History of Linn County Iowa Part 22

THE IOWA POST

The _Iowa Post_ was founded in April, 1881, at Iowa City. After pa.s.sing through the hands of several owners, it was purchased in March, 1902, by Henry Gundling of Chicago and brought to this city. Mr. Gundling changed the paper from a weekly to a semi-weekly and in an incredibly short time he had trebled the number of his subscribers. Mr. Gundling had a high school education in Germany, followed by an apprentices.h.i.+p there of three years. He had sixteen years experience in Chicago and he has travelled extensively on three continents. He is, therefore, thoroughly equipped as an editor and this accounts for the high standard of his paper which is eagerly read by a very large const.i.tuency in this and adjoining counties and especially at the colony of Amana.

[Ill.u.s.tration: OLD M. E. CHURCH, MT. VERNON]

[Ill.u.s.tration: STREET SCENE IN LISBON]

THE WEST SIDE ENTERPRISE

The _West Side Enterprise_ is one of the latest newspapers in the Linn county field, having been started December 30, 1909. But it is one of the liveliest as well as one of the latest. W. I. Endicott is the owner and publisher, and he is a whole newspaper force in himself. Every issue of the _Enterprise_ contains something which makes somebody sit up and take notice. It is a paper devoted to the work of booming the west side; but it is read on both sides of the river by an ever increasing number of readers.

IOWA STAATS-ZEITUNG

The _Iowa Staats-Zeitung_ was established in the year 1879 by A. Hunt, who continued as publisher and editor for many years--until he retired from the newspaper business. The paper was then bought by John Young and afterwards sold to the Charles Stoudt Printing Company, who came from Des Moines to Cedar Rapids to make their home. The company consists of Charles Stoudt, the publisher, and E. J. Stoudt, editor.

The paper is one of the largest German weeklies in the state, publis.h.i.+ng from twelve to twenty-four pages each issue and going all over the state. It guarantees to have the largest circulation of any German paper published in Iowa.

OTHER CEDAR RAPIDS PAPERS

Several other Cedar Rapids newspapers ought to be mentioned. The _Cedar Rapids Listy_, a Bohemian humorous paper, was established in 1906. Fr.

Hradecky is its editor and publisher. The _Optimus_ is a republican weekly edited by E. C. Barber, and is a most uncompromising foe of democracy in all its form. It was established in 1906. The _Slovan-Ameriky_ is a democratic Bohemian paper, one of the oldest, for it was established in 1869 and has held the even tenor of its way since that time through the suns.h.i.+ne and storm of democracy. John B. Letovsky & Sons are the editors and publishers, and they have been putting out a good paper week in and week out, year after year.

The _Tribune_ is the organ of the Federation of Labor in Cedar Rapids.

It was started in 1903 and has had a remarkable success. Its first editor was G. F. Taylor who gave the paper a great start and it is now edited by R. G. Stewart, who fills its columns full of gingery stuff week after week and s.h.i.+nes best when there is a big political sc.r.a.p on hand.

THE MARION REGISTER

In 1852 one A. Hoyt came all the way from New York to blaze the way of modern journalism on the prairies of Iowa. He established a paper called the _Prairie Star_. But the _Star_ didn't s.h.i.+ne long. Mr. Hoyt found Iowa so different from old New York. Like the wise men of the east, after he had let go of most of the treasures he brought with him he retraced his steps to the east and the paper pa.s.sed into the hands of J. H. and G. H. Jennison. They were Whigs with a big W and they renamed the _Star_ as the _Linn County Register_.

When the republican party was organized, the _Linn County Register_ became one of its most able and enthusiastic advocates in the county.

The late Judge N. M. Hubbard was in active politics at that time and during that memorable campaign he conducted the _Register_. Ah, "thim were the days." The judge was a past master in the art of "skinning" an opponent. That was the method of political fighting in those days and no editor ever had a sharper knife than Judge Hubbard. He used to say in later years that it was one of the most enjoyable periods of his whole life.

"I made the paper grow," he said. "Everybody wanted to get it to see whose hide was put on the fence that week."

The judge lived to tell the tale, but after the fun was all over and the battle had been won he decided that railroad law practice was more profitable than editing a newspaper. The _Register_ pa.s.sed back into the editors.h.i.+p of J. H. Jennison. The next year Robert Holmes became its editor and subsequently its proprietor. He held this position for five years and it was five years of the most important period in the history of the county. Mr. Holmes successfully conducted the paper through the great struggle of the Civil war, and up till 1863 when he sold it to A. G. Lucas. Its name was then changed to the _Linn County Patriot_.

In September, 1864, there came from Cedar county, a young soldier-lawyer, S. W. Rathbun. He purchased the plant and changed the name of the paper to the _Marion Register_. He has been editor of the _Register_ ever since that time. He has a few more gray hairs, a few more wrinkles, and a bit more avoirdupois than he had then, but he still wields a trenchant pen, still makes the _Register_ a readable and interesting paper. It has been one of the most influential papers among the weekly press of Linn county, and has always been firmly republican.

THE MARION SENTINEL

The _Marion Sentinel_ was originally called the _Springville Independent_, being established at Springville in the year 1879 by Fred Chamberlain, who afterwards served as county superintendent of the schools of Linn county. It was a seven-column folio, independent in politics, the forerunner of the independent papers of the county. It grew rapidly, and by 1884 had increased to a twelve-page paper. An edition was also published for Prairieburg, and one for Central City.

In 1885 it had a circulation of 1600. It met with some reverses in 1886 and on July 1 of that year it was moved to Marion and its name changed to the _Linn County Independent_. Mr. Chamberlain made a big success of it in Marion. The name of the paper was then changed to the _Marion Sentinel_. Later O. M. Smith was taken into partners.h.i.+p. The paper then changed from an independent to a democratic paper, and has remained democratic until the present time, the only simon pure democratic paper in Linn county at the present time.

