USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, a history, Volume I > Part 18
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Agricultural Societies-A few farmers in Jeffersonville and Norriton townships met together in the winter of 1845-46 at the little village schoolhouse, and as a result of their deliberations a constitution was formed and signed for what they pleased to style the Jeffersonville Agri- cultural Association of Montgomery County. Meetings were held every two months, at Jeffersonville and Penn Square alternately. In December, 1847, resolutions were passed to hold a public exhibition during the ensuing year. The names of committeemen who had this matter in charge were: William Bean, William Hamil, Daniel Smith, Arnold
158
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Baker, and Daniel Getty. For lack of funds no cash premiums could be offered, but instead they offered certificates of merit. The fair was held on October 19 and 20, 1848, at Jeffersonville. The address was delivered by John Wilkinson, of Chestnut Hill, who stood on a carpenter's work- bench on the barn floor of the tavern property, and later the prize win- ners had their names read aloud from the same stand by A. W. Shearer. The display of livestock was indeed creditable ; implements of husbandry exhibited were of the finest then manufactured ; plows, threshers, pumps, cider making machinery, etc., were all well represented. The Ladies' Department was highly pleasing, and this was on the second floor of the west end of the building used for hotel purposes. In the fifties the farmers and their wives took enough genuine interest in these county fairs to buy several acres of land at Springtown village, where permanent buildings were erected, including halls, stock shedding, etc. The first fair at these grounds was probably held in October, 1850. It was during that year the name was changed to The Montgomery County Agricul- tural Society. Being too remote from railway facilities, finally this soci- ety was moved to Ambler and reorganized, continuing until 1880, when the debts swallowed up the Society, creditors taking over the property. Norristown naturally wanted an agricultural society, so one was launched, known as the East Pennsylvania Agricultural and Mechan- ical Society, formed in December, 1860. The first officers were: Presi- dent, Dr. William Wetherill; vice-president, M. C. Boyer; Samuel E. Hartranft, recording secretary ; Theo. W. Bean, corresponding secretary ; A. Brower, treasurer. Twenty acres of land were purchased on Stan- bridge and Marshall streets, and a large exhibition hall was erected, and a half-mile track was made. The grounds were dedicated July 4, 1861, when a fine military parade was had with General William Schall in command as marshal. The last exhibition of the society was in 1877, when it went down and the land was converted to other uses. It appears there was a little too much horse racing to suit a majority, and the Pat- rons of Husbandry then coming to the forefront, occupied the special attention of farmers.
The Civil War ended in April, 1865, and "war prices" for farm prod- ucts soon lowered, to the loss of farmers, who were first to feel the change in prices. Not until the recent World War has the farmer been able to command such prices as he was getting in 1865. As a matter of historic value, the subjoined figures are deemed worthy of preservation, showing as they do what was the result of good farming in this county, on a hundred acre farm in April, 1865 :
250 Bushels of Wheat, at $2.50 Per Bushel. $625
400 Bushels of Oats at $1.00 Per Bushel.
400
500 Bushels of Corn, at $1.40 Per Bushel. 700
300 Bushels of Potatoes, at $1.50 Per Bushel. 450
2,400 Pounds of Butter, at 60 Cents. 1,440
Pork, Lamb, Veal, Wool, Hay, Poultry, Orchard Fruits and Dairy Products .. 600
$4,215
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AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES
Paid for One Hired Man.
$300
Paid for One Boy
100
Paid for One Hired Girl.
150
Paid for Harvest Labor
125
Paid for Taxes and Repairs
300
Paid for Feed
400
Paid for Incidental Expenses
150
$1,525
Profit
$2,690
The Granges of Patrons of Husbandry established throughout the entire country were well sustained in Montgomery county for many years. Among those well recalled were those known as Keystone Grange, No. 2; Good-will Grange, No. 7, formed in 1873; Star Grange, No. 562, organized in 1875; Pennypack Grange, No. 8, organized 1873; Merion Grange, No. 112, organized at the King of Prussia schoolhouse, 1874; Cold Point Grange, No. 606, organized 1875, at the Cold Point Baptist Church ; Wissahickon Grange, No. 760, organized 1881, by Mrs. Sarah S. Rex; Pomona Grange, No. 8, Montgomery county, organized in 1875. This included a union of all Granges within the county, and met only annually. Of later years, the Farmers' Clubs and Farm Bu- reaus have largely taken the place of the old Patrons of Husbandry.
