USA > Rhode Island > Rhode Island : three centuries of democracy, Vol. II > Part 79
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100
The organization of public libraries after 1885 continued thus: League Library, War- wick. 1886; East Providence Free Library, 1886, a reorganization of an older library ; Lang- worthy Free Library at Hope Valley in Hopkinton, 1887; Natick Free Library in Warwick, 1887 : Auburn Public Library in Cranston, 1888, which became a free library in 1892; Union Public Library of Tiverton, 1889, which includes books from an older library that has been discontinued ; North Kingston Free Library, 1890, known as Wickford Free Library until 1899, when it received a legacy of $10,000 from the estate of C. Allen Chadsey, and removed to the new building provided by the town ; Summit Free Library in Coventry, 1891 ; Arlington Public Library in Cranston, 1895; Edgewood Free Public Library in Cranston, 1896; Valley Falls Free Library in Cumberland, 1899, a reorganization.
Pawcatuck Library of Westerly, organized in 1847, transferred its books, for an amount sufficient to liquidate indebtedness, to Westerly Memorial and Library Association. The town of Westerly by appropriation supplemented a gift by Stephen Wilcox, and a fireproof build- ing was constructed and opened in 1894, with accommodations for the library and other com- munity organizations. The building cost $85,000 originally, and has been enlarged. Mrs. Stephen Wilcox, in 1899. gave the library association the Rowse Babcock estate, consisting of eight acres of land, for use as a public park. The park adjoins the library property, and the whole constitutes an unusual and very beautiful civic center for one of the finest and most progressive towns in the state.
In 1895, after twenty years of state promotion and support, Rhode Island had forty-five free public libraries with 247,250 volumes, from which 421,200 loans were made. Five years later, after a quarter-century of state support, Rhode Island had achieved a free public library system consisting of fifty libraries, with 820,600 volumes, from which 440,000 loans
1078
RHODE ISLAND-THREE CENTURIES OF DEMOCRACY
were made. The fifty free public libraries in 1900 were distributed by towns as follows. Barrington, Bristol, Central Falls, Cumberland, East Greenwich, Exeter, Foster, Jamestown, Johnston, Little Compton, Middletown, New Shoreham, North Providence, Pawtucket, Ports- mouth, Smithfield, Warren, Westerly and Woonsocket, one each; Coventry, Hopkinton, Lin- coln, North Kingstown, Providence, Richmond and Tiverton, two each; East Providence and South Kingstown, three each; Cranston, four ; Warwick, seven. One new library, at Narra- gansett Pier, in the new town of Narragansett, was added in the next five-year period, but books reached a total of 404,000, and nearly 65,000 patrons borrowed 531,800 volumes. Bernon Library, at Georgiaville in Smithfield, Calvary Institute and North End Libraries in Providence, North Scituate Public Library, and Norwood Public Library in Warwick were new in 1910; besides, the old Manton Library at Chepachat in Glocester had been reorganized. Fifty-seven free public libraries had 503,400 books and loaned 706,000 volumes. Two new libraries in Burrillville, the Pascoag Free Public Library and Jessie M. Smith Memorial Library, and the Audubon Library at Roger Williams Park in Providence were added in the next five years. The sixty public libraries in 1915 had 606,000 books, 91,000 patrons, and made loans passing the million mark, the total being 1,047,500. Four new libraries, one at Davisville in North Kingstown, another at Cross Mills in Charlestown, and two in Providence, the Cranston Street Community and new Elmwood Public Library, with one consolidation in Providence, brought the number of free public libraries to sixty-three in 1920. Patrons passed the 100,000 mark, with a total of 100,361 ; books numbered 692,500, and 1,266,500 loans were made. The new Elmwood Library reached a circulation of 787 per cent., which meant that the average of loans per book was nearly eight. People's Library of Newport, after more than forty years of service, joined other free public libraries in 1921. New libraries in Coventry, Cranston, and Warwick, brought the total to sixty-seven in 1925, with 899,000 volumes, 140,000 patrons, and 2,096,731 loans, the latter a significant achievement for the semi-centen- nial of state support. The number of books in sixty-nine free public libraries in 1930 exceeded 1,000,000, and loans were surging toward 2,500,000. The distribution of free public libraries in 1930 by towns was as follows: Barrington, Bristol, Central Falls, Charlestown, Cumber- land, East Greenwich, Exeter, Foster, Glocester, Jamestown, Little Compton, Middletown, Narragansett, Newport, New Shoreham, North Providence, Pawtucket, Portsmouth, Scituate, Warren, Westerly and Woonsocket, one each; Burrillville, Hopkinton, Lincoln, Richmond and Smithfield, two each ; Coventry, North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Tiverton and West Warwick, three each; East Providence, four; Cranston, five; Warwick, six; Providence. seven. Thirty-six of thirty-nine towns had one or more free public libraries actually within their boundaries.
