104 - PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY (RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) CHAPTER X. NEWSPAPERS, COMPRISING THE MUSKINGUM MESSENGER, THE DEMOCRATIC UNION, AURORA, CITIZENS PRESS AND SIGNAL., THE MUSKINGUM EXPRESS, AND DEVELOPMENTS INTO THE COURIER, THE CITY TIMES AND TIMES RECORDER, ZANESVILLE SUNDAY NEWS, ZANESVILLE PENNY PRESS, WEEKLY VISITOR AND HOME MONITOR, LABOR JOURNAL, WEEKLY ADVOCATE, ZANESVILLE POST, WESTERN RECORDER, EPHEMERAL ZANESVILLE PAPERS, DRESDEN, FRAZEYSBURG, ADAMSVILLE, NEW CONCORD AND ROSEVILLE PAPERS. MUSKINGUM MESSENGER. The first newspaper published in Muskingum county was the Muskingum Messenger, which made, its first appearance in February, 1810, as an advocate of democratic principles and policies. as defined by Thomas Jefferson, the opposition being styled federalists. George Washington was not a partisan but the supporters of his ad- PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY - 105 ministration were federalists, and although Jefferson was amember of the cabinet he was not in accord with the President, and his political school was republican, or democratic republican. was John Adams was the only federalist president and Jefferson was the first democratic president. White and Sawyer were the first publishers of the Muskingum Messenger, but shortly after it began David Chambers, a later prominent politician and Representative to Congress, purchased White’s interest and about 1812 became sole proprietor, made it one of the most prominent and infuenta1 journals of the State ; during the war of 1812-14, it was an able and efficient supporter of the war, and the administration. About 1815, Josiah Heard became editor and proprietor and continued until 1818. In February, 1819, Ezekial T. Cox became owner and continued the publication until February, 1822, when he transferred his interest to his brother, Horatio J. Cox, who reconveyed it in February. 1824, to Ezekial T. and Samuel J. Cox ; in 1825 the latter became sole owner and editor, and in May, 1828, sold the paper to Thomas Anderson, because he could not supported Jackson for the presidency. Anderson administration until the South Carolina nullification episode, when he espoused the Calhoun doctrines and lost prestige with the body of the party. In 1837, Joseph Moorehead and Michael P. Brister became owners, but being whigs the paper ceased to be esteemed as a democratic journal and soon became extinct. ZANESVILLE SIGNAL. When the Muskingum llessenger ceased to be the regular democratic organ, Charles B. Flood and Frederick W. DeKrufft, in 1833, established the Democratic Union; William Crosby succeeded them and changed the name to the Anrora, and soon after sold to David Robb, and he to Jacob Glessner, January 1, 1838 after six years of vigorous political warfare he sold the paper in 1844, to John Brandt, and within a few years it was owned successively by McCann and Camp, Chauncy Bassett, Henry Beard, Roberts and Adams and again by Henry Beard. August 18. 1852, Beard sold to R. W. P. Muse, and November 15. 1853, Albert O. Wagstaff purchased a one-third interest, and remained one year ; January 2, 1854, Muse and Wagstaff began the Daily Commercial Aurora, which continued for about three years, 2nd July 1855. Lewis Baker purchased a one-third interest and held it until July 1, 1857, and retired, July 16, 1856, Muse sold his interest to James W. Gally and when Baker retired Gally became sole proprietor and publisher until April 13, 1860, when he sold to Thomas W. Peacock. November 23, 1860, Joseph McGonagle became associated and November 13, 1862, his interest was purchased by the Ohio Farmer's League, and the latter was merged with the Aurora. In 1860 the Aurora supported Douglas for the presidency and Samuel Chapman and Anthony Deffenbaugh, in September, started the Citizens' Press, in support of Breckenridge, and developed into a seditious sheet when its candidate became a foe to his country, and the paper was mobbed by the indignant loyal men of Zanesville ; July 9, 1863, it was merged with the Aurora, and William Ewing became associated with Peacock, and January 1, 1864, purchased Peacock's interest. and February 4, 1864, he sold to J. Mulholland and Company, who discontinued the Aurora, and began the Ohio Signal, the first number of which was issued February i 1, 1864, but after a few weeks the names of the publishers were withdrawn and during the year Daniel B. Linn became proprietor. During 1865 an association and not an incorporation was formed by prominent democrats, in the city and county, under the name of the Signal Printing Company, with D. B. Linn, Elias Ellis, William Pringle and Gemmill Arthur as trustees, Mr. Linn being the sole manager. In August of that year, with an entirely new equipment of type, steam power, Hoe press, and jobbing-outfit, the Zanesville Daily Signal, with a weekly edition, was commenced, with Mr. Linn as editor and Mr. Arthur as business manager. Mr. Linn's election to the Ohio Senate was disastrous to his business interests and Mr. James T. Irvine purchased