coming the leader of the Buchanan Democrats. His next newspaper venture was as editor of the Chicago daily "Herald"-an anti-Douglass organ. Returning to Philadelphia in 1862, he became suc- cessively editor of the Philadelphia "Bulletin", Philadelphia "Patriot", "Camden Democrat", and Philadelphia "Record", and finally moved to Mil- ford, Pennsylvania, to take charge of the Milford "Despatch". His last publication was the Port Jer- vis, New York, "Gazette".
While a brilliant writer, he did not make a suc- cess of any of the many papers with which he was connected, as is evidenced by the many changes that he made during his nearly fifty years in journalism.
After the departure of Pine, "years of gloomy uncertainty attended the course of the Democrat". The duty of issuing the paper was assumed by Wil- liam Zane, a thoroughly practical printer, while the editorial page was filled up with voluntary con- tributions from those affiliated with the Democratic party. This naturally led to an unsettled policy and resulted in the loss of patronage and influence.
In 1867, Alexander E. Donaldson, formerly of the "Somerset Messenger", assumed editorial charge, but he only lived for a few months and the paper was again largely dependent upon volun- teers, among whom was John H. Jones, one of the founders in 1843 of "The Daily Sun" of Philadel- phia and later the publisher and with Dr. Reynell Coates, co-editor, of the "American Banner and
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National Defender", the organ of Native Ameri- canism in West Jersey. It was published in Cam- den for several years beginning about 1850 and. subsequently, according to Westcott Scharff, in Philadelphia for several months. In 1851-52 it was one of the three official newspapers of the city, but otherwise little is known of it.
In 1870, "The Camden Democrat Co-operative Association" was formed with Thomas Mckean, Isaiah Woolston, James M. Cassiday, Chalkley A. Albertson, Cooper B. Browning, John Clement, William Sexton, Richard S. Jenkins, Henry Fred- ericks and James S. Henry as incorporators. John H. Jones now became editor and the "Democrat" again became a power in the city and State and it was largely through its influence that its editor was elected Mayor of Camden in 1874. In 1876, May- or Jones died and, while Morris R. Hamilton then assumed the editorial direction for a short time, its power and influence was very short-lived. In 1877, Dr. Thomas Wescott and Charles G. Dickinson, large owners of the stock of the Association took possession and issued the paper under the editorial charge of Mr. Dickinson and the following year disposed of it to William B. Wills of the "Mount Holly Herald", who formed a partnership in 1882 with Samuel W. Semple. They conducted its affairs under more or less trying conditions until January 1, 1885.
On the latter date the paper was leased to John
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Carpenter, Sr., of Hunterdon County and John D. Courter, of Camden. In May, 1885, C. S. Ma- grath, formerly editor of the "Cape May Wave", purchased the interests of Wills & Semple and continued the publication until June 6, 1908, when due to lack of support it was discontinued. In a valedictory editorial over the signature of the pro- prietor and editor, he said: "Honestly and frankly the weekly newspaper business and more especially that of the Democratic brand is on the bum".
The publication office during the sixty odd years of its existence had been located in various build- ings. In 1859, the office was on Federal street opposite "Parsons and Smith's Hotel"; in 1867 at 110 Federal street; in 1883 at 94 Federal street, where it remained until 1889, when it was moved to 125 Federal street.
In 1855, Chas. D. Hineline established the Phil- adelphia "Spirit of '76" as a weekly, but after a few months it was merged into the "Camden Demo- crat" and at the head of its editorial column the latter for a number of years carried the two names.
CAMDEN JOURNAL
In April, 1857, D. W. Belisle began the publica- tion of the "Camden Journal" as the organ of the "straight out" American party. Belisle says of this publication, "For about five months it was printed at the office of the "Philadelphia Inquir-
CAMDEN EVENING DAILY.
VOL I
CAMDEN, X J FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1838.
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HISTORY OF THE PRESS
er", but published in Camden. A law of New Jersey making it obligatory that legal advertising shall be done in papers "printed" as well as "pub- lished" within their respective counties, deprived me of what printers generally term "fat takes", and knowing, as I did, the situation I purchased materials, set up an office and ran the journal from October, 1857 to April, 1865-nearly three years of which as a daily-at which time I sold it to Sin- nickson Chew, Esq., who merged it into the "West Jersey Press". The office was on Market street above Front.
Belisle was a thorough newspaper man and the paper published by him was a good example of a paper published in a small community during the middle of the last century. Had he been as good a business man, as he was a journalist, his paper might have survived to this day. He said of this venture that "I commenced it in 1857 with a cap- ital of $25, and worked it until 1865, having ingrat- iated myself into the affections of the public to such an extent that I retired from this honorable position $300 worse off than when I began-that is I was that much in debt."
CAMDEN EVENING DAILY
The earliest attempt to publish an evening daily in Camden, and, in fact, the only daily paper in West Jersey at that time, was made by Philip J.
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Gray. The prospectus of the new daily stated that "It is to be entirely independent and free from all political cliques or parties; open to the discussion of every question of public interest, and especially and particularly devoted to the development of the interests of Camden and its surroundings". Judge Gray was very much of a philosopher and the fol- lowing meditations on the press and especially his plea for support of the first Camden Daily are as applicable today as they were sixty years ago:
"It is scarcely necessary at this day, to elaborate the value of the Press, since it has become a fixed institution in every reading community. It is a want of the human mind that must be met (of the Yankee mind particularly), for although we are not a nation of Athenians, there is in us a daily thirsting for some 'new thing'. The daily intelli- gence is as necessary an aliment to the mind, as food is to the body; and as the Penny Press is the medium which places it within the reach of the vast body of our population, it becomes a Lever for good or evil, of incalculable power. But the Lever must have a Fulcrum -- or it cannot work-we ask for this Fulcrum-give us the support, and there can be no reason why Camden should not have the benefit of 'A DAILY', as well as other cities of similar size in which they have been started."
The "Camden Evening Daily" was started Jan- uary 4, 1858, with an advertised circulation of 1000. It was a struggle from the start to get the people of Camden to see the necessity for such a paper although it was a spicy and interesting sheet.
The New Republic. A POLITICAL, LITERARY, AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER,
CAMDEN, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7. 1867.
NO.2
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Camden Sunday Argus.
Sanskes Trampe
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The New Republic.
CAMDEN, N. J., SATURDAY, NOV, 17, 1877.
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HISTORY OF THE PRESS
Judge Gray in the fifth number of the paper editorially writes: "Our experiment of a Daily Paper addresses itself, we think, to the interest of every resident in the community. If we are to be an independent city, with a center of our own, we must encourage and sustain these appliances-the auxiliaries of a city". The appeal, however, was in vain and after two months the paper was discon- tinued, with the issue of March 6.
The paper was a neatly printed sheet, replete with both national and local news, while its editor- ials were able and timely. It was a four column, four page paper, 111/2 X 171/2 inches in size, and the price was fixed at one cent a copy, or three dollars a year. During the entire time that this newspaper was issued, Judge Gray was also publishing the "West Jerseyman", as already noted.
The third attempt at a daily was "The Tribune" begun in 1875, but its existence extended over the short period of two weeks.
NEW REPUBLIC
The "New Republic", a weekly Republican pa- per, made its initial appearance November 30, 1867, as an eight page, five column sheet, and was published every Saturday at the southeast corner of Second and Plum ( Arch) streets. It was started by Henry L. Bonsall as editor and proprietor and later came into the possession of Henry L. Bonsall,
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