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HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 241 CHAPTER VII. NEWSPAPERS OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY. Auglaize county is fortunate in its newspapers. With two daily newspapers at Wapakoneta, the county seat, a daily newspaper at St. Marys and excellent weekly newspapers at New Bremen, Minster and Waynesfleld, all sections of the county are thus well represented by the press, which is ever awake to the best interests of the county and constantly alert in presenting the best side of those interests to the world at large. The influence of the press of this county has generally been wholesome and good and the extent of that influence never can be measured—from the days of the beginning it has been a continuing force operating generally consistently in behalf of better things for the community, and that force no one can estimate. The first newspaper established in what is now Auglaize county was at St. Marys, during the period when that town was the civic center of Mercer county. Wapakoneta had no newspaper until the year following the establishment of the county seat of the new county of Auglaize there in 1848, when the Andrews brothers, who had been engaged in newspaper work in the neighboring town of Lima, came down and started a paper in the new county seat town, a paper which has had a continuous existence ever since, a period of nearly seventy-five years. In those days newspapers were that in name only. There was in their columns very little news, as the word news is understood today. They were chiefly mediums for the personal expression of the editor's views, principally on political topics, and their chief source of revenue was the publication of the essential "public printing" of the period. The value of commercial advertising was not then so well understood as now and it is apparent that what was (15) 242 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY given the editor was contributed more as "charity" than with any thought of substantial return. Happily, there is an excellently preserved file of the first paper published at Wapakoneta, The Auglaize Republican, established at Wapakoneta on Tuesday, July 24, 1849, the summer following the erection of Auglaize county. The Republican started as a six-column (wide measure), four-page paper, terms: "'No dollars, advance ; two-fifty within six months," and had for its motto the simple word, "Truth." The rates for advertising were announced on a basis of $1 a "square" (twelve lines), three insertions, or one column, six months, $20 ; one year, $30. William P. Andrews, the founder, editor and publisher, announced in his "Introductory" that "as a political paper the Republican will firmly, and with what ability the editor possesses, advocate the principles of the Democratic party. *** We shall at all times be the unflinching advocate of correct morals, and each number of the Republican will contain one or more articles to this end," Apparently to reconcile the name Republican to the political policies the paper proposed to maintain, Mr. Andrews announced his belief "that the Democratic party of the present day is identical with the Republican party of Jefferson's administration." EDITOR'S HOPEFUL OUTLOOK ON FUTURE. In a leading article on "Wapakoneta—Its Facilities, Prospects, Etc.," the editor, in the initial issue of his paper, said that "every town obtains its character from the description of country about it. It is true, there are instances of towns growing up mushroom-like, upon some public work, that today show much excitement, tomorrow are divested of all that gives them importance. But a town built up in the midst of a fertile and well-settled country, with lands well adapted to the culture of almost all agricultural products, cannot materially vary in its importance. Wapakoneta is thus situated. There are facilities, too, such as few towns in northwestern Ohio possess, such as water power, building HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 243 materials, etc. Its location does not vary a mile from the exact geographical center of the county. As a county seat, then, the choice was well made, leaving no reason for any portion of the people of the county to complain on account of the distance to be traveled in transacting business at the seat of justice. Many enterprising men are permanently located in the place and give such a tone to its interests that those who are looking for locations cannot be mistaken as to the course the public interest will hereafter take. There is perhaps no town in northwestern Ohio where more improvement is in progress the present season than in Wapakoneta; the improvements, too, are of such a character as to permanently benefit the public interest. There can be little doubt that at no distant day our place will vie in importance with the first in this part of the state." The first issue of the paper exhibits marks of the capable direction of an experienced typographer and its "make-up" is excellent. As was common with the newspapers of that period, local news was a subsidiary consideration, the only local items noted being one relating to the prevalence of cholera in the Bremen (New Bremen) and Minster neighborhoods, an item relating to the performance of a company of stage troupers in Wapakoneta "last evening," with a drastic criticism of the performance, an item copied from the St. Marys paper relating to the death by the roadside of a stranger, from what was supposed to have been cholera, at a point about six miles north of that point and criticising severely the persons who discovered the man's plight and left him to die unattended, and a "Religious Notice" announcing that "Rev. Wm. Williamson will preach at the Methodist church on Sunday evening next, at early candle-lighting." Otherwise the reading matter was confined to political articles, "miscellany" credited to other newspapers, an apparently original article headed "Cogitations of Love" and a bit of poetry, this latter including Whittier's "The Maiden's Prayer." 244 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY The local advertising was confined to the professional and business announcements of George W. Andrews and John Walkup, attorneys; Holbrook & Nichols, physicians and surgeons ; Dr. S. Bump, M. D.; J. A. McFarland, M. D.; J. B, Craig, surveyor and conveyancer; C. G. Galezio, fashionable tailor; Horatio J. Hamilton, blacksmithing; the National House, St. Marys, F. Dieker, prop., and J. Ayers & Sons, "a general assortment of dry goods, groceries, queensware, hardware, drugs, medicines, etc.," who also "wanted—at headquarters-10,000 bushels of ashes and twenty head one, two and three years old colts." George W. Holbrook was advertising "land and town lots for sale," his announcement closing with the declaration that "it is almost unnecessary to mention that the town property is offered at great bargains, and that it is situated in the Seat of Justice of Auglaize county, where upwards of thirty new structures are being erected this season." There were a few legal notices and three ordinances of the town of Wapakoneta, one regulating shows, another "for punishing offenders," and another defining the duties of the town marshal, these being signed by George W. Andrews, mayor, and attested by John Walkup, recorder. Three lines are given over to the announcement that "country produce is wanted on subscription to The Auglaize Republican." The other advertising columns were taken up with advertisements of magazine and book publishers, some of these frankly stating that they were being published on an "exchange" basis, The last "card" in the paper announced "job printing of every description neatly, cheaply and expeditiously executed at the Republican office." The Dayton markets, "corrected every week," were as follows: Flour, bbl., $3.50 ; wheat, bu,, 65 cents; corn, 26 ; rye, 55 ; oats, 20 ; potatoes, 50 ; barley, 45; flax seed, 83 ; cloverseed, $3.50 ; timothy, $3, and whisky, 15 cents a gallon. HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 245 A WORD REGARDING COLONEL ANDREWS. One month later, August 14, William P. Andrews announced the sale of his paper to Robert J. S. Hollis, "late one of the publishers of the St. Marys Sentinel and Democrat," who carried on the publication of the Republican alone until in the summer of 1850, when the