The Providence Public Library, in extending its service to the people of the city, main- tained branch libraries at convenient locations, through which loans were made from the shelves of the branch, or on request, from the central library, which filled orders from the branches daily. Twenty of the free public libraries were located in finely appointed buildings constructed for public library purposes, one of the finest being the Elmwood Public Library in Providence, which was a gift of the Knight family. The state in 1921 supplemented other assistance for public libraries by an annual appropriation to be apportioned to increase the salaries of the librarians, the purpose being to promote a greater public service by keeping libraries open for longer periods weekly.
TRAVELING LIBRARIES-Since 1908 the State Board of Education has conducted two other library services, through the supervision of a library visitor and through the circulation of traveling libraries. The function of the library visitor is not so much supervision, except as the visitor verifies reports made to the Board, as assistance to librarians in classifying
1079
ART AND LITERATURE
books, cataloguing them and rendering library service more satisfactory and attractive to the people, with the purpose of extending patronage. The library visitor helps librarians in vari- ous ways, besides suggesting books for purchase to strengthen collections. The traveling library service is intended to reach communities not served conveniently by free public libraries. A traveling library is a box of books, which may be loaned to a resident of an isolated community who becomes responsible for return upon request, for loans to neighbors, and for keeping a record of loans. The number of traveling libraries in service depends upon the money available ; it has exceeded 300, and loans in some years have exceeded 50,000. But the service includes maintaining books in good condition, rebinding and repairing, besides replacement and the outfitting of new collections-books, boxes and canvas covers. The library visitor, who directs traveling library service, reported in one year 9000 books cleaned after return to headquarters, 4300 books repaired ; 9600 books shellacked, besides rebinding, revision and repairs of boxes.
Rhode Island is a book state; in the number of volumes contributed to collections made for soldiers and sailors during the World War, Rhode Island stood twenty-six among the states. Few states equalled Rhode Island in the number of books per capita in free public libraries or in the loans per capita annually. Besides the million books in free public libraries, there are other notable collections available, some to the public and some by courtesy. The state of Rhode Island owns a library of public documents and other reference books, prin- cipally, which is housed in the Capitol, and a library of law books for judges and lawyers, which is maintained in the Providence County Courthouse. The Rhode Island Medical Society has a collection of professional books in its library in Providence. The Redwood Library of Newport and Providence Athenaeum continue, as do the Rhode Island and Newport Historical Societies. Brown University has a magnificent collection of books, housed partly in the beautiful John Hay Library building; in the Carter Brown Building, now used by the department of economics; and in other departmental libraries on the campus. It has also, in a separate building, the John Carter Brown Library of Americana, gift of John Nicholas Brown, estimated as worth not less than $1,000,000, besides the building, which cost $150,000. Rhode Island State College at Kingston, and Rhode Island College of Education, each has a library chosen for service. Providence College has a library, which is growing rapidly.
CHAPTER XXXVIII. RHODE ISLAND NEWSPAPERS.
