USA > Pennsylvania > Beaver County > History of the newspapers of Beaver County, Pennsylvania > Part 10
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HISTORY OF BEAVER COUNTY PAPERS.
ment service two years prior to this, and with his family was stationed at Kanawha Falls, West Virginia, and they were in the famous Lightburn retreat, which resulted in ev-Governor Wise gaining possession of that portion of Western Virginia. Before enlisting in the Civil War, Mr. Carson bought a farm in Ohio and moved his family thereto. The subject of this sketch was the eldest of four children, and upon him devolved the duties of caring for the farm, although he had hardly reached the age when children are admitted to the public schools in these days. The experience gained during those trying times proved of inestimable value to him in after years, teach- ing self reliance, and giving him a true estimate of that which goes to make true manhood. The few winter terms which Mr. Carson attended the district schools made up his schooling. When in later years the necessity of an education dawned upon him, he sought to obtain it, and in a measure succeeded by a course of private instruction and home study. The taste for read- ing developed early in life, and literature became more and more the aim and object of his subsequent efforts. At the age of twelve he began to work in a cooper shop and, excepting six months spent in New York City, con- tinued at that trade for fourteen years. He began the study of law in Youngstown, O., in 1878, which was con- tinued for nearly three years, but was abandoned for newspaper work on the "Daily News" of that city, in which calling he has since been engaged. In 1880 Mr. Carson was married to Miss Lyda G. Robinson of Niles, Ohio. To this union were born two sons, James H. and Charles B. Carson. In 1885, he moved to Beaver Falls and shortly afterwards became a reporter on the "Tribune," and the local correspondent of the Pittsburg and New York papers. Mr. Carson is a member of the M. E. Church, which he joined in 1873 at Bellaire, O. In newspaper work he is a firm believer in the theory that
J. W. CARSON
J. H. CARSON. '
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BEAVER FALLS PAPERS.
the men who make newspapers have an important duty to perform; that the calling itself is a dignified one; and that the personality of a writer cannot be wholly overlooked in what he writes; that the press wields as a whole an influence for good; and the public therefore recognizes the fact that the men thus engaged should be men of high character, whether they are news gatherers, or occupy the editorial chair. The success of the "Review" he believes is due largely to the faith he has in this principle, and the circumstances which placed his paper in the hands of those who believe as he does. Mr. Carson was elected to the State Legislature of his state in November 1904, and enjoys the esteem of his fellow citizens of all parties.
The foreman of the office at the present is Henry Hartung, and Charles E. Evans is compositor, with Elmer Rosenbauer and Palmer apprentices. J. H. Car- son is manager of the paper and Miss Ada Kurtz is in the office.
CHAPTER VII.
THE BEAVER TIMES.
The "Beaver Times" came into existence the spring following the consolidation of the "Argus" and the "Radical," and was fathered by the veteran editor, Michael Weyand, who resumed journalism after a long retirement. The initial number was dated April 2, 1874, and was a nine column four page paper, well printed and of necessity well edited. Mr. Weyand was unques- tionably one of the ablest writers in the history of Beaver county journalism, his writing partaking largely of the style of his speaking to the public, straight to the point, clear and not too verbose, with a vein of humor that made most excellent reading.
The editor was not particularly in love with the aims and purposes of the "Argus and Radical" politically, so there was a good margin for differences, and the oppor- tunity was not permitted to be lost and there appeared some strong articles, descriptive of its opinion of the political conduct of those backing the old paper.
The "Times" secured a strong foothold in the country districts particularly, and had a strong following politically.
The following editorial in the first number of the new paper, saluted its readers and immediately attracted the attention of the people:
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THE BEAVER TIMES.
"When we took leave of editorial life thirteen or fourteen years ago, we supposed it to be a final one. For reasons, neither necessary nor profitable to enumerate, we come back to the old life again, and without volun- teering any very specific pledges as to what we propose to do, or promise not to do, we simply say that we em- bark in the present undertaking with no private schemes to work out, and no personal animosities to gratify, but because we believe the public interests and the necessi- ties of the Republican organization in this county, demand such a step.