the plant and took possession June 10, 1867 ; the daily edition was continued until January 1, 1870. when it was suspended. In November, 1883, Thomas M. and Daniel H. Gaultier purchased and became publishers of the Signal, and in May. 1887, Mr. Irvine took Mr. Thomas M. Gaummer's interest, which was acquired by Mr. D. H. Cannier. January 16, 1889; his energy as sole proprietor made the property very valuable, and it was removed from its former rooms on the third floor of the building. northwest corner of Main and Fourth streets, to the basement, and first and second floors of the rooms in the Opera block, southeast corner of Fifth street and Fountain alley ; the daily was reestablished, and the proprietor having entered politics, was successively Representative and Senator to the General Assembly and Postmaster of the city ; his labors were in excess of his physical strength and February. 1898, he died, as so many other Americans, of overexertion. In October. 1898. the paper was purchased by Henry E. and James R. Alexander. under Whom it has had still greater success and is now published in the corn, modious quarters at southeast corner of Main and Second streets. THE COURIER. The federalists were weak and uninfluential in the west, and the democrats were supreme, but shortly after the appearance of the Muskingum Messenger, in 1810, the Muskingum Express was 106 - PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY. presented by J. H. Putnam and Company, as a federalist organ; the field was uninviting and the publishers were doubtless satisfied with the experience, and in 1812 sold to O'Hara and Bennett, who published the Express and Advertiser, which was changed December 30, 1812, to the Express and Republican Standard, and was continued tinder that title until 1823, when the name was changed to the Ohio Republican, by its new owners, David Chambers, editor, and Adam Peters, publisher, in advocacy of the election of Henry Clay to the presidency. July 22, 1824, Chambers retired and Peters conducted the paper alone until January 5, 1825, when William C. Pelham purchased an interest, but resold to Peters, August 3, 1833. In 1842 Peters sold the establishment to Lambert O'Hara and John A. Beatty, the latter retiring in the following year, when H. P. Bristow became part owner, and November 11, 1845, David H. Lyman became owner and on that clay discontinued the Ohio Republican and presented the Zanesville Courier, which soon became one of the leading journals of the State. Beginning March 31, 1846, the Tri-Weekly Courier was published and was discontinued June 21, when the Daily was issued : this was not successful and November 1, 1847, the Daily was suspended and the Tri-Weekly was resumed. October 19, 1849, Edward Ball and Imri Richards became proprietors and December 16, 185o, resumed the publication of the Daily, which has regularly appeared ever since. The gentlemen were not successful and transferred the business to W. H. Ball, William Buell, H. J. Mercer and J. Carrel, who, in turn, in 1852, conveyed it to George Weaver and N. S. Kaufman. About 1830 Uriah Parke had established the Zanesville Gazette, and March 4, 1858, it was consolidated with the Courier, by U. P. Bennett, its proprietor, purchasing Weaver's interest, and while the Daily maintained its title the weekly edition was issued as the Courier and Gazette, but December 18, 1868, si Gazette" was dropped. In August, 1859, C. H. Upton and J. T. Shryock became owners and June 21, 1861, Shryock became sole owner and for the first time the paper was a financial success. When Gen. M. D. Leggett and Col. J. C. Douglass returned from the army they purchased the Courier, and took possession November 15, 1865 ; T. J. Newman secured a one-third interest, July 1, 1866, and in May, 1868, Gen. Leggett sold his interest to John H. Dodd,. the firm being Douglass, Newman and Dodd. January 1, 1872, Newman and Dodd purchased Col. Douglass' mterest upon his appointment as city postmaster, and this firm continued the publication until 1876, when R. B. Brown purchased a portion of Dodd's interest, and the firm of Newman, Dodd and Brown were publishers until 1889 when the Courier Company was incorporated and organized with T. J. Newman, president ; L. E. Dodd, vice president; J. H. Dodd, secretary and treasurer ; R. B. Brown business manager. For many years the office was in a three-story brick building, in the rear of the building at the northeast corner of Main street and Court alley, and upon the completion of the Opera block the plant was moved to the basement and the first and second floors of the rooms at the southeast corner of Fifth street and Fountain alley, and in 1889 moved into its own building at the northwest corner of Fourth street and Locust alley. The present directors of the company are: John Hoge, president ; R. B. Brown, secretary and treasurer ; Joseph Shaw, G. A. Stanbery and O. F. McKinney. THE CITY TIMES. September 1, 1852, Jacob Glessner and John B. Roberts. began the issue of The City Times in a frame building on the east side of Fifth street, midway of