AMES Franklin (I), like so many of his predecessors in Rhode Island, an exile from Massachusetts, where he had been prosecuted and persecuted because the Bay Colony could tolerate a free press in the eighteenth century no more than it had liberty of speech and of conscience in the seventeenth, settled at Newport and established a printing office. So early as 1727 he printed "John Hammett's Vindication and Relation, Newport, Rhode Island." There also he printed the sixth English edition of Barclay's "An Apology for the True Christian Divinity, as the Same is Held Forth and Preached, by the People Called in Scorn Quakers," in 1729. Three years later James Franklin (I) printed the first Rhode Island newspaper, the "Rhode Island Gazette," at New- port, the earliest issue dated September 27, 1732. The newspaper was continued seven months, and abandoned May 24, 1733, for want of support. Franklin's printing shop at the time was in the basement of the town schoolhouse in Newport. James Franklin ( 1) died in 1735, but the "Widow Franklin" continued the printing business at the same location. Franklin's son, James (2), who had gone to Philadelphia with his uncle, Benjamin, returned to Newport after learn- ing his trade. and entered the family business. The Franklins were printers for the Colony of Rhode Island and published early editions of the laws. James Franklin (2) began publishing the "Newport Mercury" June 19, 1758, and the newspaper was continued as a weekly, except during the British occupation, for 170 years, becoming eventually the oldest American news- paper. James Franklin (2) died in 1762, but the "Mercury" was printed, successively, by his mother, the "Widow Franklin," by the firm of Franklin & Hall, by Samuel Hall as sole pro- prietor, and by Solomon Southwick from 1768 until the British came. Then Southwick buried his type and presses, and fled precipitately to avoid the probable consequences of his uncon- cealed advocacy of the patriot cause. The British dug up the printing equipment and pub- lished the ""Newport Gazette" during the occupation.
EARLY POVIDENCE, NEWSPAPERS -- William Goddard, born in New London in 1740, but resident in Providence from boyhood, opened a printing office "opposite the Court House" in 1762, and on October 20 of that year began publishing the "Providence Gazette and Country Journal." The printing office was removed in 1763 "to the store of Judge Jenckes near the Great Bridge" and in 1765 to "the house opposite Mr. Nathan Angell's." Publication was discontinued from May II, 1765, to August 9, 1766, because of the Stamp Act. In the meantime William Goddard had gone to New York, and the publication in 1766 was resumed by his mother, Mrs. Sarah Goddard. A letter, written by William Goddard, and printed in the "Gazette," summarized the situation. After leaving Providence as much because of failure of financial support for his newspaper as for any other reason, Goddard was urged "by many of my former readers" to return because of "the necessity of their having a public paper to continue such notices as the 'Providence Gazette' used to convey in support of public liberty." Goddard returned "to make trial of their good will" and published a "Gazette Extraordinary," August 24, 1765, "containing proposals for reviving the 'Gazette,' in which it was stipulated that in case I obtained 800 subscribers in five weeks, I would then begin. ... An arduous trial was made, on which I did everything in my power to insure success, but was not so happy as to meet with it. Under these circumstances, being urged by my friends here* to return, bring
*New York.
1082
RHODE ISLAND-THREE CENTURIES OF DEMOCRACY
my printing materials, and establish myself in a more extensive business, in which I was promised their countenance and support, prudence obliged me to follow their advice-in part." The letter continued to relate that Goddard had left his printing equipment in Providence "in the hands of my mother, Mrs. Sarah Goddard. who has enjoyed to do all she can for sup- porting the printing business in Providence. . And as I have lately sent her an assistant to enable her to carry on the business more extensively, I am convinced, if she meets with real encouragement, she will be able to give satisfaction." The assistant was Samuel Inslee, who left for "the westward" in 1767, after having advertised in the "Gazette" for "one or two journeymen printers, who can work both at case and press, and are willing to go to the westward."
William Goddard was one of the earliest Rhode Island printers "to go to the westward." He was subsequently founder of the "Constitutional Courant" of New York, the "Pennsyl- vania Chronicle" and "Universal Advertiser" of Philadelphia, and the "Maryland Journal" and "Baltimore Advertiser." He married Abigail Angell, daughter of Israel Angell, in 1785. He spent his last years in Rhode Island as a farmer, dying in 1817. Another Rhode Islander who went "to the westward" was Henry Wheaton, who closed his law office in Providence to enter journalism as editor of the "National Advocate," which he established in New York as an active supporter of the policies of President Madison. Through the columns of the "National Advocate" Wheaton established a reputation as an authority on international law, on which he wrote extensively in later years. Almost a generation earlier Solomon South- wick, son of the Southwick who had been editor of the "Newport Mercury," was editor of the "Albany Register." The second Southwick was influential as editor and politician, and was twice candidate for Governor of New York. He published also the "Plough-Boy" in 1821, and the "National Democrat," and finally the "National Observer," organ of the anti- masonic party. Arunah Shepherdson Abell, born in what is now East Providence in 1806, learned the printing trade in Providence. In 1836, with two other practical printers, he started the "Public Ledger," which has since then become one of the leading newspapers of Philadelphia. Although continuing his interest in the "Public Ledger" until 1864, Abell went to Baltimore in 1837, and founded the "Baltimore Sun," a famous newspaper, which was con- tinued after Abell's death in 1888 as an Abell family enterprise. The "Baltimore Sun" under Abell's management, owned the first Hoe rotary press, and was the first newspaper to make extensive use of the electric telegraph. Unlike most printers, Arunah Shepherdson Abell accumulated an estate valued at several millions of dollars. The "Baltimore Sun's" iron building, the first erected in the world, was destroyed in the great Baltimore fire.
