USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Annals of Luzerne County; a record of interesting events, traditions, and anecdotes > Part 27
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We close this chapter with a brief account of the iron ore of Luzerne.
Iron ore of various qualities has been discovered in Salem, Union, and Kingston townships, on the west side of the Susquehanna, and in Newport and Wilkesbarre townships on the east side; also, along the Lackawanna, and in the Moosic Mountain. The Salem bog-ore, vein 2 feet thick, may be seen on the estate of the late Alex- ander Jameson, Esq., 15 miles north-east of the Bloom- burg iron ore mines. This ore has never been tested. The Union ore, vein 18 inches, is found in the Shick- shinny Mountain, 6 miles north-east of Salem. It was tested at Danville, and yielded 28 per cent. of iron. The Kingston ore, in Hartzoff's Hollow, 14 miles north-east of Union, is found in the vespertine series, 500 feet below
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MINERALS AND THE COAL TRADE.
the seral conglomerate. There are two veins here, sepa- rated by 5 feet of rock, the first being from 1 to 2 feet thick, and the upper one 4 feet. The ore is ponderous, silicious, and of a black color.
The Newport ore is 1 mile east of Union, and underlies an eight feet coal vein. There are three different veins of this ore: one, ball-ore, 20 inches in thickness; one, stratified, 14 inches ; and one, cubical stratified, 6 inches. This ore was worked in a forge, at Nanticoke, for more than 40 years, and was also used by S. F. Headley, Esq., with the Bloomsburg ore, in his furnace, at Shickshinny. It yields 35 per cent.
The Lackawanna and Moosic Mountain iron ore mines are connected by rail with the Scranton Iron Works. There are two veins or layers in fire clay, one ball-ore 12 inches, and the other 18 inches in thickness. It has been worked advantageously at Scranton, when mixed with New York and New Jersey ores. It yields 35 per cent., and was used in forges many years ago. A thorough exploration of our county would, probably, discover both iron and limestone beyond the Wyoming coal-field, to the west and north-west. Many years ago, an imperfect limestone was found in the Little Wyoming Mountain, in Newport township. In 1831, several hundred bushels of it were burnt and used on the land.
Iron can now be manufactured in Wyoming Valley at $15 per ton, the ore and limestone being brought by canal or railroad from Columbia county. The proportions of the cost would be as follows :-
2₺ tons of iron ore by canal, . $6.96
2 tons of coal, 3.00
¿ ton of limestone, 1.40
Labor, furnace, &c., 3.64
$15.00
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ANNALS OF LUZERNE COUNTY.
The increasing demand for anthracite will increase the price, and when the figure shall have advanced to about $3 per ton at the pit's mouth, the smoke of a hundred furnaces will arise from our valleys. Iron ore, if not pro- cured within our own borders, will be brought from abroad, for it will be more economical to manufacture the metal in the locality of the fuel than elsewhere. The most careless observer must be impressed with the vast resources of Luzerne. It needs no prophet's ken to dis- cern the gigantic enterprises, the great accumulation of capital, and the dense population of the future.
CHAPTER XIII.
NEWSPAPERS, BOOKS, POETRY, LITERARY AND BENE- FICIAL SOCIETIES.
" Turn to the press, its teeming sheets survey, Big with the wonders of each passing day, Births, deaths, and weddings, forgeries, fires, and wrecks, Harangues and hailstorms, brawls and broken necks."
THE art of printing was discovered by John Gutten- berg, a German, in 1436, at Strasburg, but was consider- ably improved by John Faust and Peter Schaeffer.
This noble invention was, at first, deemed so extra- ordinary, that those who sold some of the early publica- tions at Paris were pronounced magicians, and the books were committed to the flames. We may well regret that the Greeks and Romans were ignorant of this art, for if it had been known to them, a vast storehouse of ancient wisdom and learning, now irrevocably lost, would have come down to us. But we have a security in the press, that the arts and sciences without material interruption will be perpetuated from age to age, and that nothing useful or indeed refined can ever again be lost amid the irruption of barbarians and the overthrow of empires.
