USA > Wisconsin > Sauk County > The history of Sauk County, Wisconsin, containing an account of settlement, growth, development and resources biographical sketches the whole preceded by a history of Wisconsin > Part 62
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* The Prouty press was patented about three years ago by the Rev. E. Prouty, of Mazo Manle. The first one was manufactured in Bara- boo, at the foundry of W. F. Wackler, and is now in use in Mazo Manie. Quite a number of them were made in the same foundry, and are being used in the offices of interior papers. The manufacture of thesc presses is now carried on in Madison. Mr. Prouty's patent is upon the move- ment of the cylinder the bed of the press remaining stationary.
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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
The Sauk County Democrat-An eight-column weekly newspaper, issued at Baraboo on Saturdays, by Joshua G. Ford. The Democrat, which in politics is all its name indicates- being, in fact, nothing if not a Democratic organ-was established January 31, 1880. Mr. Ford is a veteran newspaper publisher, having been almost continuously in the business for the past thirty years. He published the Southern Shield at Owensburg, Ky., for many years sub- sequent to 1856. The Democrat is a good local paper. Price, $1.50 per annum.
The Wheelbarrow Express .- Was the title of a seven-by-nine sheet perpetrated by Cyrus H. McLaughlin in the fifties, after his return from the West. The little nondescript bristled with spice and jokes. Mclaughlin, like many another man, had his enemies, and he made vigorous use of the Express as the whip or mentor, wielded in the form of ridicule, with which he punished them. The paper was short-lived.
SAUK CITY.
Pioneer and Wisconsin .- The initial number of this paper was issued November 23, 1853, L. Joachime & Co. being the publishers, with C. Duerr as editor. It was located at the com- mencement of its existence in the place, Sauk City, where it yet remains. The first issue, and many subsequent issues, were five-column and quarto in size. In the salutatory, the editor speaks at large of the difficulties besetting the enterprise at such an early day, and alludes to the toils and deprivations of the pioneer as an illustration applicable to the character of the undertaking and position of the paper. He announces that the paper " will be Independent in politics, siding with parties only according to the demands of justice and the necessities of the times, and shall maintain the same position with regard to all other topics." The paper was edited in a fairly vigorous style from the first, and took sides strongly against slavery and pro-slavery laws, although leaning clearly to the side of Democracy and general Democratic interests.
April 21, 1855, the paper became the property of C. Kuntz. The new editor announced to the people that he would maintain the principle of independence in politics-that he would oppose slavery with might and main, and go against temperance fanaticism and Know-Nothing- ism with all his strength. He also speaks of the paper as the first publication on the banks of the Wisconsin, and further says that " it will doubtless have to fight for existence, like every- thing else in a new country.". The paper, having been enlarged to six columns, with four columns printed in English, June 1, 1854, previous to Mr. Kuntz's ownership, was continued the same in size, but without anything printed in English.
Messrs. Kohn & Baumann bought out Mr. Kuntz January 19, 1856, and immediately reduced the paper to its original size, five columns. During the time the paper was in the hands of these gentlemen, it maintained neutral ground, with a manifest preference for the Republican party.
October 2, 1858, L. Crucius and H. Kleinpell bought the paper and effects, and very soon after it became thoroughly Republican in politics, the position which it now maintains.
During the war, the Pioneer gave its earnest support to the Government, and loudly rejoiced when the slaves were liberated; consequently became very unpopular among Southern sympathzers, large numbers of whom then lived across the river in Dane County; so much so, indeed, that during Shrovetide festival, in February, 1863 (a festival that was then largely celebrated by the Catholics in this vicinity), and while the maskers from over the river were parading the streets of Sauk, some one cried out: "Destroy the Pioneer !" A rush was almost simultaneously made for the office, and, doubtless, it would have come to grief had not the home-guards and citizens generally rushed to the rescue. In 1867, it was enlarged to six columns in size again.
March 1, 1878, H. Muehlberg purchased Mr. Kleinpell's interest and assumed the editorial management. Mr. Muehlberg came into the position thoroughly fortified and prepared to main - tain and improve the excellence of the paper, from having been connected with it for many years as foreman. The new firm briefly announced in their salutatory that the paper would be con- ducted much as before, being independent upon all topics, and that it would be their chief aim
J'ai Rauway
REEDSBURG.
