The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884, Volume II, Part 129

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York, W. W. Munsell & Co
Number of Pages: 1345

USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884, Volume II > Part 129

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McClosky was for a time its editor. It had a fair local reputation. In 1873, Demas Barnes, who had previously been a Member of Congress from Brooklyn, bought the Argus, and on the 15th of September of that year, started it as a daily paper, Mr. Kenyon continuing on the editorial staff. The equipment of the paper was complete in every particular. It was published in the building adjoining the Post-office, with new type, im- proved presses, and a strong editorial corps, with Mr. Barnes at its head, who pushed it with his characteristic energy and a lavish expenditure of money. It attained a large circulation and apparent prosperity, but on the 17th of February, 1877, it was suspended; and, in the same month, the entire establishment was sold to the Union, which then assumed the name of The Union- Argus. It had attained a large circulation, nearly equaling the Eagle. Angustus Maverick, who had been early connected with the New York Tribune, and after- ward with The New York Times, Brooklyn Eagle and New York Commercial, was managing editor; St. Clair McKelway, now of the Albany Argus, its chief editorial writer; with George D. Bayard, De Witt G. Ray, Chester P. Dewey, George F. Williams and Wil- liam Herries at different times upon its staff.

HON. DEMAS BARNES.

HON. DEMAS BARNES was reared amid the privations of a frontier life, which doubtless aided in developing the keen intellect, indomitable will and individuality which, since childhood, have characterized his life. We find him a farmer

eleven years of age; a merchant at twenty; associated in several institutions soon thereafter; and a member of Con- gress at thirty-nine. His father was a New Englander, who settled in Western New York when that section of the state was principally covered by forests. He took up eighty acres of land, subject to a mortgage of three hundred dollars, five miles from Canandaigua, Ontario Co. The house was of logs. Here three children were born, two girls, and the youngest of the three, the boy, who is the subject of this sketch. The father died when the son was little more than a year old. Four years thereafter, the mother married a neighbor whose farm joined her own. It was a mile and a half to the dis- trict school, where the Barnes children received their prin- ciple education. In the summer time, the lad worked in the fields; and, ambitious to keepup with the men, hoed alternate hills each way. As a child and boy, he was no more idle than he has been as a man. When not otherwise occupied, he was damming the brooks, building mills, looking after his ducks, hens and rabbits, gathering nuts, grafting trees, cul- tivating flowers, or in doing something which exhibited in- dustry, mechanical ingenuity, or horticultural taste. His first money was earned by raising corn upon shares and by building, for the neighbors, stacks of grain, in which art he excelled. His step-father, who was fondly devoted to the hoy, soon became an invalid, and when young Barnes was eleven years old, he was regularly carrying on the two farms of 240 acres.

At the age of thirteen, Demas left the maternal home to seek his fortune in the larger world. Working his passage to New York on a canal boat, he was landed in Brooklyn with- out money or an acquaintance. Begging his way across the ferry, he procured employment on a dock and his board on a tow-boat. His first effort at metropolitan amusement was a failure to witness a play at the old Park Theater, for he had not sufficient money to obtain admission. Twenty years after that time, he purchased the Park Theater property, then converted into stores. Young Barnes, however, returned to the country, worked as a mechanic and upon farms summers, and attended school winters, doing chores for his board. While making purchases one evening at the village store, the merchant made him an offer of board and fifty dollars a year to enter his store as clerk. At the commence- ment of the second year, he received the largest salary ever paid a salesman in the village, and was the virtual head of the mercantile establishment. During this time, he brought around him a class of young men, who, after nine o'clock evenings, carried on a system of readings and various studies. At the age of twenty, he had saved a few hundred dollars with which he started business as a merchant at Newark, New York. Two years' experience convinced him that coun- try villages were not the places in which to make rapid pro- gress. Selling out his business, he moved to New York. Living upon two meals a day, sleeping in his store and work- ing early and late, although at that time in poor health, he also managed to carry on the farm in Western New York, upon which his mother, again widowed, was living. He educated his younger half brother and sisters; superintended a manufacturing establishment; carried on an extensive mer-

amas IJanied

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THE PRESS.

cantile business in New York and at San Francisco, and sub- sequently in New Orleans; and always devoted two hours out of every twenty-four to literary pursuits. The panics of 1857 and 1861 found Mr. Barnes not only out of debt, but in a position to assist others.