The first printed newspaper was issued in 1524, and like the art itself was a German production. Prior to this, newspapers were written and publicly read at speci- fied times and places. The hearers paid each a certain sum of money for the privilege of being present. In Italy, a paper of this character was called Gazetta, from
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ANNALS OF LUZERNE COUNTY.
the name of the coin paid by the listener, from which is derived our word gazette.
The first printed English newspaper was issued in London, in 1588, and was called " The English Mercury." The earliest newspaper in North America was the "Boston News Letter," issued April 24th, 1704. In 1720, there were 7 newspapers in the American Colonies, and, in 1775, 35, of which 9 were issued in Pennsylvania.
In 1850, the number of newspapers and periodicals in the United States was 2526-of newspapers alone, 2302. In the state of Pennsylvania, the number of newspapers, at present, is 297, of which 9 are issued in Luzerne county, 7 English and 2 German.
In 1795, two young men, whose names are unknown, came to Wilkesbarre from Philadelphia with a small press and a few cases of type. They printed " The Herald of the Times," the first newspaper published in the county. Prior to this date, all notices, advertisements, &c., were put up on the town sign-posts, the first of which was erected in Wilkesbarre, in 1774, on the river bank. " The Herald of the Times" was issued for a short period, and was then sold by the proprietors to Thomas Wright, and published by Josiah Wright under the name of the " Wilkesbarre Gazette." The first number was dated November 29th, 1797, and bore the following motto :-
" Let party rage, let malice vent her spite,
Truth we'll revere, and we shall e'er be right."
The Gazette, though a small, was a well-edited paper. It was 10 by 16 inches in size, a little larger than a sheet of foolscap paper, and, at $2 per annum, was sustained by upwards of 300 subscribers. In 1801 it ceased to be published. In the last numbers of the paper Mr. Wright gave the following notice :- " I intend to send a boat
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NEWSPAPERS, ETC.
up the river in March or April next, to receive the grain that may have been collected on account of news- papers."
In 1801, Asher Miner established "The Luzerne Federalist," at Wilkesbarre, and the first number was issued on the 5th of January. Mr. M. was a practical printer, having served seven years with Master Green. He had worked in the office of the Gazette, and, it appears, won at the same time the affections of his em- ployer's daughter, Miss Wright, whom he afterwards married. The Federalist was a larger paper than the Gazette. Still it was of very moderate dimensions, for two reams of its paper were placed in an ordinary bag and conveyed on horseback from the paper-mill in Allen- town to Wilkesbarre; and this was done once in two weeks. The press on which the Federalist was printed was brought from Norwich, Conn., on a sled, by Charles Miner and S. Howard. In reference to this circumstance, the venerable Mr. Miner thus speaks in his late letter to the Pioneer Society : " So strange a piece of machinery was a wonder along the road-the thousand and one inquiries-What is it? His patience being exhausted. Mr. Howard was wont to reply, "We are taking it to Wyoming. They are terribly troubled there with mice, and this is timber for mouse-traps." In 1802, Charles became associated with Asher Miner in conducting the Federalist, which they ably edited until 1809, when it was transferred to Steuben Butler and Sidney Tracy. These latter gentlemen, in 1811, enlarged the paper, and changed its name to "The Gleaner," with the motto, " Intelligence is the life of liberty." The editors, in their address to the public, said, " We intend to make 'The Gleaner' as great a favorite with the people as Ruth ever was with the liberal and gallant Boaz, and we hope, like
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ANNALS OF LUZERNE COUNTY.
her, ' The Gleaner' will find favor in the readers' eyes, and that the measures of barley will not be forgotten." The Federalist had been the organ of the party bearing that name, and the change of name to " The Gleaner" did not alter its political character. In a few months Mr. Tracy withdrew from the establishment, and was suc- ceeded by Charles Miner, who, in connection with Mr. Butler and others, ably conducted "The Gleaner" until 1818, when the enterprise was abandoned.
