USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > Kutztown > The centennial history of Kutztown, Pennsylvania : celebrating the centennial of the incorporation of the borough, 1815-1915 > Part 20
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Mr. Urick was an ambitious man, whose aims ran higher than the returns of a coun- try printing office. The Florida and orange grove fever broke out about that time and he was one of the many northerners who went down to the flowery state to astonish the native "crackers." He had meanwhile married Miss Mary Kistler, a daughter of Nathan Kistler. of Kistler's Valley, Lehigh county, near the Berks border, and with his family moved to that semi-tropical Den- insula, on an orange plantation, which he had bought. The business at Kutztown
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was meanwhile left in the hands of the writ- er, who, with two sisters of the proprietor, Misses Kate and Amanda Urick, ran the es- tablishment to the best interests of its owner.
In the meanwhile another of the most enterprising apprentices of the office, Jacob B. Esser, had finished his trade and left for the larger cities to perfect and advance himself in his profession. He had exacted from his preceptor and friend, the writer, the promise that if ever Mr. Urick betrayed any inclination to sell out, he wanted to be the first man to be considered as a buyer. The moment arrived in due time, and in 1887, the ownership of the Kutztown print - ing office, with all that pertained to it, passed over to Jacob B. Esser.
Mr. Urick entered the grocery business in the Snyder Building and subsequently moved to Baxter Springs, in the extreme southern corner of Kansas, to grow up with the country. Later he moved up fur- ther north and engaged in extensive real estate and mining operations. Under Cleve- land's first administration he was appointed postmaster in some important Kansas town, near the Missouri border and at the same time continued in the real estate business.
J. B. ESSER'S PERIOD
Mr. Esser's administration brought with it many important changes and improve- ments. In order to get more room for the growing business, the office was removed across the street to the Rev. Herman build- ing which N. S. Schmehl had acquired and part of the first floor of which he had converted into a hardware store, with open front. The book store was discontinued, whilst the other part of the first floor was used by Mr. Urick as a wall paper store with the business office in the rear. The composing room was on the second floor. with the editorial sanctum in the rear and the presses housed in an anex in the rear of the first floor. The job work had by this time greatly increased and new type and new material was acquired as occasion arose and lots of fine work was turned out for the community, Reading and other cities. A. F. DeLong, one of the best and most faithful apprentices of the carly years, had meanwhile risen to the foremanship of the plant and the mechanical part was always safe in his hands no matter where his sup- eriors were. He is still connected with the plant and performing his duties as faith- fully, but, of course improved by much ex- perience. as he did forty years ago.
THE PATRIOT BLOSSOMS INTO ALL ENGLISHI
Catching the spirit of the original des- tiny of the Patriot, Mr. Esser considered the
time ripe to turn the Patriot into an all- English paper. Continuing the English 'patent outside" he engaged Jeff. C. Hoch as local editor to conduct the second and third pages of the paper. Previously Mr. Hoch was a school teacher, farmer, poultry raiser and all-around useful man. By this time he had retired from farming and his new position offered him a useful field for his ability and acquirements. The Patriot made good progress as an English paper.
Increasing business demanded larger quarters and in 1905 Mr. Esser erected the present two-story brick structure to the rear of his property on Main street which is the present location of the Kutztown Publishing Company. The lower floor is used as an offire, paper stock house and press room, while the second floor is used as a composing room, job press room and editorial room. This fine building gave Mr. Esser ample room to arrange his machinery. type cabinets, etc., in a more convenient and accessible manner. The change marked an epoch in the history of local newspaperdom and from that date until the present the paper and other products of the plant have greatly increased.