Montgomery County Farm Bureau-The provisions calling for farm bureaus in Pennsylvania, and partly aided by the general government at Washington, started in 1912, and Montgomery county was among the very first to have the benefit of a County Farm Agent, in the person of A. K. Rothenberger, who opened his office in the summer of 1912 and has been the county agent ever since. For a number of years he was alone, but since 1915 he has been aided materially by the assistance of an assistant county agent, A. R. Kriebel. They have offices over the Penn Trust Company, and have been able to accomplish much for the farming community in way of educational campaigns annually. Among the things which have taken most of their time and attention has been developing the dairying interests of the county ; providing better seed potatoes by obtaining "certified" potatoes in place of planting the varie- ties that have "run out" and liable to scab and other diseases ; also they have spared no pains to inform the farmers of the county concerning the use of lime and other fertilizers for the soil; securing and testing new varieties of wheat and other grains; making many experiments and presenting the most thoroughly up-to-date methods of breeding the best stock in both cattle and swine, believing that none can be too good for a Montgomery county agriculturist and stock raiser. In the season for such things, numerous boys' and girls' clubs have been organized and carried forward with excellent results among the enterprising young people of the county. The corn and pig clubs have been of lasting good to all interested in farm life, and year by year the interest seems to be rapidly on the increase. The Bureau issues a neat publication known as
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
the "Montgomery County Farm Bureau News." It is published every month in the year, and is now in its third year.
Since the old-fashioned county fair has gone down for lack of genuine interest, the farm clubs and farm bureaus of this State have taken to holding annual and semi-annual "Farm Products Shows" which really have come to be wonderful educational affairs for the several counties in this commonwealth. The first of such shows held in Montgomery county was staged in Schwenksville, in December, 1913. County Agent A. K. Rothenberger had during the latter part of November held a num- ber of local shows to which the farmers brought their exhibits, and these were then taken to the County Show. A. program was arranged for the day and evening, consisting of addresses and illustrated lectures by instructors from the State College. The following year the show was held in the City Hall at Norristown, the Chamber of Commerce cooperating. In addition to the four classes of corn, prizes were offered in potatoes and for canned products, merchants and business men of the town rented space along the sides of the large auditorium and in- stalled attractive displays of their wares and goods. Year by year these exhibits grew "better and better," and many educational features were added as the years went by. It has now come to be one of the real events of the year, to which farmers and their families, together with the busi- ness men of the county, look forward with interest. It is a County Agri- cultural Fair, but instead of being out-doors, subject to the uncertainties of weather, it is under cover and can run, "rain or shine." Last Decem- ber the ninth annual of these farm exhibits was held in Norristown and was accounted a success in all ways.
It goes almost without saying that the salary paid County Agent Rothenberger ($2,600) and that allowed for an assistant, is money well expended in Montgomery county, where the calling of a farmer needs more stimulation than it does in other sections of the State where large manufacturing plants do not obtain as they do here.
CHAPTER XIV. JOURNALISM.
The number of newspapers which have existed in Montgomery county is very large, and it is impossible to trace in detail the history of them. For more than fifty years after the organization of the county there were but two local journals, the Norristown Herald, which was Federal in politics, and the Norristown Register, which supported the National Republican (subsequently the Democratic) party. The first printing office in the county was established in 1799, by David Sower, at Norristown, who in June of that year commenced the publication of a small paper which he called The Norristown Gazette. It continued but one year, and was immediately succeeded by the Herald. The Norris- town Register was established in 1800 at Norristown, by William Wilson.
The conditions of journalism were widely different from those which exist at the present day, but an examination of the files of these early publications will show that they met, what we may infer, were the demands of the time. There was, of course, no general presentation of the news of the day, as now collected by telegraph, telephone and a large staff of reporters. "Reporting" was an art of later invention. A matter of more than common interest, a disastrous fire, a serious breach of the peace, called forth a paragraph rather in the nature of editorial com- ment, than a narration of the facts.
But the editor's column teemed with reading matter of another and not less interesting description. From private correspondence and from the columns of his exchanges he gathered a great amount of valuable information, and those who catered to the taste of the reading public of Montgomery county, did so with judicious care.
