USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Providence > State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the end of the century : a history, Volume 2 > Part 59
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The Clarion, or Bristol County Advertiser, was established about December 1, 1823. In number 27, dated May 22, 1824, the editor, Samuel Randall, said: "The Clarion has been transferred to us by the late editor", and solieited the patronage of the public. The paper was printed by Levi Luther and published from the office of the Gospel Palladium. In May, 1840, The Bristol Eagle, a small sheet, was started by C. A. Greene and T. Rutherford ; it lived only one year.
The town of Warren had a printing office before the beginning of the last eentury, when, in 1792, Nathaniel Phillips began the publiea- tion of a paper ealled the Herald of the United States. His office was situated on "Main street opposite Cole's Inn", as the imprint reads. In 1808 this business was transferred to John F. Phillips, son of Na- thaniel, and the paper suspended in 1812.
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In 1809, on the 11th of March, appeared the first number of the Bristol County Register, a weekly paper. No name of editor or pub- lisher appears in the paper, one volume of which is preserved in the R. I. Historical Society library. The first number contains "An address to the Publick", in the which the purpose of the paper is declared to be "to circulate correct views of the pursuit and policy of our own government, and wholly to keep up the independence of our own nation". It was a Whig organ.
The firm of Mason & Bird started The Columbian Post-Boy in 1812, but it lived only one year. On November 6, 1813, Samuel Randall began the publication of The Telescope, which he continued until 1817. In the latter part of April, 1825, he again issued a small paper, bearing the title, The Telegraph ; the second number, preserved in the Rhode Island Historical Society library, bears date March 2, 1825. This paper lived only one year. In 1823 Reuben Potter started the Clarion. Six months later he sold out to Samuel Randall, who gave up the undertaking at the end of another six months.
The last issue of The Telegraph, before mentioned, contained the prospectus of a paper that was to succeed it. This was the Northern Star, published by Samuel Fowler and Charles Randall, a nephew of Judge Samuel Randall. Mr. Randall became sole proprietor a few years later, and in 1855 the good will of the establishment was pur- chased by Albert R. Cooke ; the paper was discontinued, and Mr. Cooke began the issue of a semi-weekly paper, called the Rhode Island Tele- graph. A semi-weekly publication could not be sustained, and it was soon made a weekly, and was sold in 1859 to Edwin F. Applegate. The paper was suspended in 1862.
In 1867 Capt. James W. Barton founded the Warren Gazette. In 1876 ill health compelled him to relinquish business and the establish- ment was sold to George H. Coomer & Co. Three years later the estab- lishment was purchased by William H. Martin, who has successfully conducted the paper to the present time.
In the year 1849 John B. Lincoln established a printing office in Phenix village, the material having been purchased by the owner of the Spencer block and leased to Lincoln. In May, 1850, he began the publication of The Kent County Atlas, which received popular local encouragement. Although Mr. Lincoln was a good practical printer, he was unable to make his venture a permanent financial success, and in 1852 the citizens of East Greenwich purchased his plant and on July 3 of that year he issued the first number of his paper from that village, retaining the former title. Failure soon followed here also, and in 1854 William N. Sherman purchased the plant and on May 27 of that year began the publication of the Rhode Island Pendulum. Between that date and January 1, 1900, this paper had many owners and editors, among them Charles Carroll, Frank S. Adams, Josiah B. Bow-
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ditch and William B. Streeter. On the date last named A. W. Laugh- lin purchased the establishment from Mr. Streeter, and has since ably conducted this journal, which has had an existence of nearly half a century.
In 1879 the East Greenwich Enterprise was started by Thomas C. Brown, who continued it less than two years, when it was sold to the proprietor of the Pendulum and merged with that paper.
Several school papers have been published by the East Greenwich Academy in recent years. The Trio was one that made its appearance in 1879 and continued several years, and the Academian is now in existence and has been published a number of years.