the block from Main street to Locust alley ; the paper was a non-partisan, weekly folio, printed on the first steam press brought to Zanesville, and between the words of the title was displayed a view of the "Y" bridge. In 1853, Mr. Roberts was appointed postmaster, and Mr. Glessner became sole proprietor, and in 1857 moved to the southeast corner of and Fifth streets in 1864 he sold to George H. Logan, who was shortly after joined by John H. Dodd, and after little more than a year they sold to Cooper Evans and Ehrman ; a similar interval witnessed the succession of "Governor" John Greiner, who transferred the property to a Mr. Lee and he to R. C. Brown ; W. W. Pyle obtained title from Brown, and published the paper about five years, and was succeeded by E. Z. Haves, the publication, in the meantime, having been moved to the Maginnis block, and latter to a frame building at the corner of Fountain and Court alleys. During the spring of 1876 the Weekly City Times was discontinued and The Sunday Times was issued until November, when the Daily was presented ; in February, 1877, the paper was suspended by reason of the destruction of the building, by fire, and June 12, 1877, The Daily Morning Times was resumed by a cooperative association of practical printers, composed of W. W. Pyle, E. R. Sullivan, D. P. and Edward Mercer, Alonzo Shoemaker and Harry M. Parsons, under the name of the Times Publishing Company ; Pyle was editor and Sullivan was business manager, and August 16, the weekly edition was resumed. A non-partisan policy was pursued until the gubernatorial campaign of 1879, when the republican cause was espoused with such energy that the former democratic majorities in the PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY - 107 county were eliminated and the party became conscious that a new and aggressive champion had appeared in its behalf. D. P. Mercer, Shoemaker and Edward Mercer successively sold their interest to Sullivan and Parsons, as partners and in October, 1881, Pyle, as the only independent interest, retired. In 1883, the publication was transferred to a company composed of W. E. Krebs, W. H. Cunningham, jr., Thomas Campbell and Thomas E. Taylor, who issued the paper until January 1, 1885, when Jesse Atwell, who held a chattel mortgage on the property, consolidated the Daily and Weekly Times with the Weekly Recorder, published Spencer, and the Weekly District Visitor, published by Rev. W. M. Acton, the consolidation being issued as The Daily Times Recorder, and the Weekly Times Recorder and Visitor. than a month Atwell and Acton withdrew January 1, 1886. a stock company, styled The Times Recorder Company, purchased the establishment, and Spencer was made editor and D. J. Richards, business manager, and the word Visitor dropped from the weekly. January 1, 1889, Spencer severed his connection, and the financial acumen of Richards became manifest ; under his able management the paper was installed in permanent rooms in south Fifth street, nearly opposite where the City Times was first issued, now more than half a century ago and the equipped with modern machinery and devices to produce a first class morning paper. ZANESVILLE SUNDAY NEWS. The first issue of the Sunday News appeared in July, 1883, with William E. Krebs and John Miller as publishers; the the office was in Maginnis block, and six months latter Miller’s interest was purchased by Edward F. Faller. Several changes in proprietorship occurred and W. A. Hopkins, John F. Tracy, Charles E. Addison and C. R. Long became interested at different times. The latter's interest was as a creditor, and he took possession under a chattel mortgage, and February 8, 1888, sold the paper to Charles F. Shryock, who moved the publication to his printing office at southwest corner of Fifth street and Fountain alley. Originally the Sunday News was an independent journal, but Shryock converted it into an independent republican newspaper. and the paper prospered under the energy and ability which backed it. In 1895 Shryock sold the publication to the Times-Recorder Company, which changed the name to The Sunday Times Recorder, but the enterprise did not flourish, and in July, 1898, was sold to Charles E. Barker, who resumed the publication under its former name. In February, 1899, Ad. Elsperman, of Wooster, and Calvin D. Myers, of Lodi, succeeded Barker, and the partnership continued until September, 1901, when Myers retired, and Elsperman has since conducted the paper ; under the management of Elsperman and Myers the publication became a valuable property, and since Mr. Elsperman has had possession it has largely increased in value; although a strictly local paper it has a wide circulation outside the city, and agencies are established in thirty-one other towns and cities. THE ZANESVILLE PENNY PRESS was the pioneer penny daily of the Muskingum valley, and made its initial appearance April t, 1891, as a four page evening, independent journal, with W. O. Munson as editor and manager ; April 6, 1892, it was enlarged to a seven column, eight page daily, and a weekly edition