Believing that the South was in earnest in its protest against the nomination of Lincoln and Hamlin on sectional issues in 1860, Mr. Barnes promptly closed all credits, and was the first merchant in New York who brought business to a net cash basis. When the war finally ensued, he believed that the government call for twenty-five thousand men was but encouraging the rebellion; and he offered, at his own ex- pense, to equip a regiment and go to the front, if the govern- ment would send enough men to mercifully and promptly end the conflict. Subsequently Mr. Barnes was invited by the Ways and Means Committee of Congress to assist in de- vising a system of domestic taxation.

Mr. Barnes married a daughter of Judge James Hyde, of Otsego Co., N. Y., and took up his residence in Brooklyn in 1858. With the interests of the city he became promptly identified. Realizing the benefits New York was then de- riving from her great park, he agitated the subject of a park in Brooklyn. Out of this effort grew Prospect Park. The original charter limited its cost to $600,000. That amount, however, has been exceeded by nearly $10,000,000, the yearly interest upon which equals the first limitation of cost. Mr. Barnes declined the position of Park Commissioner ten- dered to him by Gov. Morgan, but to popularize the park, he donated to it the now well-known bronze of Irving which ornaments the principal drive.

Mr. Barnes was among the earliest advocates and staunch- est friends of a bridge across East River. He assisted the enterprise by writing, lecturing, and a subscription of $10,000. The present bridge was commenced in 1870; but, in 1868, Mr. Barnes, then a Member of Congress, introduced and carried a bill through that body by which the right was conceded by the government to span the river at this point. He became one of the early trustees of the bridge company, and subsequently caused an investigation to be made respect- ing the expenditures.

In 1865, before any railroad was located between the Mis- souri and Sacramento rivers, Mr. Barnes, being engaged in mining enterprises in the western territories, crossed the continent in a wagon. He advocated the feasibility of a railroad, and communicated the result of his observations through the newspapers.

Mr. Barnes was nominated as Representative in Congress in 1864, hut declined to run. He was again nominated and elected in 1866. He was selected to serve on the important Committee of Banking and Currency, and on Education and Labor. He was no party man. He opposed the radical measures of the Republican party which forced carpet-bag government upon Southern States, disenfranchised the in- telligence of the South, changed the status of the Supreme Court, and unnecessarily expanded the currency of the coun- try. He strongly opposed the attempted impeachment of President Johnson, as well as the extreme ideas of the Demo- cratic leaders as to state sovereignity, restriction of internal improvements, efforts to tax United States bonds, free trade movements, and so forth. He never recommended a man for office, because of mere political aptitude, and was among the first American speakers to recommend a total change in the Civil Service regulations. Serving in the House with Schuyler Colfax, Oakes Ames, Benj. F. Butler, James Brooks and the late President Garfield, during the Pacific Railroad and Credit Mobilier legislation, no breath ever tainted the in- tegrity of Demas Barnes.

Mr. Barnes retired from mercantile business while still a young man, or when 42 years of age. During the Franco- Prussian war he spent the summer in those countries, pre- dicting from the first the defeat of France, in a series of letters published in the Brooklyn newspapers.

Publishing a Newspaper .- New York had its ring with partners throughout the State; and Brooklyn had its ring with partners in New York and at Albany. With property assessed at about $200,000,000, Brooklyn had loaned her credit to. the amount of about $40,000,000, which placed a mortgage of twenty per cent. on all property within its boundaries. Fraudulent ballots by the thousand were used upon election days; men were counted into offices who were interested in perpetuating profligate extravagance; Brook- lyn's bonds were greatly depreciated, and the real estate of her citizens was not considered proper security upon which to borrow money.