name of George W. Andrews, brother of William P. Andrews, founder of the Republican, appears associated with him as the editor of the paper. Not long afterward the names of Robert B. Wright and Henry B. Kelly appear as publishers, they being in charge when the paper turned into its third year in the summer of 1851. In the fall of 1855 H. B. Kelly assumed sole control and was in charge when the bound file, closing July 21, 1856, with Vol. III, No. 1, concludes, the announcement being made in this last issue of the old Republican on file that the publication day of the paper, "on account of changes in the arrival of the mails (this being in the days of the old stage lines), as well as other reasons touching our own convenience," had been changed to Monday. This was about the time of the organization of the Republican party and as the name of the paper then would be a misnomer, the name of the Republican was changed to that of the Democrat, which it ever since has borne. Before passing from a consideration of this period of the Democrat's history, a word in passing concerning Col. George W. Andrews, who was for so many years a vitalizing force in directing the policies of that paper, will be proper. Following the death of Colonel Andrews in the fall of 1887, the Auglaize Republican (W. J. McMurray then editor) carried a warmly sympathetic editorial appreciation of the life and services of the deceased editor, rival on many a hard- fought political field, saying, in part : "Colonel Andrews was generally recognized as a man of more than ordinary ability. He was versatile in his talents and commanded attention whether advocating the cause of a client in a legal forum, the cause of his party in the editorial columns of a newspaper, or 246 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY the cause of his country in the legislative hall or tented field, * * * Colonel Andrews had a broader culture than the mere lawyer and his legal labors were continually varied and were at times seriously interrupted by editorial and legislative work. From early manhood to the close of his career he displayed a fondness for editorial work and contributed many able articles to the leading Democratic newspapers of the state. When but twenty-one years of age he founded and edited the Lima Argus and two years later he started the Auglaize Republican, so that he can justly be called the father of journalism in this county." George W. Andrews was born in Medina, N. Y., of Colonial and Revolutionary stock. He had his schooling at the "Nine Partners" College in Dutchess county, New York, and at Oberlin (Ohio) College and at the age of eighteen years began the study of law at Granville, Ohio. In 1845 he was admitted to the bar at Norwalk and immediately thereafter became engaged in practice at Lima, where he was elected prosecuting attorney for Allen county. During the three years of his residence there he established the Lima Argus and in 1848, upon the erection of Auglaize county, moved to Wapakoneta and began there the practice of law, to which profession he remained devoted to the end, though giving much of his time to his newspaper and editorial interests. In 1856-58-60 he represented this district in the Legislature and in 1861 raised a company of volunteers in this county and was made captain of the same, being advanced in rank as the war progressed until his final discharge as a brevet brigadier-general. Upon the completion of his military service Colonel Andrews resumed his practice at Wapakoneta and there spent the remainder of his life. During the years 1873-75 he represented this joint senatorial district in the Ohio state Senate. He was sixty-two years of age at the time of his death. HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 247 "THE PORCUPINE" OF THE '40s. Though the name of William P. Andrews appears at the "masthead" of the first newspaper established at Wapakoneta as proprietor of the same and he has thus been treated as the founder of that paper, it is apparent that it was his elder brother, George W Andrews, who was the real founder of the paper. The Sutton review (1880), in this connection, has it that "George W. Andrews sent for his younger brother, William P. Andrews, to come from their native place in New York to establish a paper at this place (Wapakoneta). The elder brother furnished the means and the young man established a Democratic paper under the title of The Auglaize Republican." Professor Williamson's review in connection with Colonel Andrews has it that "within the three years of his residence at Lima he established and edited the Lima Argus. In 1848 he moved to Wapakoneta and established The Auglaize Republican." As a matter of fact, as above set out, the Republican was not established until July 24, 1849. The name of William P. Andrews shortly afterward ceased to appear in connection with the paper and no further reference is found concerning him. That George W. Andrews had been connected with newspaper work at Lima more than three years prior to his location at Wapakoneta upon the establishment of the county seat at the latter place in 1848 is attested by a rare old copy of The Porcupine, which was established at Lima early in 1843 now in the possession of W. J. McMurray, of Wapakoneta. This copy of The Porcupine was addressed to James Elliott, a local subscriber at Wapakoneta, and is dated October 28, 1843, No. 36 of Vol. I. The paper's masthead announces that it is "edited and published by George W. Andrews." Terms of subscription, $1 a year in advance, $1.50 "if paid within six months, and $2 if not paid till the expiration of the year." It further is announced that "legal advertisements will be charged per square ; for first three weeks, $1.50, and per square for each continuance, 38. Where directions are not given 248 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY to the contrary advertisements will be continued until forbidden, and charged accordingly. No paper will be discontinued until arrearages are paid, except at the discretion of the publisher. Communications must be postpaid in order to receive attention." That was in the days when it cost 25 cents to post a letter and the publisher apparently was going to take no chances on "postage due" worthless communications. The Porcupine carried an announcement to the effect that "country produce of all kinds taken on subscription." The first and the last page of this interesting little old four-page, five-column newspaper of the '40s were taken up with "fat" legal publications of the forfeited land list and delinquent tax for that year, the same signed by John W. Thomas, auditor of Allen county, who points out that "the owners of the above mentioned lands are not, perhaps all aware that the said lands are not only delinquent but forfeited and upon sale. The buyer can demand a deed therefor. It will then undoubtedly be for the interest of all concerned to settle before said sale."' Among the townships in Ikvhieh lands were then listed as of Allen county were the townships of Wayne, Union, Duchouquet, Moulton, Washington, Pusheta and Clay, which became parts of Auglaize county upon the latter's erection five years later. Wherever the name of the village of Wapakoneta appears in this old paper it is spelled "Wapaukonnetta." Among other legal publications in the paper was one to the effect that "notice is hereby given that a petition will be presented to the commissioners of Allen county, at their next annual session, for a continuation of the county road from Wapaukonnetta to the farm of Thomas Williams in Moulton township, thence west to the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 18 in said township; thence through the lance (sic) of Christ Baily to the farm of Aaron Cox on the line between Allen and Mercer counties." At the head of the editorial column of The Porcupine was carried the following: "For President, Martin VanBuren, or the nominee of a Democratic convention, regardless of the time when, or the place where, it is held, or the mode of its HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 249 organization." The editor evidently took his politics "straight." The paper carried about three columns of editorial matter, concluding with the promise that "if our readers will bear with us for the delay of our paper (which was caused by sickness) and the barrenness of its columns, we promise that as soon as