94 - WOOD COUNTY, OHIO CHAPTER XVI. PRESS OF WOOD COUNTY-PIONEER JOURNALISM-NEWSPAPERS OF PERRYSBURG, BOWLING GREEN, NORTH BALTIMORE, WESTON, PEMBERVILLE, GRAND RAPIDS, CYGNET, TONTOGANY, BRADNER, AND OTHER LOCALITIES IN THE COUNTY. THE newspapers of the county, outside Perrysburg, have all come into existence since the close of the Civil war. The contest, for the removal of the Seat of justice to a point near the geographical center of the county, suggested the publication of more than one journal, and the Advocate appeared at Bowling Green in 1866. The efforts, subsequently made, to re-establish the Seat of justice at Perrysburg, brought into the field a few more newspapers, which defended the respective interests of the rival towns with warmth and enthusiasm. Then, the development of the southern townships began, and, later, that of the gas and oil fields of the county commenced, new towns were founded and new interests created. The newspaper publisher came to aid the developers, and localities, which were clothed with the forest before the advance of the commercial and oil men, were now cleared, and again dressed with the buildings of a new civilization. The printing press was found in the midst of the new peoples, and the old journals of Perrysburg, as well as their younger contemporaries of Bowling Green, found their hunting grounds, from Pemberville to North Baltimore, and from North Baltimore to Perrysburg, invaded by an army of hustling news-gatherers and printers. The Miami of the Lake, the pioneer newspaper, was issued at Perrysburg, December 11 1833, by J. W. Scott and Henry Darling, the latter bringing the press and type from New York. In June following, J. Austin Scott purchased the office and, with J. H. McBride and Henry Reed, Jr., as associate publishers, issued the paper regularly until February, 1835, when J. H. McBride (who with Charles Wilcox, of Detroit, was the first printer), became sole owner. At that time, Capt. Allen established a paper at Vistula (Toledo), which lived but a short time. Hezekiah L. Hosmer (the old justice of the peace), H. T. Smith and William P. Rozner, were successive owners until August 18, 1838, when the name was changed to The Ohio Whig. Henry Reed, Jr., was a son of Henry and Temperance (Pratt) Reed, who located near Waterville, in 1832, on land purchased from John Pray. Samuel R. Reed became editor of the Cincinnati Gazette, while Alexander, a third son of the pioneer, Henry, was connected WOOD COUNTY, OHIO - 95 with the Morning Commercial of Toledo, in the "seventies. "J. W. Scott moved to Toledo, where he resided many years. The Ohio Whig was first published at Perrysburg, August i8, 1838, by H. T. Smith, as successor of The Miami of the Lake. In its columns were the professional notices of J. Purdy, of Mansfield; W. V. Way, David Allen, Henry Bennett, John M. May, Samuel M. Young and J. C. Spink, local lawyers, as well as of A. Coffinberry, Isaac Stetson and Horace Sessions, of Defiance, and of Dr. N. Dustin. All the traders in that vicinity selected the Whig as an advertising medium, and, altogether, it was a popular journal until November 28, 1840, when it was merged into the Maumee River Times. The Perrysburg News was issued June 28, 1842, by A. C. Morton. A copy of this journal could not be found, but the name and date are taken from a contemporary. The Miami of Lake Erie was issued May 29, 1844, by W. P. Reznor; No. 7, Vol. I, bears date July 10, 1844. n March, 1846, H. L. Hosmer was proprietor; in the following month, Hosmer & Atkinson were owners. The Fort Meigs Reveille, No. 1, Vol. I, bears date June 1, 1844, and No. 1, Vol. V, that of June 3, 1848, with the imprint of S. T. Hosmer as publisher. This issue showed an enlarged paper of 48 columns, filled with general news and advertisements, but wanting, almost in toto, in local items. In June, it published the names of Zachary Taylor for President; Millard Fillmore for Vice-President; Seabury Ford for Governor; and was altogether in the Whig interest. J. D. Bean was the successor of Hosmer, taking charge, March 2, 185o, and telling his readers that, not only was he opposed to the extension of slavery, but also to slavery in every form. On November 9, 1850, Silmon Clark became owner, but promised not to make the Reveille partisan. On June 7, 1851, owing to the difficulty of pronouncing this name, it was changed to The Perrysburg Star. The Perrysburg Star was issued on the date above given, and continued publication until March 10, 1853, when the name was changed to The Perrysburg Journal. The Maumee Express was founded about 1837. It was an important factor in the improvement of the Western Reserve road, in so much, that