USA > New York > Steuben County > History of Steuben county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 20
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" Since completing the Laws, I am upon Smollets and Ilume's Ilist. Eng. at Ilusford's, adjoining the post-office. Any communication you may deem proper to make me in reply to this, will therefore be received and attended to on the instant of its arrival.
" Altho' bandied about by the malice of wayward fortune, I am too proud to beg for support ; yet I require a lifting hand-and have in- dulged the hope that the interest, the honor, the scenrity of a wise administration, which the counties of Stenben & Allegany must duly regard, would induce your most wealthy patriots to blend the relief of a large and virtuous family with an object so well calculated to con- tribute to their political happiness.
" Please write me early, giving your opinion of my prospects in the proposed undertaking-and accept the sincere assurances of my high respect for your personal & public character.
" BENJAMIN SMEAD."
We have not a copy of the letter of Gen. Cruger in an- swer to the above, but we infer, from Mr. Smead's second letter, that it was immediately answered and a proposition made for the publication of the proposed paper at Bath. On the 25th of September, 1816, Capt. Smead writes again as follows :
" ALBANY, Sept. 25, 1816.
"DEAR SIR,-I rec'd your reply to my proposition for establishing a republican paper in Bath; and the sum offered being so much re- duced below my real want for that purpose, Iam sure to be excused for spending a few days in contemplating economieal methods to carry a good office thither with 300 dolls. I agree to your proposition, and Mr. Buel has cheerfully delivered me all your papers relating to mne, the orders for type, &e., upon my repeating to him the assurance I made yourself, of securing you with the types for your advances. The sum is so small for the object, I have sought for, and obtained of Mess. Websters here, a good and sufficient supply of type, of the following sizes :
" 4 lbs. fluted 2 line Minion, roman and italic. 1 8 this. 5 oz. 2 line G. Primer.
3 lbs. 2 line L. Primer.
All entirely new.
8 Mbs. 10 oz. Double Pica, German.
72 Ibs. Double Pica, Roman and Italie.
J
320 Mbs. Pica, upon which only 600 pages have been printed, and of which the enclosed is a specimen. I say it is nearly as good as new.
10 Ibs. Quotations, and about 8 Ihs, of leads, with some Great Primer, Flowers, and other type, and six cases,-all new.
" I enclose Mess. Websters' Bill.
" From the bills of the Mess. Binney & Ronaldsons', of the above type, Mess. Websters deduct 25 per cent., and I therefore receive it at 180 dollars. In addition to this, I have 230 fbs. Long-Primer, very good-and all our friends urge ine to curry no smaller type. If, how- ever, we may hereafter require Brevier, it may easily be obtained from N. York. The weight of all my type is now about 700 Is., well assorted, und I can execute upon it as great a variety and as elegant work as is done in the country. It is all a good bargain. My press is nearly new, and as good as any I ever wrought with,-it is worth 140 dolls. [Old-fashioned wooden Ramage press]. I shall be able to carry a sufficiency of Chases, Sticks, etc., very good,-and the moment I arrive at Bath with the whole, safe, (including transportation ) the materials will be well worth, and I am sure you will estimate them at 600 dollars. All these I will immediately make over to yourself and friends, as security for your advances, to be refunded in 3 annual in- stalments, if I rightly understand your proposition. You say
300 dolls.
to be advanced.
180 dolls. Mess. Websters require you to secure to them for type, by note, payable in 3 months, given by yourself and Mr. McClure. --
120 dolls.
remains a balance of the 300, Sir, to fit my family for the journey, to procure some other necessary articles, and for expenses for them on the way,
150 I shall require 150 dolls., which will make
330
30 only more than you offer. I wish you to send me 3 waggons, with 2 good horses each, cheap as they can be hirel; they to bear their own expenses. This expense I estimate on an uncertain foundation at
150 dolls.
480 in the whole. For this I presume all of you will estimate my property as liberal sceurity. Now, sir, if you immediately seod me 150 dolls., by mail or otherwise, with the security for the type, I
1
78
HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK.
will be ready to march within one week after its receipt ; and if the teams start hither as soon thereafter as you can procure them. I will dletain them certainly no longer than a day, and be with you as early as possible. I wish you to engage me a comfortable house and well- lighted office, near to each other. The procuring of stands, trough, &c., before my arrival, would facilitate the first publication. As you have had one Prospectus in circulation, I leave it with you to decide whether another would be useful. As I am not tenacious of a title, and am a total stranger to your local polities, habits, manners, &c., I feel delicate in issuing an address to the public until I meet you. Please send the money immediately, and I will he ready to go with the teams so soon thereafter as they can be here.