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to advance the general interests of the community and to improve the former high standard of the paper. In 1879, the paper was enlarged by a weekly supplement, patent-sheet, called " The Story Teller," issued every week. The Pioneer and Wisconsin is now the oldest living paper in Sauk County, and is said to be the oldest paper in the State printed in the German language. It is ably edited and has a large circulation.
REEDSBURG.
The Reedsburg Herald-Made its first appearance on the 21st day of October, 1856, pub- lished by C. Lowman and P. Ruge, in the west wing of the Reedsburg Hotel (L. Ordway's building), $1.50 per annum, "invariably in advance." The Herald was a seven-column quarto, filled with interesting reading matter and local advertisements, and, if we are to judge from the character of the selections on the first page, its "scissor editor " was brimful of the tender passion,-for there we find two pieces of poetry : "Think Not, Sweet One," and "True Pur- pose of Woman's Lips," the latter containing all the words in the vocabulary that would rhyme with " Kiss." These were followed by a story from Putnam's Monthly, entitled "How I Courted Lulu," in seven tableaux. The first column of the first page was devoted to profes- sional and business cards, among which we find those of "E. G. Wheeler, attorney and coun- selor at law, County Judge and general land agent; " "J. Mackey, attorney and counselor at law, and Commissioner for the State of New York ;" "E. W. Olin, attorney at law and Notary Public ;" "William Miles, attorney at law, Notary Public and land agent;" " G. Stevens, civil engineer and County Surveyor ;" "Dr. Ramsey, office at post office." Among the busi- ness cards were the announcements of J. B. Gregory, brickmason, and W. Warren, blacksmith; and Alba B. Smith and J. and A. Smith carried on the Alba and Mansion Houses, respectively.
Turning to the second page of this the first copy of the Herald, we find, in large, black campaign type, the names of James Buchanan, for President of the United States, and John C. Breckenridge for Vice President. Samuel Crawford was the choice of the Herald for Con- gress, and J. H. Wells and M. C. Waite for Senator and Assemblyman. E. C. Watson headed the county ticket for Sheriff, followed by E. P. Spencer for Register of Deeds, Charles Halasz for Treasurer, H. Nickerson for Clerk of the Board, William H. Joy for Clerk of the Court, William J. Huntington for Coroner, Giles Stevens for Surveyor and J. S. Tripp for District Attorney.
Just how the Herald came to be Democratic in politics, we propose to let its editors tell in their own language. The " To the Public " or salutatory was signed by J. Mackey, E. G. Wheeler and S. Ramsey, who, after a brief appeal for public patronage in the measure of their merit, say :
" In coming before you to make our editorial bow, and ask your aid in carrying forward an enterprise, we shall depart somewhat from the path usually marked out by our predecessors, and shall confine ourselves to a brief statement of the facts connected with the origin of the Herald, and which have led to its publication, and given it the character in which it now appears. Some two months ago one of the publishers of this paper came here with the greater part of type and other printing materials, wishing to establish a paper in our village, and sought the aid of our citizens in the enterprise. The proprietor met with encouragement-the people were anxious (or seemed to be) to have such a channel of communication. Subscriptions were made and money raised to procure a press, and it was agreed by those mostly interested in the matter, that the paper should be devoted to home and foreign news, agriculture, literature, science, local infor- mation, etc., and independent in politics, and a prospectus was issued accordingly. In the mean- time, a variety of causes, incident to a project of this nature, conspired to delay its publication for some weeks longer than was anticipated, and it was finally ascertained, that in order to bring the paper out at all, and give it such a character for stability and permanency as is necessary to secure the public patronage, the individuals whose money and credit had procured the press, etc., should take the conduct and management of the paper into their own hands. With that view, a meeting of the stockholders was called, and the subject freely discussed, resulting in the
G
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HISTORY OF SAUK COUNTY.
appointment of the undersigned* as editors of the paper. The offer had been freely made to all classes of our citizens to take stock in the press at $5 a share, thus bringing it within the reach of all, and, though this offer had been before the public for nearly two months, and this, too, with the understanding that the paper should be independent in politics, yet when the stockholders were called together, it was ascertained that, out of 120 shares, only three were owned by Repub- licans-the Republican party thus giving the project the 'cold shoulder.' It was therefore agreed, that, inasmuch as the Democrats of the village were obliged to take the whole burden upon their own shoulders, justice and sound policy would dictate that the paper should ad- vocate the sentiments of the Democratic party of the country. It was with this understanding that the undersigned accepted the appointment of the chair editorial. We have accordingly raised to our 'mast head' the Democratic national, State and county tickets, and shall float them there and battle for their success, until their final ratification by the people on the 4th of November next."