the delinquent lands can be left out, to endeavor to make it more interesting." There were no local news items in the paper, politics and miscellany filling such of the columns as did not carry advertising. Legal advertising was the chief source of revenue for the papers of those days, though there was some commercial advertising, one bit of which was that of the Lima hat factory, H. N. McQuire, which announced that "I am prepared to furnish hats of every variety and at reduced prices, to suit the hard times. My prices will vary from $2 to $8—so that the most fastidious can not fail to be suited. I will take in exchange rags, lard, tallow, beeswax and most kinds of country produce. Furs of all kinds, and lambs wool particularly wanted." Reliable money was mighty scarce in those days and barter was still the chief medium of exchange. Illustrative of the dubious character of the banking facilities of that period of almost universal "wild catting," The Porcupine carried a list nearly a column in length of the banks whose currency might be found floating around in this section, under the head of "Specie Standard—Corrected from the Weekly Cincinnati Enquirer." In this no fewer than forty-three Ohio banks were listed. Of these the issue of but four (at Cincinnati) were quoted at par, the discount on others ranging from 1 to 90, while banks at Wooster, Miamisburg, Gallipolis, Steubenville and West Union were quoted as "broken." The discount on the issue of six Indiana banks quoted ranged from 1 to 75. New York City banks quoted at par and country banks in that state at 1 discount. Philadelphia city banks were quoted at par and Pennsylvania country banks, generally, at a discount of from 2 to 5. Michigan banks were discounted at from 3 to 10, New England banks at a discount of 1, Kentucky banks the same, Illinois banks at 250 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY a discount of from 48 to 95, Virginia 1, Southern banks generally at a discount of from 2 to 90, and so on down the line. New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore exchange was quoted at a premium of 1. A man had to watch the newspapers and carry a "banknote detector" in those days to know what if anything his money was worth and to check against the flood of counterfeit continually in circulation. Among the other commercial advertisers in this paper was King's Old Cash Store, Lima, which announced "twenty tons of fall goods just received." This was a general stock and offerings were made "at less than Lake prices." Included in these prices were sheetings at from 6 to 8 cents, fine blue, black and other colored broadcloths at $1.50 the yard (this being in the days when gentlemen affected colors in their broadclothings), ticking and drilling at 12 1/2 cents, good sole leather at 18 3/4 cents, coffee ("best article that grows") at 12 1/2, and so on through the list, including "indigo, madder, allum, drugs and medicines, etc., etc., ; in short, everything needed in the country is found here," the announcement concluding with the statement that "canal scrip, bonds, wheat, oats, corn, ginseng, beeswax, butter, clover and timothy seed, taken at the highest cash price in exchange for goods." There were several "Wapaukonnetta" advertisers, including Dieker & Herzing, who announced that they had taken the tanyard formerly occupied by James Elliott and that hides and skins were wanted in exchange for leather, "or paid for half in cash and half in groceries or other goods." George W. Andrews, the publisher and editor of The Porcupine, carried a "card" in the paper announcing himself as an "attorney at law and solicitor in chancery: office in the court house in the auditor's room." The somewhat striking name of this paper afterward was changed to that of the Argus, which would account for the earlier reference to Mr. Andrews as editor of the latter paper. Upon leaving Lima for Wapakoneta, Mr. Andrews sold the Argus to Mathias H. Nichols. The first newspaper published at HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 251 Lima was a small weekly called the Herald, which was publisbN1 by Hollister & Bennett, who did not remain long, leaving the field in the late '30s for lack of support. In 1841 Thomas Smith started a paper which he presently sold to Gillett & Guthrie, who carried on with the paper, which they called The Porcupine, for two years or until they sold it to Mr. Andrews in 1843. Abelard Guthrie, who gave the name of Tic Poveupine to the paper, has been referred to as "an able but very eccentric man who had many idiosyncracies." VIEW OF CONDITIONS IN THE '70s. It was under the direction of H. B. Kelly, afterward mayor of the city and for many years one of the force ful figures in the civic and social life of Wapakoneta, that the name of the Republican was changed to the Auglaize County Democrat in 1856 and Kelly continued publication of the paper until August 13, 1874, when he announced its sale to Col. George W Andrews, its former publisher, then state senator, and Robert McMurray, also an attorney, the latter of whom is introduced as "an intelligent, energetic young man." In his valedictory, Mr. Kelly reviewed something of the changes that had taken place in the community since the time of his purchase of the paper twenty-three years before, he then having been but a few days past his majority. Then, said he, "the county of Auglaize contained only 12,000 people—now it numbers 25,000. Wapakoneta, St. Marys, Bremen and Minster were little towns just springing into existence—now they are young cities! Nor has there been less change over the balance of the county. Where log cabins were then the abode of our farmers now stand stately dwellings of brick and frame. Where forests then stood, broad meadows, pastures, grain fields and orchards meet the eye. Then most all of our farmers possessed only moderate means—now large numbers of them have incomes from money at interest. Then, many of our friends had to be reached by mere paths through the primal forest—now, the best of roads extend through every section of the land in the county; 252 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY but why need we speak of these, further than to say that we came to Auglaize county when it was a comparatively new country—now, it is among the wealthiest of northern Ohio." That was written nearly a half century ago. Could Mr. Kelly revisit these scenes in spirit, what amazing changes would he note! At the time of Mr. Kelly's retirement from the local newspaper field he was serving as mayor of Wapakoneta, a position he had occupied for some time. He presently became engaged in newspaper work at Lima and later moved to Cincinnati, where his last days were spent. The columns of the Democrat at that time carried the "cards" of D. J. VanAnda, George W. Andrews, S. R. Mott, Sr., R. D. Marshall, L. N. Blume, M. Dumbroff, W. V. M. Layton, F. C. Layton, John Walkup, F. C. VanAnda, C. T. Cook, L. C. Sawyer, John S. Williams, C. A. Layton, J. C. VanAnda and R. L. Walters, attorneys at law; S. P. Brundige, Sharp & Son, C. W. Hemisfar, J. H. Nichols, and F. C. Hunter, physicians; J. S. Alspaugh and Samuel Craig, surveyors; W. J. Downard, dentist, and the following commercial and general advertisers: J. H. Doering & Co., hardware; Joseph M. Foltz, photographer; Abram Hale, auctioneer; Lemuel Trizzell, auctioneer; J. H. Nagle, harness ; Farmers Bank, Sam Bitler, cashier; J. J. Moser & Son, jewelry; the Burnett House, the Henry House, the Murphy House and the Dieker House, hotels; Benjamin Linzee, real estate ; E. Gunther, groceries and restaurant; N. E. Haywood, painter ; James H. Skinner, banker; A. Franke, drugs ; James Davis, proprietor of the Wapakoneta woolen mills; G. W. Holbrook, nursery; D. H. Hersh, tobacconist; W. S. Haywood, lumber; Henry Schmidt, boots and shoes; Henry Keuthan, dry goods; Henry Frech, hardware ; John Naughton, saloon, restaurant and grocery; J. C. Kimmel, tailor and men's clothing; William Heinrich, insurance ; Miller & Nagle, furniture, successors to Smith & Yokel; L. R. Slesser & Co., clothing, successors to L. Victor; J. H. Timmermeister, "goods—everything you want ;" Wapakoneta Spoke and Wheel Company, HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 253 R. D. Marshall, president—" 500,000 hickory and whiteoak butts wanted ;" New Knoxville tile factory, Kuck & Meekstroth, proprietors; F. Fritsch, drugs ; C. L. Carpenter, drugs; 0. T. Dieker, dry goods; A. B. Nungester, stoves and tinware; Ditmar Fisher, groceries ; Christ. Heisler, tile factory; Reichelderfer & Krebs, lumber, and Huebner & Kiefer, building stone. The Wapakoneta market quotations carried in this issue of the Democrat reveal that wheat was selling here for $1; corn, 50 cents; oats, 30; barley, $1; rye, 75 cents; cloverseed, $5.25. Flour was quoted at $6 a barrel ; coffee, 27 to 35 cents; sugar, 10 to 15; New Orleans molasses, $1 a gallon; vinegar, 30 cents; rice, 10 to 12; potatoes, 60 to 75; apples, 20 to 30; wood (cord), $2.50; beef roasts were selling at 10 to 12 1/2; steak 12 1/2 to 15 ; veal, 10 to 15 ; mutton, 8 to 10 ; pork, 10 to 12 1/2 ; lard, 10. In a separate note "To Our Brethren of the Press" Mr. Kelly further reviewed his long period of connection with the Ohio newspaper field and closed with the hint that "it is more than likely that not many moons will pass before we will again be ready to greet our editorial brethren from some other point." FURTHER HISTORY OF "THE DEMOCRAT". Newspapers were changing their methods about this time, giving more attention to the real news events of the community and the new proprietors (Andrews & McMurray) fell into this spirit, with the result that the succeeding files of the Democrat show many improvements, both in style and typography. On September 9, 1875, Colonel Andrews announced the sale of his interest in the paper to C. P. Davis, a newspaper man of fourteen years experience, and the paper was continued under the joint ownership of Davis & McMurray until the death of Mr. McMurray (of whom more anon) in March of the following year (1876), after which Mr. Davis continued publishing the paper alone until his death in June, 1881. Charles P. Davis was a native of Ohio, 254 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY born at Dayton in 1833, and in that city passed his apprenticeship in a newspaper office, finishing his trade at Cincinnati. He located at St. Marys, in this county where he was engaged in the restaurant business when the rush to the gold fields of California set in. He joined the fortune hunters and went to California, where he presently established Democratic paper in Mariposa county. In 1858 he returned to Ohio and for a time was engaged in newspaper work at  Dayton. In 1860 he moved to Wapakoneta and became engaged in the hardware business. In 1869 he was elected clerk of courts of Auglaize county and it was while serving in that capacity that he resumed newspaper work, as set out above, and continued thus engaged until his death, he then being forty-eight years of age. Within a few weeks after the death of Mr. Davis the Democrat was sold by his widow to a local company headed by T. B. Baker, then county clerk, and continued, under the editorial direction of Col. George W Andrews, Charles Reid and M. D. Shaw, until on March 9, 1882, when the paper was taken over by Fred B. Kampf, who announced in his salutatory that "we are here to stay." Kampf did stay with the paper for more than twelve years, or until May 31, 1894, when he announced the sale of the Democrat to E. S. Nichols. His valedictory announced that he was retiring upon the advice of his physicians, his physical condition becoming serious. He with his family removed to Colorado Springs, Col., where after a short residence he passed away. Mr. Nichols presently shifted the burden of control of the Democrat to a local stock company, which carried on the publication of the paper under the name of the Democrat Publishing Company. Not long afterward Adam E. Schaffer, present postmaster at Wapakoneta and former county auditor, gained control of this company and reincorporated it as the Democrat Printing Company, of which company since has been general manager. On July 3, 1905, Mr. Schaffer converted his paper into a daily, the Wapakoneta Daily News, which found an immediate and profitable field HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 255 The old Democrat continues to be publishing as a weekly edition of the News. Mr. Nichols was succeeded as editor of the paper by D. A. Clark, formerly of the St. Mary's Argus, who was succeeded by William G. Hoffer, who is now publishing a paper at Wiltshire in the neighboring county of VanWert, and he in turn by John Fisher, now of the Lima Daily News, who in 1919 was succeeded by the present managing editor, Dwight L. Matchette, a newspaper man of wide experience, who received his initial training in his old home town, Greenville. Rue P. Melching, an alumnus of Wittenberg College, who was born and reared in Wapakoneta, is the city editor and assistant manager of the paper. The Democratic Times was started at Wapakoneta on August 17, 1888, by William M. Linn in an office on the second floor of Kreitzer's "new block" on Auglaize street. This was a six-column, eight-page paper, half "ready-print," and the publisher's salutatory announced that it would be "a straight Democratic paper." Apparently it soon was found that one Democratic paper was sufficient at the county seat and the Times did not long maintain the struggle to keep going against the competition of the old established paper. Linn was a Logansport (Ind.) printer and had associated with him in his enterprise at Wapakoneta two other Logansport craftsmen, Harry T. Wolf and C. E. Radebaugh. Linn went from here to Columbus, Ohio, where he became well established in the printing business. BEGINNING OF THE REPUBLICAN PRESS. The Auglaize Republican.—It is apparent from the fragmentary files of the newspapers of this county preserved in the office of the county auditor that there was little encouragement offered for the establishment of a Republican newspaper at Wapakoneta until after the close of the Civil war, even as in the older days there had been no organ of the Whig party here, and the record is not clear as to just when the first paper to espouse the cause of Republicanism was 256 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY established. The earliest file of any of the Republican papers thus preserved is that of Vols. III-V of The Wapakoneta Union, the serial numbers of which indicate that the paper was established in the fall of 1865, following the conclusion of the Civil war. Though the initial number of this paper is not available and the editor's announcement of his purpose is thus lost to this compilation, a sidelight on the same is contained in the files of the Democrat of that period. In its issue of September 14, 1865, under a heading "The Wapakoneta Union," this latter paper comments thus on the appearance of the new paper: "The first number of the new Republican paper was laid on our table yesterday. It is a sheet of the size of our own (seven-column folio), exhibiting neatness and considerable mechanical taste. The editor appears in a lengthy salutatory, the material part of which is in the following extract : ' The chief end for which we shall battle will be the uprooting of the foul and loathsome party prejudice that has spontaneously sprung up, through party stupidity and blindness, in this county, and the establishment of principles of a true and loyal character that will bloom and flourish in the pure sunshine of freedom, when the filthy and stagnant channels of the so-called Democracy will be covered up in eternal oblivion.' We forbear comment on this chaste and modest announcement. Vive le missionary of Auglaize county!" The name of Otho J. Powell is carried at the Unio "masthead" as editor and proprietor and the paper came the Republican ticket at the head of its editorial column in the issues opening Vol. V. (its closing volume) in October, 1869, Rutherford B. Hayes then having been the candidate of the Republican party for Governor of Ohio. The Union was a well printed and apparently well patronized eight-column folio. The file of this paper closes with the issue of June 8; 1870, Mr. Powell, in his valedictory, announcing that he had sold the paper and publishing plant to Ed B. Walkup, formerly of the Winchester (Ind.) Journal, "who will in a few weeks issue a new paper from this office." It seems, HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 257 however, that Walkup already had been publishing a paper at Wapakoneta, for there is on file a series of the issues of the Wapakoneta Courant, E. B. Walkup publisher, the first of this series that has thus been preserved being