" Very respectfully, B. SMEAn.
" D. CRUGEn, EsQ.
" Sept. 27 .- I since find, among the fonts of type I purchased of Mess. Websters, S dolls, worth of leads, which are so very useful, I have added them to the purchase ; the amount, therefore, is 188 dolls. as per Mess. Websters' Bill, which I enclose. When they receive the joint note of yourself and Mr. MeClure, they will deliver me the ma- terials,-and all brethren of the type assure me it is a great bargain.
" I return to you the order on Mess. Bruce's, because I really believe I could not get so good a bargain of them for twice the sun- as 12 cases, Gallies, some Long-primer, G .- Primer, and flowers are given ine in the bargain.
" I again beg you to send 150 dolls. cash,-and if you could send a note of 20 dolls. to Judge Bnel, he will sell me, very cheap, some ele- gant Blanks, some useful cuts, such as the U. S. and State arms, beau- tiful card borders, &e., with flowers,-all are very useful, and cannot be obtained in the country.
" The money I want immediately, and the teams as soon they can come. The uncertainty of the weather would render covered wag- gons preferable,-one four-horse (heavy ) and one two-horse might be best,-but all must be left to your convenience.
" Please write by the first return mail.
" Very respectfully, " B. SMEAD.
" N. B .- I wish it to be understood that I do not reject your offer of $300,-but as, on close calculation, I shall want 150 in cash, I do ear- nestly solicit that you send it. At this moment I could obtain, very cheap, some rules, ents, U. S. arms, State arms, and other necessary additions, if I had cash.
" I have given up engagements here, to go to yon with all possible speed.
D. S."
After a few weeks' further reflection on the subject, Mr. Smead penned his third and last letter in relation to the paper. It is as follows :
" ALBANY, Oct. 2, 1816.
" DEAR SIR,-Since my last, I have more fully contemplated the importance of baving subscription papers in circulation, and have therefore printed a concise sketch of my objects. I am not tenacious of the title ; but as you had given no hints of the desires of your friends on this subject, I have intended to adopt one, short, expres- sive, andl sufficiently local. This may be altered, if thought best on consultation.
" I transmit them to you in separate packets, because I understand I can frank only half an ounce,-and as this pursuit is for public benefits, the public will not be defraude l,-and therefore (as members of Congress have told me similar evasions are deemed and practiced by them as honorable) I consider it no fraud. If there be any tax, I will pay it to you.
" My reasons for urging the transmission of 150 dolls. might be further explained. I toll yon I was in low pecuniary circumstances. Many real necessaries, for my family, for a long journey are indis- pensable. I also want some Cuts, Blanks for carly sales, Blank Cards, Sticks, one ur two chases, a few more flowers, with a number of etert- eras, which will be actually necessary, but not attainable in the country. I choose, however, to borrow as low a sum as will possibly answer the requirements of such an establishment, and have confined my calcu- lations therefore to the narrowest limits. The confidence you have placed in ine must be reciprocated. I am therefore in full surety that I shall be assisted to arrive in Bath with the utmost speed. To meet the arrangements, I have relinquished places here for labor; journey- men out of business induced me, for this object, to givo places I had re-
serve I for myself and son till next summer. The expenses of living here without property of employment, an I the un certainty of the weather of the season, will account to you for my haste. And further, little fear as you express relative to the influence of the proposed federal paper, if the inten lel publisher has any cunning. he will secure among the changeable, unfixed portion of influential politicians, a support which we may not soon recover. The papers I enclose may do good, if they are distributed in your own enelosures, accompanied with such re- marks respecting the tone of my paper as you may ( with your friends) feel disposed to advise on my arrival. And I repeat my former as- surance on this subject, that altho' my own general political opinions will always continne ummovel an lin lependent, I shall require in this State further knowledge of your local polities, and adhere to the best judgment of the most intelligent and influential mpen of your county.
"I am myself assured, and it is the expresseil opinion of all the printers here (and they know the value of iny type) that with this variety of sizes, the excellence of metal, and beauty of the cuts, I can make with it as han lsome work as is common in the State-it is 100 dolls. below its real value. All advise that I carry no smaller size than Long-Primer.
" Very respectfully, B. SMEAD.
" D. CRUGER, ESQ.