After Mr. Lincoln removed his printing office from Phenix, as before stated, and in 1860, Moses W. Collins began printing in that village, and on November 1, of that year, issued the first number of The Phenix Weekly Journal; the first three numbers bore no name of editor or publisher. The number dated December 19, 1861, appeared with the name of Ira O. Seamans as editor and proprietor. The paper was continued about one year, when the plant was sold to E. L. Freeman, then of Central Falls.
On February 22, 1876, Reuben E. Capron and John H. Campbell (Capron & Campbell) began printing at Harris, and on March 25 of that year, published the first number of The Pawtuxet Valley Gleaner. On August 1, 1878, Mr. Capron sold his interest to his partner, who is still publishing an excellent country weekly in his own building, crected for the purpose.
The removal of the plant of The Westerly Journal to Arctic has been noticed. Frank H. Campbell, who had published the Journal, started, on July 2, 1892, The Pawtuxet Valley Daily Times, which he has published at Arctic since. The paper is capably edited and supports Republican principles.
The first paper in South Kingstown was published in Wakefield, June 12, 1858, with the title, The South County Journal. Duncan Gillies was announced as publisher, with Thomas P. Wells, Isaac M. Church, and A. G. Palmer, associates. One June 11, 1859, the name of the paper was changed to The Narragansett Times, with Thomas P. Wells, publisher ; he was succeeded April 26, 1861, by David Dunlop. Mr. Gillies had returned to his Scotland home, but in August, 1864, he came back by urgent request and became the owner and publisher of the paper, which he continued until his death in August, 1881. The establishment was burned in April, 1880, but was immediately re- newed. Upon the death of Mr. Gillies his sons took charge of the busi- ness (D. Gillies' Sons), and have continued it to the present time.
The vast improvements made in the art of printing and its allied industries in this country since the first incagre outfit was brought into Rhode Island, have already been briefly alluded to in this chapter.
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Some of the details of these improvements as they have been gradually developed in this State are not without historical interest. The form and construction of the ancient printing presses of James Franklin and his distinguished brother are well understood by persons familiar with the art. They were operated only by hard labor and their daily product was extremely limited. The press was made mostly of wood, with an iron screw to produce the impression. On such a press less than 200 small sheets could be produced in an hour. If the sheet was longer than the bed of the press, two impressions were necessary to complete it. The inventive genius of the Yankee soon took hold of the printing press problem; the iron frame, with powerful lever and knuckle joint to produce the impression, constituted an important for- ward step; but even these presses were crude and slow at first; still it should not, therefore, be inferred that most excellent work could not be produced on them, for it is difficult even at the present day to excel some of the beautiful printing of the old masters of the art. It was on one of those improved hand presses that the Providence Journal and other early publications were printed when the Journal was started in 1829. In 1836 one of the then celebrated Adams bed and platen power presses was introduced in the Journal office; this was a remarkable machine and kept its place, especially for book work, for nearly half a century. By producing the impression on a flat bed, the best of work could be done, while the operation of the bed and platen by rotary motion greatly increased the speed. About 800 impressions per hour were easily produced. The old Adams press in the Journal office was turned by hand power until 1856, when a steam engine was installed, and also one of Hoe's early cylinder presses. As is well known, the impression on all of the cylinder presses now in use (and they include almost the entire range of printing machines), is given by an iron cylinder turning above a flat bed or against another cylinder, the flat bed having a reciprocating motion. This plan opened the way to far greater speed, but still the early single cylinder presses produced only about 1,000 impressions per hour. To further increase capacity the Hoes brought out their double cylinder press, using two cylinders above one bed, whichi doubled the output; one of these was placed in the Journal, and as the circulation of the paper increased, presses of still greater capacity were installed. Finally, when inventive genius had perfected what is known as the web press, which prints from a continuous roll of paper, and cuts, pastes and folds the sheets as they pour in a rapidly flowing stream from the wonderful machine, one of the best of these was placed in the Journal office, and has been added to the equipment of the Telegram establishment, and other prosperous daily newspaper plants in the State. The use of this kind of press involves a stereotyping plant, as the sheets are printed from a curved
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plate, cast from the type, and fitted around the surface of one or more of the cylinders.