"We propose to labor for the common good, rather than for individuals, or individual ends-to aid in the development of the varied resources of the county, and for the augmentation of its material wealth-to urge all parties to select none but trustworthy men for public positions-to seek to bridge over the divisions that un- fortunately exist in the party to which we belong-to root out some of the evil practices that have well nigh destroyed our ascendancy in the county-and to do what we can to bring the party back to a position at least of the standing and efficiency it possessed, in its earlier and better days, when under the lead of Agnew, Dickey, Lawrence, the Henrys and Roberts.
"With this brief summary of the objects we have in view-in the language of that illustrious man, whose life went out so suddenly and tragically and who sleeps the martyr's sleep in the quiet of his Western home-'With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the Right, as God gives us to see the right'-we launch our bark upon the newspaper sea, soliciting support only as we shall merit it, and content to rise or fall, as a reasonable public may determine, we deserve either the one or the other.
"Now, therefore, with hat off, and hand extended, we greet our brethren of the press, of all political per-
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suasions, feeling somewhat awkward in ournew position- or rather in the resumption of the old relation-but when the harness becomes a little better adjusted, we expect to jog. along quietly and unassumingly as becomes a well- behaved rural editor. We expect to encroach upon no rights belonging to others. We shall look neither to the right nor the left, but pursuing a straight-forward, in- dependent course, expressing our opinions fairly, fully, fearlessly, on all questions of public interest-sounding the alarm to our party friends, when there is danger ahead, and exposing that which ought to be exposed, whether found in high places or in low, whether in our own or in the opposite political organization. When we have occasion to differ with our editorial brethren, as we doubtless often will, we expect to do so in the right spirit, and in the use of decorous language. With then, this partial renewal of old acquaintanceship, we fall into line, and are ready to use and be used as in times past."
The failure to find a file of the "Times" renders it now impossible to reproduce more of the strong editorials that Mr. Weyand wrote and published. He was an un- compromising Republican, of the independent stripe, sound to the core on the questions of protection, the party's financial policy, internal improvements, and what- ever would benefit local interests. The paper was morally clean, and was a good example of the best quality of country journalism, and it was a welcome visitor to hundreds of good homes in the county.
In all his long career he never had a libel suit, though he made scores and hundreds of persons writhe under his denunciations and criticisms. He was threatened with libel suits, and the sword of vengeance was held over his editorial head a number of times, but no action was ever taken to put him on trial.
He had bitter controversies with many of the most prominent men of the county, and especially in the Know
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Nothing movement he met the combined strength of the ablest and best men of the county, most of whom were his personal friends, but he hewed to the mark and continued on his way. In his controversies with the "Argus and Radical," and the influence that backed it, he was fully in his element, and laid on the scourge until the blood fairly ran. But under this apparent bitterness of spirit, this flaying of political enemies, there was a warm nature that attracted friends by the hundreds, and made the "Old Man of the Times" popular in the county.
Mr. Weyand is perhaps the longest in newspaper work of any one in Western Pennsylvania. He is the oldest in service as an editor in Beaver county, having served as such eight years on the "Argus" and twenty-six years on the "Times." Next to him is F. S. Reader of the "Beaver Valley News," who is completing his thirty-first year as editor of that paper, the longest in continuous service on one paper, of any editor ever in the county.
Mr. Weyand's chief assistant in conducting the paper, was his son Henry S. Weyand, who was born in Beaver and educated in the common school and college in that town. At the age of 16 he went into the "Argus" office to learn the trade, under the foremanship of Maj. John B. Butler. After leaving the "Argus" worked on the "New Castle Journal," when it was owned and edited by Hon. David Sankey. Afterwards he worked in the job office of McCallister, Jackson and McEwen, Pittsburg, until the advent of the "Times," when he went to work on it as a compositor with John Tallon as foreman. Upon Mr. Tallon's retirement he took charge of the mechanical department of the "Times," with Frank Tallon, James Grove, H. A. Sutherland, George Walters, D. S. Mc- Connel, D. S. Griffin, D. E. Weyand, John Stewart, Will Diven, Bert Fogg and John Caughey as compositors and apprentices at various times. In 1889 he left the
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HISTORY OF BEAVER COUNTY PAPERS.
"Times" to take a position as proof reader in the Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C., which position he is still holding.
