USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh, Volume I > Part 38
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The first attempt to establish a daily newspaper in Easton was made by
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Edward Lux Garren. The journal was named The Daily News, and its first issue was August II, 1834. It was a diminutive folio sheet 11 x 9 inches, three columns to the page, price two cents a copy. It was, however, issued only a short time. Josiah P. Hetrick published for a year The Northampton Democrat, a German weekly. The first number was issued August 30, 1834. It advocated the election of Joseph Ritner for governor. Another campaign paper was The Northampton Farmer, which came into existence in July, 1835, to support Martin Van Buren for president and Henry A. Muhlenburg for governor. . These two last publications' existence was but transitory; they died a natural death in November, 1835. The Woctendtiche Herald was issued for a short time in 1840 by Hetrick and Maxwell. The Northampton Messenger was started in 1840 by Thomas Forman in the interests of the Porter wing of the Democratic party, there being at this time two other wings of the party, the Reeder wing and the Brodhead wing. It was edited by young law students in the office of Judge Porter. It was not a financial success and after three or four issues it was merged with the Sentinel. Another campaign paper of short life was Alt Northampton, which was born in the office of the Whig and Journal in the early part of February, 1841, and discontinued the following October.
The Independent Democrat and Northampton and Monroe Counties Adver- tiser was a German paper in the interests of the Democratic party. Its first issue was dated September 14, 1843, and its motto: "Independent, Resolute and Fearless." Its founder was Frederick William Muller, who published it until 1845, when he was succeeded by James A. Dunlap. The paper was afterwards purchased by John I. Allen, who transferred it to Samuel Siegfried, and on November 2, 1849, it passed into the hands of Josiah Cole. In 1861 it was consolidated with The Northampton Correspondent, under the title of the Corres- pondent and Democrat. The Democrat-Standard and The Northampton Courier were newspapers of short duration of life, published by Abraham H. Senseman, and were supplements to the Correspondent.
The decade between 1850-60 shows at least a dozen newspapers ushered into existence in Easton. The Eastonian, devoted to politics, literature and news, commenced its issue in the summer of 1850, and continued as late as 1857. The first venture in amateur journalism in Northampton county was The Bull-Gine; its editors were two youths of fourteen years, John P. Forsman and Henry C. Miller. It was first issued in July, 1852, and only three or four numbers were irregularly published. Another newspaper was The Northampton Farmer, which title had been taken by two subsequent defunct newspapers. It was founded August 4, 1852, by Manning F. Stillwell, an experienced journalist, who had been connected with a paper issued at Belvidere, New Jersey. Mr. Stillwell associated with him Benjamin F. Stem, a gentleman of superior intellectual qualifications and journalistic ability who, the following year, became the sole proprietor, and continued such until 1857, when William H. Brown became associated with him as a partner. In August, 1857, the title of the paper was changed to The American Free Press and Northampton Farmer, and later another change was made to The American Free Press. Mr. Stem retired Au- gust 12, 1859, and the following year Mr. Brown becoming financially embar- rassed, the publication was suspended for several issues. It was, however, resumed by Lewis Gordon as proprietor, with Mr. Stem as editor, under the
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title of the Easton Free Press. On May 1, 1866, James Kerr Dawes became associated with Mr. Gordon. On September 25th of that year the Daily Free Press was started. The following year the good will and equipment were sold to J. Whitfield Wood and Henry L. Bunstein; the latter retired from the man- agement of the paper in 1870, and the business was continued by Mr. Wood for a year, when James K. Dawes became sole proprietor and issued the paper until 1877. At this time Mr. Wood again became the owner. In 1884 the weekly was changed to a semi-weekly, and in 1885 C. N. Andrews and E. W. Clifton became proprietors. The Free Press was the first Republican paper in North- ampton county, and to the present time has exercised no little influence over public affairs in the county.
The Bauern Zeitung, published by Henry Guenther, had a short existence in 1853. The Daily Eastonian was the second attempt to publish a daily paper in Easton. Its sponsers were William L. Davis and Samuel L. Cooley, who, on April 21, 1854, issued its first number at three cents a copy. The paper was shortlived, as few numbers, if any other than the first, were published. The third attempt for a daily paper in Easton was made in the fall of 1854, its title was The Daily Farmer, and it was issued in connection with The Northampton Farmer. It was continued under the editorship of Messrs. Stem and Stillwell, afterwards by the former alone until the close of the presidential election of 1856. William H. Hutter, in the autumn of 1855, established the fourth daily paper in Easton, The Morning Star, but its duration of life was only one day.
