Newspapers
The history of the pioneer newspapers in Danville is very meager.
No files were kept and their very names are almost forgotten. One
copy of the Express, dated 1818 is all I could find. It is faded
with time and contains little about the local situation at that day.
The Columbia Gazette was published by George Sweeny in 1813
and this was no doubt the first newspaper enterprise in Danville.
In 1815 Jonathan Lodge established the Express. It was after-
wards published by Lodge & Caruthers. Judge Cooper was also
among the early editors of this place. The Watchman was estab-
lished in 1820 by Mr. Sweeny, on the corner of Market and Ferry
streets, now occupied by the residence of Doctor Simington. All
these papers were mainly reprints of foreign and domestic news;
except when Judge Cooper and George Sweeny pointed their sharp
goose quills at each other. This was the introduction of newspaper
war in Danville; and that spirit has marked the course of local
journalism ever since. It is a war that is not over yet," though it
shakes no "bloody shirt."
"The Danville Intelligencer"
The Danville Intelligencer was founded by Valentine Best, in
1828, as the organ of the Democratic party. Valentine Best was a
man of strong will, ardent passions and in his dealings scrupulously
honest. He stood deservedly high in the respect and confidence of
the public generally, though his paper was intensely Democratic
and one of the most bitter and unrelenting against a political op-
ponent. The Intelligencer from its first issue in 1828, to the present
time, has been the local organ of the Democratic party. In the
days of Mr. Best it was arrayed against the Whigs, and many a
thrust he gave that grand old party. And when the Republican
party began to manifest its power, his warfare was directed against
it with equal ardor and determined hostility. In 1850 Mr. Best was
elected to the Senate of Pennsylvania. The contest however was
less political than a local one. The issue was the question of
creating Montour county. Accordingly he received the votes of
those who favored the project and was opposed by those who ob-
jected to the measure, without respect to party. In order to carry
his bill through the Senate, which without his vote was a tie, po-
litically he by his own vote and the sixteen Whig votes became
Speaker of the Senate. He was much abused, but he bore it all
patiently, believing that the end justified the means. It was the
Democratic party especially that denounced him for what was re-
garded as a betrayal of the party, more especially as in the distri-
bution of the offices in the Senate he by his vote gave one half to
the Whigs. But he finally carried his darling project, and he re-
turned home, believing that the sacrifice he had made of his party
standing for the benefit of his immediate constituents whould be
properly estimated. He had almost made himself a political mar-
tyr to accomplish the purpose for which he was elected. But he was
mistaken. Gratitude is a quality little known in political parties.
If a partisan loses caste, even in his own service, the pharisees of the
organization curse him, simply because others do. Mr. Best had
served his purpose. But the majority of his party ignored his claims
when he sought a nomination for Congress in 1856. This is a bit-
ter lesson that many earnest politicians have learned. After devot-
ing his energies and the best years of his life to a party, he finds
that political parties, like corporations, have no souls. After the
death of Valentine Best, which occurred in 1858 the Intelligencer
was published for some time by Oscar Kepler, in the interest of
Mrs. Best. The establishment was then purchased by a number of
leading Democrats, dividing the amount into shares, as it still re-
mains. The first editor under the company proprietorship was J.
S. Sanders. He took charge on the 10th of September, 1858. Mr.
Sanders kept up the paper to it old-time standard, and being a first
class printer he made many improvements in its mechanical depart-
ment. In 1862 he left Danville and assumed control of a paper in
Berwick. In the meantime, Thomas Chalfant had succeeded to the
editorship of the Intelligencer, in which position he still contines.
Mr. Chalfant moved the office from the basement of the Best resi-
dence to the second story of Reed's building, by the canal, and
afterwards to the room in Assembly building which was formerly
occupied by the Montour American; where it is now.
The Danville Democrat
The Danville Democrat was established by Charles Cook, of whom
a sketch will be found in this book. It was commenced in August
1840. He called it the Danville Democrat and Tariff Advocate,
though it always opposed the Democratic party. Mr. Cook con-
tinued its publication until 1864, when he sold the office to Joel S.
Baily as stated elsewhere. He also published a German paper dur-
ing the campaign of 1844, which he called Der Tariff Advokat.
In its editorial ability the Democrat was far above the average.
While located in the Montgomery building, in 1845 the office was
burned with that building. The old hand-press fell through the floor
to the cellar but was rigged up and did good service for many years
afterwards. During the latter years of its existence the Democrat
was located on the second story of the building now occupied by
W. C. Davis, on Mill street, in the First ward.
The Montour American
The Montour American was founded by the author of this volume.
The first number was published on the 11th day of December, 1855,
in the Montgomery building. It was at a time when the Whig and
Democratic parties each had a local organ - the one conducted by
Charles Cook and the other by Valentine Best. The new paper, as
might be inferred, had a hard struggle for existence in the beginning.
But in the succeeding spring it joined in the support of Fremont
and the paper steadily gained in patronage, and proved a success
under the administration of its founder. Indeed, the American was
a popular favorite, and it is palmy days had a wide circulation
among all parties. In 1859 I sold the American to George B.