A LIVE WIRE SPURT
In the fall of 1894 there appeared upon the stage of Kutztown journalism a new live-wire performer destined to make his de- but on the Patriot stage and then rise by easy stages to one of the highest positions in the New York newspaper world. This was Howard C. Hillegas, a brother-in-law of Mr. Esser. He was a recent graduate of Franklin and Marshall College, at Lan- caster, vigorous of body and mind and im- bued with all the elements that enter into the make-up of a born journalist. He was made editor and promoter of the Patriot. The patent outside was discarded and the paper turned into an all home-print sheet that made the papers and reading public of Eastern Pennsylvania look up and read. The Patriot gained rapidly in circulation and influence. But the Hillegas spirit soon found the field too narrow and at the expira- tion of seven months of meteoric work he resigned his position to take charge of a Bloomsburg daily. From there he left for still larger fields and rose and rose until to- day he is one of the leading editors of the New York Herald. Leaving the Patriot he had the following kind words to say of his successor :
"Mr. Conrad Gehring, who will next week assume editorial control of this paper. has been in the newspaper business the greater part of his life and for twenty-five years has catered to the wants of the public
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through the columns of the Kutztown news- papers. On November 4, 1871, he took editorial charge of the Kutstown Journal and with the exception of seven months in 1873, he has since then had charge of that standard publication. He is an experienced, well-read and enterprising newspaper man and fluent writer, and the readers of the Patriot may expect a decided improvement of the paper." ( The concluding phrase, of course, was complimentary ).
Hillegas, after a series of upward steps, became connected with the famous Nowe York Journal and in the interests of that Daper undertook a trip to the Boer Republic in South Africa at the outbreak of the Boer-English War. He personally met Oom Paul, the venerable president of that peaceful and thrifty republic, and subse- auenty wrote an interesting book on "Oom Paul and his people."
In September, 1909, the Daily City Item, of Allentown, refers to him, in connection with others, in the following article :
"The New York Sun of Tuesday had an account of the Independence League ( Hearst League) giving a banquet at the Cafe Boulevard, in New York City, to Charles E. Gehring. chairman of the county committee, at which were present some of the most prominent politicians in New York.
"The Charles E. Gehring, mentioned above, is the son of Conrad Gehring, for many years editor of the Kutstown Patriot and Journal and now of the proof room of the Reading Eagle. Charles learned the trade of printer in the office of the Patriot and then struck out for New York. He caught on, and for years worked on the Tribune and other papers. He became in- terested in politics and became one of Hearst's right hand men.
"It is peculiar the number of Kutztown boys who learned their trade in the old Patriot office inder Conrad Gehring. who won out in New York, where the failures are so many and the successes so few. One voung man who left for New York from the Patriot office is now one of the leading and foremost Masons in that citv. (The writer refers to Martin (. Good). Sev- eral others occupy responsible positions on the New York Herald. World and Tribune. and all are doing well. Howard Hillegas, the assistant city editor of the New York Herald, started his career as a newspaper man on the Patriot. Friend Conrad has ample reason to feel proud of the calibre of bovs he turned out in the old Patriot office." (If I mistake not the above article was penned by my deceased friend Oliver
C. Henninger and his well-known modesty forbade him to mention that he was one of the brightest of those Kutztown boys. He went to New York, made good, came back to Allentown and made good as an editor and besides became a brilliant orator, whose speeches were sought and heard in different parts of the country. )
THREE EDITORS NOW
When Hillegas left, Mr. Esser, the pub- lisher said to the writer, "Hillegas left but the high standard of the Patriot must be maintained. Whom can you suggest as a suitable successor?" I mentioned several names. He said, "I want a few days to consider the matter." After the lapse of the few days he invited me to a walk and incidental private conversation. He said, "What's the matter with you taking the position ?" "Well." I said, "If you give me Rev. Dr. W. W. Deatrick as editorial writ- er on the Patriot and Julius Schneider ( who had taken my place when I was down with typhoid fever ) as assistant on the Journal. I will undertake it." "That suits me," Mr. Esser said and so it came to pass. And this hour marked the beginning of another epoch of substantial growth and progress.
REV. W. W. DEATRICK, Sc. D.
The man whom I selected as editorial writer for the Patriot is a man of extra- ordinary qualities. He had become a mem- ber of the faculty of the Keystone State Normal School. coming here from the west- ern part of Pennsylvania, where he had been prominently active both as a minister of the Gospel and an educator. He is a Re- formed minister, the son of a minister and the brother of another Reformed minister Rev. E. R. Deatrick, B. D., pastor at Mar- tinsburg, Pa. I soon learned to admire him for his scholarship, his indomitable industry. his capacity for work, his classic English and his manliness in dealing with a foe- man of opposite view on any question. Those are the sterling qualities any com- munity needs in its public men, for after the contests are over, the losses and gains compared, there can only be one result- plus.
