History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, Volume I, Part 44

Author: Drury, Augustus Waldo, 1851-1935; S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, pub
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 966

USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Dayton > History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 44

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With the Herald's ( Record's) early days, are associated such names as Coulter S. Anderson, J. St. J. Clarkson, William Eckley, George Pflaum, John M. Kramer, Harry McGrew, E. W. Hanley, Tom Wilson, who in the capacity of editors, printers, reporters and messenger boys, are credited with giving the Herald the distinction of having gotten out the first extra edition published in Dayton, and the first paper in the city which exercised an unrestricted freedom in its editorial columns. Its politics were independent. Its policy while not yellow in the modern sense of the word was, as one of its veterans has aptly said to "go after every- body" and it did this so effectively that on one occasion the sheriff of the county, Colonel Freeman, found it expedient to stop its publication for an attack on Chief of Police Butterworth.

Mr. Wendell was a keen newspaper man and took advantage of every oppor- tunity to push the paper to the front. When Guiteau was to be executed in Wash- ington for the murder of Garfield, he went personally to Washington, secured cuts of the scaffold and surroundings, which were all set up ready to "shoot" with the story of the execution as soon as the word from Washington was received. On this occasion, newsboys selling on the street were used for the first time. The extra was in the hands of the public a few minutes after the hanging, and Mr. Wendell was complimented for the first big Dayton "scoop."

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The Herald (Record) soon outgrew its facilities on Fourth street and was moved to the Southeastern corner of Second and Jefferson, a building that was then occupied by the Hoskott Brothers Excelsior Laundry. The whole second floor was fitted up for press and composing rooms, while the business office was located on Second street a few doors further east. Here a new press was installed, a double cylinder press with two feeders and an appliance for folding the papers after coming from the press. It was about this time that the paper was purchased by Mr. H. H. Weakley, a prominent financier, who combined executive ability with a deep insight and a vigorous, judicious style as a writer. It was not long until the press and quarters which had been fitted up to last years, as it was thought, had become entirely too small to keep up with the circulation. Then it was that the Herald bought the corner where it is now located and after remodeling the entire building and installing a new Claus perfecting press, the public was then served on record time and the entire circulation supplied with news within an hour after it had happened. At this time also, the force of printers was raised by Colonel Weakley from five or six to about twenty.

Within about six years, and shortly after linotype machines had been installed, the paper had again boomed itself beyond its facilities and it was necessary in con- nection with a new press and other machinery, to increase the floor space oc- cupied by the concern. Arrangements were made with the Goss estate and the new press installed in the room adjoining the old Herald building. The change was made without the loss of a single edition.

In November, 1907, the sixth era in the history and growth of the Herald was marked by the installation of the latest and most improved Goss press. Though the circulation has increased at its usual advance with Dayton's popula- tion, the Goss press was purchased with an eye to posterity and it is still meeting the demand of the times.

In 1906, Mr. Weakley who had engineered the paper to the prestige it still holds succumbed to a life of too vigorous and varied activity. The stock of the paper was retained by his widow who intrusted the management in accordance with Colonel Weakley's wishes to Charles J. Geyer, who had grown with the Herald from a small office position to the duty of shouldering the whole weight of responsibility. He has been with the Herald nearly twenty-five years and its growth and influence in the community have inalienably fused with his policies and direction. Like the New York Sun, the Herald has a facility for securing the confidence and good will of its employes. "Once a Herald man, always a Herald man" is a motto which will apply as well for the Herald as it does for the Sun. Besides Mr. Geyer, J. C. McGee, Charles A. Brown, foreman of the com- posing room, and Thomas W. Howard, have been associated with the paper for more than a score of years.

MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS.

The prospectus of the Gridiron was first published September 10, 1822. It was to be neatly printed on good, medium paper in octavo form. The subscrip- tion price was to be one dollar per year, payable one-half yearly in advance. The Gridiron was not a newspaper but a periodical magazine. It was the pur-

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pose of the editor, John Anderson, to correct such abuses as he might see in society. He attempted to accomplish this by "roasting" people who did not live up to his views of right and wrong. T. B. Reed was one of the contributors to the paper. The Gridiron failed to be sustained by public sentiment, and after eighteen months was discontinued. The Gridiron was revived for a short time in 1840. It then took on a character quite different from that of 1822, it hav- ing turned into a sheet that was loathsome.