it ridiculed the county and State for tolerating such an unruly highway. Every issue of The Express abused the road in prose and poetry, and shamed the authorities into its improvement. The Maumee River Times followed The Express as its successor on November 28, 1840. It was as much a Perrysburg as a Maumee journal, for it was published in each place, the name of location being the only difference in the dual issue. H. T. Smith carried on the paper until 1855, when the office was moved to Toledo. The Express, named above, was first issued March 25, 1837, by Calvin Frary and Henry Reid, Jr. J. H. Brown succeeded Frary in May, 1837, and the same month, H. L. and S. T. Hosmer, of Perrysburg, became owners, with Lawyer H. Reid, as editor. The Perrysburg Journal, the lineal descendant of The Miami of the Lake, was issued March 10, 1853, and continued in the Whig interest until the beginning of the campaign of 1854, when it became a coalition paper with the newly formed Republican party first in interest, and the new ally of that party, second. No. 1, Vol. III, was issued May 19, 1855, as an 8-page 24 column paper neatly printed. It was reduced from its former size, owing to the fact that instead of 600 paying subscriptions, only i00 were registered, and, of that number, not more than 2 5 paid in advance. In its pages is noticed the cholera which scourged the town in 1854; the packet sloop " Sweeper," plying between Perrysburg, Maumee and Toledo, and the Perrysburg Bank, of which J. S. Norton was cashier (opened in October, 1854). In May, 1856, Higgins & Holt became owners of the Journal, purchasing it of Silmon Clark. They enlarged it, and offered it to subscribers at one dollar per annum. On May 7, E. A. Higgins announced that he assumed editorial control, and would make his work thoroughly Republican, as he did on the Forest City Visitor, of Maumee, from October, 1855, to that date. On May 3, 1860, J. W. Bailey succeeded Higgins. No. 1, Vol. IX, of The Weekly Perrysburg Journal, bears the date of May 9, 1861, and the name of J. W. Bailey, editor. In his editorial of October 17 he shows very plainly that all was not peace on the Maumee: '' Several parties have visited us during the past week, and by threats and braggadocio attempted to intimidate us in the matters of selections for our columns. Now we have no disposition to be frightened by any such contemptible swaggering, for if these individuals really wanted to fight they would go to war. We shall invade no gentleman's premises for the purpose of raising a muss, and we shall endeavor to protect ourselves in every instance." On October 22, 1862, F. J. Oblinger and H. S. Chapin succeeded Bailey as owners. In May, 1865, Mr. Chapin sold his 96 - WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. interest to Oblinger, and in July, Oblinger, and Guyer were the publishers. Mr. Guyer retired in January, 1866. The long and aggressive term of James Timmons followed, and he was editor from January 3, 1868, to April 12, 1889. In his valedictory, he speaks of having purchased the remaining interest of F. J. Oblinger, January 3, 1868, and of re-associating with him on June 1, that year. About the same time he and H. S. Chapin, now of Bowling Green, owned a job office at Toledo, but so soon as Mr. Chapin determined to establish the Sunday journal, later the Toledo Bee, Mr. Timmons disolved the partnership. On January 15, 1869, he was again sole owner of the Perrysburg journal, and continued so, until he sold to Mr. Blue. Of this young successor he speaks thus: "Ed. L. Blue is a young man who commenced at the age of fourteen years, in this office, to make a printer out of himself; who remained nine years with us, and has succeeded in what he started to accomplish. He was born and raised here, and is as well known as ourselves in this community. We trust all will give him a liberal and healthy patronage, without which a paper cannot well succeed." Today, April 12, 1895, after six years' trial, Mr. Blue is in possession of more than his predecessor asked for him. A venerable journal with a fair subscription list, good advertising patronage and well-equipped office is his, with valuable files dating back to 1869. The Wood County Packet, a well-edited, newsy Democratic paper, was launched in 1838, No. 28 of Vol. 1 bearing date March 27, 1839, and the names of Gordon & Smith, publishers. This paper ceased publication in May, 1839, or, as the Ohio Whig put it, it was swartwouted. "While edited by Mr. Allen it was on amicable terms with its Whig contemporary, but under Gordon & Smith it made many enemies, among them the Whig, who wrote a congratulatory editorial on its death.The Democrat, another