USA > Washington > Douglas County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 2 > Part 77
USA > Washington > Adams County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 2 > Part 77
USA > Washington > Franklin County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 2 > Part 77
USA > Washington > Lincoln County > An illustrated history of the Big Bend country, embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington, pt 2 > Part 77
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May 10, 1901, the Odessa Record, a six- column folio, Republican paper, was established at Odessa. March 14, 1902, the paper was pur- chased by R. S. Crowl, of Grafton, North Da- kota, who soon afterward enlarged it to a seven-column folio and made other improve- ments. During the summer of 1903 Mr. Crowl sold the Record to W. C. Weik, and in the fall of the same year repurchased an interest. It is now published under the firm name of Weik & Crowl.
The first number of the Creston News was issued August 9, 1901. The News was estab- lished by D. Frank Peffley and was a six-col- umn folio, of which two pages were patent. Tuesday night, February 4, 1902, the plant was entirely destroyed by fire. Only small in- surance was carried and the loss to Mr. Peffley was considerable. A new plant was immediate- ly secured and the paper resumed publication. The News is a Republican paper and has re- cently been enlarged, being now a six-solumn folio, all printed at home. Miss Sadie Peffley is business manager.
The Wilbur Sentinel was established Sep- tember 13, 1901. The plant was brought down from Keller, on the south half of the Colville Indian Reservation where it had been used in the publication of the Keller Miner. The Sen- tinel was first published by Robert Robb, M. E. Robb and W. B. Robb, but a short time after
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
its establishment was under the exclusive con- trol of M. E. Robb. It was a seven-column folio, all home print and was independent in politics. The form was soon changed to a five- column quarto. July 1, 1902, the Sentinel was purchased by N. C. Davenport, of Sherman, and has since been of the Democratic per- suasion. The paper is an all home print publi- cation.
At the beginning of the year 1903 the en- terprising business men of Downs decided that a newspaper was something greatly to be de- sired. No newspaper man was to be secure at once and the Downs Business Men's Associa- tion undertook the publication of the Dowens Dispatch. Dr. Frier was made editor in chief of the new enterprise and he was ably assisted by other citizens of the town. The press work was done in the office of the Harrington Citi- sen, the edition being mailed from Downs. June I, 1903, Mr. C. G. Garretson put in a plant at Downs and continued the publication of the Dispatch, James Goodwin being installed as local manager. October 2d Boyd H. Ar- thur purchased the Dispatch and published it until the first of the year when he moved the plant to Edwall and started the press. The people of Downs were not to be without a pa- per, however, and the Business Men's Asso- ciation again began publishing the Dispatch. This they continued until April 1, 1904, when Mr. O. U. Hawkins brought in a plant and the name and good will of the paper were turned over to him. He changed the form of the pa- per from a five-column folio to a four-colunm quarto, with four pages patent.
The Messenger is the name of a weekly re- ligious paper published by C. C. Hammerly from the Outlook office, Almira. The Mes- sengor is devoted to religious news from eastern Washington and Northern Idaho. It was es- tablished February 26, 1903.
Lee McCarty began publishing the News at Almira March 17, 1903. The News was a seven-column folio and Democratic. It was
maintained for little less than a year, when it was sold to C. C. Hammerly, proprietor of the Big Bend Outlook. He disposed of the plant and was again without opposition in the Al- mira field. The News had been established a short time when the plant was destroyed by fire. Mr. McCarty immediately procured a new plant and resumed.
The town of Edwall had a newspaper is- sued within its limits February 13, 1904. Boyd H. Arthur, who for some time previous had been publishing the Downs Dispatch, moved his plant to Edwall and on that date launched the Edwall Press. The Press is a five-column quarto, having six pages of patent matter. It is independent in politics.
EDITORIAL SECTION.
For many years the publishers of Lincoln county followed a throat-cutting system of bid- ding on legal notices that all but ruined the newspaper business in the county. All legal no- tices, whether they ran three weeks or two months, whether they occupied a three inch space or a seven inch space, were published for the same price, and that price was generally too low. This mistake of the publishers was rectified at a meeting of Lincoln county news- paper men held at Davenport, March 10, 1900. The meeting proved very harmonious and a uniform price was decided upon which all agreed to maintain. Thus a source of revenue was opened to the publishers which heretofore had yielded nothing but work.