In July, 1891, Mr. Smith sold the paper to Mr. J. J. Galliven, at that time employed as train dispatcher for the Milwaukee railroad. He conducted it for less than three months, selling it on September 19, 1891, to its present owner, T. T. Williams. During the greater part of the time since then C. S. Shanklin, one of the ablest political writers of the state, has been in charge of the _Sentinel's_ editorial page.

The paper is one of the brightest and newsiest in the county.

THE MT. VERNON HAWKEYE

That splendid Linn county paper, the _Mt. Vernon Hawkeye_, was established January 1, 1869, by J. T. Rice, as the _Linn County Hawk-Eye_. Mr. Rice was well known in the early history of the county, and in late years was a resident of Denver, Colorado, where he died within the past year.

The _Hawk-Eye_ was bought by S. H. Bauman on June 1, 1869, within five months after the paper was established, and its name was changed to the _Mount Vernon Hawk-Eye_. Mr. S. H. Bauman continued the business and was joined in partners.h.i.+p by his son, A. A. Bauman, January 1, 1892. On July 1, 1899, S. H. Bauman retired entirely, and the paper was then conducted by his sons, A. A. and Fred A. Bauman. This partners.h.i.+p was dissolved November 17, 1909, since which time the paper has been published by A. A. Bauman.

The paper has always been republican in politics and has never been shaken by the winds of temporary popular prejudice or pa.s.sion. It has had an abiding conviction of political honesty and integrity and it has been conducted on a high plane. It has rendered good service in the building up of Mt. Vernon and the county generally.

THE WALKER NEWS

The _Walker News_ was established as a seven-column folio in February, 1883, by David Brant, at present the owner and editor of the Iowa City _Daily Republican_. He continued as owner and editor for seven years, and then the paper pa.s.sed to the hands of Charles A. Durno, Mr. Brant going to Cedar Rapids to become city editor of the _Gazette_.

In July, 1891, Mr. Durno sold a half interest in the business to C. O.

and J. Barry, who, in January, 1892, acquired the remaining half interest, Mr. Durno retiring. Mr. Durno was later appointed to a position in the government printing office at Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C, and died in that city a few years ago. The Barrys are still in possession of the _News_, which is one of the brightest and most influential newspapers in the county.

THE CENTER POINT JOURNAL

The _Center Point Journal_ is a republican weekly, owned and edited by J. A. Mahuran, one of the ablest of the Linn county newspaper men. The paper has had its ups and downs and for a time it was chiefly noted for its ardent campaign for a fishway in the dam across the Cedar river at Cedar Rapids. That was during the days of Editor Barber.

The Journal grew out of the _Lotus_ which was started at Center Point, May 15, 1873, by J. F. Wilson & Co. T. J. Metcalf was its first editor, and he filled the leaves of the _Lotus_ with spice and sweetness until 1874 when W. T. Baker took charge and subsequently committed suicide.

But that was not the fault of the _Lotus_. The office was then sold to H. A. Cook, of Cedar Rapids.

In 1876 T. J. Metcalf and S. M. Dunlap purchased the plant and changed the name of the paper to the _Center Point Mirror_, the first issue appearing November 18. Then Mr. Metcalf bought out Mr. Dunlap's interest, and afterwards G. L. Wilson became the owner, changing its name to the _Courier-Journal_. M. A. Oxley and Charles F. Floyd afterwards bought the paper and it finally reached the hands of its present owner.

THE SPRINGVILLE NEW ERA

Springville is one of the best of the Linn county towns and it has one of the best of the Linn county papers, the Springville _New Era_. Its first issue appeared August 9, 1882. It was a six-column folio, independent in politics, and was established by J. B. F. Butler. In November, 1882, C. S. Shanklin became its editor. At this time it was changed to a six-column quarto. It became a democratic paper but lately grew towards independence in politics, a growing tendency among modern newspapers. There were some more changes of owners.h.i.+p and finally the paper was purchased by O. E. Crane, its present publisher and editor, under whom it has risen to a popularity and prosperity never before attained.

THE LISBON HERALD

Lisbon has one good weekly, the _Herald_. The _Sun_ was the first paper having been started August 27, 1874, by J. W. Zeigenfus. It was not a success at the start, or at least it did not bring in the coin of the realm rapidly enough to suit its proprietor, and he soon sold it to C.

J. Weatherbee. He held it for a few weeks and sold it to W. T. Baker.

Baker managed it admirably for a time but he later shot himself through the head in his office and for a time the paper was conducted by W. L.

Davis for his widow. Then the Rev. Dewalt S. Fouse became its editor and did some good work upon it. So did A. M. Floyd, one of the best of Linn county's newspaper men. But finally the _Sun_ went down.

The _Herald_ has been vigorous and active and prosperous since it was established in 1894 and it was never so prosperous as now. Under the able management of Will F. Stahl the paper has grown in size and in circulation and every issue is filled with up-to-date news and interesting comment. It is a paper of which Lisbon should be proud.

CENTRAL CITY NEWS-LETTER

Situated in a valley of entrancing beauty, the valley of the Wapsie river, Central City is one of the most beautiful towns in Iowa and it certainly is one of the most up-to-date. Much of its growth and its prestige is due to the fact that for many years it has had a first-cla.s.s newspaper. The _Central City News-Letter_, which was started in 1888, has had a line of able men as its editors and they have all done their best to make the city grow. None of them ever worked harder at it than E. S. Weatherbee, who is the owner and the editor of the paper, the postmaster, the mayor, and an all-around booster for his town.