| THE PRESS. |
THE people of Wells County have had a local paper ever since the year
1847. In that year the first newspaper in the county was established, by
Thomas Smith, a Mexican war veteran. The paper was Democratic, and named
the Republican Bugle. It was, of course, a small sheet, was printed in
large type, on a Ramage (wooden) press, but being started at a premature
stage of the settlement of the country, it failed to receive sufficient
support, and was suspended after an existence of about two years. Probably
every village in the Great West has been the scene of such premature newspaper
enterprises. From this paper we have gleaned a few interesting items, which
we have incorporated in the political chapter, and under the head of Bluffton.
Early papers, however, gave but very little local news. It was not the
fashion then to give apparently small items of matters near home. Mr. Smith
died in April, 1850.
BLUFFTON BANNER.
This has always been the chief and the official paper of the county, being Democratic in politics. It was established in 1850, the second paper in the county, and practically the successor of the Bugle, the first editors and proprietors being Samuel G. Upton and Lewis S. Grove. The paper has passed through many hands, namely, in order: T. J. McDowell, George McDowell; James Gerry Smith. D. J. Callen and T. B. Gutelius, J. H. Smith, Theodore Horton & Co., J. G. Smith again, William J. Craig (September 15, 1870), Homer L. Martin, E. A. K. Hackett, Martin & Roth (1881), Samuel S. Roth, Sturgis, Gorrell & Gorrell (E. Y. Sturgis, Dr. A. G. Gorrell and J. J. Gorrell), and lastly, E. Y. Sturgis alone, since August 1, 1884. The paper was enlarged June 9, 1881, and is now a nine-column folio, faithful in giving the news, and honest in criticism.
Mr. Craig also served for eight years as clerk of the court, and while in that position he became interested in the Narrow Gauge Railroad, was appointed its receiver, which position he resigned, and took charge of the famous Indianapolis Sentinel. A specimen of his editorial wit is given toward the conclusion of this chapter.
Mr. Hackett, also one of the ablest editors of the Banner, was from
Pennsylvania, a practical printer, and a newspaper man. Although he had
but little means, he conducted the paper with success. On leaving this
position, he took charge of of the Fort Wayne Sentinel, when that paper
was losing money, and raised it also upon a pecuniarily successful basis.
THE BLUFFTON WEEKLY CHRONICLE.
Under this head it will probably be best briefly to notice first what
may be considered practically the line of predecessors of the Chronicle;
and the first was the People'e Press, Republican in politics, established
in 1855, by a company consisting of John L. Wilson and Michael Karns. The
first editors were Mr. Knox, James Bramagem and J. J. Gorrell. In 1857
Mr. Nelson Kellogg took charge, and continued up to 1861, with Messrs.
Bixler & F. N. Kellogg as proprietors a part of that time. During the
first year of the war the name was changed to Wells County Union, with
W. J. Bright as editor. He was followed, after a suspension, by Cephas
Hoyt and J. H. Smith. In 1866 it became the Wells County Standard, with
James Sewell, editor. He was succeeded by A. Colton and J. Sewell, and
in 1869 it became the Wells County Chronicle, with S. Davenport as editor.
In May, 1873, the paper was again suspended for a time, and then revived
by J. W. Ruckman, who in 1877 sold to J. F. Pierson, and he to C. A. Arnold.
Since 1878 Mr. George Arnold and his son Charles have been editors and
proprietors. During the proprietorship of the present incumbents the paper
has been greatly enlarged and improved, and is a nine-column folio, uncompromisingly
Republican in politics, and has assumed a position in the front ranks of
local journalism, and commands an influence second to none in the county.
Its circulation is constantly increasing, and it is highly appreciated
by its patrons.
WELLS COUNTY TIMES.
This was established in 1878 as a Greenback paper, by James Gerry Smith, pre viously noticed. It was a four-column quarto. In January, 1881, it was taken by W. P. McMahon, who changed it to a seven-column folio, and afterward to a five-column quarto, and for a time issued a daily in connection with it, and continued to conduct it as a greenback organ until September 10, 1882, when Frank T. Waring, a resident of Bluffton, pur chased it. Next it was for three or four months owned by the Times Publishing Company, and managed by John Studabaker, as a Prohibition paper. January 1, 1886, Mr. A. S. Roberts, a young, smart man from South Bend, assumed control and conducted the paper simply as a newspaper, independent in politics, until March, 1887, when he sold out to William F. Clark, Sr., and William F. Clark, Jr., from Michigan.
Mr. Roberts was born in Wabash, Indiana, in 1864, graduated at a Methodist
Episcopal college in 1883, attended De Pauw University about fourteen months,
learned the trade of printing when young, and has continued therein since
his school days. Was with his father, Rev. W. W. Roberts, a Methodist minister,
on the Indiana Phalanx, at Indianapolis, and came from there to Bluffton.
INDIANA BUGLE.
The Messrs. Clark came very highly recommended, and their work so far
corroborates that reputation. They have changed the name of the Wells County
Times to Indiana Bugle, its policy to Prohibition, and enlarged its geographical
range, being the only Prohibition paper in this Congressional District.
Volume 1, Number 1, was the number for March 10, 1887.
PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE.
This ambitious little advocate of the rights of labor, published weekly
in the Williamson Block at Bluffton, was established by William Patrick
McMahon. He has traveled considerably in Canada and in several States and
Territories, has had much experience with men, and with that vim that is
characteristic of the Irish nationality, permitted to have free play in
this land of opportunity, he will make a mark in the world not easily erased.
CUTE.
This is a lively little juvenile weekly, started in the autumn of 1886, and edited and published by J. M. Park, a bright lad. Special attention is paid to the school children, their "compositions" being printed therein. The paper deserves a thorough patronage in this locality. Office in the basement of McFarren's Block.
Several other papers have had short lives in this county, as the Wells
County Daily Democrat, which lived but for a day, the Wells County Telephone
at Ossian, etc.
IGNORANT OF SUNDAY.
As a small but interesting item of history, and also as a specimen of editorial wit in Wells and Adams counties, promised on a preceding page, we give here, as good a place perhaps as elsewhere, the following instance:
About nine o'clock on the morning of Sunday, November 5, 1871, when all the respectable people of Bluffton were either wending their way to church or remaining quietly at home, there might be seen a wagon and team slowly approaching the city from the east. In the wagon were an elderly lady and a lad about twenty years of age, with several bags of wheat, a grist of corn and buckwheat, and a considerable quantity of butter, on their way to mill and market. On arriving in town both mother and son were astonished to find that Bluffton merchants were such sluggards as to fail to open their establishments by nine o'clock. Their astonishment was increased when they were informed that it was Sunday, and that our people rested on that day.
"Well, I declare," exclaimed the woman, "it seems to me I do recollect hearing of Sunday when I was a little girl; but you know I was very young when we came to Adams County, and, never being reminded of it, it is not strange that I should forget all about civilized rules."
The Bluffton Banner, W. J. Craig, editor, after giving the above account, added the reflection: "Is it possible that Adams County is so far removed from civilization that the people there do not know when Sunday arrives? No wonder they voted against the east and west railroad."
Of course this fling at Adams County was too much for the Decatur Eagle to let pass unrebuked. Accordingly, in a subsequent number of the paper, he reported as follows:
"Simply to gratify our curiosity and love of adventure, we determined to hunt up the heroine of Craig's [editor of the Banner] story. After considerable trouble, our perseverance was rewarded with a sight of the old lady's domicile, but she had departed. Inquiry revealed the fact that the building of our railroad, the visit of a Bible agent, and several similar annoyances, had induced her to emigrate. She had taken up her abode with her sister in the backwoods of Wells County, remote from the annoyances of a higher civilization. In fact, she was in the act of moving when she became the subject of the Banner man's notice.
"Desirous of learning more of her eventful history (which was, perhaps, stimulated by a desire of knowing more of the Darwinian theory of development), we visited her new retreat, found her uncommunicative, but her sister sufficiently garrulous. The latter volunteered the information that she was 'borned, raised an' 'lowed to die on this yere spot.' Then she asked, 'Be you one of these yere town fellers?' We said 'Yes.' 'I thort so,' said she, and continued: 'Tryin' to git women to vote in town, hain't ye? We don't 'low to work the roads for you ones if we do vote. Stranger, we've had a heap o' trouble this summer on 'count of Betsy Jane. Last spring a low down ornery cuss, a printer man from Bluffton, got to hankerin' arter Betsy Jane, an' Betsy Jane she got to hankerin arter him. Well, stranger, I thort we had trouble when Jake died; then the twins follered; but it war nothin' 'side of the idea of Betsy Jane marryin' that feller. But as she got to pinin' arter that an' gittin' thinner 'n a shadder, I concluded to let him have her, but when he went and put her aunt Berlinder, my only sister, in the papers, like she war no better'n a heathen Chinee, then, stranger, it war unpossible. He shouldn't have Betsy Jane if it war the death of the hull family.'"
Thus the Banner rejoined: "A mystery so dark as the above could not remain unsolved. Accordingly we started in search, and after reaching French Township, Adams County, we were unable to get close enough to any one to make inquiries. When we obtained a glimpse of a native and attempted to approach within speaking distance, he would rapidly swim to a distant stump and perch upon it in the greatest fear and bewilderment. When we made a second attempt to approach, be would wiggle his fins, shake his moss-covered sides, show his teeth and beat a hasty retreat to a more distant place of supposed safety. Knowing that 'music hath charms to soothe the savage breast,' we had taken the precaution to borrow and take with us one of the wind instruments of our cornet band. Wading back to the buggy, we took the instrument and sounded it. It so nearly resembled a locomotive whistle that the denizens verily believed it was one, and all over French Township there was a general buzzing of fins, and straightway every inhabitant went for his hole in the ground. All was silence. Several hours' search failed to discover one of tbose terrified beings.
"Sadly we sought our vehicle, and kept the road. After proceeding about a mile, we came across a lonely tent, upon which was written, with charcoal, 'BERLINDER--Gone to Wells County in search of the light of day.'
"We are glad the Eagle excepts us from the alleged heathenism of this county, and that the 'printer man' referred to belongs to the establishment across the street."