Not until July, 1902, was there any editor- ial association of publishers organized in the Big Bend country. July 21st a number of newspaper men from Central Washington as- sembled at the Grand Hotel, Spokane, and or- ganized the Big Bend Editorial Association. Those who took part in the formation of this organization were O. B. Setters, of the Rear- dan Gasette; C. G. Garretson, of the Harring- ton Citisen; D. F. Peffley, of the Creston News;
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
Howard Spining, of the Wilbur Register; W. S. Swenson, of the Ritsville Times; A. A. Mc- Intyre, of the Big Bend Chief; J. F. Dealy, of the Hatton Hustler; R. D. Anderson, of the Sprague Times; and L. A. Inkster, of the Lin- colu County Times. A constitution and by-laws were adopted and an organization was put on foot which has resulted in good for the publish- ers interested. The second annual meeting of the association was held at Davenport, Monday, March 27, 1903.
A business meeting was held at the rooms of the Commercial Club in the afternoon, and a reception and banquet was tendered the edit- ors in the evening at the Hotel Vendome by the Commercial Club. . Those in attendance were O. B. Setters, Howard Spining, D. Frank Peffley, R. S. Crowl, C. C. Hammerly, L. A. Inkster, James Odgers.
The business meeting was a very interesting one, many papers of value to the fraternity be- ing read. The banquet in the evening was at- tended by the editors and all the prominent business men of Davenport and their wives, and was a most enjoyable affair. The following officers were elected: James Odgers, presi- dent ; Howard Spining, vice-president : L. A. Inkster, secretary; C. G. Garretson, treasurer.
The editors performed a good day's work in Davenport, both for themselves and the pub- lic, in getting together and considering those questions which they constantly have to meet in the discharge of their duties as newspaper men.
DOUGLAS COUNTY.
Douglas, not having been settled until sev- eral years later than its neighboring county, Lincoln, and not yet having reached the im- portance enjoyed by the latter owing to its more thickly populated condition, has not enjoyed such a varied experience in the newspaper line. Sixteen weeklies and one monthly publication have been established within the boundaries of
the county, and of this number seven weeklies are published at the present writing.
The first paper published in Douglas coun- ty was the Big Bend Empire, which was for the first time printed February 16, 1888, at Waterville. The Empire was established by L. E. Kellogg, who is certainly entitled to rank as one of the pioneer newspaper men of eastern Washington. He is a native of Ohio, having been born at Ashtabula, August 3, 1850. He received a common school education, taught school, and after serving his apprenticeship on country newspapers, he turned his face toward Washington territory in 1876. He came to Colfax, Whitman county, and formed a part- nership with Charles B. Hopkins. They es- tablished the Palouse Gasette that year, the first newspaper published in Washington north of the Snake river. He continued to publish the Gazette for two years, when he sold his interest to his partner and started the North- west Tribune, which paper he afterward re- moved to Cheney.
It was during the winter of 1887-8 that Mr. Kellogg decided to put in a paper in the western Big Bend. He brought his plant to Ritzville, and from there he started out for Waterville with his army press and type, by wgaon across the trackless desert country. In- cidental to the trip was the breaking down of the wagons, becoming snow-bound, the ex- hausting of food and fuel, and finally the aban- donment of the entire outfit, while the teamsters made their way into Waterville for assistance. But Mr. Kellogg was accustomed to pioneering by this time, and the little inconvenience such as he encountered on the way did not deter him from his purpose of flying a newspaper in Waterville. February 16, 1888, the first num- ber was issued, a six column folio, of which two pages were patent. Although Mr. Kellogg has always been an ardent Republican he believed that the pioneer paper of Waterville should de- vote its whole energy to the upbuilding of the town and county, and the Empire held a neu-
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
tral course in politics until the opposing party had an organ, when it immediately announced itself a Republican paper and such it has re- mained since. The first few months of the Empire's existence were anything but profit- able. Waterville, at the time the paper was started, consisted of only five or six buildings and it was a bold undertaking to attempt to make a living from the proceeds. The old army press was worn out and had to be re- placed. Mr. Kellogg had no money with which to purchase another ; neither did any of the set- tlers in the vicinity. One day, so goes the story, Mr. Kellogg went to his friend, R. S. Steiner, and related his troubles; how it would be necessary to get a new press if the Empire was to continue publication ; and how he could get the new machine if he had only $50 with which to make the first payment. Mr. Steiner did not have the money, but he said there was a man living at Douglas named Fitzgerald who generally had money, and it might be possible to get it there. A note for the amount was made out in favor of Mr. Fitzgerald and joint- ly signed by Mr. Kellogg and Mr. Steiner. The editor then left to look up the man who was alleged to have money, and although a perfect stranger, Mr. Kellogg secured the necessary $50 and in due time secured his new press.