Mr. Weyand made much of country correspondence, having excellent writers in different parts of the county, who kept up the interest among the people. His long experience in the county, beginning over sixty-five years ago in newspaper work, gave him a knowledge of people and events, that have afforded many reminiscences. In a paper read by Mr. Weyand, he gave some of these, which have been listened to with amusement and interest.
His references to the "tramp printer" in his article recalled some scenes that the newspapers of today know but little of. One of the institutions of the business was the nomads of the craft, who claimed no fixed abode, but were as much at home in one place as another, many of whom in their travels had worked on nearly all the princi- pal papers of the country, and on their rounds inci- dentally called at most of the smaller villages, their journeys being made on foot, and in later years by "beat- ing trains." These "tramp printers" or "tourists" as they were facetiously called, had but little in common with the tramp of this generation, who is an object of disgust and derision. They were merely "devil may care," jolly good fellows, with considerable intellectual ability, and many of them past masters in their art, rather too much addicted to the flowing bowl in many cases, and too restless to become reliable six days a week workmen, who cared nothing for the morrow. This life was often kept up for years, when many of them tired after a time, and settled down to steady lives, filling important positions and rearing families. In their travels they had become familiar with their trade as it was followed in the best offices of the country, and hence became valuable workmen. Of the tramp printers who dropped in on the Beaver county papers periodically,
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there were some bright fellows. Seating themselves at ease in the sanctum, they would write up some squib of experience on the road, or some local matter that fell under their eyes, and hand in for publication which was generally accepted. Some of them were regular callers, though their visits might be one or more years apart, and were always welcome as a part of the business. Recount- ing anecdotes of their trips and bits of adventure, they were often pleasant callers, but it was only for a day or two at the most. A few hours at the case, an inter- change with the "boys" in the composing room and office, they would gather up a supply of papers, and pass on to New Castle, Wheeling or Pittsburg, as fancy directed, care free and apparently as happy as larks.
Mr. Weyand relates the following two interesting incidents, typical of the class, and two only out of many others: One a very brilliant but erratic genius, Abijah Baker, by name, but who passed as "Bije" for short. After one of his calls here, drifted to Canton, Ohio, where some of the prominent citizens of that place became so impressed with his more than ordinary ability, that they bought him a complete newspaper outfit, and guaranteed him a liberal salary, if he would abide with them. After staying there a few months, and giving that section of Ohio some of the brightest editorials they had ever been accustomed to, he tired of the restraint that was on him, took to the road again and that was the last ever heard of him in this section.
There was another, whose genius ran chiefly to poetry, or doggerel rather, and who always timed his periodical visits so as to get into the Saint's Rest on a Saturday night, in order to be with the festive printers over Sunday. His first query, on facing the boys was, if they had anything to drink stronger than water; and when a well filled flask was handed him, he would drain it to the bottom, and handing back the empty flask, would
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exclaim-"Were'nt I dry." On his last visit here, he dropped the following verse as a kind of last farewell :
"At the sound of the trump
Give yourself a hump, And be ready to jump
And take up your baggage and go."
And that was the last ever seen or heard of our doggerel printer friend in this vicinity.
In February 1898, Michael Weyand disposed of the paper to Gilbert A. Hays, of Sewickley, and on Septem- ber 22 of the same year, Mr. Hays assigned his interests to the Beaver Publishing Company, and Mr. Weyand was retained as editor until January 1, 1900, when he was ap- pointed postmaster of Beaver, and is now serving his second term in that office. The "Times" was continued solely as a weekly until April 27, 1899, when a daily edition was started, with J. L. Deming general manager, and M. Weyand editor. It was an eight .column four page paper, and was a very creditable number. Mr. Deming came from Bethany, W. Va., and took hold of the work energetically, but retired after some months service.
Hon. Henry Hice is the president of the Beaver Pub- lishing Company, holding that position from the be- ginning.