A series of letters written from Europe, published in the Herald dur- ing the early part of the present century, and written by an officer attached to the American squadron then cruising in the Mediterranean, would even now interest the average reader. The letter writer of that day enjoyed an advantage which has been lost to his posterity. No correspondent would now dream of noting the bombardment of an important seaport by any means less quick than the cable. But when such correspondence was the sole source of information, it may well be imagined that the unpretentious sheets in which it was published were sought for with eagerness and read with profound interest. Nor were the works of the editor confined to the columns of his exchanges. His pages often contained extracts from works of the highest merit. He reproduced the thoughts of Addison, Locke, and other philosophical celebrities. Books were not as easily accessible as they are now, and the
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
editor of a century ago, if he had not the means of collecting news which has been so efficiently developed within the memory of the present gen- eration, he supplied other and equally important mental food.
The early journals were not, however, entirely devoid of local inter- est. If reporters were not employed, their services were not so indis- pensable as they have since become. Full accounts of all political gath- erings of importance appear in the respective organs over the signatures of their secretaries. Societies of various descriptions were equally ac- commodating. While the editors did not feel called upon to give their own views on public questions at length in every edition, they opened their columns freely to correspondents of their own political faith, and the correspondents seldom failed to take advantage. Over assumed names they argued matters of public controversy, abused opposition parties and put awkward questions to candidates, in a style upon which the modern writers of political literature have made little if any improve- ment, excepting that now-a-days perhaps there is much less freedom in the casting of opprobrious names, and the use of invective. The progress of the county journals, the increase in their size and number and the change of their character have been as gradual as has been the altera- tion of the conditions under which their business is conducted.
There were, at the beginning of 1923 twenty-eight newspapers pub- lished in Montgomery county, in eighteen different localities. The fol- lowing table gives their names, etc .:
Papers.
Publication Office.
Politics.
Editions.
Publication Days.
Gazette
.Ambler
Local
Weekly
Thursday
Chronicle
. Ardmore
Republican
Weekly
Saturday
Record
Ardmore
Independent .
Weekly
Wednesday
Home News
. Bryn Mawr
Independent . . . Weekly
Friday
Record
. Bryn Mawr
Local
Weekly
Friday
Independent
. Collegeville
Independent . .
Weekly
Thursday
Recorder
Conshohocken
.Independent
Semi-Wky.
. Tu. and Fri.
Public Spirit
Hatboro
Independent . .
Weekly
Saturday
Times
Hatfield
Local
Weekly
Thursday
Times-Chronicle
Jekintown
.Local
Weekly
Saturday
Reporter
Lansdale
Independent . . . Weekly
Thursday
Republican and Review. . Lansdale
Republican
Weekly
Thursday
Our Town
. Narberth
Local
Weekly
Thursday
Herald
Norristown
Republican .
. Daily and W.
. Ev. & Mon.
Times
Norristown
Republican .Daily
Evening
Law Reporter
Norristown
.Legal
Weekly
Thursday
Tribune
Norristown
Republican Weekly
Friday
Record
North Wales
Independent . . Weekly
Saturday
Town and Country
. Pennsburg
Independent ... Weekly
Saturday
Blade
Pottstown
Ind. and D ..
Weekly
Saturday
Montgomery Ledger
Pottstown
.Independent .. . Weekly
Tuesday
Ledger
Pottstown
Independent . .. Daily
Evening
News
Pottstown
.Independent . .. Daily
Morning
Social Educator
Pottstown
Socialist
Weekly
Saturday
Advertiser
Royersford
Republican . ... Weekly
Friday
Item
Schwenkville
Independent . . Weekly
Thursday
Montgomery Transcript. Skippack
Republican ... Weekly
Thursday
Independent
Souderton
Independent ... Weekly
Friday
1
163
JOURNALISM
Just about the beginning of the year 1923 two important and radical changes were made in the newspaper personnel, one in Norristown, and one in Lansdale. The oldest paper in Norristown was The Herald, founded in 1799 under the name of The Gazette. Its first issue was dated June 13, 1799, but its name was shortly afterwards changed to The Herald, the first issue under that name being dated October 13, 1800. The next oldest newspaper established was The Norristown Reg- ister, in 1800. It was several times a daily, but from 1880 ran continu- ously as a daily, until it suffered a peaceful dissolution several years ago.