An additional whig paper known as the Dayton Whig and Miami Democrat was started by B. Dutton in 1833. The firm was afterward, Dutton & Maloy, but the paper only lasted a year, as the county could not support two whig newspapers.

The Log Cabin was a four-column folio newspaper published during the Harrison presidential campaign of 1840. The first number appeared March 21, 1840. It was embellished with the picture of a log cabin with a chimney of logs and sticks, extending just to the ridge of the roof, and built, as was the custom then, on the outside of the house at one end. In front of the house was a cider barrel on one side of the door. The paper contained a description of the method of building a log cabin, taken from "Doddridge's Notes on Virginia," "An Invitation to the Log Cabin Boys to Old Tippecanoe's Rasin'," etc., etc. The border of each page was a frame of logs, as they would appear to a person looking down from a height directly over the cabin as it was in the process of erection. Number two appeared April 18th, number three May 5th, etc. This paper contained much valuable statistical as well as general information, and carried the mottos, "One presidential term," and "Fair prices of labor and pro- tection to domestic manufactures." It was published by R. N. and W. F. Comly. John W. Van Cleve wrote many of the songs, and designed and engraved the illustrations and caricatures that appeared in it. The Log Cabin enjoyed a national reputation. The subscription price was twenty-five cents for the cam- paign.

The Dayton Transcript was established in January, 1841, by George C. Mc- Cune and John Wilson, both practical printers. It was a semi-weekly paper, IIXI7 inches in size. After sinking money for about eighteen months, it was suspended for want of funds. In October, 1842, the firm of McCune & Wilson was dissolved, the interest of McCune being purchased by J. Milton Sanders, who continued to edit the Transcript, revived, until October 4, 1843, when he retired. The paper was then enlarged to 12x19 inches in size, and for six weeks was published by John Wilson and E. Marot, under the style of E. Marot & Co. Subsequently Mr. Marot retired from the firm, and Mr. Wilson was sole pro- prietor until July, 1845. Up to the opening of the political campaign of 1844, the Transcript had been neutral in politics, but at that time it identified itself with the whig party, and came out under the title of the Dayton Transcript and Ashland Whig. It was edited by A. M. Scott until December 9, 1844. Previous to Scott's editorial service, John Macracon had edited the paper, and, upon Scott retiring he resumed that post again. On the 28th of July, 1845, Macracon be- came one of the proprietors, and the paper was then enlarged. It was a valuable investment, and in 1847, Ralph S. Hart and H. D. Stout purchased an interest in it, Wilson having previously retired. The firm was H. D. Stout & Co., Mr.

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Hart writing the leaders and Mr. Macracon attending to the other parts of the paper. Mr. Hart remained as editor for eighteen months. M. E. Curwen was a frequent contributor, and at times had control of its editorial columns. Mr. Macracon left the paper in February, 1849, and was succeeded by A. M. Scott. The paper was finally disposed of to William C. Howells & Company, in May, 1849, who subsequently published daily, weekly and tri-weekly editions. It was moderately Whig under this management, but was discontinued in the year 1850.

A rival to the Journal appeared in 1846 in the form of the Daily Daytonian, a whig paper published by N. M. Guild & Company, and edited by John A. Collins. After a year, the Daytonian was discontinued, and its subscription lists transferred to the Journal, which at about this time became a daily paper.

The Dayton Gazette was an influential whig paper established about 1846. It was at the first edited by D. W. Iddings, and then owned by various parties until it was purchased by William H. P. Denny, who conducted it until it was discontinued at the beginning of 1860. For a considerable portion of the time, it was a daily paper, but toward the last it was a weekly.

The Dayton Tri-Weekly Bulletin was first published in Dayton, September I, 1848, by John Wilson and Jacob C. Decker, both practical printers. Mr. M. E. Curwen was the editor throughout the period of its publication. The paper was neutral in politics and devoted to general news and literature. The sheet was 15x21 inches in size, was published Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, and sold for $3.00 per year. The last number appeared April 17, 1850. Mr. Curwen was a writer of ability and published in the columns of the Bulletin shortly before its discontinuance the first connected history of the newspapers of Dayton. Upon leaving Dayton, he became a professor in the law school at Cin- cinnati, and a few years later, became the author of the standard Digest of the Laws of Ohio published in four large volumes.

A vituperative sheet known as the B'Hoy was printed in Cincinnati and cir- culated in Dayton by irresponsible persons for a few weeks in 1849, rousing the ire of the citizens and the city council.