The healthy growth of Waterville during the summer and fall of 1888 had its effect on the fortunes of the Empire, and on September 6th it was enlarged to an eight-column folio. Advertising patronage increased and May 30, of the following year the Empire became all home print and was printed from new type, which greatly improved the appearance. In the fall of 1889 it again returned to its patent pages and it was not until the fall of 1891 that it again became an all- home print paper, which form it retained for several years, in 1892, being increased to seven columns. June 25, 1891, Mr. Kellogg retired from the management of the paper, selling to D. C. De Galia, who was, also, the owner of
the Waterville Immigrant. The new owner discontinued the latter paper upon assuming charge of the Empire. Mr. De Galia left the Empire September 7, 1893, leasing the plant to Joseph G. Tuttle, who had been employed on the paper a year past. September 1, 1894, the plant was purchased by Edward Johnson, who was also the editor and proprietor of the Doug- las County Democrat. It was his intention to conduct the Empire as an organ of the People's party, but he allowed the journal to continue as a Republican paper during the campaign, it being ably conducted during this period by Frank M. Dallam and Joseph G. Tuttle. In December, 1894, Mr. Johnson, who now owned both the Democrot and Empire, consolidated the two and publication was continued as the Empire. The paper was leased at this time by Fred McDermott and Joseph G. Tuttle, the former being editor and the latter business manager. At the termination of a one year's lease these gentlemen purchased the plant and conducted it as partners until December 7, 1899, when Mr. Tuttle purchased his partner's interest. During these years the Empire was issued part of the time as a six-column folio, and again as a seven-column folio. August 13, 1903, the size was increased to an eight-column folio, patent outsides, which form it still re- tains.
The second paper to be printed in Douglas county was the Waterville Immigrant. This was started by Jerry Nunan, March 23, 1889. The Immigrant was a seven-column folio and was launched during the propserous days of Waterville and the Big Bend country. In Oc- tober, 1890, Mr. Edward Johnson, of Spokane Falls, and D. C. De Galia purchased the plant from Mr. Nunan and continued the publica- tion until June, 1891. At that time Mr. De Galia became the owner of the Empire and the two Waterville papers were consolidated and run under the Empire heading.
Orondo, the town which "held the key," but which, it may be added, never unlocked
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
anything, had a paper in the early days which under the management of Dr. J. B. Smith tried hard to secure a proper recognition of the claims of Orondo. This was the Orondo News. Dr. Smith purchased the old Empire plant and in July, 1889, issued the first number of his paper. Orondo was the smallest town in the Territory at the time supporting a news- paper, and it is doubtful if a smaller town ever had a paper published in it for so long a time as had this Columbia river town. There were other factors which combined to make a repu- tation for the News. It appears on good au- thority that the editor of that journal was a poet. But unlike so many other newspaper men who are poets, Dr. Smith persisted in publishing his effusions, in' oppositon to pro- tests from all over the country. Dr. Smith was aggressive to a remarkable degree and was tender of criticism. However, he could give and take with a fairly good grace, and usually gave more than he received. All of these things taken together made the News a highly interesting and picturesque paper. It was no Sunday school picnic, this conducting a news- paper at Orondo. The following from the Big Bend Empire of March, 1895, tells a part of the story concerning the struggles of the Nezus:
"About the time the first gentle zephyrs of an impending boom were wafted up the Column- bia, and it was discovered that 'Orondo held the key,' that the world might know this fact, it was decided that Mr. Charles Preston, an AI printer, and all-around newspaper man who had become charmed with the location of Orondo, should order a plant and began the publication of a newspaper. A part of the outfit to used in the jobbing de- partment was ordered from the east, and the first plant of the pioneer Douglas county paper-the Empire-which was about to be discarded for a better dress. was purchased. Some delays were occasioned, dur- ing which time Mr. Preston decided not to
go into the venture on his own responsibility, and Dr. Smith stepped in. Along about July, 1889, the Orondo News was born. A fellow by the name of Lyons put up the type for a time, after which came a printer and his wife, named Gillihan, who jumped the job in the course of a few weeks. It was reported that he was obliged to take his salary in Orondo town lots. Mr. Preston again went on, get- ting the paper out until about the latter part of April, 1890, when he was called as a witness in a case at Conconully. One page of the News had been set up and printed, the other half remaining to be done, but off to the Okan- ogan county seat the printer had to go. He was absent three or four weeks.