The Norristown Times was founded as a daily in 1881 by William P. Rennyson, its first issue being on November 11 of that year. It was the first one-cent paper in the community, was from the start enterprising, and soon gained great popular favor. As the community grew from a little borough to a city in size, it grew with it, and for the last decade its issues compared favorably with the newspapers of the larger cities. It carried a full telegraphic news service, had a corps of fifteen reporters and editors, and its issues ran from twelve to thirty-two pages.
The Herald and the Register both maintained the status of a country daily and both soon lost prestige and circulation, so much so that, as has been stated, The Register passed peacefully away several years ago, without even a sheriff's sale, and The Herald, according to all indica- tions, was on the same road, when in the latter part of 1921 it was bought by R. B. Strassburger, who placed it, too, on a metropolitan basis. Despite all the money lavished upon The Herald, however, it did not suc- ceed in gaining either circulation or advertising. On the Ist of January, 1923, the business men and the citizens generally were astounded by the announcement published simultaneously in both The Herald and The Times that Mr. Strassburger had bought The Times from its owner, and was about to consolidate the two newspapers on January I. The Herald is now published under the name of The Times-Herald.
In March, 1923, several of the members of The Times organization began the publication of a weekly called The Norristown Tribune. Like The Times, it promises to support the interests of the people as a whole, and expresses the belief that it will soon be a daily.
In Lansdale, two newspapers were published, both weeklies-The Reporter, founded in 1870, and The Republican, founded some years sub- sequently. On January 1, 1923, it was announced that the younger news- paper had absorbed the older, and that the Reporter was consolidated with The Republican.
Looking Backward-The following address, delivered on the occa- sion of the Twenty-fifth Anniversary Dinner of the Press League of Bucks and Montgomery Counties, at the Hotel Bellevue-Stratford, Phil- adelphia, March 18, 1922, by Hon. B. Witman Dambly, of the Skippack Transcript, gives an intimate personal touch to the publishers and publi- cations in the county :
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
As we look backward and listen in the deep silence of a quarter of a century-March, 1897, to March, 1922-we seem to hear "the muffled tramp of years, come stealing up the slope of Time."
Beginning in the last decade of the last century this League has lived through and into three decades in the present. This fact is quickly stated, but a review of any particular line of human endeavor is not so easily recited and disposed of. The two oldest living members of the League, Messrs. E. S. Moser and W. F. Goettler, a quarter of a century ago were thirty-two years old, and the youngest member was not at all. Such as were not at all, since 1897 have been born, have worn the livery of the devil, married, and have become fathers and grandfathers. Those of us who were in the flesh in 1897 have become fathers.
Thirty-one members-nine from Bucks and twenty-two from Mont- gomery county-have passed over. All ranged in years from middle life to three-score and ten. The number of those who have died equals about seventy-five per cent. of our present membership. Our twenty-five years have included seven presidential terms-from Mckinley to Harding. Seven governors have served in Pennsylvania during the same period. Bucks county has gone from 70,000 people to 83,000 in 1920; Montgom- ery county from 123,000 to 199,310. In Bucks county, Press Leaguers were honored with office in the wise Thomas of Bristol, sent to the Leg- islature ; Grim to the Senate; Meridith was made high sheriff ; Althouse, county treasurer ; Oscar Bean, register of wills. In Montgomery county the late I. R. Haldeman was clerk of the Legislature ; John S. Leidy was chosen county auditor ; R. R. Freed to the Legislature ; I. H. Bardman present county treasurer ; and I. Crawford Johnson clerk of the courts. Of our honorary members, Charles B. Spatz answered the call of the Berks county protectariat and went to the Legislature, so that our craft and present Press League has been called upon, always by the people, to contribute both ornament and use to the State and county govern- ment of and for the people, and the end is probably not yet.
When the League was born in 1897, the Norristown Herald, the old- est paper in the county, was ninety-eight years old. It was established the year Washington died and Perkiomen bridge at Collegeville was built-1799. The Herald is now one hundred and twenty-three years old. The Doylestown Intelligencer, next oldest in the counties, now is one hundred and eighteen years old, while the Doylestown Democrat, youngest of the three oldest weeklies, is one hundred and six years old. The Pottstown Ledger is seventy-nine years of age; Lansdale Reporter, fifty-two years; Collegeville Independent, forty-seven years old; Bryn Mawr Home News, forty-five years old ; Hatboro Spirit, forty-nine years old ; North Wales Record, forty-six years old; Schwenksville Item, forty- five; Souderton Independent, forty-two years old. Of the dailies, the Norristown Herald is the oldest in the two counties. It was established in 1869, and is fifty-three years old; the Conshohocken Recorder was established the same year.
