USA > Ohio > History of the Ohio falls cities and their counties : with illustrations and bibliographical sketches, Vol. II > Part 32
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Main street, where the stone bank now stands. He does not remember the name of the paper, but says it had only been published a few months when he came, and did not last long- perhaps a year or two. John Anderson was a compositor in the office. The lower part of this cabin was occupied as a saloon, and kept by a man named Abbot. Patrick's paper failed prob- ably for want of patronage, as the settlements were few and far apart at that early period, and New Albany was a mere hamlet of log cabins, surrounded by dense woods. Patrick was an erratic sort of a fellow; he never remained long in one place or at one business. It is under- stood that after leaving New Albany he went up to Salem and tried to establish a paper there called the Tocsin. He was unsuccessful, how- ever; after a few years' trial became a Methodist preacher, and drifted around considerable until about 1850, when he committed suicide in Tip- pecanoe county by cutting his throat. He had a son who went to Kansas, and was somewhat prominent there during the political troubles be- fore the war. His son was a Free Soiler.
It is not unlikely, however, that the Micro- scope was the second paper published in New Albany, and it has something of a history. The initial volume, containing the first year's issue, is now in the hands of Mrs. Waring, of this city. It was a sensational sheet, and being driven out of Louisville by a mob, sought refuge in New Albany. It was a small six-by-ten-inch paper, publised weekly, by T. H. Roberts, alias "Tim Tickler, Jr." According to the first number, dated, as before mentioned, April 17, 1824, it appears to have been published by "Johnston & Roberts, No. 12 Van Buskerk's row, Third Cross- street, Louisville." That the reader may under- stand somewhat of the character of the paper, which must be considered one of the pioneer papers of New Albany, the opening address of the editor is here given verbatim, as follows :
" To the Public, our Friends and Patrons!
ADDRESS-Ladies & Gentlemen-Belles & Beaux-Old & young-Rich & Poor-Wise & Simple-Be on your beauti- ful guard !- * * * * -. Here 1 come like the point of a Coulter-plough to tear up, root and branch, Immoral Customs-False principles and Evil habits -Like so many old rotten roots which have prevented the growth and vegetation of their opposite virtues, in the field of Science, of Religion, and Literary Knowledge-See what rapid strides I make, from Maine to Georgia, and from the Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains-1 level hills and fill up val-
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
lies ! thus making all a beautiful plain, where the sweet Ivy may twine round and bloom with the Honey-suckle-the Rose shed its fragrance and be forever renewed by the life and mildness of eternal Spring; unsullied by the pestifer- ous breath of Courtesans, or the exhalations of pestilential Brothels.
To be serious gentle reader, I wish you to understand, that I have just furnished myself with a complete set of Optic glasses, together with the necessary Mirrors and Reflectors to suit every state of human life, from the school-boy to the 'Slipper'd pantaloon,' by the aid of which I can condense space, and compress distance, so as to become familiar with the transactions of men, however remote or concealed. The proud statesman and cunning office-hunter may smile sarcas- tically, but I can assure them that I have a Concavo-convex, that will expose their vile machinations to the world.
The enemies of the Union of the American States, shall have their due : I have a high polished Convex glass to suit them.
Traitors and political vagabonds of every kind shall be duly looked after, and a regular account given of them, through a highly polished Concave glass, invented for the purpose by Tom Seestraight of Georgia memory .
1776.
Libertines, Black-Legs and Corner-Loungers are informed that I have a set of Concave glasses purchased expressly to suit them.
One concave glass of curious workmenship, for the pur- pose of examining the inside of Magistrate's offices.
One large high-polished Concave glass with a double Re-' flector, for inspecting Miscellaneous subjects-such as the practice of some ill-bred men have of staring at modest women-peeping under their bonnets-whistling as they pass, &c.
One neat little Convex glass to inspect the quality of Dirks, Dirk-knives and Little Bull-Dogs with the intention of carry- ing them concealed. Invented and patented by Peter Peace- able, L. L. D. & F. R. S.
The Ladies, O, how ] blush for having placed you last; but though last you are not the least provided for by me, as I have reserved that highly polished, large and elegant Con- vexo-concave glass, invented, improved and patented by Jer- emiah Candid of Sincerity School, Long Knogg, for the ex- press purpose of shielding you from the vile aspersions, and ill demeanor of the other sex.