was begun. January 8, 1897, the Press Publishing Company was incorporated with a capital of $10.000.00, and H. J. Sheppard, M. D., became president and D. C. Helmick, secretary ; W. O. Munson remained as manager, and Ray Dollings, A. W. Evans. W. E. Harris, Harry Leis, C. E. Swingle and others were stockholders. Mr. Munson died during September, 1898, and the paper was conducted by Dollings and Helmick, who converted it into a morning daily called the Morning Journal: Helmick purchased Dollings’ interest, and upon retiring from the mayoralty in April, 1899, L. H. Gibson became city editor, but in June of that year publication was suspended, and the plant was sold under decree of the court in December, 1899. WEEKLY VISITOR AND HOME MONITOR. In 1880 Rev. W. M. Acton, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church, at Frazeysburg, began the publication of the District Visitor, and in the fall of 1881 was assigned to the charge of the South street church, at Zanesville ; his paper was moved to Zanesville, and published from the office of E. R. Sullivan. in south Fourth street, where it was enlarged to a seven column folio, and the name changed to the Weekly Visitor and Home Monitor. In September, 1882, a substantial increase was secured to the capital of the concern, and the publication moved into its own rooms in the second floor of the Shinnock block, where the form was changed to a five column quarto and the subscription list was more than doubled. Politically, the paper was independent ; religiously, it was non-sectarian, but it advocated personal morality. condemned public corruption, and attacked the liquor traffic ; it did not demand legislation, but the enforcement of existing statutes. In 1882 cash prizes were offered for temperance stories written by subscribers, and many competitive 108 - PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY. stories were submitted which were printed in its columns. January 1, 1885, the paper was merged with others to form the Times Recorder. Many cherished hopes and much of "other peoples' money" have been lost in the journalistic waters at Zanesville, and scarcely more than a memory remains of them. The Dial was started during the 'eighties by parties from Wheeling and even their names are forgotten, but it is not possible that the parties have forgotten their experience. The Sunday Herald was issued for a few weeks from an office in Putnam. The Sunday Star was established about 1887, by Harvey J. Abbott and Pius Badgett and survived about four years. The Daily Democrat appeared August 18, 1879, projected by W. V. Cox, W. L. Maginnis and W. C. Crawley. and suspended October 31, of that year. The Daily Era, a democratic journal, published by W. L. Maginnis, W. C. Crawley and George C. Thompson, was issued March 24, 188o; July 28. Thompson and Crawley retired and were succeeded by 0. K. White, John F. Tracy and T. J. Maginnis, jr.; October 26th, the two Maginnis retired and the paper went into the possession of a receiver, who continued its publication, with White and Tracy in charge, until Novembcr 29, 1880, when it suspended. LABOR JOURNAL. The Zanesville Labor Journal was established in January, 1892, by Campbell & Sebaugh, the paper becoming the successor of the Zanesville Sunday Star. In 1894 the paper was sold to Faller Brothers, and the publication continued by them for about a year, when it was discontinued. In 1896 the Journal was revived as a monthly. and about a year later was purchased by Charles H. Sebaugh, who again made it a weekly publication in its present form. February I, 1903, Neil M. Beckley & Sons became proprietors by purchasing Sebaugh's interest and are the present owners and publishers. Under the management of the present firm the Labor Journal has become firmly established and recognized as one of the standard labor periodicals of the country. THE WEEKLY ADVOCATE. John T. Shryock began the issue of The Farmer's and Mechanic's Advocate, May 20, 187o, and in 1873 changed the name to The Weekly Advocate, in the interest of the brevity of title, and began the issue of a daily, which continued six months and was suspended during the panic of 1873 ; the Advocate was begun as an independent paper, designed to inform its readers upon political questions, but in 1872, espoused the cause of the liberal republican ticket, advocated currency reform and protection to American industry Mr. Shryock had peculiar opinions about newspaper publications, and was accustomed to publish campaign papers in support of principles to which he did not wish to commit his regularly issued paper ; one of these, The Greenbacker, in 1876, had an extensive circulation, especially in Perry county, and the practice was followed in other campaigns. The Advocate was published on the west side of Fifth street, near Market, and died with the proprietor, in 1892. THE ZANESVILLE POST is tne only German paper published in southeastern Ohio; the first issue appeared March 28, 1872, with Adolph Schneider as editor, and for five years it was published from the Courier building, then in Court alley, opposite the court house. The Publication teas then removed to the east side of Sixth street, near South, and in 1895 was taken to over by a stock company, and since 1899 has been printed by C. U. Shryock. It is strictly nonpartisan in politics, and has a fair subscription list. THE WESTERN RECORDER was first published at Meadow Farm, six miles west of Zanesville, the residence of the editor, Rev. Cornelius Springer ; the initial number appeared July 18. 