Ayers, of Harrisburg. During his ephemeral editorship, he called
it Montour Herald. After a few months he abandoned it and re-
turned to Harrisburg, having lost the greater portion of its patron-
age. In October of the same year I repurchased the material, and
resumed its publication. The old name was restored and its former
patrons returned to its support. It was now located in the second
story of Gross' building. The American was prosperous and now
was firmly reestablished, enjoying its old-time popularity. But as
there were now two Republican papers in Danville, it was deemed
best by politicians, that they should be united, as there was naturally
always some trouble about a division of the party patronage. Ac-
cordingly in January, 1864, I sold the American to Joel S. Baily,
of Chester county, Pennsylvania. Charles Cook also sold the Demo-
crat to the same purchaser, who united the offices and located in
the Assembly building. But in the Autumn of the same year, Mr.
Baily, tired of the business, sold it, and I once more assumed its
control, and once more gathered its scattered patronage. After some
time I moved the office into the Montgomery building, entrance on
Bloom street. Here I greatly improved the material of the office
and enlarged the paper, and here I brought the first power press, as
I had previously brought the first jobbing press to Danville, and sub-
sequently I also brought the first steam power to a newspaper office,
as well as piloting the way in many other improvements. In 1871
the office was sold to William H. Bradley and Lewis Gordon for
$5,000 cash. The American office having originally cost $600, it
will be seen that my efforts increased its value $4,400. Some few
years later Mr. Gordon sold his interest to Joel Bradley, and subse-
quently William H. Bradley sold his interest to Edward Baldy, who
afterwards sold to his brother, and it is now published by Bradley
& Baldy on Mill street, having removed it from Moyer Lyon's
building which had been expressly built for the office. There is no
vanity or egotism in appending the fact that the American to-day
has lost popularity but it still supported as the local organ of the
Republican party.
The Medium
After the sale of the Montour American to Messrs. Bradley and
Gordon, in 1871 I established The Medium in a second story of
Moyer Lyon's block. This was a semi-weekly and is known as the
gem of all the Danville newspapers. Many of its files were bound
and are carefully preserved; and although it was published less than
a year, yet as much as twenty dollars has been refused for a bound
copy of its file. To the Medium office I brought the second, as I
had also brought the first, newspaper power press to Danville. The
printer boys in the Medium office, H. L. Gould, R. W. Eggert, N.
C. Prentiss and Clarke Umstead, well remember that model press
as the most complete and beautiful machine they ever saw in a
country printing office. Richard W. Eggert had charge of the
newspaper department, and took especial pride in making it a thing
of beauty. In fact he is proud of it yet. In the spring of 1872,
very unfortunately, I sold the Medium office to a company called the
"Danville Publishing Company." This was done with a view to
establish a large printing house in Danville. They changed the
name to The Independent and moved the office to the basement of
Thompson's hall.
The Independent
The Danville Publishing Company was organized under a chance
granted by the Legislature. Mr. William J. Reed was chosen presi-
dent, Mr. William Keiner treasurer and D. H. B. Brower secretary.
I was also employed as editor. The company then bought a new
chromatic jobbing press on credit and also incurred a debt of seven
hundred dollars in New York. All this time not a cent of the stock
was paid in, and in less than nine months the establishment was
seized for the debts referred to; it was sold by the sheriff and I
never received a penny for the Medium office. My loss was over
$2,000. The loss of the company was nothing as they never paid
anything. By some mystery to me unknown, the office fell into the
hands of S. P. Kase. This loss to me, with the loss met in adjust-
ing the complicated interests involved in the sale of the American
swept away the fruits of all my toil for many years and left me with-
out means to pursue my favorite profession.
The Mentor
In the autumn of 1873 as the material of The Independent was
lying idle, I joined a party consisting of Richard W. Eggert, John
Lesher, William H. McCarty and myself in publishing The Mentor.
A printing house was built in the rear of the Mansion House, now
occupied by the National Record, and the printing material was
leased from Simon P. Kase. But it was not a success, and it was
abandoned the following year.
The Danville Record
In the spring of 1876 Mrs. A. P. Fowler purchased the printing
material of S. P. Kase and employed me to conduct and independent
paper for "The Danville Printing Company, limited," to be styled
The Danville Record. The first number was issued on the 16th day of
March, 1876. It at once received a large circulation and was patron-
ized very liberally by the business men of Danville. And here it is
proper for me to say, that of all the devoted friends I ever had, and
I have had many, there is none more richly entitle to my grateful
remembrance than Mr. A. P. Fowler, of Scranton. He is true as
steel to every promise, generous and faithful, a friend in whom there
is no guile. Ah! would the world had more like him! In my
charge the Record flourished for two years when circumstances ren-
dered it necessary that the material should be sold. I was not n
condition to buy, and as the hard times gave little encouragement
for business in this locality the office was transferred to the new
owners in March, 1878.
The National Record
The National Record is a continuance of the Danville Record,
commencing in the spring of 1878, the material of the Danville
Record having been purchased by James Foster, Harry Vincent and
Victor A. Lotier. After some time Foster and Vincent sold their
interest to Victor A. Lotier, by whom the paper in now published. It
has been enlarged and is a vigorous Greenback organ. Among the
people it is valued mainly for its local department which is under the
charge of Richard W. Eggert, who is an excellent compositor as
well as a lively localizer. The Record is now the largest paper in
Danville and has a fair share of patronage. It is published every
Saturday.
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