No. 26 of Vol. I, dated January 12, 1870, which would indicate a probable merger of the Union and the Courant. The latter paper seems to have been a merger with or a continuation under a new name of an older paper, for it gives its "whole number" as 271 (new series 26). In closing his connection with the Union, Mr. Powell announces that he will engage in the sale of sewing machines. He evidently could not withstand the lure of the printshop, however, for the files reveal Mr. Powell as editor and proprietor of the Auglaize County Republican, published at Wapakoneta, No. 1, Vol. I of this paper being dated September 20, 1872, a six-column, four-page paper, in which Mr. Powell announces that "after a lapse of two years we again assume the responsibilities of editing and publishing a Republican newspaper in this county." This file closes on December 22, 1875, Mr. Powell on that date printing another valedictory in which he announces his intention to go to Chicago Junction, "a new town on the B. & 0. railroad in Huron county, Ohio, where we hope to have better support." He pointed out that "we have stood by the party ever since the first number of our paper was issued but the party has not stood by us." The file of the Courant closes on August 8, 1872, Mr. Walkup announcing his decision to discontinue the paper and move the plant to St. Marys and publish a paper to be known as the St. Marys Courant, this decision, according to his valedictory, being based on "several reasons, principal among which is the fact that the people of St. Marys have offered us better support financially than we have been receiving here." He closes with the parting suggestion that "if the Republicans want a good paper they must support it to the best of their ability." Walkup left the newspaper field at St. Marys in the fall of 1874, J. E. Fisher taking over (16) 258 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY the Courant plant and continuing the paper under the name of the Commercial. About the time Otho S. Powell and his Republican left the field here in 1875, the Holbrook brothers, Frank and Horace, sons of Dr. George W. Holbrook, "the father of Auglaize county" and an ardent Republican, set up a Republican press at Wapakoneta, establishing there the Wapakoneta Bee, which was continued until 1882, when the publication was discontinued owing to political conditions. Doctor Holbrook, who from his youth had been a pronounced abolitionist, became a stanch Republican upon the organization of that party and continued an unflinching member of the same until 1881.. He had never asked any favors of the party up to this time, although he had rendered the party almost a life time of service. In his declining years he thought he was entitled to some consideration for his long and faithful service to his county and party and he asked to be appointed to the position of postmaster at Wapakoneta. He had many friends who warmly urged his appointment, but the county organization favored the appointment of Major A. L. Whiteman, a Civil war veteran, with the result that the latter got the appointment. The disappointment was so keen, and the thought of his life time of service to his party being unappreciated was so bitter that Doctor Holbrook announced his adherence and allegiance to the principles of the Democratic party. The Holbrook brothers (sons of the Doctor), publishers of the Bee, later announced themselves as Democrats and they changed the Bee from a Republican to a Democratic organ. The Bee thus became a rival of the long established Auglaize County Democrat for Democratic support, with the result that the Bee lost its Republican support. The publishers did not receive the support from the Democratic party they were led to believe they would and after some months they gave up the contest and moved their plant to Texas. They did not remain in the Lone Star state very long until an opportunity was offered, to buy the Crawford ,',County HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 259 Forum, published at Bucyrus, Ohio. They bought the paper and were thereafter for many years successfully engaged in its publication. Eventually, however, the Holbrook boys (Frank and Horace) sold the Forum and went to California, where they became proprietors of a newspaper plant at San Bernardino. They continued the publication of this paper for a few years, at the end of which time they determined to dissolve the partnership so long existing between them and sell the plant. Frank Holbrook, the elder of the brothers, subsequently bought a weekly newspaper at Yreka, Siskiyou county, California, where he has ever since been successfully engaged in the publishing business. The younger brother, Horace, returned to the Buckeye state and bought the Warren (0.) Democrat, and as its editor has been very successful in extending its circulation and influence. The only file of the Bee preserved for local inspection is that of Vol. VI, beginning with date of June 16, 1881, indicating that the paper was started in the summer of 1875. The paper is a four-page, eight-column, "all home-print" and in common with all the Wapakoneta papers of that period showed good typographical taste and judgment on the part of the publishers. The paper was published in the Bee building, "opposite Farmers Bank," and upon the opening of the volume in hand was supporting the Republican party with might and main. The name of Frank Holbrook at that time appeared at the "masthead" as editor. In July, 1881, that name was removed and the name of Horace Holbrook substituted. It was then that the names of the candidates of the Republican party were lifted from the columns of the paper and those of the Democratic candidates given position. Not long afterward the Holbrooks, recognizing the meagerness of the field for two papers of the same political faith, made an effort to buy the Democrat, but the Democratic party organization turned the cold shoulder to their aspirations and they presently closed up the Bee office and went West, as set out above. 260 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY ESTABLISHMENT OF "THE REPUBLICAN." It was this situation that opened the way for the establishment of the present Republican, now issued daily and weekly at Wapakoneta, the first issue of which appeared as The Auglaize Republican on August 18, 1881, under the direction of Robert Sutton and William J. McMurray, the latter of whom was a brother of Capt. Robert McMurray, whose connection with the Democrat has been mentioned above, but of a different political faith. The initial number of the Republican carried at its masthead the statement that it was "the only Republican paper in the county." The publishers announced in their salutatory that "in founding The Avglaize Republican we yield to a recognized demand for a paper published at Wapakoneta which will contribute to the interests of the community, present the local news, and uphold the banner of Republicanism by the propagation of sound political principals. * * * The question of material development in town and country is at the front and this paper will not ignore the immediate interests of the community, but will keep in view the encouragement of industries and the improvement of local industries," and much more of a character well designed to set out the paper's position on the several grounds proper to be covered by a newspaper at that time and place. The paper started as a nine-column, four-page sheet, admirable in its typography and apparently exhaustive in its presentation of the local news, while its editorial columns betokened a steady and experienced hand at the helm. But two pages (inside) were printed at home, eighteen columns thus being given over to local matter, the editors apparently wisely having decided to rely upon the judgment of the Cleveland branch of the old A. N. Kellogg "ready-print," or auxilliary publishing plant, to relieve them of the task of getting up the general matter and miscellany necessary to fill the remaining columns, a course in efficiency and economy that some of the present day newspaper publishers in the smaller towns are too largely neglecting. The HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 261 paper started with a complete new "dress" of type from the Cincinnati branch of the Franklin type foundry and the press work in evidence was all that the most critical could desire. The