The Easton Daily Express was started in the fall of 1855, was published every afternoon except Sunday, and is now the oldest daily newspaper in exist- ence in the county. It was started by William Eichman and William L. Davis, and its first number appeared November 5, 1855. Its birth was very unpropiti- ous, the editors being reporters, typesetters, printer's devil, and distributors of the circulation, but in time the newspaper prospered. In April, 1856, Samuel P. Higgins became associated with the paper, but retired inside of a year. Dur- ing the Civil War both editors were engaged in the defense of their State, and the paper was discontinued for a short time. Mr. Eichman retired from the management of the paper, and Mr. Davis became sole editor and proprietor until his death in 1870, when George M. Reeder became the proprietor and Washing- ton H. Bixler editor. At the death of Mr. Reeder the property was purchased by the Express Printing Company. The Express ignores politics entirely, de- pends on no political party for patronage or support, is independent in its views on all subjects, and by a bold and consistent course has won the respect and patronage of all classes.
The Daily Eastonian was revived in August, 1856, by Samuel L. Cooley, who issued twenty-nine numbers, the last on July 31, 1857, the suspension being mostly due to the money panic of that year. On Mr. Higgins' retirement from the publication of the Express, he became interested in several attempts to estab- lish a daily newspaper in Easton. He issued, on May 19, 1858, The Morning Times, at one cent a copy. The effect of the panic of 1857, the demoralization of business interests, tended to make it a doubtful venture, and the paper finally succumbed to the inevitable, its last issue appearing June 11, 1859. The Times was founded at the instigation of ex-Governor Andrew H. Reeder, and was issued to strengthen the Republican party in the State and assist in the presi-
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dential campaign of 1860. It was published semi-monthly at twenty-five cents a year. The initial number appeared August 18, 1859, and its success was so encouraging that it was enlarged and the subscription price raised to fifty cents a year. The circulation soon reached 5,000, and on April 25, 1861, it com- menced to be issued weekly. The last issue of the Times was on June 6, 1861, two of its editors, Arthur N. Seip and William H. Seip, having enlisted in the service of their country. Der Easton Adler, a German weekly, was established about this time by Major Thomas W. Lynn and his son Josephus. Der Beo- bachter (The Observer) was first issued on March 22, 1860, and was the first German newspaper advocating the principles of the Republican party to be pub- lished in Northampton county. It was a weekly publication, edited by Frederick William Muller. The circulation rapidly increased until the breaking out of the Civil War, when its publisher, feeling it was his duty to volunteer in the service of his country, caused the paper to be suspended April 18, 1861.
The Tenth Legion Democrat and The Daily News were simply campaign papers, published in 1868, were founded by William Eichman, and were of short duration. The Easton Morning Dispatch initial number appeared May 16, 1874, and was issued as a morning daily paper; it was soon changed to an evening edition and rechristened The Easton Daily Dispatch. It began its career as an independent journal, but on the adoption of its new name it became an exponent of the Democratic party principles, continuing in the support of that political party until its last issue, August 28, 1875. The first issue of The Plain Dealer was on August 24, 1878; it was the organ of the National Greenback Labor Party, and advocated the basic doctrines of that political party touching financial and labor questions. It was published Saturdays by William Eichman, was an interesting paper, and ably edited. The paper was discontinued at the close of the presidential campaign.
The Easton Daily Argus was first issued September 22, 1879, and was founded to answer the demand for a Democratic daily, and while it was credited as such, the publishers announced it would not be the organ of any clique or faction. The founders were Oliver F. Fehr and J. Peter Correll. A corpora- tion was afterwards formed and the present site on Fourth street was purchased, March 25, 1905, and refitted as a first class printing plant.
The Northern Democrat was born at Easton, April 28, 1882. As its name announced, it was a political journal, issued every Friday morning at a subscrip- tion price of one dollar a year. The founders, editors and publishers were James J. Cope and Thomas F. Emmons. In politics it is radically Democratic, and for many years Howard Mutchler was owner and proprietor.