Another very important feature of daily newspaper work in Rhode Island to-day, is the almost entire abolition of type-setting by hand. After years of effort and the expenditure of large sums of money, ruining his health and contributing to his recent death, Otto Mergen- thaler, of New York, perfected the so-called linotype machine which bears his name. The operator works upon a key-board, causing the rapid placing in line of brass dies of the letters, from each line of which is cast a solid line with the words upon one of its edges ; these are placed in columns and used thereafter the same as type. This. wonderful piece of mechanism seems almost endowed with thought, and no person interested in mechanics can spend an hour more profit- ably than in witnessing its beautiful and effective operation. One or more of these machines is operated in most of the large printing establishments of the State.
Most successful daily and weekly newspapers carry more or less. illustrations ; these are made possible only through the great improve- ments and inventions of comparatively recent years. All such pic- tures in former times were made only by engraving them on wood, at great expense, from which an electrotype was made. The printing was done from this copper-faced plate, thus saving wear and other damage to the wooden block. Early wood engraving in this State was. very crude, as seen by the cut used in the title to the Newport Mercury. But artists rapidly advanced in their skill and methods, until wood- engraving became, and still is, one of the most beautiful and effective means of art-expression. But it is very costly. Finally, and just when the necessity was at its highest, ingenious inventors and experi- menters found a method of making a metal reproduction of a photo- graph by a process too intricate to be explained here, and at nominal cost. This is one of the great art achievements of modern times in its: relation to newspapers, books and periodicals; the illustration of all of these was at once revolutionized. By this beautiful half-tone pro- cess, as it is commonly called, any photograph or black and white drawing can be faithfully duplicated in a few hours, ready for the printing press, and instead of paying from ten or twenty to a hundred or more dollars for a wood-engraved portrait or other picture, the publisher obtains an exact reproduction of the photograph for a mere fraction of such figures. Half-tone work is now produced in a number of large establishments in the cities.
Facilities for obtaining late news in the early years of the journalism of the State were very meagre, and it would seem that more effort was expended in securing and printing foreign advices, than in affairs of our own country. We look in vain in the papers of those times for New England news, unless it was the brief notice of some important
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national event, while of what would now be termed local news, Rhode Island affairs in Providence or Newport, there is almost nothing to be found. The slow-going mails were the only resource of the editor, and Providence and Newport papers appeared regularly containing infor- mation that was printed a day earlier in New York journals. Rhode Island publishers were not exceptionally slow in this respect, and measures for improvement were adopted here about as early as any- where. The Providence Journal, previous to 1840, organized expresses to aid in gathering election returns, sending them to Boston for this purpose, where the Atlas was noted for its enterprise. In 1840, when it appeared that the triumph of the Whig party depended on the result in Pennsylvania, the Atlas sent expresses over the whole State, char- tered a steamboat to bring the news to Providence, where it was sup- plied to the Journal and carried forward to Boston by riders with relays of horses. And when the day line was established from New York to Boston by way of the Sound, Norwich and Worcester and the Worcester and Boston railroads, the Providence Journal regularly expressed New York morning papers from Danielsonville, Conn. Ad- ditional and more rapid-running railroads gradually improved these conditions and finally, in 1848, the telegraph began operation between Providence and New York, just in time to supply news of the presiden- tial election of that year. The marvelous growth and improvement in facilities and methods in news-gathering since that time, the laying of the Atlantic cable, the formation of various press associations, etc., are well understood.
The newspapers of Rhode Island that have become permanent insti- tutions have an average of high standing in the broad field of journal- ism at the present time, in the closing years of the century. Their most conspicuous characteristic, speaking in general terms, is, perhaps, their freedom from unworthy literature, scandal, and the like, and the general efficiency of their editorial management. The large reading public of this State has never shown much disposition to accept news- papers the contents of which were not suited to the family circle, and the universal law of supply and demand has here accomplished the usual result.