"Meantime Dr. Smith, who, we believe, was on one of his occasional meanderings up the Entiat or down to Wenatchee, returned after about ten days, and finding two weeks' papers unprinted and the printer gone, he pulled out for Waterville to secure help. From Waterville the doctor wandered out over the prairie, tramping something like 30 miles in one day. Just at moonrise he found the house of Fred McDermott, who, taking compassion upon the doctor, and being moved by the piti- fulness of the situation, went down in a day or two and the Orondo News was again re- vived, the sheet appearing with the title page bearing one date and the local that of three weeks later. The only serious question, if we remember, was that of the volume number, it finally being decided to make a statement to such effect, and count them all in, for in after years, when Orondo should have become a city of metropolitan dimensions it might be im- portant to have the age of its pioneer journal trully and accurately without lapse or mis- calculation."
The News struggled on until November, 1890, when it suspended.
The second oldest paper in the county is the Coulee City News. It was started June 20, 1890, by James Odgers. This was before
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
the Central Washington railway had extended to Coulee City and the plant was carted to its place of publication from Almira. The News from its inception was a very healthy publi- cation, and that the people of the new and en- terprising town were in sympathy with the en- terprise was manifested in the liberal support the paper received from the outset.
The News and its proprietor did much for settlement of Douglas county. Being there before the railroad they helped to blaze the way and make the path straight for those who followed. The News was a staunch Republi- can paper up to the campaign of 1896, when it supported the Democratic ticket and ul- timately landed in the Democratic camp. While Mr. Odgers was proprietor of the Newes until 1903, there were several parties who tried their hand at the editorial desk. In May, 1893, J. S. Sinclair leased the plant and continued to issue it off and on until December, 1894. These were trying times for newspaper men in Washington and several times the Newes suspended, only to be resurrected again and again struggle for an existence. Mr. Odgers again becoming editor in December, 1894, con- tinued to direct the utterances of the News until August 24, 1900, when he went to Dav- enport to establish the Tribune. Lee Odgers then conducted the News until February 15, 1901, when N. E. Barnett leased the plant. The first of the year 1902 Mr. Barnett in- creased the size of the paper from a five-column folio to a six-column folio, two pages being printed at home. From September 16, 1902 to February 24, 1903 D. J. Jones conducted the paper for Mr. Odgers. February 24, 1903. Mr. Odgers sold the Newes to Dan J. Jones who still owns and edits it. Upon Mr. Jones as- suming ownership the News was again made a Republican organ.
Following the suspension of the Orondo Neres Dr. J. B. Smith removed the plant to Waterville and in the spring of 1891 started the Douglas County Democrat. For a time
he edited the paper, but later it passed into the hands of J. J. Graves, an experienced news- paper man. In 1894 we find the Democrat owned by Edward Johnson. Up to the spring of 1894 the paper was, as its name implied, Democratic, but the Populists of Waterville at this time being anxious to con- trol an organ, made overtures to the Democrat publisher and as a result that paper at once became intensely populistic in its utterances. December 1, 1894, Mr. Johnson purchased the Empire and discontinued the publication of the Democrat.
The Rock Island Sun was the name of a Republican campaign sheet published at Rock Island, in Douglas county, from August, 1892, until after the election of that year, by Pen- rose & Adams. This plant was moved to Waterville and the Index started.
Another journal which participated in the campaign of 1892 was The Eye, the initial number of which appeared in September. In November it suspended. The Eye looked out for the interests of the People's party and was edited by E. P. Tyler.
The Bridgeport Standard was established in November, 1892, by T. P. Hopp, and was published for a number of years. In 1894 the Standard suspended publication and the plant was taken to Conconully to replace the Okanogan Outlook plant destroyed in the floods. Mr. Hopp re-established the Standard that fall, purchasing a complete new outfit, and continued publication of the paper for several years.