The Daily City Item was a penny paper established in 1852 by four journey- man printers-Frank Anderton, Martin Shrenck, Charles Lewis and Frederick Emrick. Mr. Emrick was at first the editor, but remaining only a short time, he was succeeded by John Z. Reeder, who purchased Emrick's interest. Mr. Reeder remained in this position eighteen months. Mr. Shrenck and Mr. Anderton sold their interests to Joseph Schnebly and J. S. Miller, and in this shape the paper was conducted over a year. About the time Mr. Reeder withdrew it be- came the property of Noah A. Albaugh, who succeeded to the editorship and also to the business management. At one time the circulation of the Item was as high as eighteen hundred copies, indicating great popularity for the times in which it was printed. Mr. Albaugh conducted the paper only a short time when it was discontinued.

The Saturday People was started as a small sheet September 26, 1876, by C. P. Sweetman, at 28 South Main street. It was taken by the People Publishing Company, January 16, 1877, composed of J. St. J. Clarkson, H. L. Frazier and Charles Kramer, and made the workingmen's organ. It was enlarged to a seven column paper, and in 1877 was taken by Mr. Clarkson alone. When the national

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greenback labor party was organized, the People was made the organ of that party. In June, 1881, it was enlarged to an eight column paper.

In December, 1880, John R. Tomlinson established a monthly sheet called the Miami Valley Courier, devoted to historical and biographical sketches and ad- vertising.

The Monitor, a democratic paper, was started as a weekly in 1886 by G. C. Wise, C. W. Faber and J. E. D. Ward. In the following October, the Daily Monitor was started, the intention being to run merely a campaign paper. At the end of three months, however, the success of the enterprise was such that a company was organized under the name of the Monitor Publishing Company, with a capital of twenty thousand dollars. G. C. Wise was general manager until May 1, 1889, and up to that time C. W. Faber was editor. Mr. Faber then became general manager with Harry Weidner as assistant manager. No- vember 25, 1889, the Monitor, was bought together with the Democrat by Charles H. Simms and F. T. Huffman, who merged the papers and published the Evening News and Morning Times, the same passing later into the Daily News.

The Dayton Press was a republican paper started in 1891, designed and con- ducted to represent and forward the interest of the republican organization of the time. The files close December 31, 1904.

GERMAN PAPERS.

The first German paper was published in Dayton on September 19, 1835. The "German Gazette" or Deutsche Zeitung was issued from the Dayton Jaurnal office, the editor being Mr. Burghalter. The paper was published every Thursday on a medium sheet at the subscription price of one dollar per year. The paper was discontinued at the end of the year.

About the same time another paper, the Ohio Intelligencer, made its appear- ance under the editorship of Mr. Huesmann, a teacher of German and music. How long this paper was published is not known. No copies of either of these papers can be found.

Das Deutsche Journal was published by John Bittman in 1849. It was a weekly paper and continued in existence for about two years.

Die Stimme des Volkes was established by Mr. Stierlein. It was published for about two years.

Dayton Democrat was established in 1856 by Haisch and Engler. It was published for almost a year.

Dayton Wochenblatt was established in 1859 by Herman and Rauh and con- tinued to be published for about five years.

Dayton Abendblatt was first published in 1859 by Dietz and Egry. It was the first German daily and existed for a few weeks only.

Dayton Pioneer was established in 1860 by Richard Baur. It was published for about two years.

The Dayton Volk Zeitung was started April 26, 1866, by George Neder. It was a six-column, four-page paper. In June, 1866, a semi-weekly issue was pub- lished in addition to the weekly and in October the semi-weekly was displaced by a tri-weekly issue. About the Ist of September, 1876, a daily paper appeared,

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a weekly and daily both being published from that time. On the 15th of April, 1882, a stock company was formed with a capital of $10,000.

September 1, 1876, the Anzeiger was started. It was democratic and owned by Otto Moosbrugger and Charles Schenck when first started. Mr. Schenck sold his interest to Kinno Moosbrugger and the two Messrs. Moosbrugger carried on the publication of the paper until it was consolidated with the Volk Zeitung April 17, 1882.

At present the Daily and Weekly Volk Zeitung are published under the editor- ship of Otto Moosbrugger and Edward Neder.

THE RELIGIOUS PRESS.