The Growth of the Library.
CHAPTER VI.
THE GROWTH OF THE LIBRARY.
The establishment of libraries in the early years of colonial life in New England constituted a part of the feeble and vacillating efforts for the promotion of education and the diffusion of knowledge-efforts which, to a great extent, emanated from, and were instigated by, the clergy, and the institutions were in many instances dependent upon some kind of church connection or influence for their existence and growth. In later years by far the larger part of the libraries of Rhode Island, as well as of other New England States, were made an important part of the educational system, and their establishment and development received watchful attention and energetic action from the school authorities.
The first public library founded in Rhode Island was a parochial institution located in Newport, where it was established, in 1700, through the efforts of Rev. Thomas Bray, a minister of the Church of England. It contained less than one hundred books, fifty-seven of which were of a theological character for the use of preachers, and forty-two of similar character for a "layman's library"; besides these books there were about one hundred pastoral letters. The reader of those days sought in vain, if he sought at all, for literature to amuse; books were printed solely to instruct and to inculcate religious truths and doctrines.1
The second library in the Colony originated in the formation of a society by Bishop Berkeley, in Newport, for the purpose of discussing philosophical subjects and collecting books. Prominent in the found- ing of this society, and long one of its most active officers, was Edward Scott, a granduncle of Sir Walter Scott. He taught for many years a classical school in Newport and held public office. As one of the important purposes of this society was "the promotion of knowledge and virtue", the gathering of a library came to be considered by the
1Prof. J. F. Jameson, in the Rhode Island Historical Society's Quarterly for January, 1887, calls this library the "first public library established within this colony", and gives a catalogue of books sent November 12, 1701, "by Mr. Lockier to augment the Library at Rhode Island in America". There were only six of these and all were of a religious character. The Annals of Trinity Church, Newport, mention the existence of a parochial library there in 1709.
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members as one of the most influential measures they could adopt for that object. Ultimately the holding of debates ceased and the whole energies of the association were devoted to the accumulation of books. This work attracted the attention of Abraham Redwood as early as 1747, and he gave £500 with which to purchase books in London, at the same time advocating the erection of a building suitable for their preservation. In August of that year the Redwood Library Company was incorporated by the General Assembly. Plans for the beautiful Doric structure of the Redwood Library were drawn by Peter Harri- son, an eminent English architect, to which additions were subse- quently made to bring the building to its present form. This structure was somewhat damaged in the Revolutionary War and some of the books were carried away by the British soldiers. The General Assem- bly met in the building on September 11, 1780, the state house being unfit for the purpose on account of it having been occupied by the enemy, in common with all of the churches excepting Trinity. The library and the company were left in a discouraging condition, but a disposition was at once manifested to improve it; to this end a commit- tee was appointed in September, 1785, to procure from the General Assembly a renewal of the charter, which would restore the institution to its former condition, and under which it could be permanently established. This measure was not accomplished until 1790, when the Assembly granted the petition for a charter, and an amendment was made in the following year. In order to raise necessary funds for the library, application was made to the Legislature in 1806 for the privilege of raising $3,000 by a lottery, and for the admission of thirty new members upon their payment of $25 each. In 1813 Solomon Southwick, then of Albany, presented the library with one hundred and twenty acres of land in New York State, one purpose of which was to perpetuate the memory of Henry Collins, one of the founders of the library. In 1834 the institution received a further donation from Abraham Redwood, of England, in honor of his distinguished grandfather, its founder; this gift consisted of the Redwood homestead estate, in Newport, which the donor had inherited from his father, Jonas L. Redwood. In 1837 Baron Hollinguer, a wealthy banker in Paris, France, gave 1,000 francs to aid in improving the library building; and in 1844 Christopher G. Champlin bequeathed to the company $100 and some valuable books. In the same year Judah Touro, then a resident of New Orleans, but formerly of Newport, made a donation to the institution of $1,000; in 1854, at his death, it was found that he had bequeathed the further sum of $3,000 for the benefit of the library. In addition to all of these gifts, and others, there have been received by the library, from time to time, many valuable paint- ings, manuscripts, pamphlets, engravings, statues, etc.