John Carter came to Rhode Island in 1767, from Benjamin Franklin's shop in Phila- delphia, and became Mrs. Goddard's partner as publishers of the "Gazette." Carter became exclusive proprietor in 1768, and continued as such until 1814, except from 1793 to 1799, when William Wilkinson was his partner. The first number of the "Providence Gazette," October 20, 1762, contained, beginning at the bottom of the first page, following William Goddard's announcement "to the Public," the first installment of "The Planting and Growth of Providence," a history, by Stephen Hopkins. Hopkins was one of those who recognized "the necessity of their having a public paper to continue such notices as the 'Providence Gazette' used to convey in support of public liberty." Hopkins was frequently a contributor to the columns of the "Gazette." His biographer attributes to Hopkins "a large share of its contents." Like the "Newport Mercury," edited and published by the able Solomon South- wick. the "Providence Gazette," published by John Carter, after the withdrawal of the God- dards, and probably edited in considerable part by Stephen Hopkins, supported the patriot cause and the oncoming Revolution, which Hopkins predicted ten years before the storm broke. "The Rights of Colonies Examined," by Stephen Hopkins, was printed by Goddard in
1083
NEWSPAPERS
pamphlet form in 1765, and was distributed widely, being reprinted in England; in the follow- ing year Mrs. Goddard printed "A Discourse Addressed to the Sons of Liberty," at a solemn assembly near Liberty Tree in Providence February 24, 1766.
The "Mercury" printed the Virginia resolutions on the Stamp Act, which had evoked Pat- rick Henry's "Caesar had his Brutus" speech. The resolutions were first printed in the "Mary- land Gazette" with an article approving them written by Charles Carroll of Carrollton. The number of the "Newport Mercury" containing the resolutions was suppressed as a traitorous publication. The "Newport Mercury" and the "Providence Gazette" were significant agencies for disseminating information about successive episodes preceding but foretelling the Revolution, and for formulating public opinion, thus producing a solidarity in Rhode Island which favored the prompt action taken in 1775 to place the colony in a position of military prepar- edness, and again in 1776 to clarify the issue by the Rhode Island Declaration of Independence on May 4. The "Providence Gazette" was more laconic than the "Mercury" in its report of the progress of events, but the editor never failed to appreciate the significance of the unfold- ing drama. The "Providence Gazette" printed a bare announcement of the enactment of the Declaration of Independence by the General Assembly without comment ; but the royal arms had disappeared forever from the heading of the "Gazette" when the next issue appeared on May II, 1776. The same alertness had been displayed following the battle of Lexington, the "Gazette" report of the battle ending with: "Thus has commenced the American Civil War." The observation was an accurate statement of the situation, which in 1775 was defensive. Rhode Island's action of May 4, 1776, meant separation and the elimination of the royal arms was logical. Very discreetly, the destruction of the "Gaspee" was reported in 163 words, and the investigation by the King's commission was barely mentioned. Yet John Carter faced indictment for criminal libel in 1773 for printing a report that a member of the committee of correspondence had testified before the commissioners investigating the "Gaspee" affair. The "Gazette" referred to the attempt to indict thus : "The very extraordinary attempt to destroy the liberty of the press became a matter of great expectation, and did not fail to alarm the Friends of Freedom; their apprehensions, however, soon subsided, the honest jury having returned the bill ignoramus." The return was characteristic; the King's commissioners found nobody in Rhode Island who knew anything about the "Gaspee" affair.
The colonial newspapers were small sheets, the "Rhode Island Gazette" measuring 81/2x12 inches, the "Providence Gazette" 8x14 inches, neither more than half the page size of a modern "tabloid." The setting of type, reduced after the first issue by repeating advertisements, required four days of full time probably. The papers were printed on primitive presses, improved but little over the devices used by Gutenberg and others in the fifteenth century ; inking was accomplished by using leather balls as it had been for most of three centuries. Paper was scarce and high-priced. John Waterman started a paper mill on the Woonasqua- tucket River, near Olneyville, in 1764, and from 1769 to 1777 conducted a printing office with the factory, the product including several books and pamphlets, among them Silas Downer's ora- tion at the dedication of the Liberty Tree in 1768, a catalog of books in the Providence Library, a volume of sermons, one of songs "for the use and edification of such as love the truth in its native simplicity," and in 1775 an edition of the "New England Primer." Waterman had pur- chased type and press from the estate of Samuel Kneeland of Boston. Waterman died in 1777, and the printing office at Olneyville was discontinued. John Carter bought the Kneeland-Water- man outfit of type and press in 1779 for one of two reasons, the former probably, (I) fore- stalling the setting up of an establishment in Providence to rival his, or (2) obtaining a new dress of type for the "Gazette." He had ordered new type in England just before the Revolu- tion, but the type had been confiscated in the New York custom house by the King's officers. The Kneeland-Waterman type probably was older than the "Gazette" type, which had been
1084
RHODE ISLAND-THREE CENTURIES OF DEMOCRACY
flattened and worn by fifteen years of use at least, if it had been new when William Goddard bought it. John Carter sold the Waterman outfit in 1779 to Solomon Southwick, fugitive editor and printer of the "Newport Mercury," "at the cost price to himself, with a verbal promise that they should not be set up in the town or used to oppose a friend in business who had served him in distress." Southwick opened a shop first in Rehoboth, but on April 1, 1779, mark the day, began with Bennett Wheeler as partner, to publish a newspaper, the "American Journal and General Advertiser," at Updike house, next door to John Carter, who was then located at 21 Meeting Street. Southwick had obtained part of the public printing, another disappointment for Carter, and had taken away from Carter's shop Wheeler, who had worked there as a journeyman printer. Within the year of 1779 the Southwick & Wheeler shop was "removed from the house of Captain John Updike to the store of Mr. Thomas Jones, next door but one to the sign of General Washington, on the west side of the Great Bridge." Solo- mon Southwick had already departed, to resume publication of the "Mercury" at Newport, from which the British withdrew in October, 1779. Bennett Wheeler continued to publish the "Journal and Advertiser" until August 29, 1781. For seven months it had been printed as a semi-weekly. From 1784 to 1803 Wheeler published the "United States Chronicle." He died in 1806, after having been for two years proprietor of a general store. The "Gazette" printed extra editions on October 25, 1781, to announce the capture of Yorktown; on November 8, 1781, the surrender of York and Gloucester ; and on December 3, 1783, was the first American newspaper to report the signing of the treaty of peace with England, thus: "By the brig Don Golvez, Captain Silas Jones, arrived in the river from London, we have received a copy of the long looked for definitive treaty. which we embrace the earliest occasion of announcing to the public." At the end of the Revolution Rhode Island still had two newspapers-the "Newport Mercury" and the "Providence Gazette."
NEWPORT NEWSPAPERS-The first number of the "Mercury" following the evacuation of Newport was issued January 5, 1780, by Solomon Southwick and Henry M. Barber as partners. Southwick was the sole proprietor from 1787 to 1795, and Barber succeeded him, 1795 to 1800. The "Mercury's" competitors for the period were the "Newport Herald," 1787-1791, Peter Edes, editor, printed in opposition to the issuing of paper currency, and discontinued when the controversy had been terminated by ratification of the Federal Consti- tution ; the "United States Chronicle," 1791-1802; the "Rhode Island Museum," six months in 1794; the "Weekly Companion and Commercial Centinel," 1798-1799, and the "Guardian of Liberty," 1800, both published by Oliver Farnsworth as sole proprietor, or by Oliver and Havila Farnsworth. In 1800 Oliver Farnsworth founded the "Rhode Island Republican," with the motto "An indissoluble Union of the States is essential to their liberty and existence." The "Republican" was as short-lived almost as any of the early rivals of the "Mercury"; it was discontinued in 1802. The "Mercury" had no competitor from 1802 until 1809, when William Simons started another "Republican." The second "Republican" was discontinued in 1841, sixteen years after Simons had sold his interest and removed to Providence. The "Rhode Islander" followed the "Republican," issued from the same plant, until it was absorbed in 1846 by the "Herald of the Times."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.