CHAPTER-XX
THE PRESS
The press of Marion County is a reflex of 30 years of notable progress. The leading papers of the county to-day, the Marion Star and Marion Mirror, stand as exponents of the best public sentiment and are striking specimens of the development in the evolution of newspaper publishing. In older days, the press was journalistic, in which the editor's opinion was the main thing-served amid a sparse sprinkling of news. To-day there are newspapers which live up literally to the name, conveying the news, with editorial expression an accompaniment thereto. This does not mean a lowering of the scale, does not argue that the newspapers are the product of less brains, for the press of to-day is strong editorially, and fairer than ever before, but the publication is differently made. Where once there was the editorial wisdom of one man, in a setting wrought of pen, paste and scissors, the leading publications to-day, in Marion particularly, are the daily product of a corps of editors and reporters and professional writers, containing in one issue more thought, more effort and more readable matter than a half dozen copies of the old personal publications.
THE MARION MIRROR
Is the present day newspaper of oldest existence It began as the Marion Democratic Mirror nearly 65 years ago, starting June 4, 1842 and it has maintained its name and influence and devotion to the cause of Democracy ever since. The paper has ever left its impress on Marion affairs, and in its treasured files is the journalistic work of many able men. Distinguished among its forceful editors were Thomas H. Hodder, James K. Newcomer, George B. Christian, L. A. Brunner, Robert Dumm and Dr. J. W. Thatcher. The ownership and editorship embraces an unusual number of names, showing the Mirror to have moved right along in reflecting events and public opinion, though proprietors came and went, and in a goodly portion of that time the paper was the undisputed leader in influence and a fine example of publishing prosperity.
The founders were John R. and Russell A. Knapp. Then came Robbins & Knapp, later Russell Knapp and John B. Dumble. Again John R. Knapp, followed by T. 0. Thompson and A. R. Scott. There were a half score of changes in the first 10 years. Philip Dombaugh had three years of publishing in 1853-56, the paper going to S. C. Nichols in that year. A. J. and T. J. Crawford followed, and were succeeded by Osborn & Thomas in 1858. The stirring war times found Thomas H. Hodder editing the paper, for T. H. Atwater and G. W. Spooner, until 1862, for himself after February in that year. J. K. Newcomer and Guy Webber acquired the paper in 1870, the former keeping his connection for eight years. Webber soon retired, to wield his talent and genius in other and wider activities, and George B. Christian became interested in 1878. He retired in 1882, succeeded by J. H.
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Vaughan & Company, when the able L. A. Brunner and talented Robert Dumm became editors. Mr. Vaughan was identified with the paper for several years, becoming the editor as well as publisher on the retirement of Brunner and Dumm. in 1884, but lost his identity in the later '80's when a stock company took possession, a company largely owned by Dr. J. W. Thatcher and directed in a business way by N. E. Thatcher. The daily edition was launched in 1890, when R. R. Bartram, was an inspiring spirit, and in the succeeding 15 years the corporate name and policy were materially unchanged, though there were numerous shifts of controlling interest. The Thatchers were succeeded by G. L. Padgett and G. W. Harlan, Ned Thatcher meanwhile starting the Dollar Democrat, a weekly paper aimed to undermine the Democratic Mirror. It had only slight success, and later on, oddly enough, it was sold to the former Mirror publisher, J. H. Vaughan, and met its death later in the Mirror office, to which it was sold and then effaced. The Mirror corporation went to the control of J. Burgess and N. E. Arnold in 1900. Mr. Burgess, the president and business manager of a $50,000 corporation, is at the head of the publication to-day. N. E. Arnold was succeeded as secretary early in 1907 by Dr. A. C. Holland, who continues as managing editor. S. S. Burgess is treasurer, and F. M. Armstrong is city editor.
THE MARION STAR
Is of more recent origin, though it might claim a long list of antecedents through its absorption of the Republican in the spring of 1906. it did not retain the old and honored name, however, and therefore is short of title to this connection.
The Star began in 1877, being the second country daily paper attempted in Ohio. Marion had 3,000 people then and little need of a daily paper. Some amateur printers had dabbled with a Daily Pebble, and Willis and Harry Hume had indulged boyish longings by issuing the Star, an alleged paper, from a toy job press. The father, Samuel Hume, caught the idea of making a serious venture in the daily field. With patent insides and a. column or two of local gossip and the stories of passing events, the Star began to shine. It reflected the idiosyncrasies of the genius of its head, and bore some impress of the good and talented woman who helped husband and sons. In their newspaper venture. The Star became a fixture, hut Mr. Hume had to resort to outside earnings to meet the expense account. This he willingly did, with some measure of success, and the career of the paper was unclouded until the boys grew to manhood and became eager to do more than make a mere living. Then Mr. Hume's publishing career ended, and the paper passed to other hands, and doubtful existence. It was sold first to Demster & Harding, in May, 1884. In a month the office was chosen through financial distress, and it had so many changes of owners in 1884 that no one was quite sure to-day who would be publisher to-morrow. Kelley Mount, very capable as a writer but more ardent for James G. Blaine than an independent patronage would stand, kept at it longest, but finally sold, in distress. In November, 1884, the paper passed to essentially the present management. Warren G. Harding, F. Al. Warwick and J. 0. Sickle, known as the Star Publishing Company, bought the plant and resumed the daily issue. They found daily publishing no easy task. Mr. Sickle soon retired, and Mr. Warwick threw off responsibility in 1885, though he remained a writer on the paper until 1903, when he became a much-quoted editorial writer on the Toledo Blade. Harding, alone in responsibility, established the Weekly Star, in connection with the daily, and finally piloted the paper to good standing and successful business. In the train of events, it be came Republican in its policies, and though not known as an organ of the party, it is the exponent of Republican policies and principles. Mr. Harding is surrounded by a capable staff, largely trained in that office. The staff heads are G. H. Van Fleet, manager editor, G. N. Hinds, city editor, J. E. McCormick, telegraph editor, and A. J. Myers, advertising manager. The publication has a good claim to title as a factor in Marion's progress.