Under the guise of non-partisan and double-headed com- missions, a class of designing men had joined hands, who controlled every department of the city government. Public patronage was liberally bestowed upon the press, and the city seemed given over to the criminal class. Committees of vigil and reform were inaugurated, and demanded the estab- lishment of an independent newspaper. In this emergency all eyes, as if by common consent, turned upon Mr. Barnes as the person who possessed the public confidence and the nerve to engage in such an undertaking. Unaided to the ex- tent of a dollar by anyone, and without hope of other reward than serving his fellow citizens, he invested a large amount of money, turned his back upon the ease of private life, and entered the arena of editorial conflict.

The opposition encountered by him, and the environments of the position, made the period referred to historical; and they involved an antagonism and an amount of labor hereto- fore unknown in American journalism.

Mr. Barnes' Argus made unceasing war upon double- headed commissions, which since have been abolished ; upon irresponsible heads of departments, since then made respon- sible ; upon unlegalized primary elections, since then re- stricted and legalized; upon the increase of city debt, since then reduced over twenty-five per cent. per capita ; upon carrying national politics into municipal elections; and upon the fountains of corruption wherever they existed, and was a continuous champion of " home rule." Although a Demo- crat upon general principles, Mr. Barnes supported Republi- cans for office, whenever, in his judgment, that party pre- sented the best men. At the election of 1881, Mr. Barnes presided over a public meeting of Democrats, held in behalf of a Republican candidate for Mayor. Although the Demo- crats have a majority of from ten thousand to fifteen thou- sand votes in the city, the influence of the Argus had so permeated the community, that Mr. Low, the Republican candidate, was elected by over three thousand majority.

A man of enlarged views, quick sympathies and liberal constructions, Mr. Barnes answered his calumniators whose hold upon the public crib he compelled them to unloose, by referring to the changed condition of the city and to the mo- tives of those who have misrepresented him. Straight-for- ward in his dealings, robust and emphatic in his habits of speech, indulgent with the inexperienced, humane to the afflicted and generous to a fault, Mr. Barnes is restive with stupidity, exacting in his requirements, intolerant of pretend- ers, and has no sympathy for the cunning and artifice of sophists and insincere persons. It would be foreign to his nature to use subtle diplomacy or to expect popularity in a political caucus. He calls a spade a spade; and a hypocrit- ical rascal in his presence, is not apt to feel that he is con-

1174

HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

sidered a saint. He was the only democrat in the Eastern States who publicly opposed the election of Mr. Tilden in 1876. Reproduction in Western newspapers, of articles from Mr. Barnes' caustic pen, is believed to have given Ohio to the Republicans; thereby electing Hayes President of the United States.

Mr. Barnes met with a great loss in the death of his tal- ented wife in 1875. Under the shadow of this affliction he shrank from public life and retired from his newspaper when on a flood-tide of prosperity. Since that time he has been quietly engaged as a private banker in New York; in travel- ling and in literary pursuits. He was married to Miss Blaks- ley, of St. Louis, in 1878. Mr. Barnes is a close observer of passing events, reads democratic and republican journals alike, repudiates dogmas in religion, and supports a hospi- table house, embowered by trees and surrounded by conserv- atories, stocked with a practical library and adorned by works of art, presided over by an accomplished wife and an affectionate and charming daughter. When asked by a friend what part of his life afforded him the greatest pleas- ure in retrospect, his reply was, "the time when I was first able to assist my mother and her fatherless children."

The Sunday Eagle .- In 1874, Mr. Cohalere estab- lished a weekly paper, with James McDermott, recently involved in Irish troubles, as editor. It attained sud- den prosperity. It was published in Dr. Cochran's building in Fulton street. The proprietors of the Eagle had it enjoined from using their title, and it appeared for some time as the " Brooklyn -. " It was soon afterward discontinued.