JULIUS SCHNEIDER
The man selected for the German paper was picked up from the ore mines. Hc was one of those who are generally classed as shipwrecked by their own fault. Born at Halle an der Saale, (the same city where once was active Rev. Heinrich Melchior Muhlenberg, the father of the Lutheran Church in America) he enjoyed unusual opportunities for education and social life.
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His father was a prosperous merchant, who gave his only son the choice between a mer- cantile career or the ministry. Julius chose neither, but set sail for America, to seek his own fortune. After working on farms in New York and New Jersey, he drifted to Eastern Pennsylvania, where the iron ore business was then in its zenith. His social qualities and culture, that hard work could not wear off, made him friends wherever he came in contact with people. That was the way in which the writer learned to know and appreciate him and landed him in the chair of local editor of the Kutstown Journal.
Karl Julius Herman Schneider, the faith- ful editor of the Kutstown Journal for sev- enteen years, was born Feb. 27, 1848 at Halle on the River Saale. Province of Sax- ony, Kingdom of Prussia, Germany. He came to America on March 17, 1868. He came from a fine family in Germany and received a good education. He worked in various capacities in New York and New Jersey and finally came to Berks county where the iron ore industry was then in its zenith. Being a man of culture and win- ning social qualities, he readily made friends and his services in various capacities were always in demand.
He died on Tuesday. October 24. 19IT. at the Reading Hospital, from heart failure. and was buried in Hope Cemetery.
REV. F. K. BERND, EDITOR OF THE KUTZTOWN JOURNAL
And this is the way it happened. Julius Schneider became dangerously sick in Oc- tober, 1911. He could not get out the edi- tion of the Kutstown Journal for October 25. The proprietor, J. B. Esser, hastened to the home of the Rev. F. K. Bernd on Normal Hill, and asked him to come down to the printing office for the week and help him out. Mr. Esser told Bernd that Mr. Schneider would have to be taken to the hospital, and he hoped within a few weeks he would be able to take his old place again. After a good deal of coaxing Mr. Bernd promised to come to the office
and see what he could do. The material was gotten ready and the paper published on time. The following week the report came that there was hardly any hope of Mr. Schneider's recovery. The new editor pro tem was prevailed upon to get the next edition in shape, and before it was put on press Mr. Schneider had died. Mr. Esser not knowing in what direction to look for the man he wanted. again prevailed upon Mr. Bernd to continue the work for at least a while, and thus it happened that he is still at the post, doing the work.
Rev. F. K. Bernd became Julius' suc- cessor as editor of the Journal and still fills the position.
GEHRING GOES TO NEW YORK
This plan worked very well and the print- ing office enjoyed another era of prosperity. In the meanwhile the health of the writer had become impaired, so much so that he concluded the only remedy would be a change of climate. This change was made easy by a combination of favorable circum- stances. When he learned his trade the construction of a practical type-setting ma- chine was considered impossible. Many at- tempts had been made, but all proved fail- ures. In course of time, however, Otmar Mergenthaler, of Baltimore, a skilled Ger- man machinist, invented the linotype which revolutionized the printing trade all over the world. As the machine does the work of six men, five men out of every six found themselves out of employment wherever the machine was introduced. As a million-dol- lar syndicate had taken hold of the patent. the machine was introduced fast in all leading newspaper offices. To give union printers a chance to "learn the machine," the writer's son, Charles E. Gehring, who had become an expert operator on the Newe York Tribune, opened a linotype school in the World Building, in New York. Know- ing his father's ardent desire to master the machine before he should die of old age, he requested him to come to New York to as- sist him in running the school and inci- dentally become proficient himself. The of- fer was accepted, the writer resigned his nositions on the Patriot and Journal and on Jan. 1, 1903, left for New York.
WM. S. RHODE BECOMES EDITOR
His successor as editor of the Patriot was Wmn. S. Rhode, who had entered the office as an apprentice to the printers' trade. Rhode was one of the boys who had ambition and was willing to do the extra work that spells success. Knowing where he was deficient he burned midnight oil to advance himself. He took extra lessons in English under Dr. W. W. Deatrick, of the Keystone State Normal School and other- wise took advantage of every opportunity to increase his store of knowledge to fit him for the editorial chair that apparently was waiting for him. When the proper time came he was advanced to the chair and filled it with credit and during his adminis- tration the Patriot was enlarged from four to eight pages and the circulation nearly doubled.