258 - HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY
The Republican, absorbed by the Star in 1905, was the last of a long list of publications on the Republican side of politics. The Republican succeeded the Transcript, which was born of the old Independent, which had been published from 1866 to 1897. In that extended period George Crawford was the edltorial head, and published a strong Republican organ. With him, much of that time, was associated Samuel R. Dumble, and their longcontinued activities made them the best known newspaper men in Marion's journalistic history.
The Indepentent's predecessors were the Eagle, by J. W. and S. R. Dumble, by J. N. Appleton, by S. A. Griswold, by H. Halderman, and by T. P. Wallace. Prior to the Eagle came the Saturday Morning Visitor, and it was antedated by the Freeman's Banner, edited by Cooper K. Watson, in the early '40's, Whig in its political preferences. Still earlier were the Marion Gazette, by Alexander and George Sprung, and the Western Galaxy, by W. and J. Milikan, back in 1834. The latter only recently passed away, at Washington Court House, the oldest editor in Ohio. The predecessor to the Gazette was the Observer, which, came after the Phoenix, started by Little & Stanton in 1830. Parent of them all was the People's Advocate, started in 1828. It was the first newspaper in Marion County and was started by Leonard Cowles and Jason Case.
THE VILLAGE PAPERS.
Three Marion County villages have the kind of newspapers that "came to stay." For more than 30 years papers have been successfully published at Caledonia, La Rue and Prospect. In that time other efforts have been made, invariably attended by failure. One a local publication at Green Camp, but it was impossible to long continue.
The village papers are fully apace with the requirements of their communities. For the most part they are chronicles of local events, faithful chronicles, too, with occasional resort to strong editorial advocacy as special need suggests.
The Caledonia Enterprise had its beginning in 1875, in the Argus, whose inaugurating genius was Will H. Warner. After a year, the Argus passed into the hands of George Henness, a very admirable Englishman, who was the ideal country editor. In the days of Mr. Henness, the Argus contributed many valuable chapters to the written history of early days, written by Capt. George Beckley. Mr. Henness died in the harness in the early '80's, and the paper was sold to A. D. Fulton. It lost much of its prestige until W. E. Hull, who purchased it in 1890. was persuaded to change the name, and it came to its readers as the Enterprise. Mr. Hull gave the paper a complete restoration and sold it to the present owner and publisher, W. B. Hart, in 1897. Mr. Hart's nine years of publication have been marked by fairness and conservatism, and the paper possesses the confidence of its constituency.
The La Rue News dates from the centennial of American liberty, having been started in 1876 by Flemming & Tritt. Wheeler DeLong and J. M. Hoffa each had a year or two at it until 1882, when Curtis G. Harraman gave the paper a widened reputation by drawing a sharp editorial sword and cutting right and left. Harraman soon wearied of his narrow confines and sold out, to go to New York. Frank Long, S. C. Koons, G. W. Worden and J. J. Brookings were publishers in turn. In 1893 W. M. Tracy purchased the paper and ran it eight years. Robert Smith and C. V Mollencopf respectively, succeeded him, the paper passing to the present ownership In 1903. L. Grant Copeland, a son of Dr. Joshua Copeland, who was a notable contributor to the county press, is the present owner and E. S. Smith, managing editor. The paper is one of the cleanest and ablest village publications in the State.
The Prospect Monitor began back in 1875, but the present paper is the outgrowth of numerous failures, mergers and changes. It was begun by A. M. Vaughan, who started more village papers than any country printer who ever pulled a hand-press in Ohio. The original
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Monitor failed and its equipment was sold and moved away. The Advocate was then tried, but went to the newspaper grave after a nine months struggle. Then H. R. Clowes started the Monitor again in 1878, and it survives today, having meanwhile been wedded to the Advance, started by W. M. Pettit about 1884. Pettit brought about the merger of the Advance and Monitor, which passed into a succession of owners Edward George, Fred Gallant, Padgett & Poppleton, and Poppleton & Hollenbach, in turn. Frank C. Poppleton and C. L. Hollenbach acquired the paper in 1901 and have made a success of its publication.. The paper is noted for its devotion to Prospect's interests, capably records the news of that live village and often turns its talent to vigorous editorial utterance upon national and local affairs. It has a fixed place in the press of Marion County.