Perrysburg venture of 1844, was the second paper in the Democratic interest. Hickory clubs and Democratic journals were rising up everywhere, and Wood county could not afford to be an exception, although the prospects for victory here were poor, indeed. Moody and Frank Case were the publishers, during its short reign, from the fall of 1844 until after the election of 1845. The Democratic Post was issued from the court house in 1846, but its lease of life was short. The Northwestern Democrat was established May 22, 1853, by Albert D. Wright, to combat the threats of the Know-Nothings, and oppose itself to the dissatisfied Democrats, who did not know whether to become Whigs, Abolitionists, Free Soilers or Know-Nothings. Wright was an earnest fellow, who, instead of flying from the cholera scourge of 1854, remained at the case until the dread disease seized upon him. He died at his post, and with him died the third or fourth Democratic journal established at Perrysburg. The Maumee Valley Democrat was issued January 22, 1854, as the successor of the Northwestern Democrat. No. 23, Vol. I, bears date June 5, 1854, and the imprint of Lewis C. Stumm, publisher. There is only one file of this journal in possession of the county auditor-that for 1854; but its publication was continued until August 23, 1857, when the office was reorganized and the name of the paper changed the following week to the Democrat. The Republican, issued at Perrysburg in 1856, was a short-lived affair, as the Journal served all the interests of that party. The Democrat, No. 1, Vol. 1, was issued at Perrysburg September 3, 1857, by Edward M. Grimes and Edward L. Moon, from the third story of J. A. Hall's building. '' An independent treasury for Ohio. No more union of banks with the treasury," was its motto. On December 3, that year, E. A. Mugger and W. R. Carr became owners, and February 25, 1858, Mr. Carr became sole owner. On October 7, 1858, it passed into the past. The Independent was established at Perrysburg in 1862 by E. A. Higgins. The office was destroyed by fire in May, 1863; but Mr. Higgins recuperated at once, and published his paper until 1866, when the office was moved to Toledo and the Democratic Record issued there. The People's Press was issued at Perrysburg in 1857. On March 8, 1859, No. 21, Vol. II, was printed by J. R. Knapp. Jr., whose salutatory tells of his first love-Democracy-and of his adherence to the principles of its greatest apostle, Thomas Jefferson. In a business notice he asks that all debts due the Press, prior to March 8, be paid to W. R. Carr. The Advocate was issued at Bowling Green May 18, 1866, under the motto, " Be Just and Fear Not, " as an aid in the county-seat campaign. It may now be said that this journal did not omit one point in favor of Bowling Green, as the proper place for the Seat of Justice. Its opposition to Perrysburg was so earnest and logical, for a time, that it exhausted itself, after the election on the question, and ceased publication. The men whose names are identified with the bond given for the construction of suitable county WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 97 buildings at Bowling Green, may be named as its directors, while R. F. Hickman and John R. Melloy were its publishers. On July 18, 1866, S. D. Howells & Co. became publishers; in August, 1866, S. D. Howells was sole publisher. E. A. Higgins became editor in July, and continued in that position until November 30, 1866, when the Advocate ceased. The Sentinel comes next to The Advocate, being issued February 22, 1867, by Frank C. Culley. From its beginning it has been a serious exponent of Bowling Green's interests, and championed the town and county against the whole outside world. The motto adopted March 22, 1867, was "Be just to all mankind, and fear not the malice of the unjust." Number 1, Vol. II, of the Bowling Green Sentinel, was issued February 20, 1868, by Frank C. Culley. The first editorial of this volume dealt with the offer made by Bowling Green to build a court house, provided the removal of the county seat would be authorized. The editorial also referred to the rejection of the bond given by Bowling Green. On December 10, 1868, William L. Myers purchased Culley's interest in the Sentinel, and on January 14, 1869, R. W. Travis signs his name as publisher, and Myers as editor. On January 1, 1870, or rather on the last night of the old year, Mr. Myers died, having been editor down to October, 1869. Meanwhile the publication was continued by R. W. Travis until March 31, 1870, when the name of C. W. Evers appears as editor. Mr. Travis died April 24, 1871, before which event Mr. Evers purchased Travis' interest. The