Thus furnished with the necessary implements of warfare, I advance to the contest with the zeal of a patriot; well know- ing the strength of my antagonists. To the good and wise I would beg leave to drop a word-you have nothing to fear from the weapons which I carry; they are blunted in your presence, and if attempted to be hurled at you, they will re- coil with double force upon myself. To exalt virtue to her prerogative in the human heart-to award the meed of praise where merit speaks it due is my ostensible object; in doing which, I shall tear the flimsy garments from the hypocrite, and direct the finger of scorn at vice and im- morality. TIM TICKLER, JR., Esq.
Louisville, April, 1824.
A paper of the character indicated in the above address is always, to use a common phrase, "in hot water," and Mr. Timothy Tickler's bed was not one of roses. Mr. Johnston appears very soon to have retired from the firm, when the paper was published by T. H. Roberts, M. D.,
until in September, 1824, when for good and sufficient reasons the editor concluded to move his office to New Albany. Such freedom of the press as Mr. Roberts desired was not to be found in Louisville; he soon got into all sorts of trou- ble, and his life was openly threatened. But in proportion as his troubles grew the circulation of his paper increased, until its patronage was quite extensive, considering the sparseness of the population. Quite a number of citizens of New Albany took it. It had no regular subscription list, but people bought it freely, in order to find out what Tim Tickler had unearthed during the week.
In the issue of September 22, 1824, the editor places the following paragraph at the head of his editorial column :
Distant editors who exchange with us will please forward their papers to New Albany, Indiana.
He then proceeds to explain the reason of the change, the first paragraph of the explanation reading as follows :
Be it remembered that on the night of the 4th of Septem- ber, 1824, a mob of unprincipled vagrants made an attack upon my office in the town of Louisville, broke open the door of the printing office, then and there did rob me of a POCKET-BOOK containing $12 Commonwealth Paper, ONE DOLLAR on the bank of the State of South Carolina, and sundry papeis; broke my printing press and destroyed my type; broke down the door of my bed-chamber and struck several times at me with an axe, forced me from a sick bed, dragged me to the river, where they proposed hid- ing their diabolical deed by sinking my body in the river with a stone !!! And but for the interference of one man, they would have completed their deed of cruelty, and put Turks and Indians to blush !!
Mr. Roberts had the leaders of the mob ar- rested and although the evidence appeared con- clusive, they were cleared by the jury, and fail- ing as he thought to obtain either justice or pro- tection at Louisville he removed his establish- ment-what was left of it-to New Albany. He claimed damages in money stolen and type and material destroyed to the amount of two hun- dred and sixty dollars and seventy five cents, and remarks that the good citizens of Louisville "kindly subscribed a sum nearly sufficient to repair all my losses and relieve me from the dis- tress incident on the destruction of my office and the stoppage of my business."
Thus under adverse circumstances did the second paper appear in the future city. The tone of the Microscope appears to have been rather low, and probably Mr. Roberts received
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
his just deserts; at least but little if any sympa- thy was shown by the better classes of people at his unceremonious removal.
Roberts continued the publication of the Mi- croscope at New Albany a year or more, during which time he went so deeply into the private affairs of people, especially in Louisville, that he came near being again mobbed. A party came over from that city for that purpose, but Roberts, being apprised of it, secured a sufficient force in New Albany to protect him, and the would-be mobbers were driven again to the other side of the river. Roberts died some thirty years ago.
TWO OTHER PAPERS.
During the next few years after the Microscope went out of existence, two or more papers were published here. One was called the Crescent, and one the Aurora. The latter was edited by Edward P. Shields, who afterwards became professor in Princeton college. The Crescent probably followed the Microscope, and was conducted by Settle & Nelson, Cooper Nelson being the editor. Reuben W. Nelson was prob- ably also interested in the paper. He was a practicing lawyer, and a smart, sprightly, go- ahead bachelor, who died in 1828 or 1829. Settle was originally from Ohio but came to this place from Kentucky. He died in Louisville within the last decade.
VARIOUS WHIG AND REPUBLICAN PAPERS.