"3d Oct., nine o'clock at night .- Have ree'd my press from Binney, and shall to-morrow box it ready for transportation. Have already contracted for Rules, Cuts, Chases, Sticks, Flowers, and other neces- saries in expertation of help from you-and in a very short period, I will exert all my powers to give you a respectable newspaper.
" The very strict rules of our new Postmaster have induced me to ent off the blank paper at the foot of my subscription papers-and I beg you to paste to them white paper, and urge your friends to fill them immediately."
The paper thus established continued the property of Mr. Smead, who was editor and publisher, till the office was sold to William C. Rhodes, in 1849. In 1857, Mr. Rhodes sold to Perry S. Donahe, Esq., who conducted the paper till August, 1860, and sold to the present editor and pro- prietor, Mr. A. L. Underhill.
The original name of the paper was changed to the Far- mer's Advocate and Steuben Advertiser, in 1822, and under the management of Mr. Donahe it was changed to its pres- ent name-THE STEUBEN FARMER'S ADVOCATE.
It is the oldest paper except two in the State of New York, having existed uninterruptedly for sixty-three years. The facilities of this office and management for making a good county newspaper are attested by the five thousand copies sent out weekly to subscribers.
THE STEUBEN COURIER.
Henry II. Hull, founder and for thirty-three years editor of the Steuben Courier, published weekly at Bath, was born at Preble, Cortland Co., N. Y., in the year 1816. For a number of years he attended the Homer Academy, then one of the noted institutions of learning in the State, and there prepared to enter the junior year in Union Col- lege; but in 1839 he abandoned this idea, and went to Corning, where he taught school for two years. During this time he studied law in the office of Judge T. A. John- son, and in 1843 he was admitted to the bar. but did not follow this profession, finding journalism more congenial to his taste. In 1841 he bought the Corning and Blossburgh Advocate of Charles Adams, and continued its publication for two years, when, finding it unprofitable, and receiving a call from leading Whigs at Bath, who had been deprived of an " organ" by the demise of the Constitutionalist three weeks previously, he moved the material of the Advocate
79
HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK.
to the county-seat, and associated with him as publisher M. F. Whittemore. Under the firm-name of llull & Whittemore they issued the first number of the Steuben Courier on the 20th of September, 1843. It was a six- column paper, twenty-one by thirty-one inches, and was the only Whig organ in the county. At the end of two years Mr. Whittemore retired from the office to his farm in Jasper, and the publication of the Courier was continued by Mr. Hull alone till 1856, when Charles G. Fairman, now editor of the Elmira Daily Advertiser, was associated with him for nine months. At the end of that time Mr. Fairman returned to Elmira to resume an editorial position there. In 1854, upon the formation of the Republican party, the Courier became, as it is to this day, an exponent of Republican principles. In 1864, Mr. Ilull formed a partnership with Enos W. Barnes, and the firm of Hull & Barnes existed, with the exception of six months in 1868, until July 1, 1875, when Mr. Barnes retired to become editor of the Alleghany County Reporter. His place on the Courier was taken by H. S. Hull, son of H. H. Hull, and the publication of the Courier was continued under the firm-name of II. 11. Hull & Son for nearly a year, when the partnership was terminated by the death of the senior editor on the 8th of June, 1876. Since that time the Courier has been conducted by the junior partner. It has been enlarged from time to time, and is now an eight-column paper, twenty-seven by forty-one inches.
H. H. Hull was married, in 1850, to Miss Clara Willis- ton, daughter of the late Judge Horace Williston, of Athens, Pa. He was once or twice elected supervisor of Bath, and held at different times, by appointment of the Governor, the offices of canal appraiser and harbor-master of the port of New York, the duties of which positions he discharged with signal ability and fidelity. He was, with perhaps one or two exceptions, the senior editor of the country press in the State, having been in the editorial harness thirty-five years. On the 19th of May, 1876, while in apparently good health, he was stricken with paralysis, and lingered with illusory hopes of recovery till June 8, when he died.
For twenty years before his death he was the most prom- nent figure in Steuben County politics, and his influence extended through the Southern Tier, and was felt in the circle of " great politics." He was thoroughly informed concerning national, State, and local affairs, and, possessing an acute intellect, a logical mind, and a clear and forcible style as a writer, he had no superior on the country press as an able and effective political editor. He had an inexhausti- ble fund of wit and humor, and was a master of sarcasm and irony. His influence as au editor, combined with his per- sonal characteristics, won for him the position he occupied. He possessed a lofty independence and earnest and deep- seated convictions, and was fearless in the defense of what he considered right. He was a politician in the broadest and best sense of the term, but was not a slavish party retainer, and hesitated no more to expose knavery in the ranks of his own party than he did in those of the opposition ; and even his political enemies, whom he invariably treated with fair- ness, never charged hiwi with mean intrigue, with double- dealing, with venality, or with any of the sins which are so apt to beset those who are actively engaged in politics.