sale of the office by C. W. Evers to M. P. Brewer, took place June 20, 1872. On June 18, 1873, A. W. and W. H. Rudulph became owners. In 1874 A. W. Rudulph became sole publisher; his father, J. R. Rudulph, became owner of the interest of W. H., but his name never appeared as one of the publishers. On November 11, 1875, C. W. Evers purchased the interest of J. R. Rudulph, and merged his Wood County News into and under the name of the Sentinel. In 1875 the subscription list and good will of the Weston Avalanche was purchased. On March 8, 1880, Mr. Evers became sole owner and editor, and continued in this position until. early in 1884, when A. W. Rudulph repurchased the office. M. P. Brewer reinterested himself in this paper on September 1, 1884, and, in November, 1886, E. W. Poe, now the State Auditor, purchased an interest with Brewer and Rudulph. In January, 1888, Mr. Brewer became sole owner, Mr. Rudulph selling his interest in December, 1886, to take charge of the Gazette, which he purchased at that time, Mr. Poe remaining until 1888. In the winter of 1888-89, A. W. Rudulph merged the Gazette into the Sentinel, under the title, Sentinel and Gazette, and was equally interested with Mr. Brewer in the publication of this hyphenated journal. On May 1, 1890, Samuel E. Vail purchased a third interest. On September 15,. 1893, Mr. Rudulph sold his interest to J. M.. Hoffa, and the firm of Brewer, Vail & Hoffa: was formed. By a change in 1896, the firm is known as Brewer, Vail & Co. In March, 1896, John M. Hoffa retired from the Sentinel, and assumed editorial management of this paper, his present incumbency. The Weekly Sentinel has always been Republican in political affairs. It is the mother of modern journals in the Wood county of postbellumn times, and for almost thirty years has held the highest place among the newspapers. Its services to Bowling Green have been of the most useful character, and, to the county at large, incomparable in substantial results. The Fair Daily.-The first daily paper issued at Bowling Green, and, indeed, in Wood county, was the Daily Sentinel, printed on the Fair Grounds, from October 3, 1882, to the close of the fair, by C. W. Evers. It was a neat folio of sixteen columns, filled with local news-nearly a column being devoted to the preparations, and hanging of Carl Bach. It was only a. shadow of the greater daily of 1890. The Daily Sentinel was founded June 21, 1890, by Messrs. Brewer, Rudulph & Vail, at the outset, rather as an experiment, but from the first it has had a vigorous, healthy existence. The Buckeye Granger was issued at Perrysburg, November10, 1874,by N. H. Callard & Son, as a Democratic journal in general, but nonpartisan in particular, always supporting good men of other parties rather than bad men of its own party. The office was well equipped, and the subscription list of 1,200 embraced readers in this and adjoining counties. In the issue of November 11, 1875, the editor. said: "Although the columns of our paper have been mainly used in advocating the principles of the Grange, yet three-fourths of our patronage has been derived from outside sources. " Notwithstanding this, Mr. Callard stood by the Grange until the last, sinking a large sum of money, and exerting his best energies in the attempt to bolster up what he believed to be a useful organization. The Wood County Democrat was founded October 3, 1874, by J. D. Baker, acting as agent for the proprietor, but subsequently was published 98 - WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. by J. D. Baker & Son. In February or March, 1875, they sold the office to a Bowling Green syndicate, which established a newsy, aggressive journal, known as the Wood County News. The Wood County News was issued May 5, 1875, by Manville, Evers & Co., its motto being: " The Greatest Good to the Greatest Number." It was a non-partisan journal, intensely local and always ready to defend Wood county against all her enemies, within and without. Messrs. Evers & Brewer made this paper the redoubled champion of Bowling Green. The establishment of this paper was noticed in the Sentinel of April 30, 1875, in a paragraph of which the following is a copy: "NEW PAPER.