In 1856 the charter of the company was so amended as to allow it
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to elect from its members at the annual meetings a president and eleven directors, instead of five as before. In 1861 an additional act was passed authorizing the corporation to elect annually a vice- president, and not to exceed eight directors. Again, in January, 1867, an act was passed by the Legislature granting the right to issue so- called "preferred shares", and to increase the number of directors to twenty-five. After various additions and improvements had been made to the buiding, a new structure of stone and brick was completed in the early part of 1876, giving the library a beautiful home that is
REDWOOD LIBRARY BUILDING. The General Assembly of Rhode Island met in this building September 11, 1780.
well adapted to its purpose. Founded in colonial times by a man whose foresight and liberality were in advance of his day, this historic institution has been upheld under all circumstances and conditions by enlightened public spirit, and has conferred inestimable benefit upon the community during more than a century of existence.
The first catalogue of Redwood Library was printed in 1764, pre- pared by Elnathan Hammond, showing 1,516 volumes. The appendix to the second catalogue, printed in 1829, contained 1,067 volumes, and
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was prepared by the librarian, Robert Rogers. The third catalogue was issued in 1843, and was prepared by Christopher G. Perry, David King, Mr. Prioleau (of South Carolina), and Nathan H. Gould; it contained then 4,047 volumes. A fourth catalogue was printed in 1858 by Benjamin E. Thurston, under direction of the library board, and was finished in 1859 by Benjamin H. Rhoades, librarian, and included 9,504 volumes. Additions have been made since that date, from year to year, until now the library contains nearly 50,000 volumes.
Among the other very early libraries in the State. was one which was established in Glocester in 1794, for the incorporation of which sixty-four persons petitioned the Assembly. It was named The Union Library Company, and was authorized to hold property to the value of $5,000. Books were purchased and kept in a private school house at Chepachet. The library continued in existence about thirty years, when it declined and the remaining books were divided among the owners.
Other early libraries of which little can now be learned was one established by the Johnston Library Company and incorporated in 1794, which was in existence later than 1815; the West Greenwich Library Society was incorporated in June, 1804, and the Foster Social Library Company was chartered in February, 1806; the Scituate United Library was incorporated in 1808 and continued many years; the Foster West Library Society received a charter in 1830, and in June, 1847, the Foster Manton Library Society was organized and united its interests with the old Social Library; the Burrillville Library Company was chartered in January, 1822, and the Lime Rock Library, Smithfield, was incorporated in 1838.
The Act of the General Assembly of January, 1840, provided that the school committee in each town might apportion out of the school money distributed to each district the sum of $10 for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a district school library, "for the use of the children therein". Following this, and as part of his labor in the interest of the schools of the State, Henry Barnard, who was appointed by the governor, in 1843, as an agent to investigate the condition of the schools and afterwards served as school commissioner, devoted much effort to the establishment and encouragement of school and other libraries.
Among the many libraries established directly after the appointment of Mr. Barnard, before mentioned, and largely through his influence, were one in Portsmouth, towards which Miss Sarah Gibbs donated $100, and others in Burrillville, Glocester, Cranston, Hopkinton, Rich- mond, Charlestown, Exeter, Little Compton, New Shoreham, and per- haps others. In 1848 there were in North Providence four small libraries in four school districts, two of them in the then village of
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Pawtucket. In Smithfield was founded, in 1847, the Lonsdale Athenæum, with 900 volumes, and the Slatersville Lyceum, with 750 volumes. Between 1840 and 1850 there were small libraries at Globe Village, Woonsocket; at Hamlet, and at Bernon. The late Amasa Manton contributed money to many libraries in various towns, and they were given his name. Many of these, after conferring more or less benefit on the communities where they were established, either passed out of existence or became absorbed in later institutions.
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