CORNING.
The Corning Journal, the oldest newspaper iu the village, was established in May, 1847, by Thomas Messenger, who remained editor and proprietor till July, 1851, at which date the establishment was purchased by A. W. MeDowell and Dr. George W. Pratt. The latter became editor, and in April, 1853, purchased Mr. McDowell's interest, and re- mained sole editor and proprietor till July, 1869, when he sold one-half interest to T. S. De Wolfe. The paper was conducted under the firm-name of Pratt & De Wolfe till Nov. 1, 1874, when Mr. De Wolfe retired, and established the Corning Independent. Dr. Pratt has been editor of the Journal continuously since July, 1851, a period of nearly twenty-eight years, and is at this time the oldest editor in Steuben County.
The Corning Democrat was first issued April 15, 1857, from the printing-offiee which a few years previously had published the Southern Tier Farmer, C. T. Hustou, of the Athens Gleaner, and Frank B. Brown, editors and propri- etors. In November of the same year Mr. Huston retired. Mr. Brown has continued the proprietor since that time. During the political compaign of 1866; Rev. L. D. Fer- guson was associate editor, and from Nov. 9, 1868, to Jan. 1, 1870, the paper was published under the proprietorship of Mr. Brown, by D. E. De Voe & W. A. Rowland. It was started as a six-column paper, and in July, 1866, was enlarged to seven columns, and to eight columns, its present size, in July, 1871. It is a weekly, Democratic in politics, ably conducted, and has a good, remunerative circulation.
The Corning Independent was established in the fall of 1874, by T. S. De Wolfe. Some time during 1875, Hubert S. Edson became a partner with Mr. De Wolfe, and the paper was conducted by the firm of De Wolfe & Edson till May, 1877, when Dr. A. J. Ingersoll purchased it, and con- ducted it about one year, changing it to a semi-weekly. During this year it was edited by Uri Mulford. In May, 1878, it was purchased by George W. Cooper, who is the present editor and proprietor, and has made it, during the past campaign, an advocate of the National Greenback party.
HORNELLSVILLE.
THE HORNELLSVILLE TRIBUNE was established Nov. 3, 1851, by Edwin flough. It continued under the manage- ment of Mr. Hough till 1858, when it was published by E. Hongh & Son till Feb. 1, 1869. The office was then transferred to D. R. Shafer, and in June following was sold to J. Greenhow & Son, the present proprietors and pub- lishers.
In the outset the paper was neutral in politics. It be- came Republican under the management of E. Hough & Son, and under its present management has been Demo- cratic. The publishers issue a daily and weekly, both of which have a good circulation, and they have every facility for first-class job-printing.
THE HORNELLSVILLE HERALD was started March 8, 1872, under the name of " The Economist," as an adver- tising medium, by M. A. Tuttle, of the dry-goods firm of Adsit & Tuttle. In 1873 it passed iuto the hands of an association, was enlarged to a six-column paper, and its name changed to the Hornellsville Herald. It was published as
80
HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK.
a temperance paper, Miles G. Graham, editor, and Graham & Dawson, publishers. It continued in this way till Jan. I, 1876, when it was purchased by E. 11. Hough, the present enterprising editor and proprietor. It is a well-coudueted weekly, with a good circulation.
THE HORNELL TIMES was established Jan. 1, 1867, as the " Canisteo Valley Times," by Thaeher & Tuttle, who purchased the " Vidette" (Democrat) office. In Septem- ber, 1875, Mr. Thacher retired, and for two years following it was conducted by Mr. Tuttle. Jan. 1, 1877, it was changed from a weekly to a semi-weekly, and the name changed to its present popular cognomen. Sept. 1, 1877, Mr. Johnson Brigham became a partner with Mr. Tuttle, since which the firm has been Tuttle & Brigham. October, 1877, the paper was changed back to a weekly, and in Feb- ruary, 1878, a daily was started, which is still continued with the most flattering success. THE TIMES is an enter- prising paper, Republican in politics, and is well sustained. There is also a well-furnished job-office connected with it.