-C. W. Evers, E. W. Merry and Dr. A. J. Manville have purchased the material of the Democrat office of this place, and intend starting the publication of a paper of some kind, though what it is to be, politically, morally, religiously or other wisely, we have as yet failed to ascertain." The Sentinel did not, evidently, look with pleasure on this new aspirant for public favor; but when the first number was issued the older journal learned its true character, and seldom challenged its editors. From the salutatory the following sentence is quoted: "On all important questions of county-seat removal, which will afford material for an animated canvass this fall, the News will be found early in the battle line in behalf of the right. We do not view the contest as a mere squabble between Bowling Green and Perrysburg. It embraces questions of broader scope and graver interests than attach simply to these towns as such. " The News acted closely on this pronunciamento until the revived claims of Perrysburg to the county seat were denied, and Bowling Green was left in undisputed possession of the coveted prize. The News was consolidated with the Sentinel, or rather the Sentinel with the News, on November 13, 1875, Manville, Evers & Co. signing the agreement on the part of the News. The New Baltimore Enterprise was established in March, 1875, on the 3d or 10th of the month, but the writer has been unable to find a file of North Baltimore's first journal. The Perrysburg journal, speaking of this paper under date of April 21, 1875, says: "This is the name of a new paper, just started at North Baltimore, this county, by Wiseman & Peters. It is an eight-column paper, and makes a great appearance, considering the hurry in getting out the first issue. Mr. Wiseman, from whom we received a call on Tuesday, is a member of the Art Preservative, &c., and Mr. Peters is an old citizen and large property owner in the new and enterprising town, whose interests they propose to represent." In June, 1875, Wiseman moved to Fostoria, purchased the Press office and commenced the publication of the Fostoria Herald. After three years and eight months Mr. Peters moved his office to Bowling Green, and named the journal The Bowling Green Democrat. The Bowling Green Democrat (successor of The Enterprise of 1875) was issued December 26, 1878, by D. E. & B. L. Peters. In their salutatory, they speak of the desire of the party to have a Democratic journal at the county seat, and, continuing, say: " We are thankful for the liberal patronage with which we were blessed while publishing the New Baltimore Enterprise for nearly four years, * * and hope they will continue their patronage as we launch out in this our new field of labor. The valedictory of D. E. Peters appeared October 14, 1880, and the salutatory of William B. and Russell T. Dobson on the same date. On July 23, 1889,Henry Holterman purchased the Democrat, and issued his salutatory on July 26.The purchase of the office by Henry S. Chapin took place September 1, 1890, and on September 12 his salutatory was published-M. G. Marron being then reporter. In June, 1892, the indefatigable D. C. Voorhis became a reporter on this journal, a position he continues to hold. The circulation exceeds 3,300 copies weekly, and altogether the Democrat holds a high place as a newspaper and party journal. The Daily Democrat (No. 1, Vol. I) was issued June 4, 1894, by Henry S. Chapin, continued until November 10, 1894, and closed with No. 138, after a short but vigorous career. The Bowling Green Journal was edited by B. C. Eberly until November, 1880, when he issued his valedictory. The Wood County Republican was issued by G. W. Hill & Co., in September, 1884. B. C. Eberly was the editor. In November, following, his name appeared also as publisher, and so continued during the short life of the Republican. The Bowling Green News was issued by "Allie " M. Higgins, January 24, 1883. It was a little sheet devoted to local news and advertising. The North Baltimore Beacon was issued November 27, 1884, by A. H. Balsley & Co. The advocacy of the best interests of the village was the object of the publishers, rather. On December 11, John A. Sutton signed his name as editor. On October 28, 1886, John A. Sutton issued his valedictory, saying that he sold his interests in the Beacon to George W. Wilkinson, who became sole proprietor on November 6, that year. WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 99 The Illustrated Beacon was issued April 13, 1889, and toward the close of that year, editor Wilkinson's enterprise suggested the Daily Beacon, No. 9 of which bears date January 1, 1890. The office of the Beacon is a model one in equipment and furnishings, quite in keeping with the most progressive era of the town's history. Wood County Agitator eked out a brief existence, about the year 1884, as an advocate of the Greenback party. It was published at Bowling Green, by Drs. G. W. Vail and J. M. Barbour. The Reporter, a people's journal, was issued at Bowling Green early in the -eighties" by George A. Darke. This paper continued for a year, and was absorbed by the Sentinel. The Wood County Gazette was. established here in