Following this was an editorial article, addressed " To the Electors of Sauk County," set- ting forth the rare and righteous principles then claimed for the Democratic party, and perforat- ing the Republican platform with virtuous anathemas. An account of the troubles in Kansas, a telegraphic dispatch conveying the news of Democratic victories in Pennsylvania and Indiana, and an article on the early settlement and commercial advantages of Reedsburg, completed the contents of the second page.
On the third page were the marriage notices of Walter Bates and Isaac Flinn, of Baraboo, to Miss Ruth Bunker and Miss Emily L. Bunker, of New Buffalo; Stephen A. Greenslitt to Miss Minora Loomis, both of Dellona ; Moses Young, of Reedsburg, to Miss Catharine Amelia Medberry, of Troy; and Jonathan Knoles, of Freedom, to Miss Lydia Burnard, of Washing- ton ; a list of letters remaining unclaimed in the post office of Reedsburg (E. W. Young, P. M.); the advertisements of Green & Waterman, dry goods, groceries, etc. ; L. H. Jewett, variety store ; A. Petty, jewelry ; M. & E. W. Young, staple and fancy goods ; T. Lichtenhein & Co., dry goods and ready-made clothing; M. Finch, harness and saddlery ; J. & A. Smith, stage line ; Ring & Demerest, market, eating saloon and groceries ; Clark & Sanburn, livery stable ; George Mevers, furniture and hardware, and numerous smaller notices of farms for sale, etc.
The fourth page contained a few short selections, and most of the third-page advertisements already mentioned, which the editors were compelled to duplicate to " fill up.'
Number 3 of the Herald announced the result of the election as follows : "Three cheers for the Democracy of Reedsburg ! They have done nobly. Within the last year, they have increased their vote from 46 to 110, while the Shanghais have increased theirs since last fall but 8. So much for a full discussion of our principles ; they have but to be understood to be embraced. Our opponents, who counted on 150 majority, have but 34.
"P. S .- Just as we are going to press we have returns showing that the Republicans have carried the county by not far from 900 majority."
On the 5th of March, 1857, a dissolution of copartnership took place between Messrs. Low- man & Ruge, in the publication of the Herald, Mr. Ruge retiring from the firm and Mr. Lowman remaining as sole publisher. In April, there having arisen some dispute between the Herald and a Baraboo cotemporary. as to the authorship of a certain article, Mr. Lowman's name was placed at the head of the local columns, with the announcement that he would be responsible for all that appeared therein in the future ; and a month later (June 4) the Herald passed entirely to the management of Mr. Lowman, he having purchased it from the stockhold- ers. Messrs. Mackey, Wheeler and Ramsey also withdrew from editorial responsibility, and Mr. Lowman's name appeared as sole editor and proprietor. But the struggle for existence, though manful, was without avail, and on the 21st of November, in Number 4 of Volume II, the editor made an able appeal to his patrons, pointing out to them their duty toward their adopted party organ.' The appeal, however, had not the desired effect of bringing a sufficient number of the delinquents to time to encourage Mr. Lowman's further publication of the Her-
* Messrs. Mackey, Wheeler and Ramsey.
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ald, and the property was turned over to its original editors, Messrs. Wheeler, Ramsey and Mackey, who, after a delay of about a month, brought it out reduced in size to a six-column quarto. The editors acknowledged that they were not surprised to see, "notwithstanding the three weeks' repose of the Herald," that the world had continued to wag. The old year had gone, and the new arrived; Kansas had not failed to bleed ; the Wisconsin Legislature had assembled in an- nual session, ostensibly to make laws, but, as the editor feared, only to do mischief; the Presi- dent had not changed his Kansas policy-and still the Herald had actually been in a state of suspension for nearly a month ! The new management was very brief. Retrenchinent became so urgently necessary that N. V. Chandler, who had removed hither but a short time previous, was employed to get out the paper at a stipulated price per week, which he continued to do until some time in February, 1858, when, on consultation of the managers, examination of books, etc., it was demonstrated that every number published involved a positive loss ; under these circumstances, it was resolved to suspend publication forthwith, and the Reedsburg Herald was numbered among the things that were.