The next venture in the newspaper business was by the Collins brothers-James, Henry, and Thomas-the latter of whom is yet living in New Albany, an old and much respected citizen and a justice of the peace. They called their paper the New Albany Gazette. It was Whig in politics, and the first really political paper started in the town. It continued to be published many years under various names-as the Gazette, the Bulletin, and the Commercial-and by many dif- ferent owners, and finally ceased to exist in New Albany about 1870. It supported the Whig party as long as that party existed, then was kept up as a Republican paper.
The Gazette was started in November, 1830, the same week in which the first number of the Louisville Journal (now the Courier-Journal) made its appearance. The Collins brothers were originally from Virginia, but came here from Kentucky. Henry Collins was a lawyer, and
seemed to be the principal manager of the paper for several years. He died here in 1852. After a few years the entire establishment was pur- chased by Thomas Collins, and in 1837 Mr. Collins started the Daily Gazette, the first of the kind established in the State. The daily and weekly Gazette grew quite prosperous under his management, notwithstanding the competition of the Democratic paper, the Argus, which came into existence about this time.
In 1839 Ignatus Mattingly came to New Al- bany from Lexington, Kentucky. He was a practical printer, and, forming a partnership with William Green, they purchased the Gazette of Mr. Collins, and Messrs. Mattingly & Green continued editors and proprietors of the same until 1845, when, being unable to pay for it, the office went back into the hands of Thomas Col- lins, who was an endorser on their paper. Mat- tingly is still in the printing business at Ply- mouth, Marshall county, Indiana. Mr. Collins kept the paper only a few months, when, in January, 1846, he sold it to Leonard Green, his brother-in-law and a brother of William Green. The new editor employed Theodore J. Barnett to edit the paper until he sold it in 1849 to Col- lins & Green-Thomas Collins and William Green. Under Leonard Green the name of the paper was changed to the Daily and Weekly Bul- letin. The Greens were Hoosiers, born in Clarke county, Indiana, and after leaving New Albany they established a paper in Bedford, in this State. Leonard died in Texas in 1855 or 1856, and William is now publishing a paper in Brook- ville, Indiana.
In 1852 Collins & Green sold out to Milton Gregg & Sons, who changed the name of the paper to the Tribune. Gregg was from Law- renceburg and Madison, in both of which places he had been publishing papers. He was a strong, vigorous writer, a man of a good deal of ability, and a staunch Whig. The Greggs con- ducted the paper with considerable success four or five years, when the family nearly all died, and the paper went out of existence. Subse- quently J. P. Hancock, a man of literary tastes and habits, who had also married a literary woman, undertook to revive the paper, but with indifferent success. Mrs. Hancock was the author of two or three works of fiction, and in their hands the paper assumed a literary rather
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
than political character, so it was not a success. They conducted it perhaps six months, when it again became extinct.
During the greater part of the war the Repub- licans were without an organ in New Albany; but in the summer of 1864 a joint stock company was formed, principally through the efforts of J. P. Luse, since connected with the Indianapolis Journal, for the purpose of establishing a Republi- can paper in New Albany on a sound basis. Some of the material of the old paper was probably used, but new type and new presses were purchased, and the New Albany Commercial established. Its first editor was William B. Curry, an energetic young man, a Universalist preacher, a gentle- man, a scholar, and a vigorous writer. He did not, however, succeed in making the paper pay largely, and it became financially embarrassed at one period, so that it was compelled to suspend for a time. Mr. Curry took sick, and retired from the editorial chair. He subsequently went into politics, became a high officer in the · State government, and is yet living at Indianapolis. At that time the office was on the corner of State and Main streets, where the stocking factory now Is. After Curry left and the paper had been dormant a few weeks, J. P. Luse took hold of it with Messrs. Schuyler and Harriott, and the paper was conducted by these gentlemen with considerable success for two or three years, when, about 1870, it was removed to Louisville, where it is yet published as a Republican paper, and known all over the country as the Louisville Commercial.
Mr. Luse is a Hoosier and a graduate of the State university at Greencastle. When Andrew Johnson became President he was appointed collector of customs at Louisville, and has since been engaged in newspaper enterprises in In- diana. His partners in New Albany, Schuyler and Harriott, came from Lafayette together. Mr. Harriott is now living in the northern part of the State.