The newspaper man now in the League longest in consecutive serv- ice is E. S. Moser, of Collegeville. At the age of seventeen he established The Independent, in 1875, and probably was the youngest publisher in the State. Next in line of the living comes William F. Goettler, of Souderton. He with Charles L Peale started a German paper at Sou- derton in 1878, called the Germania Gazette. About a year and a half later (1879), Peale dropped out, and The Independent was estab-
165
JOURNALISM
lished by Mr. Goettler, who was then about twenty-one. Both Mr. Moser and Mr. Goettler are in their sixty-fifth year; both are grand- fathers, and in no sense grandmothers. Neither "has sought happiness o'er all the earth." On the contrary, they have found it on their own door-step at Collegeville and Souderton.
Bucks county now in 1922 has fifteen newspapers, and Montgomery county twenty-six. Of these nine were established within the life of this League. During the same period twelve papers went out of exist- ence, of which five were German. To-day not a German publication remains in these two counties. A comparison of the counties with their neighbors shows that Berks has eleven, Lehigh fourteen, Chester fifteen, and Delaware seventeen newspapers. Of the 1175 in the State, 187 are dailies and 662 weeklies. This is an average of a fraction more than nine papers of the weekly type in the sixty-seven counties. In these twenty- five years the weeklies of this League printed 1,300 issues and the dailies 7,800 issues. Only the realization that "nought treads so silent as the foot of Time," makes it possible to believe this recital of what, after all, can be but a small fraction of the whole story of the weeks and months that now figure up to a quarter of a century of League History.
This spells long and tireless application to a craft that is amongst the most constructive of the forces of our times. But think of those who were long in the harness when the League was born. Several of our members had already laid back a score of years when the League was formed, and are now approaching a half-century in the editorial harness-40, 43 and 47 years of service respectively. Not with a sepul- . chral voice, but prompted by an appreciation of what two score and more years of such service represents, I am sure I express the sincere wish of the rest of the members of the League to those veterans of the craft and quill, that may Time lay his hand upon your hearts gently, not smiting them, but as a harper lays his open palm upon his harp, to deaden its vibrations.
As to the departed members, more than one a year on an average has "gone upon his wanderings." Thus it becomes most true of the League, that
"As life runs on, the road grows strange. The mile-stones into head-stones change, 'Neath everyone a friend-one each year."
They sleep, but the loom of life never stops, and the pattern which was weaving when the sun went down is weaving when it comes up to-morrow.
We have greater pleasures in this twenty-fifth anniversary than in any other. But, see what it brings to us! It brings that thing which all resist, that is the frigidity of age. "Men shut their doors against a set- ting sun." Strange but true! Why is it? "Age is opportunity no less than youth itself, and as the evening twilight fades away, the sky is pitted with stars invisible by day."
But this retrospect must close. The first day of another quarter of a century is pressing upon us. What distinct lesson learned in the twenty- five years laid back will we carry with us into the to-morrow? Might one be the conviction that the press has lost none of its popularity and power, both to entertain and instruct? Whatever else families in Bucks and Montgomery counties families are lopping off the yearly budget, it is not the newspaper. The power of the press is not diminished .. I
166
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
sometimes think we fail to realize just what influence we may wield. What rational being in the interest of the public welfare is there that could not be popularized after a time throughout all of Bucks and Mont- gomery counties, if the forty-one papers in those counties were unani- mous in the advocacy and presented good reasons for its adoption? "Individuals can do many things, groups of individuals can do anything." This expresses the thought I have in mind. One newspaper can do many things, a solid group of newspapers can do almost anything. Napoleon said, "Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets." But enough of this. Few callings or professions have re- ceived the tributes that scholarly men and women have paid to the Press, of which we are a part. We of the Press League bid a tearful good-bye to the parting quarter of a century that is now rounded out and passed out to-night. We give a hearty and fraternal welcome to the new. We know that our craft, like the everlasting hills, will abide. That though men may come and men may go, the newspapers will go on forever, and that you may break, you may shatter the press if you will, the oldest sub- scribers will cling to it still.
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