The Brooklyn Catholic appeared Feb, 20, 1869, a weekly religious paper, issued by Rev. Dr. Gardner and Rev. E. G. Fitzpatrick, editors and proprietors, and was managed with great ability and apparent suc- cess. It was suspended the following year. It was printed by Patrick Ford and Brothers, and on its sus- pension the Irish World appeared by the same print- ers; but, though edited and printed in Brooklyn, it was apparently published in New York, Brooklyn, Jersey City and Newark. About its thirteenth number, W. E. Robinson was announced as its editor with Patrick Ford, assistant editor. It had then about three or four thousand circulation. In about a year it was running toward a hundred thousand. The editors had some misunderstanding concerning the conducting of the paper, and Mr. Ford was announced as the principal editor, Mr. Robinson's name having been withdrawn. It is now published in New York.

The Brooklyn Bee, was published in September, 1878, at 353 Fulton street. It was a sprightly two-cent weekly, in favor of labor and against monopolies.

The Brooklyn Sunday Sun, was started in 1874. One of its managers and its chief editor was

Thomas Kinsella of the Eagle. It was a lively paper, and for some time prospered with a large circulation and vigorous editorials; but was discontinued in its second year. It was published at 301 Washington street, corner of Johnson street, now occupied by Hubel's restaurant.

The Brooklyn Daily Ledger, was started October 3, 1877, by Henry M. Smith, editor, and Harry M. Gardner, Jr., publisher, at the corner of Court and Joralemon streets. Mr. Smith had been for a time chief editor of the Union, and on severing his connection with that paper, established the Ledger. It was a one- cent afternoon paper, and lived about a year.

All the foregoing papers, with many of their editors, have passed away. From the numerous dead we turn to the living.

The Brooklyn Freie Presse .- This flourishing German daily was originally started in Williamsburgh, September 2d, 1854, by Edward F. Roehr, who landed here in 1849, a refugee from Germany, because of the failure of the Revolution of 1848. The paper was first a weekly, called the Long Island Anzeiger, printed in New York for a few weeks and then transferred to Darbee's office in South First street. Soon after, type and a hand- press were bought, and a printing and publishing office was opened at No. 98 Montrose avenue. After about a year the paper was discontinued.

Nearly ten years later Henry Edward Roehr, eldest son of Edward F., entered into partnership with his father in the printing business, and the Long Island Anzeiger again appeared December 3d, 1864. It prospered so well that it was several times enlarged, and October 13th, 1869, was issued semi-weekly; July 18th, 1871, its issues were made tri-weekly; September 30th, 1872, it was published daily, and its name changed to the Freie Presse. In 1873 Colonel Henry E. Roehr purchased his father's half interest and became sole proprietor, and in 1875 secured the premises at No. 30 Myrtle avenue. April 20th, 1873, a success- ful Sunday issue was commenced, called the Long Islander, which was the first Sunday edition issued by any Brooklyn paper; in 1882 it was enlarged. The circulation of the Freie Presse having increased so largely, greater press facilities became necessary and, in 1882, Colonel Roehr purchased a Hoe type-revolv- ing, Webb-perfecting press, which prints, cuts and folds from the type, two sides at a time, 12,000 im- pressions per hour.

The paper is edited with marked ability, and reflects great credit on its enterprising publisher.

COL. HENRY EDWARD ROEHR,

THE PRESS.

1175

COL. HENRY EDWARD ROEHR.

COLONEL HENRY EDWARD ROEHR .- Among the German- American citizens of Brooklyn, who, by their energy, perse- verance and business tact, have made a mark for themselves, no one ranks higher than Col. Henry Edward Roehr, the sub- ject of this sketch. Born in Schleiz, in the Principality of Reuss, Germany, in the year 1841, he was but seven years old when the ever memorable revolution of 1848 broke forth and shook up the old bones on the thrones of Europe in a lively style. One of the leaders in the revolutionary movement in the small Principality where Col. Roehr hails from, was his father, Mr, Edward Franz Roehr, who, although being an officer of the small military establishment of that little poten- tate, Prince Henry the LXII., by word and deed did his ut- most to arouse the people against their tyrants. He assisted in organizing the Landwehr (militia), and was elected a dele- gate to different bodies. But the overthrow of the revolution of 1848, and the collapse of the uprising of the people in the southern part of Germany in 1849, sent him with thousands of other refugees to the ideal land of their dreams, the great republic of America.