The Reedsbury Free Press .- The life of a country editor, as we all know, is not an easy one ; even after he becomes permanently established his trials do not cease. He still continues to be the ill-paid subject of merciless criticism, unless it so happens that within his composition is found that anomalous quality fitting him for the exceptional position of one who knows how to run a paper to suit everybody. But rarely have we encountered a recital of tribulations so vivid as the following from the pen of N. V. Chandler, the founder of the Free Press. For
genuine perseverance and perpetual disappointment, the case, we believe, is without a parallel. "After the suspension of the Herald," says Mr. Chandler, "upon the publication of which I was employed by the Herald Printing Company, after the ' Lowman fiasco,' I busied myself as best I could, doing such jobs of printing as I could obtain to do, using the material of the defunct Herald, which I rented for that purpose, and, to eke out a subsistence, doing any other kind of work that offered, and even going to Baraboo and other points to work at my trade, when work could be procured. Sometime in the fall or winter of 1859-60, E. G. Wheeler, who had acquired a controlling interest in the stock of the company, sold the material of the Herald to a Mr. Wells, of New Lisbon, and I was thus deprived of my chief source of income. Business of all kinds, all over the country, was at a very low ebb, and the prospect of success in the news- paper business was far from flattering, even if I had possessed capital to embark in it. One day I was remarking to a friend, Mr. Willard Shumway, the low condition of my finances, and de- spondingly inquired how I was to obtain the means of supporting my family, when he said to me ' Why don't you start a paper here ?' 'Start a paper !' said I. 'What have I got to start a paper with ? 'Circulate a subscription,' said he, 'among the business men.' 'How much will you give ?' said I, somewhat amused at the idea, which at the moment I did not entertain at all. . Oh, I will give something,' said he. And so the conversation terminated. But the idea remained with me. I had canvassed almost every other scheme for obtaining an honest liveli- hood, and the prospect looked gloomy enough. After thinking the matter over for a day or two, I came to the conclusion that it could do no hurt to try the experiment. I had heard of a second-liand press I could buy at Richland Center for $50, and I believed that for $200 I could get together enough second-hand material to print a six-column paper.
" Accordingly, I drew up a subscription paper, setting forth my intentions, and promising that if the sum of $200 was raised, I would establish a paper and publish it one year, refund- ing the amount in advertising, job work or subscription-no portion of the money to be paid to me until the first number appeared. Notwithstanding the liberality of this proposition, after two weeks of persistent canvassing (during which I exhausted my powers of rhetoric and per- suasion, and after demonstrating over and over again to my own satisfaction, at least, that if the amount was forthcoming, the paper would be also, and that for one year, at least, Reedsburg would be represented among the newspaper towns of the State), I had only obtained the pledge of $165, in sums of $5 to $20. In a fit of desperation, I went to J. F. Danforth, who was known to have some money, and proposed to him that if he would put down his name for the balance,
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$35, I would give him a mortgage on the material of the office, when procured, before demand- ing the money, and would repay the loan in cash, with lawful interest, which was then, I think, 12 per cent. After thinking the matter over two or three days, and after much urging, and after taking counsel as to the binding nature of the agreement, he finally signed the subscription.
"All this looks very ridiculous at this distance of time, and in the light of the recent finan- cial prosperity of the town and surrounding country ; but it was all dead earnest then. Like the boy engaged digging out a wood-chuck by the roadside, when asked by a traveling preacher who came along, if he thought he would get the animal. 'Get him?' said the boy, ' I've got to get him !- we're out of meat, and the minister is to be at our house to-night !' I was out of meat, and something had to be done.