" The Susquehanna Democrat" was established in Wilkesbarre, by Samuel Maffet, in 1810, with the follow- ing motto: "The support of the state governments, in all their rights, is the most competent administration for our domestic institutions, and the surest bulwark against anti-republican tendencies." It was the organ of the Democratic party, and was of the same size as the Gleaner, being 11 by 17 inches. Both of these papers were exceedingly warm in the advocacy of their princi- ples and views, and they were accustomed to pour the hot shot into each other with no unsparing hand. Espe- cially was this the case on the approach of an election, and when offices were to be filled.
In 1824 the "Democrat" was sold to S. D. Lewis and Chester A. Colt, and by them published until 1831, when Mr. Lewis sold his interest to Luther Kidder. In 1832 Colt sold to Conrad, who transferred his interest to Mr. Kidder, who became the sole editor and proprietor. In 1833 Mr .Kidder sold to James Rafferty and C. Edwards, who issued the paper about one year, when it was pur- chased by Dr. Christel & Co., in whose hands it expired.
" The Wyoming Herald" was established in Wilkes- barre, by Steuben Butler, in 1818, soon after "The Gleaner" had ceased to be published, and beneath its title was placed the appropriate words-
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NEWSPAPERS, ETC.
" IIe comes, the herald of a noisy world, News from all nations."
This paper exhibited a marked improvement in its ma- terials and workmanship on its predecessors, but was still, like them, published weekly, at $2 per year in advance. In 1828 it was enlarged, and published by Butler & . Worthington until 1831, when Mr. W. withdrew, and Asher Miner became associated with Mr. Butler. This copartnership continued until 1833, when the establish- ment passed into the hands of Eleazar Carey and Robert Miner. These gentlemen conducted the paper until 1835, at which time it was merged in "The Wyoming Repub- lican."
" The Wyoming Republican" was established in King- ston, in 1832, by S. D. Lewis, and was edited with ability by that gentleman until 1837, when the press and mate- rials were sold to Dr. Thomas W. Miner, and removed to Wilkesbarre. Dr. M., in conjunction with Miner S. Blackman, edited and published the " Republican" until 1839, at which period it was purchased by S. P. Collings, and united with "The Republican Farmer." We feel that we hazard nothing in saying that the " Republican," from its birth until its death, was one of the best and most ably-conducted papers in the country, and no one can peruse its old files without lively interest and admi- ration.
" The Republican Farmer" was established in Wilkes- barre, by Henry Pettibone and Henry Held, in 1828, and in 1831 Mr. P. sold his interest to J. J. Adam. In 1833 the materials were purchased by B. A. Bidlack and Mr. Atherholt, and in 1835 it became the property of S. P. Collings, who remained its editor and proprietor until 1852, when the establishment passed into the hands of S. S. Benedict, and was merged in " The Luzerne Union."
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ANNALS OF LUZERNE COUNTY.
The " Farmer" was a thorough democratic paper, and, besides the talents of its able editors, it was sustained by the literary and political contributions of several distin- guished gentlemen. In its columns may be found articles from the pens of Andrew Beaumont, Judge Scott, Dr. T. W. Miner, and others. Two of its editors became repre- sentatives of the United States government in foreign lands, and died in the service of their country. Bidlack lies buried in South America, and the bones of Collings are beneath the sands of Africa.
" The Luzerne Democrat" was established in Wilkes- barre, in 1845, by L. L. Tate, and was afterwards sold to Chester Tuttle. In 1852 it became the property of S. S. Benedict, who changed its name to " The Luzerne Union." In 1854 it passed into the possession of S. S. Winchester. In 1855 Mr. Winchester sold to Mr. Bosea, who shortly after transferred it to Waelder & Neibel. They, in 1858, sold to E. S. Goodrich, who sold in 1859 to Mifflin Hannum, and he sold in 1865 to W. H. Hibbs.