Republican's motto—James A. Garfield's "I would rather be beaten in doing right than loaded down with gains in doing wrong"—was carried as a subtitle on the first page. The Republican was fortunate in entering the field just at the time of the general industrial, commercial and agricultural "awakening" in this county, about the time that Wapakoneta started in to rebuild itself, and when a new impetus was being given hereabout to all forms of endeavor, and as the new paper from the start consistently and intelligently advocated and encouraged these progressive movements, in accordance with its initial promise to "keep in view the encouragement of industries," it quickly found for itself a place in the community that had been denied its predecessors and it was not long until the people of the county discovered that at last a Republican paper really had "come to stay." Two years after the Sutton Sr, McMurray partnership was formed Mr. McMurray bought his partner's interest in the Republican and assumed the publication of the paper alone, but presently sold a half interest in the publication to W. R. Duvall. This latter partnership continued for four or five years, at the end of which time Mr. Duvall disposed of his interest to his partner and went to Circleville, Ohio, where he became editor of the Herald. Mr. McMurray then continued the publication of the Republican alone until the spring of 1915, when he sold the paper to William B. Morey and Charles S. Whiteman and has since been devoting his time to his banking, manufacturing and other interests. It was on May 6, 1915, that Mr. McMurray retired from the field he had occupied here for nearly thirty-five years, the Republican of that date carrying the announcement that "with this issue W. J. McMurray relinquishes the editorial and business management of The Auglaize Republican• in favor of W. B. Morey, former postmaster, and Charles S. Whiteman, who has been foreman of the Republican office 262 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY for a number of years." The announcement then went on to say that "the new management will endeavor to make the Republican one of the best papers in the state, and to this end they will shortly make a number of changes in and additions to their equipment. * * * They will continue the Republican as an advocate of the party for which it was named And while it will be somewhat more aggressive than heretofore, they will carefully refrain from deliberate misstatements and unjust attacks upon the character of persons, whether in public or private life, and will avoid such personalities as have been popular with certain 'crossroad' journalists in the recent past." Messrs Morey and Whiteman presently added a lino- type machine to their equipment and brought the plant of the newspaper up to modern standards. They carried on the affairs of the Republican under the partnership until in the fall of 1921, when, following the unprecedented victory of the Republican party in this county, a stock company made up of a number of the leading Republicans of the county was organized under the name of the Republican Printing Company and in November 21, 1921, the paper began to be issued as a daily and has so continued, Messrs Morey and Whiteman continuing in technical charge and Mr. Morey in editorial control. Mr. Morey formerly was postmaster at Wapakoneta and has for years been recognized as a leader in the affairs of his party in Auglaize county, former chairman of the Republican county central committee and a former member of the Ohio State Republican central !committee, he was reared at Wapakoneta and "grew up" to the newspaper business, thus being familiar with all departments of that useful calling, for some time having supplemented his local experience along that line by serving as a reporter on the old Chicago Inter Ocean. William J. McMurray, founder and former editor of the Republican, president of the Auglaize National Bank of Wapakoneta, president of the Wapakoneta Wheel Company, president of the Citizens Building and Loan Company and for HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 263 many years regarded as one of the leaders in the general social, commercial and industrial affairs of this county, is a Kentuckian by birth but an Ohioan by inclination and has been a resident of this state and of Auglaize county since the days of his boyhood. OTHER NEWSPAPERS IN COUNTY SEAT. For several years beginning in 1891 there was another newspaper published at Wapakoneta, Die Post, a German language paper established in that year by Henry Holterman, who presently found his paper a losing venture and left the field. Mr. Holterman was reared in this county, later going to Henry county where he became engaged in public service and was for some time in the court house at Napoleon. He was an ardent Democrat and conceived the idea that there was a field for a Democratic German language paper at his old home in Wapakoneta. He put in a first rate printing plant and in 1891 started Die Post. At that time there was a considerable demand throughout this part of the state for a German language paper and Holterman built up a subscription list said to have been in excess of 1,500 and for some time in connection with his Wapakoneta paper also published a Minster edition of the same, thus covering the considerable German speaking section in the southern part of the county, and was thus engaged during the memorable political campaign of 1896. Though warmly Democratic in its expressions, Die Post did not receive the support of the organization Democrats, whose old established organ amply covered the field in that direction, and not long after the close of that campaign began to decline, Holterman's accruing obligations presently compelling him to abandon his paper to his creditors and the plant was sold to satisfy these claims, the printing material being bid in by the Democrat. That was about 1898. Not long afterward Holterman went to Columbus, where he for a time was employed on a German language paper, and their became engaged in the sale of stocks and after awhile went South, his present place of residence being at Birmingham, Ala. 264 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS AT ST. MARYS. Of course, the first newspaper published in what is now Auglaize county was that published at St. Marys during the time of that town's ascendancy as the seat of justice of Mercer county, but unhappily there is only the most fragmentary record of these early enterprises. By flood and fire and through the vicissitudes of time the early files of the St. Marys papers have been destroyed and thus much valuable material in the way of first hand information concerning the government of that section in the early days has been lost. But there were papers published there some time before the establishment of the old Auglaize Republican (present Democrat) at Wapakoneta in 1849 and these papers were being published during the period of the erection of the new county of Auglaize and the establishment of the county seat, the Sentinel apparently having had a sometime existence there as well as the Democrat, and that these two papers found it necessary for economic reasons to merge as one is also evident. It will be recalled that in the review of the old Auglaize Republican, set out above, it is stated that in August 1849, George W Andrews announced the sale of that paper at Wapakoneta to Robert J. S. Hollis, "late one of the publishers of the St. Marys Sentinel and Democrat." Unfortunately, there is no record of the identity of Hollis's associates in the newspaper field at St. Marys nor of how long he had been there. The paper evidently tried to struggle along, however, after his departure until it probably became evident to the publishers that the county seat paper had the "inside track" and that further struggle was hopeless, there of course being no room for two papers in the county at that time ; for in the files of the old Republican (Wapakoneta) in the summer of 1851 there is carried an advertisement announcing that William Sawyer had bought the St, Marys Sentinel and Democrat and was offering the same for sale. Sawyer, a former speaker of the Ohio state House of Representatives (from the Miamisburg district), had become HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 265 a resident of St. Marys in 1843 and at the time of the erection of