" Well, the amount of $200 being subscribed, the question arose as to how I was to make it available to purchase material. By its terms, no part of the subscription was to be paid until the appearance of the first number. My whole available capital was $5 in gold, while I was in debt to the various merchants for the means of previous subsistence. But faith in my ability to accomplish whatever I undertook was then strong within me, and, nothing daunted, I set out for Richland Center to secure the press, walking the entire distance. I left Reedsburg about 11 A. M. of a hot day in the beginning of May, and traveled through the woods, over roads entirely new to me, a considerable part of the way, to everybody else, also, as I could scarcely distinguish the track, and only went by ' blazed' trees. I stayed all night at a farm- house six miles this side of the Center, and the next morning walked in, through a drizzling rain. I saw the press and its owner, and quickly agreed upon terms-which were that I should pay $50 for the press, and 15 cents a pound for about a hundred pounds of nearly new minion type, which was in a 'pied ' condition-he making the purchase of the type a condition of sell- ing me the press. But when the question of pay came to be discussed, a difficulty arose that threatened to be fatal to the enterprise. He knew nobody in Reedsburg; I was known by no- body at Richland Center. I offered a note signed by myself and two citizens of Reedsburg, pay- able in two months. Finally, he bethought him that he had a slight acquaintance with George Flautt, then a law student at Reedsburg, and wrote him a letter, in which he stated that if George would certify to the responsibility of my indorsers, he would sell me the press. I imme- diately started for home, where I arrived the same night, having walked thirty-six miles, and made the bargain that day.
" George Flautt having signed a statement that the indorsers of my note were good, I procured a team and went for my press and my hundred pounds of minion type. After resting a few days, I started for Milwaukee and intermediate points, to hunt up the balance of the type necessary to get out a paper. I walked to a point fourteen miles beyond Portage, forty-four miles from Reedsburg, the first day ; and the next morning walked four miles further, to Cam- bria Station, and took the cars for Beaver Dam, where I had acquaintances. I went to the Citizen office and inquired of the proprietor if he had any second-hand type for sale. He said he had not, but, after a few moments' thought, said there was an old disused office lying in town, and that George Stewart was agent for the sale of it. I went to Stewart, who at first refused to sell a part unless he could sell the whole, which included a power-press ; but finally he acted upon my suggestion that he ask the advice of Mr. Wells, of the Citizen. This gentleman, upon being consulted as to what he would do with the material in question if he owned it, replied : ' Box it up and send it to the foundry for old type, as quick as I could.' This decided Mr. Stewart to sell, and he asked me what proposition I had to make. I told him I would give him 50 per cent of the type-foundry price for everything I selected, which Mr. Wells told him was an exceedingly liberal offer. Then came the question of pay, and I had a much harder time to convince Mr. Stewart of the safety of selling me $200 worth of material than I had the Rich- land Center man. He was not convinced of the responsibility of my sureties, and one propo- sition after another was rejected, until finally I proposed to re-enforce the note signed by myself and the two Reedsburg men (one of whom was John Kellogg, whose unindorsed note would now be good for thousands of dollars) with a mortgage upon the materials purchased, and upon
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the press which I had at home. This proposition was accepted, and I succeeded in selecting type, cases, sticks, rules, dashes, etc., to the amount of $225, which I boxed up and shipped to Reedsburg without further delay. Eight miles from Beaver Dam, I had two brothers living, and one of them, Charles A. Chandler, who was a mechanic, accompanied me home to assist me in getting the office running. In the course of a month, on the 25th of June, 1860, I got out my first paper upon this condemned, second-hand type, which an excellent printer, Mr. Cullaton, had pronounced utterly unfit for use, and upon the $50 press, which, when I bought it, was so utterly out of joint that the seller had no idea that it could ever be used ; and so well did I use my knowledge of presses and type that, when it appeared, the paper was highly complimented by the State press, and the Milwaukee Sentinel, in noticing it, went so far as to say, 'printed from new type.' Upon the issue of the paper. I realized upon my subscrip- tion paper which I had previously circulated, $160, not availing myself of the arrangement with Mr. Danforth ; and, as the number of cash-paying subscribers was very fair, I was at once able to liquidate the indebtedness, and put the paper, which I had christened the Free Press, upon a paying basis.
" I fulfilled my agreement with the citizens of Reedsburg, continuing the paper until the 7th of September, 1861, when, the war being then in progress, the people of this community, like those of every other throughout the nation, were greatly exercised over the heavy taxation, expected to ensue, and could give no positive assurance of support, though they professed them- selves satisfied with the paper, and would do what they could to support it. But Mr. Wells, of New Lisbon, having lost his press, through inability to pay for it, made me what I regarded a good offer, to move my press up there, which I did. I run the Juneau County Argus until the fall of 1862, when, the county having gone Democratic and elected a county ticket in the
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