Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-08-01
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rI1EspAY. AUGUST l. 1854.


Tho Massachusetts Spy.
On the first day of August, 1928, thirty-one
years ago this day. the senior editor of this pa
ner took the editorial charge of the Massachu-
setts Spy. a situation which he has retained
ever since. From the time of his commence
mput till 1850, he was sole editor with no one
to share with him the responsibility Of the
station, and, till the commencement of the
daily paper in July ls45, space Of twenty
two wears, he had not had, for half SO many
months, any assistant in his editorial labors.
From 1928 to 1927, the Proprietors were
Earle & Chase, consisting of the editor and
Anthony Chase In March of that year,
Samuel H. Cotton became, by purchase, the
proprietor of one-third of the establishment,
and the new firm took the name of Samuel
H. Cotton Co., the new partner taking
charge of the business department, and the
firm Of Earle s Chase being at the same time
engaged in other business. This connection
continued till 1929, when Anthony Chase re-
tired from the concern, and ]. NJ Earle be-
came the proprietor of his share. In October
1885, Samuel H. Cotton sold out, and ]. NJ.
Earle became sole proprietor of the establish
ment. In 1850, finding the labor and respon-
sibilitv of both the financial and editorial de-
partments of a daily and weekly paper, too
much for one individual, he disposed of one
third of the establishment to Thomas Drew,
Jr., who, from that day, became associate pro-
prietor and editor under the firm Of Earle
Drew.
The first number of the Massachusetts, Spy
was published by Isaiah Thomas, on ''Thurs-
day, March Z, l77l,'' more than eighty three
years since, and, during the last half-century,
it has been, by several years, the Oldest paper
in the State. From its first publication, here,
the Spy has enjoyed prominent position
among periodicals of its class, and at no time,
we believe, from that day to this, has any
other paper in the county very nearly ap-
preached it, either in the extent of its circulB-
ton, or the amount and value of its adyer-
tising patronage.
Simultaneously with the commencement of
our editorial labors in 1923, the publication of
new paper, the Massachusetts Yoeman, was
commenced in this place, under favorable
auspices. Yet notwithstanding we had this
new competitor in the field, the circulation of
the spy increased more than so per cent in
two years, and in 1927 it had more than
doubled. 1t has continued to increase, and
at the present time, our circulation and adj
vertising are both larger than at any former
period.
When the Spy was first commenced, it wss
printed on sheet about one quarter the pre-
sent size of the Daily Spy. When we be-
came connected with it, it was trihe more
than one-half the present size of the daily,
but considerably less than one-half the pre-
sent size of the weekly. 1t was printed on
much larger type than at present, the reading
matter being in long primer, which is two
sizes larger than the same matter is now
printed in, and the advertisements were in
BREWER, which is the size now used for reading
matter The whole amount of composition in
the paper of that date, (lS23,] therefore, was
not over one-third Of that in each issue Of
our daily paper at this time, and could not
much, if any, exceed one quarter of the
During the same PERIOD the improvement in
the texture and complexion of the paper has
been equally great Yet, from that day to
this, no change has been made in the price of
the paper.
For the measure of kindness with which
our labors, such as they are, have been re-
ceived by this community, we feel suitably
grateful. To the Spy we have earnestly and
unremittingly devoted all the best portion of
life of three score years; and, on looking
back, our only regret is, that we had not more
ability and greater endurance to sustain the
principles that we entertained, and that we
have felt it our duty to advocate before the
people, 1t would, indeed, have been pleas
ant, had the pecuniary results of our labors
been such as n enable us, now, to retire, and
spend the remainder of our days in the bosom
of our family, with little patch of earth, in
the culture Of which to employ the time not
required for study and domestic duties. But,
that is not our lott yet we do not repine.--
Perhaps it is best it should be as it is; for
we believe that men who have the opportu-
nifty, too often suffer their faculties to decay
from inaction.
We have thought that these few facts, thus,
hastily thrown together, might, perhaps, be
acceptable to those who feel an interest in the
Spy. We may close the article by assuring
them that our best efforts shall, still, as here
tofore, be devoted to the causes that they have
at heart, the causes of Good Morals and Civil
Liberty; and we may congratulate them on
the fact that the Spy is now placed in posi-
ton, end on basis, that, whether our indi-
vidual efforts shall amount to much OF little
twill hold on its way without Tagging Ire
paper, awake to the wants, the interests and
the necessities of this great and hourishing
community. J. M. e.
mo. l, 1854.
New Idea.
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