Auglaize county was representing this district in the Congress. In 1850 he represented this district in the state constitutional convention, later represented the district in the Legislature, was for years mayor and local magistrate at St. Marys, served for some time in the Land Office service in Minnesota, in 1869 became one of the trustees of the State Agricultural College of Ohio and was otherwise active in public service. In those days it was not uncommon for a man who desired political preferment either to have a newspaper of his own or to have such control of a newspaper as to be able to promote his aspirations and have a personal medium of expression. It is not unlikely therefore that it was Sawyer who was financing the Sentinel and Democrat and that when it became necessary to abandon the field at St. Marys as a losing venture the plant of the paper fell back upon him for such disposition as might be possible to make of a forlorn hope. It also is not unlikely that he soon found a buyer, for newspaper plants were rather shifting and uncertain quantities in those days and there always was some venturesome individual who needed a medium of personal expression and would be found willing to take over an abandoned plant and "carry on" in his own field. THE GENESIS OF "THE LEADER." However, of the final disposition of the Sentinel and Democrat there is no record. Nothing then is found concerning the newspaper field at St. Marys until the early '70s, when Edmund B. Walkup abandoned a profitless field at Wapakoneta and moved his Courant over to St. Marys, pointing out to the people of Wapakoneta, as has previously been set out, that the people of St. Marys had given him a promise of more liberal support than he had been receiving at the county seat. It is certain that there was no newspaper at St. Marys during the time of the Civil war, for the Democrat was the only paper published in this county during that period, and it thus is probable that Walkup's Courant was 266 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY the first paper there after the fall of the old Sentinel and Democrat more than twenty years before. The St. Marys Courant was first issued by E. B. Walkup on August 26, 1872. A little more than two years later, in October, 1874, Walkup sold the paper to J. E. Fisher and went to Delphos, where he continued engaged in the newspaper business. Fisher changed the name of the paper to the Commercial and two years later, in December, 1876, sold it to R. S. Clark, who changed the name to the Free Press and continued in charge until his death in December, 1877, after which John Walkup and William Shields took charge and once more the paper was rechristened, the new proprietors giving it the name of the Argus. In July, 1879, Shields retired, selling his interest to Frank Walkup and I. N. Richardson, the firm continuing under the name of John Walkup & Co., and this arrangement continued until in the following January (1880), when John Walkup sold his interest to the other members, who changed the firm style to Walkup & Richardson. Not long afterward Walkup sold out to his partner, who carried on the business alone for about a year when he sold the Argus to David A. Clark, who continued the publication for about fifteen years, or until his election to the office of county treasurer in 1896, when he merged his paper with the daily paper that not long before had been established at St. Marys. This first daily newspaper started at St. Marys was the Evening Herald, established there about 1894 by W. A. Mosley, who in 1895 sold the paper to C. L. Hunter, present postmaster of St. Marys. Mr. Hunter changed the name of the paper to the Daily Democrat and it was with this paper that Mr. Clark merged his interest, the name of the paper then being changed to the Argus and Democrat, the business being carried on by the Argus Printing Company, which in 1901 changed the double barreled name to that of the Daily News, which was later absorbed by the Evening Leader. In the meantime, in 1890, the Graphic, a weekly newspaper, had been started at St. Marys by C. E. Detter, of VanWert, who HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 267 presently was succeeded by John L. Sullivan, who became editor and manager, the business being carried on under the firm style of the Graphic Publishing Company. This ownership was succeeded by that of Charles Arnold, now of Bluffton, Ind., who presently sold the Graphic to Bissell & Jones, who two years later sold the paper to Guy Huffman, who employed the Rev. D. C. Woolpert as editor, the latter presently being succeeded by W. D. Mefford, this arrangement continuing until in 1904, when John L. Sullivan bought Huffman out. About a year later Mr. Hunter and Mr. Sullivan organized the Leader Printing Company, bought Clark's interest, took over the Daily News and established the Evening Leader. Under this arrangement Mr. Hunter became the business manager of the Leader and Mr. Sullivan the editor. In 1907 Mr. Sullivan sold his interest to Mr. Hunter, who sold the Graphic (weekly) to A. C. Buss, and continued the publication of the Leader until the time of his appointment to the postmastership at St. Marys in March, 1914, when he was succeeded as manager of the Leader by W. A. Moxley and later by John W. Fisher, the latter of whom is now with the Lima News, the paper continuing to be carried on byl the Leader Printing Company. Since February, 1916, Mr. Sullivan has been president of this company as well as editor and manager of the Leader. The Herald, above referred to, was the successor to The Dollar Sentinel, which was started at St. Marys in the '80s by Frank Walkup, who has been referred to above in connection with the old Argus. He sold the paper to Frank Ibbetson, who changed the name of the same to that of the Herald and it was this paper, then a weekly, that W. A. Moxley bought and converted into a daily. When Mr. Sullivan started in the newspaper business at St. Marys with the Graphic he made the paper one of the stanchest Republican organs in this district. His Leader is now just as stanchly Democratic. Mr. Sullivan was the nominee of the Progressive party in Ohio for the office of secretary of state in 1912. He afterward adopted the principles of the Democratic party 268 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY and has been espousing them since. His daily paper covers tho field there, the weekly papers long ago having been discontinued. REVIEW OF CONDITIONS IN THE '70s. In the public files of the newspapers in the auditor's office at the court house there are a few fragmentary files of the St. Marys papers back in the '70s. A file of the Courant, E. B. Walkup editor and proprietor, beginning with No. 19 of Vol. I (January 2, 1873) and running for about a year, reveals an eight-column, four-page, all home print paper of excellent typography, the proprietor advertising "a full assortment of plain and ornamental type, with good presses. Every description of printing neatly and promptly executed at the very lowest rates. Rooms over Fritsch's drug store." The paper carried some Wapakoneta, Dayton, Sidney and New Bremen advertising, the St. Marys advertisers at that time having been Joseph Plunkett and L. C. Sawyer, attorneys; Charles Fritsch, real estate and insurance ; Ohio House, Fred Kohlhorst, proprietor ; Dieker House, C. A. Frey, proprietor; Kishler & Shackleton, C. W. Hamisfar and Dr. J. Bradley, physicians ; M. Bishop, stoves ; J. H. Burnett, furniture; John McEvoy, lime kiln; Richard Smith, harness; J. S. Alspaugh, surveyor; H. Siewert, boots and shoe ; William Puetz, "billiard and oyster parlor;" Joseph Wilkins & Co., hardware ; ; Althausen & Gill, livery ; William Limbacher, groceries; Frank Koehl, groceries; St. Marys Building and Loan Association, Louis Fox, secretary; William Machenbach, steam sawmill—"Wanted: 1,000 ash logs ; sound and clear;" W. H. Doll, druggist and bookseller; Nettie Simpson, agent "improved automatic knitting machines;" Mrs. W. Hoffer, dry goods ; Sharp & Pierce, dry goods, the "Bee Hive" store, which then was "receiving daily from New York and Boston their fall and winter stock" (in January!) ; Manor & Shelly. groceries, who "also keep the boat store known as the collector's office ;" Eclipse ,sawmill, H. K. Stevenson; New York clothing store, Sol Bamberger, proprietor; George HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 