Dayton has been peculiariy favored with an enterprising and influential relig- ious press. Religious periodicals and books published in Dayton have had not only a large local circulation, but have been sent forth broadcast throughout the home land and almost every foreign country. Closely associated with the litera- ture sent out has been the building up of strong publishing houses and the cen- tering in Dayton of a wide variety of religious agencies.

UNITED BRETHREN PUBLISHING HOUSE.

The first denominational publishing house to be located in Dayton was that of the United Brethren, the house called by the public generally the "U. B." The house was established at Circleville, Ohio, in 1834, for the purpose of publishing the Religious Telescope. In 1829 Rev. Aaron Farmer, of Miami conference, had begun the publication of Zion's Advocate at Salem, Indiana, and in 1833, Rev. William R. Rhinehart had begun the publication of the Mountain Messenger at Hagerstown, Maryland. These were denominational papers though not estab- lished by the general conference as was the Religious Telescope.

The Indiana paper soon ceased to exist and a part of the equipment of the Maryland paper, together with its editor, was drawn on in the outfitting of the Telescope. As first issued the Telescope was a medium-sized folio published semi- monthly, at $1.50 per year in advance, or $2 at the close of the year. The estab- lishment started in debt. Sometimes the debt was nearly extinguished, but the purchase of additional equipment or a financial depression would throw it again under a burden of debt.

Mr. Rhinehart continued editor till 1839, when he gave place to Rev. William Hanby, who held the position of editor till 1845. Rev. David Edwards was editor from 1845 to 1849. Rev. William Hanby then again became editor. In 1852 he resigned and became publishing agent, Rev. John Lawrence, the assist- ant editor, then assuming full editorial charge. A German paper was published by the house beginning with 1841.

In order to secure better facilities the publishing establishment was moved in 1853, from Circleville to Dayton, Mr. E. W. McGowen bringing the entire me- chanical outfit the last part of the way in a Conestoga wagon drawn by four horses.

The lot at present occupied, at the corner of Fourth and Main streets, fifty- nine and one-half feet on Main street and one hundred and fifty-two feet on

UNITED BRETHREN OFFICE BUILDING

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Fourth street, was bought for $11,000. Earlier, Strain's Tavern was located on the lot. At the time there was on it a large two-story brick residence, possibly the same house before used as a hotel, in which for a short time the business of publication was conducted. In 1854 the old structure was removed and the building erected which with certain additions served the purposes of the print- ing establishment for a half century. The printing establishment brought with it Rev. John Lawrence as editor, who continued to serve in that capacity for twelve years thereafter, Rev. Solomon Vonnieda as publishing agent, and Mr. Frederick Horn, who long continued as head of the bindery department.

The Telescope has had a very able succession of editors. From the close of Mr. Lawrence's term the editors have been as follows: Rev. D. Berger, 1864; Rev. M. Wright, 1869; Rev. J. W. Hott, 1877; Rev. I. L. Kephart, 1889; Rev. J. M. Phillippi, the present editor, 1909. The assistant or associate editors have been Rev. D. Berger, 1869; Rev. W. O. Tobey, 1873; Rev. M. R. Drury, 1881 ; Rev. A. P. Funkhouser, 1897 ; Rev. G. M. Mathews, 1898; Rev. J. M. Phillippi, 1902; Rev. C. I. B. Brane, 1909.

The Telescope has not only done faithful service for the denomination in whose interest it was established, but it has been a foremost advocate of every movement for social improvement.

The German paper had long at its head a succession of able editors, but at length, the German constituency in the church became too small to support a German paper published by the house.

In 1893, the Watchword, a sparkling paper for the young people, entered on its career. Rev. H. F. Shupe has been the editor from the first to the present time.

The Sunday-school periodicals begun in 1854, and the missionary literature have grown to be a very large part of the publications of the house. The present editors of the Sunday-school literature are Revs. H. H. Fout and W. O. Fries. The Woman's Evangel, the paper published by the Woman's Missionary Asso- ciation, has been well edited by Mrs. L. R. (Keister) Harford, Mrs. L. K. Miller and now by Mrs. Mary Albert.

A solid Quarterly Reviewe was conducted from 1889 to 1909. Rev. H. A. Thompson was the editor for several years before the suspension of publication.

The books published by the house have amounted to many volumes, a large pro- portion for the benefit and purposes of the denomination, but many of them also being of a general nature and for the general public. A large number of music books have been issued.