In due time his enterprising spirit caused him to broaden out and establish the Rural
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Delivery and the Commercial County Direc- tories, at first limited to Berks county, but subsequently extended to most of the ad- vanced counties of eastern Pennsylvania.
In 1906, besides his newspaper work, he published the first rural delivery directory in this part of the country. After issuing a number of creditable volumes of director- ies in Berks and adjoining counties Mr. Rhode discovered that the business people, especially those in the larger cities, required a more complete publication when he de- termined to publish the names of one and two counties under one cover and include a financial department in them. These pub- lications are now known as Rhode's Com- mercial County Directories and the names are alphabetically compiled. Besides this information all property owners are desig- nated, giving the assessed valuation and monies on interest. The acreage of farms is also included. With this information Rhode's Directories are easily in a class by themselves for completeness and unique compilation. Arrangements are now under way to issue a directory of eight Pennsyl- vania counties under one cover.
On April 19th. 1905. Mr. Rhode was married to Miss Edna C. Gehman. daugh- ter of Henry M. Gehman and his wife Clara (nee Laros) of Allentown. Mr. and Mrs. Rhode are the parents of one daugh- ter. Constance E. Rhode.
In I911 Mr. Rhode resigned his position to devote his entire attention to the publish- ing of County Directories.
MIR. WILLIAMSON BECOMES EDITOR
He was succeeded as editor by Fred. T. Williamson, who became foreman of the printing office in 1905. Mr. Williamson filled the chair of editor most creditably for two years. He is now foreman of the job and proof reading departments.
CHAS. H. ESSER ASSUMES DUTIES
Chas. H. Esser is now filling the position as editor of the Patriot. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Esser and was born in Kutz- town. He graduated from the Keystone State Normal School in 1900 and from Muh- lenberg College in 1913. While at college he devoted a great deal of his time to Eng- lish and journalism. He was employed as a reporter for the Allentown Morning Call for a few months. Notwithstanding his brief experience, but having really grown up in a printing office, he is becoming a very cap- able editor and business man. He was married on April 27, 1915, to Miss Ruth Rupp, of Lehighton. He is a member of Huguenot Lodge, No. 377, F. and A. M.,
Excelsior Chapter, No. 237, R. A. C., and of Adonai Castle, No. 70, K. G. E.
J. B. ESSER RETIRES AND KUTZTOWN PUB- LISHING COMPANY IS FORMED
BY REV. F. K. BERND
Owing to failing health Mr. J. B. Esser, the proprietor of the printing plant, felt constrained to retire from the active life which he had led for many years. It is well known that about a year prior to July, 1913, Mr. Esser was stricken with a slight stroke of apoplexy and from that time on he had lost to a large extent his former activity and push. The business, therefore, required a new head. Mr. Esser and his son, Charles, made an offer to Wm. S. Rhode, a former employee, who bought a half interest in the plant.
This happened in June of 1913. In the beginning of July of that year he sold out his interest to his son, Charles H .. and Wm. S. Rhode. The new firm adopted the name The Kutstown Publishing Company, Mr. Rhode acting as president and Mr. Esser as secretary.
Mr. Rhode's two years' absence from the office in which he was a conscientious work- er and learned his trade were most profit- ably spent. Through his directory work hie was thrown into direct contact with some of the best and biggest business houses in the United States. He has many friends throughout Berks and adjoining countis who are now favoring him with their printing orders and use their influence in his behalf.
During the two years of its existence the firm has made many important improve- ments, having revolutionized the entire plant. The Patriot was in a short time increased from eight to twelve pages, a number of new machines were installed. and in fact the entire office was rearranged and a new open front put in the building, which gives the establishment a cosmopol- itan appearance. The plant is thus prepared to do practically all kinds of work pertain- ing to a fully equipped printing establish- ment. The amount of new work brought in has been enormous, taxing the present efficient corps of workers at times to their fullest capacity. The work is of the highest order. In job and book printing. in fact in all lines of work. the new firm is casily able to compete with any establishment of its kind and capacity. The linotype machine is in operation day and night. This historic- al edition of the Kutztown Centennial Is- sociation is one of the many books turned out by the new firm. We bespeak for them an exceedingly prosperous future.