October, 1884, by Anson B. Smith, now editor of the Deshler Flag, as a Democratic organ, to oppose the paper published by the Dobson Brothers. He moved the office from North Baltimore, where he had conducted a journal for some time, and carried it on here until December 6, 1886, when lye sold the material to A. W. Rudulph, who published the Gazette until it was consolidated with the Sentinel. Herman J. Rudulph was interested in the paper from the fall of 1887. The Daily Gazette was issued subsequently by Rudulph Bros., but the people were not then prepared for a daily journal, and that first bona fide attempt in this field was abandoned within seven months. The Wood County News (not that of 1875) was established by Anson B. Smith, after his sale of the Gazette office to Mr. Rudulph. Going to Chicago, he purchased a new outfit, which he brought hither, and not only issued a weekly journal, but also a daily paper for a few months. He sold the plant of the Daily News to A. W. Rudulph, and moved that of the Weekly News away. The Wood County Freie Presse suspended publication in January, 1888. Henry Holderman was editor, but W. B. & R. T. Dobson were the publishers. The Freie Presse was a venture to obtain the county printing, or rather to create a German branch of county printing; but the commissioners, seeing that it had no general circulation, refused to countenance the scheme, and hence the suspension. At one time it was printed at Perrysburg, again at Bowling Green, Mr. Lally, now one of the compositors on the Journal, being one of the typesetters on the paper. The Bairdstown Times was established, in 1887, by G. G. Grimes, in the interest of that village. Some two or three years after, he moved the office to North Baltimore. where the paper was issued under the title-North Baltimore Times. The North Baltimore Times is the successor of the Bairdstown Times, which was established at Bairdstown, by G. G. Grimes, in 1887, as a small advertising sheet. On his removal to North Baltimore, he found that the Times could not be made a self-supporting newspaper by him, and he sold to J. E. Schatzel, in May, 1892. C. L. Huddle purchased the office July 1, 1893, and has made this journal one of the best Democratic newspapers in northwestern Ohio. The office is commodious and well equipped. The Bloomdale Derrick was issued December 28, 1888, by M. G. Marron, as an independent journal. On July 12, 1889, the Derrick Publishing Co. appear as owners-Messrs. Richard, Campbell, Emerson, E. S. Bryant and Easley forming the company. On July 26, 1889, W. S. Richard issued his salutatory as editor, and January 5, 1893, W. A. Hurrel's partnership with Mr. Richard was announced. The senior editor was practically sole owner of the office from 1891 to January, 1893, and has dictated the policy of the Derrick since 1889, making it an independent, reliable, newsy journal, deserving the large patronage extended to it. It is safe to say that of all the men who engaged in newspaper work in this county, not one could boast of so few enemies and so many friends as the senior editor of the Derrick. The Wood County Tribune was issued October 3, 1889, by C. S. Van Tassel, Rufus B. Moore and Alanson L. Muir, with the first named as editor. A good deal of the printing material was purchased from A. B. Smith, who had ceased to publish the News, and, with this modest equipment, the foundations on which the present weekly paper was built up were placed. In December, 1889, Muir and Moore sold half of their interests to Grant Baird, who was, previously, in charge of the composing room. In May, 1890, Van Tassel and Baird became owners, and in 1892 they established the Evening Tribune as an adjunct to their weekly journal. The Evening Tribune was established August 22, 1892, by C. S. Van Tassel and Grant Baird as a Republican daily journal. At that time Edwin C. Lossing was appointed reporter, and with Mr. Van Tassel attended to editorial and local work. In October, 1892, Mr. Baird disposed of his interest to Mr. Van Tassel, who became sole owner. A company was organized in May, 1893, and incorporated on May 8, that 100 - WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. year, under the name "Wood County Tribune Co.," with George W. Helfrich, president; Edward Beverstock, vice president; C. S. Van Tassel, secretary and general manager, and John R. Hankey, treasurer. A. L. Muir, Joseph G. Starn and A. Graham, with the officers named, formed the directory. On January 1, 1894, Mr. Helfrich was elected secretary and manager, vice Van Tassel elected president, while E. C. Lossing was appointed associate editor. A. L. Muir purchased C. S. Van Tassel's interest on August 27, 