THE GREENBACK CHAMPION, by J. D. Adams, was started in the interest of the Greenback movement by J. Willett Smith, Jan. 19, 1878. He published it two weeks from the Tribune office. It then passed into the hands of J. D. Adams, present editor and proprietor, who publishes it from the McGuire Block. It has attained quite a circu- lation during the recent " soft money" agitation.
ADDISON.
ADDISON ADVERTISER.
Prior to the publishing of the Addison Advertiser many attempts had been made to establish a newspaper at Addi- son. Some fifteen different publications had been issued, all of which eked out a short and unprofitable existence.
In March, 1858, the Hon. Edwin M. Johnson, the pres- ent clerk of the Assembly at Albany, established the Addi- son Advertiser. It was first issued as a four-paged paper, six columns to a page, and " independent on all subjects." Col. Henry Baldwin, of Addison, took quite an interest in start- ing the paper, and was a partner in its publication for sev- eral mouths. In the summer of 1858, Col. Baldwin retired as a partner, leaving Mr. Johnson as sole proprietor.
The office was first located in the second story of the frame building then occupied by William H. Manners as a bakery, nearly opposite the river bridge, on the north side of Water Street.
At the time the paper was started the material used was mostly second-hand and small in quantity. The only press used was a Washington hand-press. But notwithstanding the poor facilities the paper was entirely printed at home, and never appeared with a patent outside, nor was it ever issued from stereotype plates. Before the close of its first year the paper dropped its independent principles and an- nounced itself " Democratie on all subjects." This, how- ever, did not last long, for in January, 1859, we find the paper again "independent on all subjects." Soon after the paper espoused the cause of the Republican party, and con- tinued a Republican paper till the presidential campaign of 1872, when it advocated the election of Horace Greeley, and remained a Liberal Republican paper till January, 1873.
The Ilon. Edwin M. Johnson was editor, or senior editor, from its first issue till JJan. 30, 1873, when the paper was sold to George H. Hollis, the present publisher.
In July, 1865, Mr. Johnson enlarged the paper to seven columns and associated with him H. S. Dow and W. R. Bates, as editors and proprietors, under the firm-name of Johnson, Dow & Bates. Jan. 1, 1866, both Dow and Bates retired, leaving Mr. Johnson sole editor and proprietor.
Sept. 4, 1867, Amos Roberts purchased a half-interest, and its publication was continued under the firm-name of Johnson & Roberts. June 17, 1868, the Advertiser was enlarged to eight columns, which size it has continued to the present time. At the time it was enlarged it donned a new dress, and about the same time a power-press took the place of the old hand-press. Mr. Johnson and Mr. Roberts were both practical printers, and set themselves at work to make the office complete. A half-medium Gordon and an eighth-medium Liberty press were added to the office, as well as many other valuable machines and improvements.
The present editor and publisher. George II. Hollis, pur- chased the office Jan. 30, 1873, and published the Adver- tiser as an independent journal till the nomination of Sam- uel J. Tilden for President in 1876, when it supported Tilden and Hendricks, and has sinec been published as a Democratie paper.
At the time Mr. Hollis purchased the paper he was well known to the inhabitants of Addison and adjoining towns, and, although not a practical printer, the Advertiser, under his management, gained rapidly in circulation and influence. This acquaintance with the people in the south towns of Steuben and the people of Cowanesque Valley, Pa., brought a large number of subscribers and friends. The paper may now be considered as established on a firm and paying basis.
URBANA.
HAMMONDSPORT IIERALD.
The Hammondsport Herald was established May 1, 1874, by Mrs. B. Bennett and Mrs. E. B. Fairchild. It is a local weekly paper, devoted to the interests of the locality. May 1, 1875, the half-interest in the paper owned by Mrs. Ben- nitt was purchased by Mrs. Fairchild, the latter having charge of the paper until the fall of 1876, when Mr. L. H. Brown bought a half-interest. The partnership existed for one year, when the interest owned by Mrs. Fairchild was purchased by Mr. Brown, who still continues to edit and publish the paper.
COHOCTON.
THE COHOCTON VALLEY TIMES is published in the village of Liberty. It was established as the Cohocton Herald in 1872, by II. B. Newell, and afterwards pur- chased by James C. Hewitt and changed to the Cohocton Tribune, and in 1875 was bought by William A. Carpenter, and changed to the Cohoeton Valley Times. It is a weekly newspaper, independent in polities.
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