Their publications are The Kutstown Pa-
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triot, an English weekly newspaper of twelve pages, the Kutztown Journal, the only German newspaper in Berks county, Rhode's Commercial County Directories, and the Public Sales Bulletin. The latter publica- tion is the vest pocket edition of public sales of spring farm stock, is issued annually in January, and is in great demand. Of these booklets upwards of ten thousand are mailed direct to the farmers, butchers, drovers, hucksters, and others in Berks and Lehigh counties.
CONRAD GEHRING
Everybody in town and community knows about Conrad Gehring. The name has a familiar sound. Although not any longer a resident of Kutztown, nevertheless from the time of his arrival in 1871 till his final de- parture in 1902, he took such a deep inter- est in the highest welfare of our borough, that any history of Kutztown would be incomplete without mention of his name.
Mr. Gehring hails from Switzerland. He was born in Buchberg, Canton of Schaf- fausen, Switzerland, on the 5th of January, 1851. He studied in the town schools up to his 14th year when he entered the Aca- demv of Eglisan, and later attended the Realschule in the city of Schaffausen. In the fall of 1867 he came to America bv way of Paris and Liverpool on the "City of Paris." He landed in New York and from then he went to Philadelphia. In 1871 he accepted the editorship and management of the Kutstoron Journal and became a citizen of our borough. During his spare hours he devoted himself assiduously, without the aid of a teacher, to the study of English. He soon became proficient in its use and could quite readily converse in German, French and English. He uses choice Eng- lish in conversation and in writing. In 1895 he became the editor of the Kutstoren Patriot. In 1907. at the request of John W. Rauch, then the superintendent, secre- tary and treasurer of the Reading Eagle Company, a poem dedicated to the Friends of the Reading Shriners. was translated by him from the German language into Eng- lish. The rythmn is exact and the choice of words used shows that he had by that time acquired a large working vocabulary of the language. The citizens of Kutztown entrusted four times in succession the high- ect office of the borough-that of Chief Burgess-into his care. He showed him- self an efficient and active official.
Mr. Gehring is a man of small stature but big brain. When Governor Pattison who was a man of large stature. visited Kutztown, Mr. Gehring welcomed him in
a few well chosen words. The address of welcome was made on the porch of the Keystone Hotel. The tall and straight form of the governor, as he stood in front of our Mr. Gehring, who was almost a head shorter than Mr. Pattison, was a scene which has impressed itself very vividly on our mind.
But the real life of Mr. Gehring, and the influence he exerted upon our townspeople and vicinity was brought out more especial- lv in his utterances in our papers-botlı German and English. He wielded a ready pen. There was absolutely no tendency towards sensationalism. Under his man- agement the columns of the Journal and Patriot were always clean.
His friendship, opinion and counsel have always been highly valued. In every sub. stantial improvement he was ever an earnest promoter. At social gatherings he was always in his happiest of moods and was much in demand. Likewise, as a churchman he was equally prominent. He was a very active member of St. Paul's Reformed church. He was a leader in the Sunday School, a member of the Consis- tory and an active promoter of all socie- ties in the church. He was most valuable in all directions. When he bade Kutztown1 good-bye, the town felt as though one of her staunchest friends was about to leave.
Mr. Gehring will always be most pleas- antly remembered by all who were brought into contact with him.
PRINTERS TURNED OUT
Among the many good boys who started their careers in the Kutztown printing office and subsequently became of the salt of the earth, doing well in their respective chosen fields, we mention the following :
Jacob Spohn, now a member of the firm of Lins and Spohn, job printers, of Read- ing.
Lewis Marx, who left for Wyoming, where his brother had become a State Senator.
Martin Q. Good, already mentioned as an expert linotype operator, who was sent out by the Mergenthaler Linotype Company, wherever it introduced machines, to teach the printers the secrets of the new machines. He is still one of the most progressive mem- bers of the craft and one of the highest Masons in the State of New York.
Oliver S. Henninger, deceased, who be- came a famous editor and orator, of Allen- town.
J. B. Esser, who became owner of the plant in which he learned his trade, a prom-
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