The Sunday Call was the first Sunday newspaper published in Northampton county. Its initial number was issued May 6, 1883, a folio sheet 25 x 18 inches, seven columns to the page, at three cents a copy. Its founder was J. Peter Correll.
The earliest publication issued at Bethlehem was a quarterly by the United Brethren and called The United Brethren Missionary Intelligencer and Religious Miscellany. It was founded in 1822 and continued to be issued until 1849. It was edited by the Moravian clergy, and was printed in Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania. The Moravian Church Miscellany was the successor of this quarterly, and was published at Bethlehem, January, 1850, to December, 1855.
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The first local paper was a German bi-weekly called Die Bien (The Bee), undertaken by Julian and William Held, with Dr. Abraham L. Haebner as editor. The first number of this publication appeared January 3, 1846. It was not a political paper, and hardly a local one, it dealt mostly with Moravian afiairs. Dr. Haebner purchased the Held Brothers' interest in 1848, but at the end of the year was obliged to suspend publication. The next newspaper to appear in Bethlehem was the Lehigh Valley Times, a Republican weekly founded in 1852, by Captain Edward H. Rauch. The paper continued to be published, and in 1857 Gangeware and Marslick were the publishers. The name of the paper was changed, in 1860, to the Bethlehem Advocate, with Herman Ruede as editor and publisher. In 1861 the paper was replaced by the Lehigh Valley Times, with J. D. Laerar as publisher, and the following year it was transferred to the Easton Free Press and suspended. In the autumn of 1856 the publishers of The Lehigh Valley Times attempted to issue a German bi-weekly named Ackerbau Zeitung, but it was of short life.
The Moravian, a weekly journal of the American Moravian Church, was established January 1, 1856; Rev. E. de Schweintz, Z. F. Kampman and F. F. Hagen were the first editors. It was published in Philadelphia in quarto form. The paper was removed to Bethlehem in 1859, made a weekly, and Rev. E. Tinseman became editor. There were various changes in its editorship, and in 1877 the Rev. E. T. Kluge took charge. A new publication, Der Bruder Bot- schafter, was established in 1866 as a bi-weekly by the Moravian church and changed to a weekly in October, 1873. The Little Missionary, a monthly illus- trated paper for Sunday schools, was also established in January, 1871. These two papers were under the same editorial management as the Moravian. In 1889 the publication of Der Missions Freund was commenced, also under the auspices of the church. The Moravian and Little Missionary still continue to be published at Bethlehem, but since 1898 Der Bruder Botschafter and Der Missions Freund have been issued at Watertown, Wisconsin.
From the press of the Moravian, January 27, 1866, appeared the first number of the Bethlehem Chronicle, a new secular weekly, a successor to the Lehigh Valley Times. The publishers were D. J. Godshalk and William Eichman, for- merly residents of Easton. An agreement was entered into with General W. E. Doster and others, to publish a political paper of the Republican persuasion. Later Mr. Eichman's interest was purchased by General Doster. The latter, tiring of newspaper annoyances, shortly sold his interest to Mr. Godshalk, who stopped the publication of a weekly, and on February 4, 1867, established the first issue of a daily paper in Bethlehem. The beginning of the daily was very humble and unpretentious; it was considered a risky business, by some fool- hardy, as the community was considered peculiarly repellant of enterprises of journalistic character. The size of the first issue of The Bethlehem Daily Times, the name adopted by the publishers, was 13 x 20 inches, both sides being printed at once on a Washington hand press. The people of Bethlehem, however, took kindly to the little daily, and gave encouragement and support in the way of advertising and printing. The editor and proprietor gathered all the locals, set type, read proof, having as his assistants one devil and one journeyman printer. The paper was enlarged and in 1868 a power press was installed. The Weekly Times was established in 1869 and to the title was subsequently added and
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Educator. In the early part of 1870 C. O. Ziegenfuss became connected with the paper in a reportorial capacity, and afterwards became associate editor. In 1874 he purchased the Morning Progress of South Bethlehem, which had been started in 1869 as a weekly by Daniel E. Schoelder, and on April 3, 1871, had become a morning daily. For a short time the Daily Times and the Morning Progress united their fortunes, but it was not for long; they again assumed their distinct character; shortly, however, the South Side paper ceased to exist. A new partnership was formed to conduct the Bethlehem Times, under the style of D. J. Godshalk & Company; George H. Meyers was a silent partner. In May, 1874, the latter's interests were purchased by Joseph A. Weaver, who became a full partner in the establishment. New type, new presses, paper cutters and machinery, were installed. The Bethlehem Times became a corporation in 1887, with a capital stock of $40,000; Charles M. Dodson was president and William W. Miller editor-in-chief. The original size of the paper was four pages of eight columns each; its present size is now twelve to twenty pages daily. It is independent in politics. The president of the corporation is Dallett H. Wilson; the treasurer, E. O. Rice.