" The Daily Telegraph," the first and last daily news- paper in the county, was commenced at Wilkesbarre, in 1852, by E. Collings & H. Brower. It survived eight weeks, and was then sold to M. B. Barnum & W. H. Beaumont, who started " The True Democrat" in opposi- tion to "The Luzerne Union." In 1853 the name was changed to " The Democratic Expositor," edited by James Raferty. In 1855 the materials were removed to Scran- ton, and the "Spirit of the Valley" was issued by Messrs. Alleger & Adams.
In 1840, " The Northern Pennsylvanian" was issued at . Wilkesbarre, by W. Bolton, and after one year it was removed to Tunkhannock.
" The Anti-Masonic Advocate" was established in
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NEWSPAPERS, ETC.
Wilkesbarre, by Elijah Worthington, in 1832, with the motto :-
" Pledged but to truth, to liberty, and law, No favor sways us, and no fear shall awe."
In 1835, the press was sold to Eliphalet Worthington, who published the paper one year, and sold to J. Foster. In 1838, Mr. Foster sold to Amos Sisty, who changed the name to " The Wilkesbarre Advocate," and for several years edited and published it with distinguished ability, often furnishing its columns with genuine and beautiful poetry from his own pen. "Liberty and union, one and inseparable, now and for ever," was his motto; and he adhered to the principle therein expressed with peculiar tenacity until his death. In 1843, the paper passed into the hands of S. D. Lewis, and, in 1853, Mr. L. sold to W. P. Miner, who changed the name to " The Record of the Times," under which title Mr. M. continues to publish one of the best papers in the country.
" The Democratic Watchman," a German paper, was established in Wilkesbarre, in 1841, by J. Waelder, and, in 1851, it was sold to R. Baur, who is still the editor and proprietor.
" The Truth" was first issued in Wilkesbarre, in 1840, by B. C. Denison, and in a few weeks was enlarged to super-royal size, and called "The Democratic Truth."
" The Literary Visitor," royal octavo size, was esta- blished in Wilkesbarre, by Steuben Butler, in 1813, and was continued until July, 1815. It was an able literary paper.
" The Wasp," a small Paul Pry sheet, was published in Wilkesbarre, in 1840, by Burdock & Boneset, and edited by Nicholas Nettle. It bore as its motto,-
" Laugh when we must, be candid when we can."
1
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ANNALS OF LUZERNE COUNTY.
" The People's Grubbing Hoe," a Harrison campaign paper, was issued in 1840, at Wilkesbarre, by A. Sisty, with the following words explanatory of its character :- " It digs up the political stumps, the squalid roots, the rotten trees, and will lend its aid in cleaning out all nuisances, encumbering the great political farm of the people."
With the foregoing account of the papers published in Wilkesbarre, we proceed to note those journals which were published in other parts of the county.
" The Northern Pennsylvanian" was removed from Dundaff, Susquehanna county, in 1832, to Carbondale, in this county, by Amzi Wilson, who continued to publish it until December 30th, 1837. At that time he sold out to William Bolton, who issued the paper at Carbondale up to the 24th of April, 1840, when he removed his esta- blishment to Wilkesbarre. This paper was originally called " The Dundaff Republican," advocating democratic principles, and was first issued at Dundaff, on the 14th of February, 1828.
" The Carbondale Journal" was established at Carbon- dale in 1838, by James B. Mix as editor, advocating whig measures. After about a year Charles Mead be- came its editor, who conducted it for a year, when it passed into the hands of William S. Ward, who issued it until September 2d, 1841, when the paper was discon- tinued.