The importance of the financial or material part of a publishing enterprise can scarcely be overestimated. On it everything else depends. For a period of ten years after its removal, the publishing establishment had the skillful and faithful management of Revs. S. Vonnieda, H. Kumler, T. N. Sowers and Mr. J. B. King. But while in this period its assets had grown from almost nothing to above $63,000, the liabilities had mounted up to above $52,000. In 1864, Rev. W. J. Shuey was chosen assistant publishing agent and in 1865 as sole agent, in which capacity he continued until 1897. To reduce the debt, he secured a donation from the church of above $18,000. Larger plans and more business-like methods were adopted. After there had been applied from the profits of the house $11.000 in

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dividends for the aid of superannuated ministers, a large amount in meeting the expense of litigation, due to the separation of members from the church in 1889, and the granting of subsidies to different departments of the church, the net assets of the house were reported to the general conference in 1897, as being above $322,000. A re-appraisement later still left the net assets above $283,000. The reduced estimate of assets was mostly due to a lower appraisement of book plates and the stock of the book room. The high plane on which the business of the house was conducted during Mr. Shuey's administration, has been a matter of general recognition.

In 1897 Rev. W. R. Funk, D. D., was chosen publishing agent. In the period from that time to the present time the business of the house has continued to grow, and great transformations and improvements have taken place. The net assets of the house have grown to be over $500,000. First a seven-story manufacturing building was erected in 1903 on the rear of the lot, facing Fourth street, at a cost of $85,000, then a fourteen-story office building completed in the spring of 1905, at a cost of $330,000, was erected. Additional real estate has been purchased from time to time. In 1909, an additional manufacturing building, eight stories high, was erected. Dr. Funk continues as publishing agent.

THE CHRISTIAN PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION,

located at Fifth and Ludlow streets, represents that religious organization known as the Christian church. This body of believers is not now, and never has been. what is known as "Disciples of Christ."

The Christian church recognizes no test of church membership but Christian character ; it never has made baptism, by immersion or otherwise, the door into the church. The following statements represent the platform on which it stands :

I. The Holy Bible the only rule of faith and practice.

2. The Lord Jesus Christ the only Head of the church.

3. Christian the most natural name for Christ's followers.

4. Christian character the only test of fellowship.

5. Private interpretation (with the aid of the Holy Spirit) of the Scriptures the right and duty of all.

6. The real union of all the followers of Jesus Christ.

The Christian Publishing Association has the honor of publishing the oldest religious newspaper in the world, The Herald of Gospel Liberty. This paper was born at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, September 1, 1808, and the editor was Rev. Elias Smith, "one of our deepest thinkers and ablest pioneer preachers." Mr. Smith continued the publication of the paper until the close of the year 1817, when he sold it to Robert Foster.

Under different names, edited by different men and published in different places, the paper kept on its way until January 4, 1868, when it found its way to Dayton, and became a part of this city's interests.

At that time Rev. H. Y. Rush was its editor, and continued as such until January, 1877, when Rev. N. Summerbell took up the work and served till August, 1878. Rev. T. M. McWhinney became editor then and served till July I, 1881, when he was succeeded by Rev. A. W. Coan, who retired March 25,

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1885. Rev. C. J. Jones then had editorial charge until July 12, 1888, when he was succeeded by Rev. J. P. Watson, who served until January 1, 1894. Rev. J. J. Summerbell took the chair at that time and served for twelve years, when he yielded the place to Rev. J. P. Barrett, the present editor.

The trustees of The Christian Publishing Association bought, on March 4, 1868, of J. L. Falkner, property on the southeast corner of Sixth and Main streets for which they paid $11,500; and that became the headquarters of the association and the home of The Herald of Gospel Liberty, and served as such until November 6, 1890, when the property was sold to the railroad company for $22,000. For a few years after April 1, 1891, the business of the association was done in rented property, but this not proving satisfactory, on the 14th day of April, 1904, the lot at the corner of Fifth and Ludlow streets was purchased of Mrs. Maggie R. Bollinger, for $28,000. Soon after the lot was purchased the present building was erected at a cost which, with the equipment, makes the value of the plant about $100,000.

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History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, Volume I, Part 44

Author: Drury, Augustus Waldo, 1851-1935; S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, pub Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 966

Author: Drury, Augustus Waldo, 1851-1935; S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, pub
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 966