Several newspapers were started before 1875 in South Bethlehem, but all proved shortlived. Among these was the Northampton Conservative, a weekly established by Milton F. Cushing, September 20, 1868, who purchased the print- ing equipment of the Northampton County Journal published at Easton, and removed the same to South Bethlehem. Mr. Cushing died in 1875 and the paper was discontinued. The Daily Morning Progress has been previously men- tioned. The Morning Star first appeared January 18, 1877, as a morning daily, A. F. Yost being proprietor. It was changed to a weekly and rechanged to an evening daily, with D. J. Godshalk as editor, who published it for several years. The South Bethlehem Globe first made its appearance in 1894. The original size of the paper was four pages of seven columns. An evening edition is now issued of eight columns, papers varying from sixteen to twenty-four pages. The paper is independent in politics and the business is conducted by a corporation of which Robert E. Wilbur is president. The present editor is Harold B. Faraquher.
The Bath News, a weekly newspaper, was started at Bath in 1916 by Richard W. Barnestead. The Cement News, an eight page, six column, weekly news- paper, published at Northampton, was established in 1900 by H. S. Rice. On September 1, 1903, E. J. Rogers became a partner, and in 1905 it passed into other hands, Mr. Rogers continuing as manager and editor.
The Nazareth Item was founded December 4, 1891, by Albert O. Sturgis, as editor and proprietor. In December, 1917, the business was incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania as the Nazareth Item Publishing Company with a capital stock of $25,000. The president of the corporation is John A. Miller; Mark T. Swartz, vice-president; Joseph H. Rickert, secretary and treasurer ; Frank B. Ehrig, editor. The paper is issued weekly, seven columns, eight pages, and is independent in politics.
The Pen Argyl Index was established in 1885 by George C. Hughes as a weekly, a six column, eight page newspaper. It was purchased in 1889 by the Index Publishing Company, which was a partnership consisting of C. M. Smith and two partners. Mr. Smith acquired the sole ownership of the paper in 1894 and still runs an independent eight column, eight page weekly. There was an
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attempt made a few years ago to establish another paper in Pen Argyl called the Mountain Echo by James D. Caporaso, with Earl Pearson as editor, but its life was short.
The Bangor Observor was started as a weekly at Bangor, by William R. Grubb, in March, 1879, it was six columns, four pages, and continued under the same management until 1894, when it was changed to a daily and renamed the Bangor Daily News. The size of the paper is 1734 x 2134 inches, four sheets of seven columns. Mr. Grubb is still proprietor and editor.
The Portland Enterprise was established in Portland, April 24, 1874, by L. G. Raymond, who subsequently sold his interests to J. J. Meads. The paper went through several ownerships until 1900, when it was purchased by John R. Wildrick, the present editor and proprietor. It is published weekly, independent in politics and the size is four pages, eight columns.
CHAPTER XXVIII
THE SILK MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY
The date when the use of silk for textile purposes was first discovered cannot be determined. Chinese historians claim it was about 2700 B. C., while others go as far back as 1703 B. C., in the reign of Hoang-ti, the third of the Chinese emperors. The legendary story is that Si-ling-chi, the legiti- mate wife of the emperor, to contribute to the happiness of her people, examined silkworms to test practicabiilty of raising the thread. She col- lected insects, fed them in a specially prepared place, and commenced her studies and examinations, soon discovering not only the means of raising the silkworms, but also the manner of reeling the silk and its use for textile purposes. The Chinese today offer homage to Si-ling-chi as goddess of silkworms.
The silkworms are divided into two classes-the Bombyx Mori, or mul- berry feeding worms, from the cocoons of which is reeled ordinary raw silk; and the wild silkworms, which feed upon certain kind of oak or ailan- thus. The most important of the latter specimens is the Pussah worm, which produces the Push-ah silk, which has been known in China and India for centuries, and but for the outbreak of the silkworm diseases in Europe would probably have remained unknown in this country.
Silk consists of a pale yellow, buff colored or white fibre, which the silkworm spins around about itself when entering the pupa or chrysalis state. The silkworm exists in four stages-eggs, larva, chrysalis and adult. The eggs, usually known as seeds, are about the size and shape of turnip seeds, and one ounce will balance about 38,000 to 40,000 of them. When first deposited they are of a yellowish color, which is retained if they are not impregnated, when they become, in accordance with the breed, either gray, slate, lilac, violet, or dark green hue. If diseased, they assume a still darker tint. Some specimens of the eggs are fastened by a gummy secretion of the moth to the substance on which they are deposited; while other speci- mens, like the Adrianople whites and Norika yellows, do not have the natural gum. The eggs, as they approach the hatching period, become lighter in color; this is due to the fluid becoming concentrated in the center, forming the worm, leaving an intervening space between it and the shell, which is semi-transparent. After the worm has left its shell, the latter becomes quite white. The color of the albuminous fluid of the egg is the same as that of the cocoon, hence when the fluid is white the cocoon will be white; when yellow, the cocoon will be yellow. The average production of each female is about four hundred eggs.
The next stage is the larva, the silkworm remaining in this state for six weeks, changing its skin about four times, abstaining from food (like other caterpillars) for some time before each change. When full grown the worm ceases to feed, shrinks somewhat in size, climbs up from the feeding tray to the bush and commences to form itself into a loose envelopment
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of silken fibres, gradually enwrapping itself in a much closer covering, form- ing an oval ball or cocoon about the size of a pigeon egg. The worm generally requires from four to five days in constructing the cocoon, passing three more days in the chrysalis state.
The cocoon consists of two parts-first, of an outer covering of loose silk, which has been spun by the worm in first getting its bearing; and second, the inner cocoon, which, being a strong and compact mass composed of a firm and continuous thread which is not wound in concentric circles as might be expected but in a short figure resembling loops, first in one place and then in another, hence, in reeling several yards of silk, may be taken off without the cocoon turning around. The Chinese cocoons are usually white or yellow, varying from pure white to lemon yellow color; those of Japan are pale green; and those of France, Italy and Spain are white and yellow, occasionally tinged with a pale green; whereas those of Broussa and Adrianople, being the best silk district of Turkey, are of pure white. As soon as the change of the worm into the chrysalis state is completed, which will be about eight days from the time the spinning commenced, the cocoons are collected, and such as are intended for breeding are put in a room heated to 60 or 70 degrees Fahrenheit. After lying thus about fifteen days, the silk moth has been formed in the interior of the cocoon and emits a peculiar kind of saliva with which it softens one end of the cocoon and thus pushes its way out. The discharging of this saliva greatly injures the silk. A few days after the females have laid their eggs they die, not being provided with any organ of nutrition. The eggs are gradually dried and stored in glass bottles in a dry, dark place till the next spring.
The next stage is called stifling, the destroying of the vitality of the chrysalis by steam. The cocoons are submitted to a steam bath of a uniform temperature of 212 degrees Fahrenheit. The steam rises practically uncon- densed under an iron receiver which covers the cocoons. The chrysalis are suffocated by the diffused heat, which penetrates thoroughly, while the web of the cocoon retains its natural position. Then comes the sorting of the cocoons in different grades, according to quality. In the best cocoons the silk thread, as formed by the worm, will measure from 1,000 to 1,300 feet, which is practically a double thread; this is then reeled together from the cocoons into skeins and is called raw silk. The next process is winding, which is taking it from the reels on to the spools. Then comes doubling, when the silk thread is made into the size for which use it is required. The last process is spinning, which is twisting two together as one thread, and when this is done it is ready for the dye house, after which it is in condition for manufacturing purposes.
The pioneer in the silk industry of Northampton county was Herman Simon, who died at Easton, December 30, 1913. He was born at Frankfort- on-the-Main, Germany, and came to America when he was eighteen years of age. On his arrival in this country he secured a position with A. T. Stewart & Company, then located at Broadway and Chambers street, New York City. In 1874, in connection with his brother, Robert Simon, who, feeling their ability to take the first steps towards establishing a silk industry, he rented a three-story factory at Union Hill, New Jersey. The growth of the business was remarkable; looking to extend their operations in 1883 and receiving
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