" The Carbondale Gazette" was established in Carbon- dale, by Philander S. Joslin, on the 5th of May, 1842. July 6th, 1843, Francis B. Woodward entered into part- nership with Mr. Joslin, and these two gentlemen edited the Gazette until the 8th of November, 1844, at which time the firm was dissolved. Mr. Joslin became sole editor and proprietor, and in December following sold out
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NEWSPAPERS, ETC.
to F. B. Woodward, who altered the name of the paper to that of " The County Mirror." It had heretofore sus- tained a neutral character-it now became whig in prin- ciples. In 1845, it was removed to Providence, in this county.
" The Carbondale Democrat" was established in 1845, at Carbondale, by P. S. Joslin and Silas S. Benedict. In 1849 the paper was enlarged, and the name changed to " The Lackawanna Citizen and Carbondale Democrat." In 1850, the name was again changed to "The Lacka- wanna Citizen." It was discontinued April 1st, 1854. Mr. P. K. Barger and Mr. Homer Grenell were connected with this paper, and conducted it under the firm of P. K. Barger & Co. Mr. Benedict ceased to be its editor De- cember 1st, 1852.
About August 1st, 1854, J. T. Alleger and J. B. Adams started a paper in Carbondale, called " The Carbondale Democrat," which was only continued until January, 1855.
" The Democratic Standard and Know-Nothing Expo- sitor" was first issued in Carbondale June 1st, 1855, by John J. Allen. It was continued until September 17th following, when the building in which it was printed, together with about twenty others, was burnt, and the paper was never re-established.
" The Lackawanna Journal," a whig paper, was com- menced at Carbondale January 20th, 1849, by George M. Reynolds, and on the 27th of December, 1850, he asso- ciated himself with Dewitt C. Kitchen in the conduct of the paper. February 28th, 1851, they altered the name to that of " The Carbondale Transcript and Lackawanna Journal." The same year Mr. Kitchen retired, and Mr. Reynolds becoming sole proprietor and editor, continued the paper until May 1st, 1857, when he sold to R. H.
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ANNALS OF LUZERNE COUNTY.
Willoughby. Mr. Willoughby started a new journal on the 21st of May, 1857, which he named " The Advance." He edited the Advance until the 3d of October following, when it was purchased by Dr. Charles Burr and George M. Reynolds. In February, 1858, Mr. Reynolds became sole editor and proprietor. In the following May he sold the establishment to Silas S. Benedict, who in the follow- ing September changed the name to " The Weekly Ad- vance," under which title it is still published by him.
" The Pittston Gazette" was established in Pittston in August, 1850, by Messrs. Richart and Phillips. It was continued by them until the fall of 1853, when Mr. Phil- lips sold his interest to Mr. Richart, who, in 1857, sold to Dr. J. H. Puleston. Mr. Richart repurchased in 1860. " The Pittston Herald," started in Pittston, in 1855, by E. S. Neibell, was discontinued after a few months.
" The Pittston Free Press," commenced in Pittston, in 1859, by Arnold C. Lewis, had a short existence of a few months.
" The Lackawanna Herald" was established in Scranton in 1852, by C. E. Lathrop, and advocated whig doctrines, from which it glided into Know-Nothingism. In 1856, it was purchased by E. B. Chase, who changed the po- litical character of the paper. He united it with "The Spirit of the Valley," and they took the name of "The Herald of the Union," advocating democratic measures. Mr. Chase sold to Dr. J. B. Adams and Dr. A. Davis. Dr. Davis purchased the interest of Dr. Adams in the spring of 1859, when Dr. S. M. Wheeler became associated with Dr. Davis, and the paper is now edited and published by the firm of Davis & Wheeler.8
" The Scranton Republican" was established in 1856, and was edited by Theodore Smith. Mr. Smith sold to
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NEWSPAPERS, ETC.
F. A. McCartney in 1858, who is the present editor and proprietor.9
" The Tri-Weekly Experiment" was commenced in Scranton in 1855 by F. Dilley. It was discontinued at the end of three months.