Judge Hice is a native of Beaver county, born in Hopewell township January 24, 1834. He studied law in 1857 with Col. Richard P. Roberts, and was admitted to the Bar of Beaver county in June 1859. He entered into partnership with Col. Roberts, which continued until the latter was killed at Gettysburg. Judge Hice was appointed President Judge of the new Thirty-sixth Judicial District, of which his county was a part, April 30, 1874, and was elected for the following term, in which he served with ability and acceptability, until January 1,
H. D. ANDERSON
J. D. EDMONDS MISS HATTIE BRITTAIN
C. O. DENTZER
W. R. HARRIS
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THE BEAVER TIMES
1885, when he returned to the practice of law. He has been for many years the legal adviser of the Pittsburg & Lake Erie Railroad and the Harmony Society, and has been closely identified with the business interests of the county. He has the confidence of the people in every respect.
The new daily started on its career with the following address to the people: "Today the 'Times' greets the readers of the Beaver Valley in a new form. It begins its daily mission of faithfully giving the news of the world pro and con. Every effort will be made to give a faithful accounting of the happenings of the valley, its proper field and sphere. It is with some reluctance that we force upon the reading public the present issue, but if all will bide with us a while, we promise to do much better. The stride from a weekly to a daily is a big one, and requires much effort on the part of every one con- nected with the force. You see us as we feel and think. Our pulsations as depicted in our columns will be full and free. Nothing will be allowed to clog the free course of our thought. In politics we are Republican ; in news we are cosmopolitan. With such mixture of blood running through our veins, we cannot help but please the masses. Bear and forbear are two 'animals' that can be easily tamed and cultivated. We ask our readers to bear with us and we will forbear in all things critical. As our aim is for the advancement of party and community, we ask all our readers to consider our columns theirs. News, no matter from what source it comes, if legitimate, is always acceptable. It is with the feelings of a college graduate, when he makes his first appearance on the world's stage, that we greet you today. We are here to stay, and home and party is our watch- word."
J. L. Deming was succeeded as general manager by T. S. Laughlin, formerly business manager of the "Argus
-
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HISTORY OF BEAVER COUNTY PAPERS.
and Radical," who resigned January 1, 1901, and Robert La Ross of New Brighton, was appointed to the position, who had charge until his death in 1903. He came from the central part of the State, and had considerable ex- perience in the work, bringing to it enthusiasm and in- telligence. After his death, H. Dwight Anderson was appointed to the position, which he has held since.
Mr. Anderson was born at Rochester June 17, 1868, in a house but two squares removed from the one he now occupies. The love of the newspaper business was inspired in him when but a boy ten years of age, he watched the press running in the office of the Salem (O.) "Republican." At thirteen years of age he left school which he was attending at Bridgewater, to accept a position as apprentice in the office of the "Argus and Radical" at Beaver. He remained with this paper for several years; left it to accept a position with Barrows & Osborne, city printers of Pittsburg, and later took charge of the "Argus and Radical" job rooms. Later he was foreman of the job rooms of Townsend & Co., of Beaver Falls, and of the Star Publishing Company of Beaver. In 1890 he engaged in the job printing business with his brother Frank L. Anderson, at Rochester, in which business they continued until 1896, when their plant was merged with that of the "Johnstown Theocrat," a church newspaper conducted at Johnstown, Pa., by the Rev. M. L. Weaver. They remained at Johnstown until 1897, when Mr. Anderson returned to Rochester, and with Richard W. Stiffey Esq., of Beaver, and William Lutz of Bridgewater, founded the "Commoner" which is still published at Rochester by the Commoner Publishin, Company. In 1898 he sold his interest in the "Commoner" to Mr. Stiffey. In the early part of 1899 Mr. Anderson was offered and accepted a position as reporter on the daily "Times," preparations for the publishing of which were being carried on by the
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first general manager J. L. Deming. Mr. Anderson first covered the Beaver Falls-New Brighton district, was later transferred to the Beaver-Bridgewater district, and later to the Rochester-Monaca district, where he re- mained until his appointment as general manager. He was united in marriage on April 15, 1890, to Miss Dell A. Troup daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Troup, of West Bridgewater. One child a daughter, Miss Dell Laureame Anderson was born on February 25 ,1893. Mr. Anderson is a member of the First Congregational Church of Rochester, and is first assistant superin- tendent of the Sunday School.
Upon the retirement of Michael Weyand as editor of the paper, Ellis N. Bigger Esq. was editorial writer until his death in July 1902. After his death Robert La Ross held the position in connection with general manager, and since his death the office has not been filled.