In the fall of 1892 John James Graves purchased the plant of the Rock Island Sun and transported it to Waterville where, on December 3d he established the Waterville Index, a six-column "folio, an all-home print paper. The Index was intensely Democratic and Mr. Graves, who was a journalist with an experience of twenty years, succeeded in giv- ing Waterville a very creditable paper. In January, 1895, E. R. Tyler, the former pub-
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lisher of The Eye, purchased the Index and ·conducted it on Populistic principles. Dr. J. B. Smith, the erstwhile publisher of the Orondo News, again broke into the newspaper field and secured control of the Index after it had for a time been conducted by Mr. Tyler. In August, 1898, the plant was purchased by Harry Nunan, who, also, had formerly been engaged in newspaper work in Douglas coun- ty. The new proprietor conducted the Index until the following spring, when he took the plant to Seattle.
From December 3, 1892, until December 27, 1901, a period of nine years, not a news- paper was established in Douglas county. This period represented the times of depression and the newspaper business is the first to feel the effects of these conditions. Although no new ones were placed on their feet several which had been previously started were suspended. It was December 27, 1901, that A. A. Mc- Intyre printed the first number of the Big Bend Chief at Wilsoncreek. It was a five- column quarto with four pages of patent mat- ter. November 27, 1903, the Chief was pur- chased by Barney Martin, who still conducts it. The Chief, since its founding, has been an independent paper.
The Hartline Standard was established April II, 1902, by Spining & Bassett, who were at that time publishers, also, of the Wil- bur Register. The Standard was established as a five-column quarto with four pages of patent matter, which is the form it still retains. William Baillie was installed as editor and local business manager. August 8th of the same year, Richard F. Steele assumed charge and remained with the Standard until April 10, 1903, when A. P. Rose took charge. Au- gust 21, 1903, W. H. Hughes became the local manager for Spining & Bassett. Mr. Bassett sold his interest in the newspaper business to his partner August 2, 1903, and on the 15th day of January, 1904, Mr. Hughes bought the Standard plant from Howard Spining.
The Coulee City Review was a newspaper established in Coulee City May 16, 1902, by Spining & Bassett. The Review was a four- column quarto, carrying four pages of patent matter. For nearly a year F. C. Gibson was. the local manager of the paper, he being suc- ceeded March 20, 1903, by A. P. Rose. Mr .. Rose left after only a few weeks' service on the. Review to take charge of the Hartline Stan- dard, and his place was taken by J. Gould. Publication of the Review was suspended in May, 1903, and the plant was shipped to Wilbur.
From the spring of 1899 until August 7, 1902, the Big Bend Empire alone occupied the newspaper field of Waterville. On the latter date Trimble & Jacobson put forth a Demo- cratic paper in the county seat town. This was the Douglas County Press, a five-column quarto, four pages being printed at home. April 9. 1903, Ben Spear purchased Mr. Jacobson's interest and the publishing firm be- came Trimble & Spear. March 3, 1904, Mr. Spear purchased his partner's interest and now publishes the Press, the only Democratic paper in Douglas county.
Arthur W. Henning for a time published at Wilsoncreek a monthly journal devoted to farming interests. This was the Northwest Review and it made its first appearance in No- vember, 1902. Mr. Henning did not put in a plant, the press work being done in Spokane
In July, 1903, D. C. Ashmun, of Enum- claw, decided that Quincy was large enough to support a newspaper and ' he accordingly started the Quincy Record. In October, S. Gardner Shaw was installed as manager of the paper. Financially the Record was not a suc- cess and after a few months publication was suspended. January 1, 1904, Mr. Shaw se- cured possession of the plant and resumed pub- lication under the name of the Quincy Quill. The Quill is a four-column, six-page paper and is all printed at home.
B. N. Kennedy established the Bridgeport
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HISTORY OF THE BIG BEND COUNTRY.
Post April 1, 1904. The Post is a six-column folio with two patent pages and is Republi- can in politics.
ADAMS COUNTY.
The first newspaper printed in Adams county was taken from the press May 12, 1885. This paper was labeled Adams County Record, and it was printed from an outfit brought to Ritzville`by G. E. Blankenship, who is now a resident of Olympia. The starting of this pio- neer paper could not have been done with the idea of "filling a long felt want." Ritzville, at that date could not boast of over 100 popula- tion, and it is doubtful if the whole of Adams county could muster 400 men, women and chil- dren. Mr. Blankenship conducted the paper only a few months, selling to J. B. Whittlesey and S. A. Wells. The former was the North- ern Pacific station agent and the latter an at- torney who had taken an active part in the af- fairs relating to Ritzville and Adams county. The Record continued to be published by Messrs. Whittlesey and Wells until January or February, 1887, when it was suspended.
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