1894, and took his place as president and editor, with Mr. Lossing, associate editor, and George W. Helfrich, secretary and general manager. At a meeting of the company, held January 7, 1895, W. H. Milliken was elected a director, vice Starn, and B. J. Froney, vice Muir, who was elected president. On the organization of this corporation, the office was re-equipped and, the same year, the Tribune building was erected at a cost of $6,000. The increase in the circulation and influence of this young journal has been highly gratifying to its proprietors and friends. The Weston News was issued May 1, 1874. In the salutatory it is written: "We are the first living editor that ever penned an editorial for a paper published in Weston (if there is any dead one, who ever did, and our prayers can be of any avail to him where he is, he is welcome to them). Henceforth it shall be our aim to keep everybody in the path of rectitude, and no fear of slander suits or pistols shall deter us from our aim." It was a four-page journal, each page 12 1/4 x 7 1/2 inches, and very primitive in appearance. The proposition to tax the Weston school district for building a school house, and other local affairs, were discussed on its pages. Within a month it made way for The Weston Avalanche. The Weston Avalanche was issued June 3, 1874, In October of that year, when T. B. Oblinger retired from the partnership, the Perrysburg Journal said: - He mounts a siege gun on the barbet principle in his valedictory, and slaughters his enemies by the thousands. One shot was aimed at this office, but the force was spent before it reached its destination." In October, 1874, Dr. G. B. Spencer became editor, and Torn Harper publisher. In 1876 The Avalanche came down. Dr. Spencer retired from the .editor's chair January 5, 1876. Shortly after The Sentinel, of Bowling Green, purchased the office, and a way was cleared for the Free Press. In the carriers' address, written by Dr. Spencer, December 29, 1875, the following quartette occurs: Hope on brave men, who gave your riches To build these railroads, dig these ditches, The town you reared up from the water Shall be Wood county's fairest daughter. The Free Press was issued March 22, 1876, by S. J. Harper & Son, with Dr. G. B. Spencer editor, as an independent weekly journal. The salutatory is a long one. A paragraph speaks of a former journal, and gives the relation of the new to the old newspaper: '' We this week mail the Free Press to all the old Avalanche subscribers, whom we deem worthy-that is whom we think would pay for the paper if they took it."' L. B. Keller came as proprietor in the fall of 1876, Dr. Spencer continuing in the position of editor for a year or so after, or almost to the time when Mr. Keller sold the office. The Centennial bee-hunt was reported in the Free Press of November, 1876. The editorstated that it was so named " because it will be a hundred years before any of us have as much fun again, and also because there were well on toward a hundred of us Stark Bee Hunters." The Weston Reporter was issued November 12, 1877, by G. A. Darke, who promised to make it an independent local newspaper, devoted to Weston's interests. '' Weston," he says, "has starved out two newspapers within two years;"' but this did not deter him, and his courage, for a time, was well rewarded. In 1878, or early in 1879, he moved the office to pastures new. The Weston Herald was first issued April 12, 1879. The salutatory of W. H. Mitchell, publisher, and L. S. Smith, editor, was issued on that day. It simply stated that ''The Weston - Herald is now in existence, and it comes before the public of this vicinity in modest appearance, and with no large pretensions." On May 17, 1879, E. D. Moffett became publisher, continuing as such until May 17, 1884, when he sold the office to S. E. Burson. On July 31, 1891, Charles B. Saxby and J. D. Conklin purchased Mr. Burson's. interest. On December 4, that year, A. S. Coward bought Conklin's interest, and the present firm of Saxby & Coward was formed. The Herald is well managed, has a large circulation in its territory, and champions Weston against outer darkness. The Pemberville Independent was a production of the Centennial year, when J. P. Jones issued a journal under that name. The Pemberville Brick Block was issued by Froney & Bruning and Hobart & Bowlus in 1878. They were the proprietors of the only brick business building in the village of that day. A. H. Davidson, who afterward published the Independent, was the editor. WOOD COUNTY, OHIO. - 101 The Pemberville Reporter was established in 1885 by A. H. Davidson, who was a printer and at one time publisher of the Independent. The Wood