Mr. Bigger was born in Hanover township, Washing- ton county, Pa., in 1856, his parents being Thomas and Mary Nicholson Bigger. His parents moved to Beaver county while he was a boy; he attended the public schools and the Frankfort Academy; later taught in the district schools and as assistant principal of the Frankfort Academy; studied law with Samuel B. Wilson Esq., and was admitted to the Beaver county Bar June 2, 1879. He practiced law for a while with Frank Wilson Esq. deceased, and in 1883 formed a partnership with Thomas M. Henry Esq., which lasted for several years. Mr. Bigger was a good speaker and writer. At the time of his death, June 15, 1902, he was solicitor for the County Commissioners, and had held other positions of honor and trust.
Associated with Mr. Anderson as advertising manager is J. D. Edmonds of Beaver. The staff of reporters in- cludes Charles O. Dentzer of Rochester, who represents
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HISTORY OF BEAVER COUNTY PAPERS.
the "Times" on the Rochester-Monaca district; W. Russell Harris of Beaver, reporter on the Beaver-Bridge- water district; W. C. Hamilton of New Brighton, reporter on the New Brighton district, and E. T. Corbus of Beaver Falls, reporter on the Beaver Falls district. W. C. Eaton of Beaver, is city editor, and Miss Harriett Brittain of Beaver Falls, is bookkeeper.
The force in the mechanical department includes J. Mays Ecoff of Beaver, linotype operator; John C. Clark of Beaver, foreman of the composing room; Frank L. Anderson of Bridgewater, foreman of the job depart- ment, and Frank Boyde of Beaver, who is in charge of the setting of advertisements. The press feeders in- clude Miss Clinton of Beaver Falls, Oscar Bradley of Bridgewater, and Burwood Hanson of Beaver.
The company recently installed a complete outfit of new machinery in the "Times" press room, including a high speed, double feed Dispatch press, manufactured by the Babcock Printing Press Manufacturing Company, of New London, Conn. This press will print and fold a seven column quarto at a speed of 2600 an hour, without the necessity of stereotyping the forms.
One of the reporters of the paper, who has lately come to the county is William R. Harris, who began his news- paper career in 1898, as errand boy on the "Daily Crisis" East Liverpool, O., where he remained three years; thence went on the "News Democrat," at Canton, O., and later took temporary charge of the "Daily Times," now the "Daily Gleanor," at Massillon, O. In the early part of 1903, he began his career as a reporter, working on the "News Democrat," at Canton, on the Wellsville (O.) "Daily Record," and the East Liverpool (O.) "News Review" and "Crisis"; and has been employed in Beaver since March 1904.
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MONACA HERALD
MONACA HERALD.
The "Monaca Herald" began its existence November 13, 1903, with George A. Jones editor and manager, sub- scription price $1 per year, a seven column four page paper, well printed and a creditable local paper.
The following from the editor's initial words to the people, will show the object in starting the paper: "Upon entering the field of journalism, done after a long consideration, we are determined to give to Monaca, Aliquippa and the six townships south of the Ohio river, in Beaver county, the prominence and the opportunities that can only be secured through the influence and use of the press. We do not want to advance the idea that the county papers have ignored, or forgotten. us, but the fact that north of the river is a territory very thickly populated, and closely connected by a net work of rail- roads, naturally unites their sympathies through social and business intercourse, resulting in the practical isolation, in many respects, of this district. We do not want to infer that this is intentional, but occasioned be- cause most of this territory is composed of a farming district and cannot be reached without great difficulty and expense. These conditions we hope to be able to overcome to some extent, by devoting our time and talent to the interest of this district, and with this thought in view, we send out the first number of the "Monaca Herald," which we hope the citizens will help us in making the representative of our interests and advance- ment."
CHAPTER VIII.
NEW BRIGHTON PAPERS.
The first settlement in New Brighton so far as can now be ascertained, was by John Wolf, who purchased tract No. 95 in 1799 and built a flouring mill on it, near the present dam where the Tenth street bridge crosses the river. It was probably the first mill of any kind east of the Beaver river in the county, and to it men came from a distance of over thirty miles, even from east of Pitts- burg, over a single path cut through the forest large enough for a horse and rider to pass. It was operated until 1820, and remained standing until the canal was dug.
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