In common with all immigrants, and not being a mechanic, Mr. Roehr's first experience in America was anything but pleasant. He came to Williamsburgh, our present Eastern District, shortly after landing, and, after working on a farm, in a whalebone factory, and trying to make life sweeter by manufacturing candy with a fellow-refugee, he at last en- gaged in an enterprise more to his liking and taste. It con- sisted in selling German books, periodicals and papers; the first few dollars earned by this occupation were sent to Ger- many, and soon enough was saved to bring Mrs. Roehr and four children to the shores of this country, after a most tedious sea voyage of nine weeks. This arrival happened in 1850, in August, and as shortly thereafter a new German paper was started in New York, called the Abend Zeitung, Mr. Roehr took the agency for Brooklyn, and young Edward, not quite nine and a half years old, was soon actively engaged in carrying out these papers.

The business of Mr. Roehr prospered, and, in 1852 he opened a bookstore in South 7th street, or what is now Broad- way. Edward bad to assist in tending the store, and here at an early age acquired a taste for books that has never left him. The book-store was soon thereafter moved to No. 90 Montrose avenue, into the heart of our present " Dutchtown," where it was thought a better chance for selling German books would exist. Here Mr. Roehr, Sr., conceived the idea of establishing a German paper, which he carried out September 2d, 1854, hy commencing the publication of the Long Island Anzeiger, and establishing a German newspaper and job printing office. The subject of this sketch here thoroughly learned the mysteries of the " black art," and many a day rolled forms on the hand-press and " stuck " type together. But the An- zeiger did not prosper, and expired peacefully August 23d, 1855. Meanwhile, Mr. Roehr however had established another journal, "The Triangel," a German Masonic paper which was published for 25 years in succession.

Young Roehr, however, stuck to his case and press, and, although still very young, became quite an efficient printer. In 1857, however, he thought it was about time that he should see something of this great country, and he accord- ingly set out on a journey to see the land and improve him- self in his trade. Albany was the first place where he stopped,

and obtained work at the office of the Albany Freie Blaetter, at the big salary of $2.50 per week and board. Here he set type, made up the forms and printed the paper on a hand press, and also began to write small items for the paper. From here he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he worked but little in different offices, because business was very dull. In the fall of 1858, he was about to attach himself to the German Theatre in Cincinnati, he having previously attempted a little amateur acting, when he received a call to assume charge of the job printing office of an Evansville German paper at a very liberal salary. In this position he remained about eight months, when he left the situation, much to the regret of his employer, Mr. Val. Schmuck. After visiting other cities, he returned to Williamsburgh in the fall of 1859, and resumed work in the printing office of his father, where he remained until the spring of 1861.

When, in the spring of 1861, President Lincoln issued his first proclamation for volunteers, and the young and patri- otic men of the country flew to arms, young Roehr, then in his twentieth year, was the fourth man who signed his name to a call for volunteers that was issued by the Turner Socie- ties of New York, Brooklyn, Williamsburgh, and other cities in the vicinity of New York, and assisted in organizing. com- panies I and K of the Twentieth New York Volunteers (Col. Max Weber), also known as the " Turner Rifles." He marched out as First Sergeant of Company I; and, although he had never before handled a musket, he soon made himself pro- ficient and acquainted with all the details of the service. In a little skirmish that took place at New Market Bridge, about five miles from Hampton, Virginia, in December, 1861, he was wounded in the head, and came very near having his military and other career suddenly stopped. He, however, soon recovered, got a furlough for a month, and soon there- after, when Col. Weber was promoted Brigadier-General, and one step of promotion went through the regiment, was promoted Second-Lieutenant. It is said that he never felt so proud in all his life, as when he first donned shoulder- straps. With his regiment, after leaving Norfolk, Va., he joined, in June, 1862, the Army of the Potomac in front of Richmond, when the 20th Regt., N. Y. Vols., was assigned to the Third Brigade, Second Division, Sixth Army Corps. With these troops the regiment took part in the "seven days' fight," resulting in the retreat to Harrison Landing. Here Lieutenant Roehr was taken ill with camp fever, and when again sufficiently well to assume duty, he was assigned to the command of the Brigade Ambulance Corps. He continued in charge of this trust through the campaigns in Maryland (South Mountain and Antietam) and the first battle at Fred- ericksburgh, Va., when, having been promoted First Lieu- tenant, he joined his regiment again, and assumed his duties as such. As First Lieutenant he also performed the duties of Adjutant, Quartermaster and Commandant of Companies, and finally took part with his regiment in the battle of Mary's Heights, in the rear of Fredericksburglı, Va., May 4th, 1863. The time of service of the regiment having now ex- pired, the same was ordered home May 6th, and he returned with his comrades a few days later to New York and Wil -. liamsburgh.