The Republicans of New Albany and vicinity seem not yet to have recovered sufficiently from the blow given by the removal of the Commercial to start another paper, devoted principally to party interests. Democracy being in the majority here, is able to sustain a paper; but the Republicans still look to Louisville for their nearest political reading.
DEMOCRATIC JOURNALS.
The first paper to support Democratic princi- ples in New Albany was started in the fall of 1836, and was called the Argus. Dennison & Hineline were the editors and proprietors. They were from New Jersey; the former was club- footed, a fair but not a high-toned writer. Hine- line was a man of considerable ability; and after getting through with the Argus, which he did in only two years, he went back to New Jersey and published a paper there, and subsequently be- came a member of the Legislature of that State. They purchased new type and material for the Argus, and established their office on High street, above Third. About 1838 they sold out to Hutchens & Thompson (Charles W. Hutchens and George W. Thompson). This partnership continued only a few months, when Hutchens sold his interest to a brother-in-law named Virden, and retired from the paper. Mr. Hutchens was a practical printer from Ohio. He went from New Albany to Louisville, where he worked at his trade awhile. The last that was heard of him by his friends here he was in Paducah, Ken- tucky. Thompson was a Virginian, and also went to Louisville, where he worked some years in the Democrat office. Virden & Thompson conducted the paper a few months, when the former sold out his interest to the latter, who be- came the sole proprietor. Virden got into some difficulty with Prentice, of the Louisville Journal, which very likely caused his retirement from this vicinity. For something published in the Jour- nal he threatened to shoot Prentice on sight. The latter heard of the threat but paid no atten- tion to it. One day he saw Virden sitting in an eating-house, and walked in to see whether Virden would "shoot him on sight." Courage was one of the well-known characteristics of Prentice. Vir- den did not appear to see Prentice at that time, thus showing the white feather so conspicuously that he was not able thereafter to live comforta- bly in the community. Thompson continued publishing his paper until 1841, when he was compelled to suspend. Not long after Jared C. Jocelyn used the press and materials for a time in an effort to establish a literary sheet, which was, however, unsuccessful. This paper was called the Register, and was issued for nearly two years. Jocelyn was a Connecticut Yankee,
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HISTORY OF THE OHIO FALLS COUNTIES.
but came here from Ohio. He was subsequently a magistrate, and died here about 1868.
In 1843 or 1844 the press and material were purchased by P. M. Kent, and the name of the paper changed to the Southwestern Democrat. Kent was a Marylander, but came here from Vevay, Indiana. He is yet living, and is in White county, in this State, farming. He con- nected the Democrat only a short time, when (about 1844) he sold out to Charles D. Hineline, who in turn soon sold to Bradley & Lucas (Au- gustus Bradley and Oliver P. Lucas). This firm conducted the paper but a single year, when they sold out to Norman & Bosworth. Mr. Bradley is yet a citizen of New Albany, the pro- prietor of a large flouring-mill, a man of much ability and experience in public affairs, having been county auditor and member of the Legis- lature, and held also other offices of trust and profit. He was the first president of the New Albany & St. Louis Air Line railroad. Mr. Lu- cas has been a member of the school board of Louisville for the last twenty years.
Norman & Bosworth changed the name of the paper to the Ledger, a title that has clung to it to the present time. Bosworth soon retired, and Phineas M. Kent took his place, putting in considerable capital; and the firm became Nor- man & Kent. John B. Norman continued with the paper up to the day of his death, and con- tributed greatly to its permanent success. He was an Englishman, but came here from Indian- apolis. His partners changed frequently, among them being L. G. Mathews and James M. Mor- rison. The latter continued with the paper un -. til his death. He had been a chair-maker to the time of engaging in the printing business. When he died the surviving partners purchased the widow's interest, and the firm became Norman & Mathews.
In 1877 the following history of this paper appeared in the Ledger-Standard :
With the present issue of the fifty thousand copies of the Ledger-Standard, it is deemed proper to speak fully of the advantages New Albany possesses in the industrial and manufacturing points of view. While other interests are spoken of elsewhere in these columns, none are of greater importance in a community than the printing-press. In almost every business in which there has been achieved, by enterprise and energy, instances of success so marked as to excite imi- tation and competition, it may be safely asserted that ten failures may be recorded for each such conspicnons success. Of no business does this statement hold good with more
emphasis than of newspaper undertakings. The failures are numerous, and not seldom ruinous; the average successes are but moderate; and yet there are instances of exceptional and brilliant success in newspaper enterprises that are worthy of note. Among the most marked and prominent of these in the West is the Ledger-Standard. The history of this paper affords a prominent illustration of what enterprise, liberality, and correct business management will achieve.
The first number of the Daily Ledger was issued on the 2Ist of September, 1849, from the second-story of an old building which was then situated on the northeast corner of Pearl and Main streets, and the present site of the Mer- chants' National bank. It was established by Phineas M. Kent and John B. Norman, and was nearly the size of the Daily Ledger-Standard. The location of the office, for the space of about twenty-five years, was changed but three times, and in that time there were but few changes in proprietorship. For over twenty years John B. Norman gave his undivided attention to the paper, and was the leading spirit that gave it tone and character. He was editor and chief proprietor from its birth until the time of his death, which occurred October 30, 1869. The interest of Mr. Norman was dis- posed of to L. G. Matthews, junior partner in the firm, who in June, 1872, transferred the paper to Merrill & Moter, and they consolidated it with the Standard Angust 14, 1872, and a stock company was formed, composed of C. E. Merrill, C. R. Moter, Josiah Gwin, J. V. Kelso, and Charles E. John- ston.
The Standard was born in tronblons times-almost in the midst of the greatest and most depressing panic that has ever swept over this country, but, Minerva-like, it sprang into be- ing full grown, equipped for work, and shoulder to shoulder with the veterans of newspaperdom. Its firing was heard all along the line, and its thousands of readers felt that a new power had arisen. With the staunch and trustworthy old Ledger it was at once a worthy competitor in circulation, a model of typographical neatness, editorial ability, and dash as a local newspaper. The first number of the Daily Standard was issued July 31, 1871, from our present quarters, and the weekly issue began Angust 9th following. The Standard was established and owned by Josiah Gwin, James V. Kelso, and Charles E. Johnston, who continued as pro- prietors until the Ledger material was removed to the office of the former, corner of Main and State streets. The two papers combined were then named .
THE LEDGER-STANDARD.
A short time after the consolidation, Messrs. Merrill, Moter, Kelso, and Johnston retired from the company, their respective stock being purchased by Messrs. James P. Apple- gate, Jonathan Peters, Josiah Gwin, and Adam Himer. An election of officers was held, resulting as follows: Jonathan Peters, president; James P. Applegate, secretary; Josiah Gwin, manager and treasurer. There has been no change in the officers of the company, all having been re-elected from year to year since. Shortly after the consolidation of the two papers, very extensive additions were made to the ma- terial of the office throughout, and much of the earnings of the concern have been added to the original capital stock, in- creasing it from twenty-one thousand dollars to thirty thon- sand dollars, about twenty-five thousand dollars of which is paid up. Among the most extensive additions was a com- plete bindery, which furnishes something like fifteen counties in the State with records and blank books. New type was also furnished for the job and news department; and it can be said without boasting that the Ledger-Standard, in all its
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departments, is one of the most complete blank-book manu- facturing, printing, and job offices in the West.
The building is probably better adapted for the business for which it is used than any other in the city. The dimen- sions are 20 × 95 feet, four stories high, including the base- ment. The basement is used as a newspaper and job press- room, and is excellently lighted. Here is a ten-horse-power engine, used for running two large cylinder presses, of the Cottrell & Babcock and Taylor patterns, and a quarto Gor- don. Besides, there is a large stock of paper, fuel, and ap- parattus used in running the presses, cleaning the forms, etc., etc.
The floor above the basement, or properly the first story, contains the counting-room, which is about 20 x 40 feet in size, and the job-room, 20 x 55 feet. The counting-room is supplied with all necessary furniture, and the shelves are well filled with printers' stock, blank books, and articles used in job printing and blank-book manufacturing. The job office contains hundreds of fonts of type, from agate to the largest poster size, cabinets, stands, cases, imposing stones, proof press, a Gordon press, and many other needful articles, too numerous to mention.
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