" The Kingston Guardian" was established in the borough of Kingston, in 1858, by Messrs. Kitchen and Denn. It was subsequently removed to Plymouth, and the name changed to "The Plymouth Register."
" The Olio" is a small sheet, the second volume of which is now in course of publication by the High School at Scranton. It is a neatly printed school journal, devoted to literature and general intelligence. It is published semi-monthly. Terms-two ounces of attention, payable invariably immediately on the receipt of each number.
" The Mountaineer" was published in Conyngham, in 1834, by J. A. Gordon. It was continued for eighteen months. The press was the property of N. Beach, Jacob Drumheller, M. S. Brundage, and A. G. Broadhead, Esqs.
Such is a brief record of the several newspapers pub- lished in Luzerne county, from 1795 to 1865. They have been edited for the most part by active and intelligent men, and have been supported by an appreciating and reading people. The small 10 by 12 sheet has expanded to the large family newspaper, presenting to the eye of the reader a most interesting budget of news, gathered weekly from all quarters of the habitable globe. The old Ramage wooden hand-press has been supplanted by improved iron hand and steam presses. The number of printing establishments have increased from 1 to 9, with a proportionate increase of circulation. The value of printing machinery and materials has increased from $500, the cost of the original "Herald of the Times," in
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ANNALS OF LUZERNE COUNTY.
1795, to $50,000, the present estimated value of all the establishments in the county.
BOOKS.
In the year 1800, Abraham Bradley, Esq., who had been a captain in the Revolutionary army, and who had removed, in 1796, from Connecticut to Wyoming, wrote a small 12mo. book, entitled " A New Theory of the Earth." It was printed and published at Wilkesbarre, by Asher and Charles Miner, and gave great alarm to many pious old ladies, among others to Mr. Bradley's good wife. The work was thought to be infidel in its character, ad- vancing doctrines not in conformity with the teachings of Holy Writ. These orthodox ladies and others were active in its destruction, committing the book to the flames whenever a copy fell into their hands. This cir- cumstance accounts for the present scarcity of the work. The New Theory unfolded the doctrine of a new creation from the ruins of an old world, and of separate and dis- tinct acts of creation, such as the formation of an original black pair in Africa, a red pair in America, and a white pair in Europe.
In contrasting the descendants of Noah with the other races Mr. Bradley observes, with respect to the nose and teeth, that the European noses are made after a great variety of patterns. The European race has, in fact, no distinctive or characteristic nose like the other races. Nature in their case, so far as this member is concerned, has been altogether capricious. The Roman nose, which is national in India, falls to the lot of one European, the short thick nose of the Tartar race to another, the thin hooped nose of the native American to a third, and occa- sionally we meet with one resembling the negro model.
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NEWSPAPERS, ETC.
As to the teeth, it is remarked, that the diminutive savages of the Arctic circle, the fierce inhabitants of the American wilderness, the shiftless blacks of New Guinea, and the woolly herds of Negroland, are furnished with two rows of fine white ivory in their gums, combining the useful and the ornamental, while the proud and conceited Euro- pean is compelled to extract one rotten snag after another, until the lips cave in against the end of the tongue, and render his utterance indistinct and weak. The art of the present day has done for Europeans and their descendants what, perhaps, Mr. Bradley in his dreams never antici- pated. It has placed in the mouths of old and young, whose teeth are gone, handsome rows of false ivory, rivaling in snowy whiteness those of the children of Guinea. Mr. Bradley's work exhibits but a slight know- ledge of the question he discusses, and may be viewed as altogether speculative, and mostly inaccurate.
In 1803, A. and C. Miner published at Wilkesbarre a work of 142 pages, entitled "The Susquehanna Contro- versy Examined. The material objections against the Connecticut claimants answered. Done with truth and candor, by Samuel Avery, Esq." This publication made its appearance at the time when the last commission to settle land-titles assembled at Wilkesbarre. It has fur- nished a large amount of valuable information to writers on the subject since that period.
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