In the attempted re organization of the 20th Regt., N. Y. Vols., he was selected as a Captain, but as it soon became apparent that there was no chance of re-organizing the regi-

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HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

ment, he laid aside all further military aspirations, and re- turned to his former business. After working in a few offices in New York, he thought of establishing a small printing office for himself, when his father offered him a share in his business. It was, of course, accepted, and, with the money that he put in, a" Campbell Country Press" was bought, and the old hand-press, which had done service for ten years, was put in a corner. It now occurred to young Roehr that there would be a splendid chance of starting a German paper in that part of the city, at that time and now known as " Dutch- town." Numerous German societies had sprung into existence in the last few years, business prospects seemed very good, and many matters of common interest to the German popula- tion of the Eastern District of Brooklyn seemed to demand their discussion by a German paper. When this idea was first broached to Mr. Roehr, he, however, strenuously opposed the plan, believing that this second enterprise would in no wise end differently from the first. But, persistently arguing the matter, and showing that things were quite different from ten years before, when the whole German population of Brooklyn perhaps did not number more than 10,000, while in 1864 it counted at least 40,000, young Roehr at last suc- ceeded in getting his father's consent to the publication of the new paper, for which the old name, Long Island Anzei- ger, was again chosen. As it was not intended that the paper should be looked upon as a campaign issue only, the publication of the same was postponed until after the elec- tion of 1864, when, on Saturday, December 3d, the first num- ber of the new Long Island Anzeiger was published. The office of the paper at that time was in No. 40 Stagg street, and the paper itself was four pages of five columus each ; each page measuring 23x164-or, 23x33 over all. To be can- did, it should be said that the typographic appearance and the press-work left much to be desired. However, the start was made, and many were the predictions that about six or eight months would be sufficient to lay the new paper to its forerunners. But this proved to be a mistake, for the paper crept on slowly, it is true; but already, on the 28th of July, 1866, it was presented to its readers in an enlarged form, as a seven-column paper, 24x38 inches. The growing business soon made it necessary to look out for larger quarters than the house, No. 40 Stagg street, could afford, and in conse- quence thereof, the three-story brick house, No. 61 Montrose avenue, was erected, and the business moved into the same on the 7th day of August, 1869. Larger quarters now hav- ing been secured, the paper was published twice a week, commencing October 13th, 1869, and the price reduced from five cents to four cents per copy. This increase in the edi- tions proved such a success, that, not quite two years later, on July 18, 1871, it was again determined to enlarge the scope of the paper, and to publish it three times a week ; the size of the paper was cut down to its former length and width, and the price also again reduced, this time to three cents per copy. It now seemed as if the Long Island Anzeiger would, for a long time, remain what it was, a tri-weekly paper, but the intermission of one day in its publication only served to more distinctly show that there was quite a "link " missing to report faithfully and extensively the events of each day.

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The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884, Volume II, Part 129

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York, W. W. Munsell & Co Number of Pages: 1345

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York, W. W. Munsell & Co
Number of Pages: 1345