County Index, the successor of the Reporter, was issued by C. R. F. Berry, who purchased the office from A. H. Davidson, and carried it on until April 22, 1889, just before it had reached No. 27 of Vol. IV. A Mr. Pugh was a partner of Berry down to February 8, 1889, when he sold his interest to the senior partner, who in turn sold to Speck. The Pemberville Leader may be said to have been established by George H. Speck, who purchased the Index on April 22, 1889, and, on May 3, that year, changed the name to Pemberville Leader. He introduced modern methods in the news and business departments, and made it a good local newspaper, worthy of the patronage extended to it. The Pemberville Presbyterian was issued in 1890 by Rev. G. C. Gerlach in the interest of his society. The Farm and Fireside was issued by G. Ouderkirk, at Grand Rapids, in the spring of 1882, was published here for less than a year, when the owner moved to Toledo and thence to Detroit, Mich., where he continued publication under the same name. The Grand Rapids Triumph, which was issued in 1883, for some years was known as Thompson's Triumph, and was published by C. K. Thompson, assisted by William Sheffield, from the summer of 1883 to September 2, 1887, when he sold the office and moved to Toledo, where he died in 1890 or 1891. On September 2, 1887, Frank Dodge and John Doyle purchased the office of Thompson's Triumph and changed the name to Grand Rapids Triumph. They issued No. 1, Vol. V., on the date given. On February 10, 1888, F. A. Crosby and A. J. Fries became owners and published the Triumph, regularly, until August 16, 1889, when F. A. Crosby became sole owner. E. H. Eckert, of Toledo, purchased the office in December, 1889, and carried on the Triumph for one year, when he sold to Floyd Huffman, who issued his salutatory, December 26, 1890, saying: "With this issue of the Triumph we assume charge, and will continue to grind out the news as our former predecessors have done. We will do the best we can, and expect your help; will take no part in politics, but will encourage any new enterprise that comes under our notice." The Triumph is still fighting the battles of the old village at the Head of the Rapids. The Cygnet Globe was published in 1891 by Arthur Campbell, who claimed 800 inhabitants for his village. This claim aroused the editor of the Triumph to claim for Grand Rapids a population of 5,000 and twenty-six miles of sidewalk. The Globe is gone the way of all things earthly. The Cygnet Gusher was another weekly paper of the same class, about which less may be written. Its course was short and tortuous. The Christian Review, a semi-monthly journal, was issued in the interest of the Disciples or Christian Church, from the office of The, Observer, of Prairie Depot-Rev. A. McMillan being the publisher. When he left Freeport, in September, 1895, the Review ceased to be issued. The Tontogany Weekly Herald was issued August 16, 1890, by George W. Grames and Willie L. Munson. Its life was short (six weeks) and uneventful, but the Herald won sufficient attention to have its-requiem sung by village wits on the day of the editor's departure. The Weekly Graphic was established at Bradner December 26, 1890, by George W. Grames, who had previously founded the Herald at Tontogany. It was a little journal of a few days, neatly printed, and full of local items and advertisements. The Bradner News was issued by A. C. Gorsuch, after the Graphic ceased publication, but its lease of life was as short as that of its predecessor. Prairie Depot Observer, No. 1, Vol. I, was issued September 19, 1894, by Geo. C. Williams. He speaks of the Observer as the first and only newspaper ever published in the village, and trusts to make his venture successful. The issue of October 4, 1895, was a very creditable one, containing, as it did, illustrations and descriptions of Freeport, with the ordinary local items of the week, The Bradner Advocate was founded October 26, 1894, by D. H. Runneals, as an independent weekly journal. He bought the material new, introduced a new era in local journalism, and made the Advocate worthy of the prosperity it had won, even before Volume II was commenced in October, 1895. The owner is a progressive business man who carved a road to success among strangers within a year. The newspapers of to-day in Wood county appear to offer fair compensation for the labor expended, fair interest on the capital invested, and a fair prospect of being permanent institutions. All the files obtainable from 1833 to 1895, were searched, and from this search result many of the thousands of incidents described in this volume. RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE