History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume I, Part 61

Author: Lee, Alfred Emory, 1838-; W. W. Munsell & Co
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York and Chicago : Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1202


USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > History of the city of Columbus, capital of Ohio, Volume I > Part 61


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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IIISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.


chairman, and J. Q. A. Campbell, of Bellefontaine, secretary. Oscar T. Martin, of Springfield, delivered an address on Journalism. In the business session following, a resolution was adopted, asking for a law graduating the rates of postage on news- papers.


The Ohio Editorial Association met in Columbus, June 3, 1875, immediately after the Republican State convention, and was largely attended. General James M. Comly was chairman of this meeting. A banquet was given to the visit- ing delegates at the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, and on the next day the Association took an excursion down the Hocking Valley Railway. Besides its discussion of professional matters, the Association listened to an address by S. R. Reed, on The Great Moral Engine, and a poem by Archie McGregor.


The Democratic editors of weekly papers met in State convention July 15, 1880. Hon. Lecky Harper, of the Mount Vernon Banner, was chairman, and Thomas Wetzler, of the Lancaster Eagle, secretary. Hon. Allen G. Thurman delivered an address, and a Democratic Press Association was organized: President, Lecky Harper; Vice Presidents, Judge Estill and C. B. Flood ; Secretary, Thomas Wetzler ; Treasurer, M. L. Bryan.


About seventyfive editors of the State held a meeting at the Board of Trade rooms, February 9, 1882, as the State Editorial Association, and discussed the law of libel, legal advertising rates, etc. Hon. Lecky Harper presided. On December 5, 1883, another meeting of the same organization was held at the same place. There was a large attendance and the usual interchange of ideas was had. The officers elected were: President, I. T. Mack; Vice President, L. A. Brunner ; Secretary, W. C. McClintock ; Treasurer, E. R. Alderman.


The business managers of Ohio papers held a conference at the Neil Honsc, November 5, 1885, of which F. J. Wendell was chairman, and organized the Busi- ness Managers' Association, with the following officers : President, W. S. Cappeller ; Vice President, F. J. Wendell; Secretary, F. S. Presbey ; Treasurer, J. P. Chew. On July 13, 1886, another meeting was held and the Ohio Associated Press Com- pany was organized with a view to establishing a news service for Ohio. F. J. Wendell was authorized to obtain rates from the telegraph company and report the cost of the service desired. At a subsequent meeting it was decided that the expense would be greater than the revenue, and the project was abandoned, but the business managers still maintain an organization which is known as the Associated Ohio Dailies, and annual meetings of its members are held.


The first meeting of German cditors of which there is any local record was held at the Westbote office, February 13, 1877. On January 17, 1878, another meeting, largely attended, was held. A third meeting was held in Schneider's Hall, February 15, 1886, at which organization was effected as follows : President, J. B. Froman, of Chillicothe; Vice President, W. Kauffman, of Cleveland ; Secre- tary, W. F. Kemmler, of Columbus ; Treasurer, L. Hirsch, of Columbus At another meeting in 1889, Joseph Zimmerman was elected President, W. F. Kemmler Vice President, Hans Otto Beck Secretary, and Leo Hirsch Treasurer.


The Republican editors of Ohio held a meeting in Columbus July 8, 1886, and adopted a series of resolutions denouncing the action of the United States Senate


465


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466


HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.


in refusing to reinvestigate charges of bribery already investigated by the General Assembly of the State, pertaining to the election to the National Senate of Hon. Henry B. Payne. At this meeting a State Republican Editorial Association was - formed, with J. M. Comly as President, E. S. Wilson Vice-President, S. J. Flickin- ger Secretary, and F. C. Reynolds Treasurer. This organization did not again meet until 1891.


The Hocking and Ohio Valley Editorial Association is an organization for social and business purposes, of which many Columbus newspaper men are mem- bers. It has been in existence a number of years.


Numerous organizations of Columbus newspaper men have been formed for social purposes, but for the most part have bad an ephemeral existence. The single exception is the Curtis Press Club, organized November 29, 1881, and named in honor of Lanson G. Curtis, then recently deceased. On November 20, 1881, two days after the death of Mr. Curtis, the journalists of Columbus met and resolved to pay tribute to his memory by organizing a press club bearing his name. A committee then appointed to prepare a plan of permanent organization reported to a subsequent meeting held November 29, presenting a eode of regulations which was adopted. By agreement the following named seven men first signed the con- stitution and were authorized to act as a quorum to pass upon the eligibility of additional members, active and honorary: W. A. Taylor, W. D. Brickell, T. W. Collier, Charles G. Lord, F. A. Brodbeck, L. Hirsch, and H. A. Reinhard. The following persons then signed the constitution and were admitted as members: S. B. Porter, L. C. Macpherson, S. S. Peters, E. G. Orebangh, Osman C. Hooper, W. G. Thoman, Albert Guthke, William P. Brown, H. G. Simpson, John A. Kuster, T. W. King, Allen O. Myers, H. L. Conard, F. W. Snell, and S. J. Flickinger. Officers were then elected as follows: President, W. A. Taylor; Vice President, W. D. Brickell; Secretary, S. S. Peters; Treasurer, F. A. Brodbeck ; Executive Committee, Allen O. Myers, Chairman, T. W. Collier, S. B. Porter, D. L. Bower- smith, and C. G. Lord.


To provide funds for fitting up its rooms the Club, on February 17 and 18, 1882, gave two entertainment at the Grand Opera House and thereby realized the net sum of $365.20. Rooms were then rented and furnished in the building occupied by the Ohio State Journal on State Street, and on the evening of July 11, 1882, were formally opened. The club at that time had sixtytwo active and seven- teen honorary members. On September 27, 1882, it gave a reception to General James M. Comly on his return from Honolulu. A welcoming address was made by President W. A. Taylor and a pleasant response by General Comly. Professor Eckhardt's quartette furnished music and refreshments were served. On Decem- ber 5, 1882, the club elected the following officers: President, A. W. Francisco ; Vice President, F. D. Mussey ; Secretary, S. S. Peters ; Treasurer, F. A. Brodbeck ; Corresponding Secretary, W. C. Turner; Executive Committee, H. E. Conard, Allen O. Myers, D. L. Bowersmith, S. C. Chorlton, and S. J. Flickinger. The club gave a New Year's reception January 1, 1883, and on March 8 and 9 of that year gave an entertainment at the Comstock Opera House, from which a net profit of $414.67 was realized.


For various reasons the interest in the club had by this time begun to abate to such a degree that on October 26, 1883, its Executive Committee recommended


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THE PRESS. II.


that it be disbanded, and that all its gifts be returned to the donors and its other property sold. The club decided not to disband but to carry ont the other recom- mendations of the committee, and its rooms were accordingly given up, and its property disposed of. Occasional meetings continued to be held and on December 21, 1883, the following officers were elected : President, S. C. Chorlton ; Vice President, D. L. Bowersmith ; Secretary, S. S. Peters; Corresponding Secretary, C. E. Bonebrake; Treasurer, W. C. Turner ; Executive Committee, S. J. Flickinger, F. A. Brodbeck, W. F. Kemmler, C. G. Lord, and F. W. Snell. Mr. Turner declining to give the bond required of the treasurer, Mr. Brodbeck was continued in office. The sum of two hundred dollars realized from the sale of the club's effects was donated February 13, 1884, toward the relief of sufferers by a flood in the Ohio River. At the annual meeting in December, 1884, the following officers were elected: President, Allen O. Myers ; Vice President, Amos Layman; Secretary, S. S. Peters ; Corresponding Secretary, C. E. Bonebrake ; Treasurer, F. A. Brodbeck ; Executive Committee, D. L. Bowersmith and W. F. Kemmler.


The last meeting of the Curtis Press Club of which there is any record occurred October 29, 1886. A donation from the funds of the club to Charles B. Flood, a newspaper man then aged and ill, was made, and the treasurer was authorized to dispose of any property of the club still remaining in his custody. Since that date the organizations of the local members of the press have been special and temporary. In September, 1888, an organization of this kind was effected under the direction of W. D. Brickell, Chairman, for the entertainment of newspaper men who came to attend the National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic. Writing and sleeping rooms were provided, and a lunch room was opened for the special accommodation of visiting members of the press. The work was creditably done, and a considerable part of the money appropriated for the use of the Press Committee was turned back into the treasury of the General Council.


The most recent attempt to organize a Press Club was made July 16, 1889. A constitution was adopted and a membership of thirty was secured. Officers were elected as follows: President, W. D. Brickell; Vice President, D. L. Bowersmith .; Treasurer, W. F. Kemmler ; Secretary, George Smart; Directors, S. N. Cook, O. C. Hooper, and L. Hirsch. Several meetings were held, but the interest soon died out and the club practically became a nullity.


The pioneer editor of Columbus is James B. Gardiner, who published the Freeman's Chronicle in Franklinton in 1812-14. Ile was a man of ideas, strong in his convictions and always ready to contend for what he believed to be right. The Chronicle was a very creditable paper for its opportunities, but was not finan- cially snecessful, and Mr. Gardiner abandoned it with the intention never to enter the journalistic profession again. But he was driven to it by his inclinations, and as he frankly said to the public, by the necessity of earning a livelihood, so that in 1826 he began the publication at Xenia, of the People's Press. This he did under rather peculiar circumstances. A few years before, he had removed from Colum-


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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.


bus to Xenia and had been nominated and elected to the General Assembly from that county. During the campaign he pledged himself to endeavor if elected, to secure the repeal of a then recent act increasing the salary of legislators from two to three dollars per day. He further declared that he would accept the sum of three dollars per day, but would pay one dollar of it into the treasury of Greene County. On taking his seat, the question of his eligibility was raised, and it was charged that his promise to the electors of Greene County was in the nature of a bribe. His enemies were too numerous for him and his seat was denied him. Another election was ordered and Mr. Gardiner was again returned and again rejected, whereupon he began the publication of the People's Press, as above stated. He was not vindictive, however, and his case before the legislature was referred to in his paper only in a series of articles reproduced from an exchange which reviewed the whole matter and undertook Mr. Gardiner's vindication, which, however, was accomplished in a more substantial way by his election to the State Senate in 1826 from the district then composed of the counties of Greene and Clinton. Mr. Gardiner took his seat in the Senate the following December and served out the term for which he was elected, at the same time conducting his paper at Xenia. His next and last newspaper work was done on the Ohio People's Press, a Columbus paper of which he was the editor and S. R. Dolbee the pub- lisher. The Press was issued during the Harrison-Van Buren campaign of 1836 as a Harrison organ. It had a circulation of about seven thousand copies. Mr. Gardiner was born in Maryland in 1789, and during his boyhood settled at Marietta, Ohio, where he learned the printing business and was afterwards married to Mary Poole. He removed to Franklinton in 1810 or 1811. During President Jackson's administration he served as Indian Agent and assisted in removing the Indian tribes from Ohio. Two of his daughters now reside in this city ; a third was married to Hon. Richard W. Thompson, of Indiana. Mr. Gardiner died of apoplexy at Marion, Ohio, during a Government land sale, April 14, 1837.


One of the most earnest and influential of the early Columbus journalists was David Smith, who was one of the founders and for twenty years the editor of the Monitor, the paper out of which grew the Ohio Statesman. Mr. Smith was born at Francistown, New Hampshire, October 18, 1785. His ancestors were Scotch- Irish Protestants and took part in the memorable siege of Londonderry. He graduated at Dartmouth College in 1811, was admitted to the bar, married in 1814 and soon afterwards removed to Columbus, Ohio, where, in 1816, in association with Ezra Griswold, of Worthington, he began the publication of a small news- paper entitled the Ohio Monitor and Patron of Husbandry, which was not a strictly agricultural journal, although part of its name was afterwards adopted by an organization of farmers. During the greater part of its career this paper was known simply as the Ohio Monitor. As its publication began at the outset of the " era of good feeling," under President Monroe, the Monitor had no distinctive party affiliation during the first six or eight years of its existence. It was always, however, an ardent advocate of a protective tariff, and in the campaign of 1824 vigorously supported John Quincy Adams for President. After the famous coali- tion of the friends of Adams and Clay, resulting in the election of Adams to the


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Presidency and the appointment of Clay as Secretary of State, Judge Smith, whose hatred of slavery had cansed him to be bitterly hostile to Clay because of bis championship of the Missouri Compromise, became vehemently opposed to the "administration party," as the supporters of Adams were called, and before the campaign of 1828 began, the Monitor had become, as it continued to be during that campaign, an ardent supporter of General Jackson for the presidency. It was ever after an independent, influential, and much quoted Democratic paper. Up to the date of its sale it still favored a protective tariff. Soon after the presidential election of 1836, the Monitor was purchased by Jacob Medary, brother of Samuel Medary, and became one of the component parts of the Ohio Statesman.


The distinction of being the oldest living editor in Ohio belongs to llon. Oren Follett, who, at the time of the preparation of this sketch (1890) is living at Sandusky, Ohio, at the age of ninetytwo. Much of his editorial work was done in New York State, but he was the editor of the Ohio State Journal during the campaigns of 1840 and 1844, and again for a period of three years beginning with 1854, at which time he was also a part owner. Mr. Follett's carly editorial work was done at Rochester, New York, on the Gazette, in 1817, but in February, 1819, he began by invitation to publish at Batavia a paper called the Spirit of the Times. In 1823 he was elected to the legislature of New York, in 1826 bought an interest in the Buffalo Journal, of which he was the editor until 1832, and in that year came to Ohio. Concerning bis editorial services in Columbus we have the following account from his own pen :


My editorial experience in Ohio, previous to 1854, had been incidental, temporary, on special solicitation and occasion : first in 1840, extending from March to November, to carry the party through the Harrison campaign ; the same in 1844, through the Clay and Polk campaign, which old politicians will remember was a very vigorous one and hotly contested on both sides. The State was carried for Mr. Clay, and the editor of the Journal was thought to have done his full share of the work. This was manifested by a tender (in caucus) at the session of 1845, of the office of Auditor of State, to succeed Brough. Both houses were Whig- a nomination was in effect an election ; but I declined the offer from considerations entirely personal. So, of the office of State Treasurer, withdrawing in favor of Judge Jolin Stoane, of Wayne County, who was afterwards United States Treasurer.


But an emergency had arisen, and I was called upon to make a sacrifice. The Board of Canal Commissioners was Democratic and was accused (as is usual in party contests) of extreme partisanship and wasteful expenditure. In addition to the canals, the Board had under its care, the National Road and other public ways. It had committed the National Road to the superintendence of one John Yontz, whose abuses were made the subject of investigation by a legislative committee. There was but one remedy, viewed from a party standpoint, sufficiently prompt to serve all purposes, and that was to repeal the law creating the Canal Board and pass another creating a Board of Public Works. The remedy was promptly applied. The question then very naturally arose, who should be the President of the new Board and who the acting Commissioners ? There was no difficulty in adjusting the latter but about the former there was a diversity of opinion. Good old Colonel Chambers, of Muskingum, who was President of the Senate (now called Lieutenant-Governor) had shaped the bill so as to make a good place for himself as President and had busied himself in mak- ing friends in both houses for his election. The Colonel was called "Old Hawkeye," for his smartness in affairs, but it was feared by the leaders that he might prove too sharp and


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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS.


prompt on occasion, in the new place. The members, as a body, were personally welldis- posed toward the Colonel, and, as he had had the whole winter to do his work in. his elec- tion seemed sure. In this emergeney, the leaders turned to the man who had refused all offices. The offer was civilly but promptly declined. The Senator making the offer. in due time returned with members of both houses; it was urged that by the terms of the bill, the President held office but one year at the first election -it would not, like the offices, take my whole time-and "we can heat the Colonel with no other name," etc .. ete. I suffered myself to be elected, and at the end of the year, notwithstanding my public declination, I was reelected for the full term of three years.


I now come down to 1854. The slave power was rampant. I need not repeat history. My editorial services in Ohio, thus far, had been incidental. temporary, to answer a special purpose. But now, there was work to be done on a broader field than State platforms. The proprietor of the Ohio State Journal (the paper with which I had been connected) failed in business. He had made me one of his assignees. I declined the trust. The situation was canvassed and four of us (names need not be mentioned) bought the concern for $20,000, not as an investment. but to fight slavery and build up a party of resistance. I omit more particular allusion to the business feature of this enterprise, barely mentioning in passing, that, owing to circumstances about which but few at this late day would care to hear, it was not a pecuniary success. My connection with the Journal lasted to the conclusion of the Frémont campaign. when, feeling that the party was on a firm basis aud in a condition to accomplish its mission, I retired.


Colonel P. H. Olmsted, who was connected with the paper now known as the Ohio State Journal, either as part or sole proprietor, from 1812 to 1831, was born near Hartford, Connecticut, and came to this county with his parents in 1808. The family settled on a farm near Blendon Corners. Four years later he bought a part interest in the Western Intelligencer, which paper he and his associates in business brought to Columbus in 1814, where Colonel Olmsted spent the remaining years of his life. He was mayor of Columbus under its borough organization in 1833 and of the city in 1838; represented Franklin County one term in the General Assembly ; became a merchant and conducted a general store near the corner of Main and High streets in 1831 ; was landlord of the old National Hotel in 1839; manager of the Neil House in 1841 and of the City House at the southwest corner of High and Town streets in 1843; opened the United States Hotel on its present site in 1846 ; retired from that business in 1850 and died February 20, 1870, at which time he was the oldest representative of the newspaper profession in Ohio. The Wall House, which is still standing on the southwest corner of Wall and State streets, was erected by him.




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