Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-12-21
Dr.-u or me GALA Counrz-A wo

of the past, the last number Of that sheet con-
tanning the valedictory of the editor. in which
Il depicted the trials and hardships in the life
of newspaper publisher. This event was
probably unlocked for by those unacquainted
with newspaper publishing, but those more
familiar with the ''black art, !" were astonished
that its existence was SO prolonged; thus it
viii be perceived everybody was astOnished-
one half fbeeauseit could not be continued with
out means, the other that it was enabled to exist
at all. To US it was not surprising in the least
to hear the news that was to sadden the hearts
of its dearest friends. We knew what was re-
-quired to render a prosperous support to pa
per and sustain family, and were well sware
that for months past the proprietor was was
.ting his time in the publication Of that sheet
Inhis vaIedictory the editor complains that
many persons subscribed merely for the pur-
pose Of patronisins the paper, from whom he
has never realized cent We believe this
town is blessed with an unusual number Of
such men, at least our experience goes to show
that this kind Of patronage has been reduced
.toa science. However. if these men have a
particle Of honor or honesty, they viii now
step forward and iquidate all claims, for we
can assure them the publisher has well earned
the pittance he will receive.
Among the causes which brought about the
suspension Of. the Courier, Mr.. Vance gives the
following sensible remarks in relation to the
low price of newspapers and advertising in
this region, which every man Of judgment and
experience viii admit to be true: ..i -...,
1--WE believe the Courier has been doing as
well as any Of the country papers in this ne
gion; but at the present high prices of all ar
ticles of provision, the price of newspapers
and advertising had got too low. This could
not be remedied while those large Eastern es-
tablishments were flooding the country with
their mammoth sheets, at one dollar per year;
and our citizens do not appear to be aware of
The fact that each number Of little country
paper costs twicethe amount to the publisher
that one of those Eastern mammoth sheets do;
and although four-fold the amount Of reading
may be obtained for the same money, still
there is not the same amount Of profit to be de-
rived therefrom in consequence Of the lack OF
domestic news"
q In connection with this we propose giving
weeks ago the Gallia Courier came into exis-
tence, having been started in opposition to us,
before we had acquired much experience in the
publication Of country paper, and as a mat
ter within themselves, every endeavor was used
by the friends of that sheet to lessen the sup
port of the Journal, il not break it down. At
the commencement the Courier was printed
upon small sheet and afforded to subscribers
at one dollar year in advance; the price of
the journal at that time being one dollar and
fifty cents. Being sprung upon us at an un-
reasonable moment, notwithstanding the diff
ference in the size of the sheets, we were COM
PEELED to reduce the price Of the Journal or
lose at least half of our subscribers. The
journal had many warm friends, and against
their advice we reduced the subscription, and
published a larger paper upon the same terms
for which the Gallia Courier was afforded
Then commenced in earnest the work of fierce
opposition. War had been waged against our
interests, and we felt that sooner or later our
opponents would be convinced that we were
no mean enemy. The Journal had long been
established, having regularly descended from
the old American Standard, commenced in this
town in the year 1911, and we were well aware
it would require more money to break us down
than the friends of the opposition press were
willing to advance, and more gratuitous labor
than its proprietors would be willing to be-
stow. The contest having commenced, we cut
1n1r-r fha r,riraS nm ;oh rrnrb advar+;e,rr, 81
indeed, everything, where we came in contact
carrying out the work Of retrenchment in eve
~ department of our Office, frequently perfor-
ming the labor of two ordinary hands in the
mechanical branch, besides editing the paper;
the former being executed in a workmanship
style, as the paper will show, the latter, under
the circumstances, we leave to the better irAg-
'nlent of our readers; and all with the harrow.
ing thought continually in our mind that we
were laboring for many who cared little wheth-
er'we succeeded or not. This state Of things |
continued throughout the whole of the Cour-
ier's existence, interspersed with personal con-
troEersies, from which we stood aloof until
forced to defend ourself. We bear some scars.
but comparatively few to the number our op-
ponents carry.
Thus have we spent the past four and quar-
ter years Of our life; our energies taxed almost
to their uttemost limits, and all for scanty
subsistence. Nor is this all--many of our
friends, perfectly ignorant Of the rough road
wewere travelling, conceived that We were in
good circumstances, and in order to have two
papers in the town, bestowed favors upon the
opposition press that under other circumstan-
ces would have fallen te our let 1t is true we
might have brought about different state of
Affairs, had we acceded to the wishes of the
conductors of the Courier one year ago, when
a proposition was advanced by them to raise
1he terms Of advertising, DC, but having al
ready sustained heavy loss, we were perfect
1y impervious to all entreaties, and were de-
termined that nothing short Of utter annihila-
tion to the opponents Of the old standard sheet
of Gallia county, that had waved for thirty
sezen years, should move US from our position.
We have conquered, but il has been a severe
fought battle to us. The Courier has been
swept from existence, to join the predecessors
that have raised their hydra heads in opposi-
ton 10 the Journal. and it has become fixed
fact that Gallia county viii net support two
papers ~ ~