1833. and in 1845 it passed to A. H. Bassett, who removed the publication to Putnam, where it became so prominent and influential as an organ of the Methodist Protestant church that in 1855 it was transferred to Springfield, Ohio. and developed into a powerful religious journal. A decade or more ago Zanesville acquire an unenviable reputation by the publication of alleged papers under such titles as The Rural Era, The National Shepherd, and similar aliases, not now readily recalled, and of no moment except as records of deceit. In fact the papers were advertising media of the publisher, who carried his own address, under various names, and at different towns, to exploit schemes to fleece the unwary, and the number of such persons was ample to reward him liberally. The National Express Company was conducted as a scheme, the Zanesville office notifying persons at distant points that a package had been deposited for transportation upon which the charges. must be prepaid before shipment, and remittance by the alleged addressee closed the incident; a soap powder, for making soft soap instantly was not a swindle, but a deception, and high grade poultry eggs from the commonest stock were among the allurements presented in the flashy advertisements. At 1ast the National authorities "pinched" the operator who PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY - 109 after serving a sentence in the Ohio penitentiary resumed business at Cincinnati under other aliases. THE DRESDEN TRANSCRIPT. Dresden has possessed a newspaper since 1838, publication has at times been interrupted: July 30, 1838, A. Deffenbaugh began the issue of the Dresden Chronicle, which was published until 1842, when the name was changed to Journal, which was suspended about 1844. John W. Wallace issued one number of the Visitor in 1848, and the field remained uncultivated until 1850, when Wallace and Agnew began the Advocate continued about two years when the senior partner died, and a Mr. Svgford took an interest, and the name was changed to The Intelligencer, and was issued regularly until 1855, when Bently Gill became owner and in 1877 sold to M. B. Lovett, under whom it suspended. Another interval of inactivity occurred until 1868, when T. W. Peacock and Son established the Dresden Monitor, which was sold a year later to J. A. Jackson, and it passed successively to L. M. Murphy, W. H. Conklin and J. T. Shryock ; the latter gave the paper life and published it two years and sold to John W. Martin, and was published as the Herald for six months. Meantime the Dresden Doings, a fortnightly quarto, was established in 1874, by James W. Wheeling, and for a short time Dresden possessed two papers; in September, 1878, the Doings was sold to W. E. Smith. who changed it to a weekly and issued it until 1879. The Dresden Transcript succeeded the Doings, and continues to furnish the news to a paying subscription list. The Good Citizien was established at Dresden, about 1900, as a four page weekly, with G. E. Stubbins as editor, but became extinct soon after for lack of support from the good citizens it professed to champion. About 1880, Edward Spencer established The Telephone, an educational monthly, at Adamsville, and in 1889 started the Adainsville Register, as a four page, seven column weekly, which was sold in 1892 to E. C. Jordan. The New Concord Enterprise was established as a home paper, July 22, 1880. The Federalist was edited at Frazeysburg, about 1875, by C. E. F. Miller, the printing being done at Dresden; it was a small sheet, and was discontinued after a struggle of about three months. The Midland was started at Frazeysburg, August 29. 1889, as a five column, eight page pager, devoted to literature, news and local matter, with Rev. C. B. Downs, as managing editor: A. B. Clark, Newark, as assistant editor ; D. H. Lewis as general business manager, but its existence was brief. About 1890 The Frazeysburg Advertiser made its debut upon the journalistic stage, and soon after made its final exit. The Independent, at Roseville, was established about 1888, by George Stull, as an independent weekly newspaper, and subsequent proprietors were Charles Gibson, -- Ryland, Laura B. Poe, W. H. Goodlive and a company which later sold to George Stine, who made it a republican organ ; it is an ably edited, handsome paper, in prosperous condition, and possesses a plant of the best character to be found in a rural paper. The Review at Roseville was established about 1895, by H. C. Williams, who still conducts it as an eight page weekly democratic organ, and like its local cotemporary, is well equipped for newspaper work.