269 Knotz, "daily" meat market; E. S. Gross, stoves and tinning; 0. Rentzsch, successor to D. Armstrong, dry goods ; J. L. Critten, groceries; C. Stuve Lang & Bro., pork packers; 011 Beam, sewing machines; Charles Fritsch, drugs ; St. Marys steam mills, Theodore Mausard, proprietor, "who begs leave to say to the farmers that he has been at great expense in putting steam power in his flouring mill and is now better prepared than ever to do custom work, regardless of wind or rain, and expects to give satisfaction to all customers;" J. H. Doering & Co., threshing machines, agents for Auglaize and Shelby counties, who ask threshermen to "remember that the Birdsell has threshed 100 bushels in ten hours time, and as high as fifteen bushels in one hour's running time ;" Mrs. E. Young, milliner and dressmaker; Tom Ivins tailor ; Charles Hipp, who wants "100,000 feet of elm and hickory butts;" Fred Dieker, livery and feed stable connected with the Dieker House ; 0. Bennet, hardware ; John McLain, painter and glazier; Jay & Co., linseed oil mill ; Brink & Reed, painting and glazing, besides a considerable quantity of miscellaneous advertising and patent medicine advertising. Charles Hipp at that time was postmaster at St. Marys, William Sawyer was mayor and John McLain, city clerk, these latter officials in this issue of the paper giving publication to an ordinance making it unlawful for owners of swine to permit their porkers to run at large on the streets and alleys or unenclosed lots in the city. The free and easy individualism of the pioneer days was beginning to give way to the collective judgment of the community. Other people's bogs were being found to be a nuisance. A brief news item had it that "Duchouquet township voted $75,000 aid to the East and West railroad on Friday last by a vote of eighty- six more than the necessary two-thirds majority. The whole northern portion opposed and even some at Wapak, but they couldn't come it. A tolerable full vote was polled." The editor's use of the diminutive "Wapak" shows that the unhappy present manner of abbreviating the name of the county seat by those heedless of the unusual charm of the 270 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY name Wapakoneta is no new thing. In this connection it is not out of the way to recall the compliment paid to the name of the county seat of Auglaize by that thoughtful and intelligent observer, Henry Howe, who in his wonderful "Ohio Collections" (1846) observes that "Wapakoneta enjoys the distinction of having, with possibly a single exception —`Pataskala'—the most original and musical name in the state." A bound series of the St. Marys Free Press beginning with No. 5 of Vol. V, October 25, 1877, R. S. Clark editor and proprietor, is quite clearly a continuation of the Courant, as the same type dress is in evidence, the paper at this time, however, being printed in L. Koehl's building. A similar fragmentary file of the St. Marys Argus, beginning with No. 3 of Vol. IV, January 8, 1881, I. N. Richardson editor and proprietor, and carrying the paper for a little more than a year, was also an eight-column, four-page paper, The last number of this paper on file, January 28, 1882, carries the story of the conviction of Charles Guiteau, the assassin of President Garfield. The St. Marys markets published at the time show wheat to have been selling at $1.25 @ 1.30; corn, 55 cents; oats, 37 ; barley, $1; rye, $1; flaxseed, $1; cloverseed, $4.50; butter, 20 cents; coffee, 15 @ 20; eggs, 20; feathers (per pound), 50 @ 55; lard, 12 1/2 ; sugar, 8 @ 10 and potatoes, $1.40. WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS IN COUNTY. The first newspaper established at New Bremen was the Stern des Westlichen Ohio, a German language paper, which in the year 1874 had been started in the neighboring village of Minster by J. V. Schiffer and presently was taken over by the Hemstegger brothers, who carried the paper along until in 1878 when Schiffer resumed management. On December 1, 1879, Schiffer sold the paper to Theodore Purpus, who moved the plant to New Bremen and since then the paper has been issued from the latter! place. Mr. Purpus continued the publication until in May, 1900, when he sold it to HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY - 271 F. T. Purpus and E. G. Conradi, operating under the firm name of Purpus & Conradi. In 1903 this firm took over the New Bremen Sun, which had been established in the middle '80s, and continued the publication of both papers until in 1907, when the present Home Printing Company of New Bremen was organized and has since been publishing the two newspapers, Mr. Conradi being the president of the company and editor and general manager of the newspapers and Mr. Purpus treasurer. Both papers are published from the same plant in the Purpus building and an extensive job printing establishment is maintained in connection with the same. The New Bremen Sun was established in 1886 by C. M. Smith, who in January, 1888, sold the paper to A. C. Buss, a practical printer who had grown up in New Bremen and who was backed in his enterprise by local capital. The surviving files of this newspaper date from the beginning of the Buss management, beginning in January, 1888, and in the first number of this bound file is the following copied from the Auglaize Democrat (Wapakoneta) : "The New Bremen Sun, 'the only Republican newspaper in Auglaize county except the Republican,' has been sold to a syndicate of New Bremen capitalists, at the head of which is Julius Boesel, late Republican candidate for county treasurer. A. C. Buss will be the managing editor. The price of advertising has been increased to 5 cents a line and other improvements are contemplated to place the paper on a paying basis." To this the Sun appended the following comment : "The New Bremen Sun is not yet of so great proportions as to demand a syndicate of capitalists to manage it. What it will be in the future is, of course, left to the future to tell ; but if our worthy brother makes this a prophecy we are encouraged. Thank you." In the Republican's comment on this change of ownership Mr. Buss was referred to as "a well known and capable young man." At that time William Bruns was mayor of New Bremen and this issue of the Sun carried the publication of a city 272 - HISTORY OF AUGLAIZE COUNTY ordinance authorizing the city to issue bonds for the establishment of a natural gas plant. Mr. Buss later became connected with newspaper work at St. Marys, where he is now living, the manager of the extensive printing plant maintained in that city by the White Mountain creamery interests. Following the sale of the Sun to Mr. Buss in 1888, Mr. Smith started another paper, The Homelight, which he published a short while in New Bremen and then moved the plant to the neighboring town of Minster, but presently abandoned that field. The Stern des Westlichen Ohio and the Sun are of uniform size, eight-page six-column, half home print, and admirably cover their respective fields. Both are published without affiliation to any political party. The Post, published weekly art Minster, was established in 1895 and is thus in its twenty-seventh year. The Minster Post is published by the Post Printing Company, John Haverbeck editor and manager, and is a six-column, eight page paper, all home print, which covers well the field it occupies. The company also maintains an up-to-date printing plant in connection with the newspaper and its business in job printing covers much more than what would be regarded as the normal field for its activities. The Post was printed first as a German language newspaper, by Henry Holterman, of Die Post at Wapakoneta, as has been set out elsewhere, but presently this plan was abandoned and for many years it has been appearing in its present form. The Waynesfield Chronicle, published weekly at Waynesfield by E. Benjamin Yale, who has been editor of  the paper for many years, was established in 1885 and is thus in its thirty-seventh year. The Chronicle is a six-column, eight-page paper, half home print, and its news columns are devoted especially to the attractive field it has so long and so effectively covered. Mr. Yale also publishes a weekly newspaper at Jackson Center, in the neighboring county of Shelby, and a weekly newspaper at Lakeview, in Logan county, and his editorial activities thus cover a pretty wide local field.