Freeman's champion., 1858-05-13
~ SOeiable Chat with our Prairie
City Friends.

\ht friends Of the Champion that the
,Npocuniary embarrassments which we
AsvS been eontending against for
'sOmc time past, are now removed,
and the CHAMRIoN now stands, for
the first time since its appearahcs, ON
"a firm and permanent footing, and
may now be regarded as a fixed Gin
'Etitution," '
\ We were aware, before we ever
consented to hazard the experiment
Of publishing newspaper in a tow
'Oftowr houses and less than thirty in
habitants, that we were incurri ng
such risk as no other person, ac-
quainted with the business Of news
paper publishing, would dare venture
ints, and. nothing but our love Of
adventure, proffers Of ample pecuniary
assistance, and an ardent desire to see
Prairie City rank among the first
ttowns Of Kanzas, ever impelled ua
to engage in the fool-hardy enterprise
We knew that ten times tho amount
of capital necessary to literally suS-
tain local press invested in any other
improvement or enterprise in the
town, would not be so beneficial to its
interests as newspaper; and being
one Of the stockholders Of Prairie City
and consequently pecunisrly interes-
ted in its growth, it behooved US TO
direct our energies and talents. and,
if necessary, make temporary SAcri6-
css towards enhancing her prospects.
That we have labored ardently, earn
estly, enthusiastically and hopefully,
and that our efforts have been crown
ed with unlocked for success. we leave
for our Prairie City friends to deter
mine. AS we have intimated, when
we first commenced the Champion,
there were but four little insignificant
log houses in town; lots were value
less, as they were donated away by
the hali-dozens and dozens to secure
improvements; adjacent to us were
rival towns with better natural and
pecuniary advantages; two-thirdS Of
our own stockholders and nearly all
of the farming community surround
ing. deSpaired ofever making town
here, and hooted and scoffed at the
efforts Of its sangune friends to do
anything towards improving and re.
gsrded them as set Of crazy .fanat-
les. The dawning of the Champion
was the Inauguration off new era
The ready word Of encouragement it
always had for those engaging in bus
mess andhazarding in town improve,
mentS, inspired its friends with con.
fdence, and since that time the town
has increased in size, population,
wealth, business and influence to de-
gree astonishing to everybody ac-
'quaintod with its history. Lots that
wero burden to the Association and
which, were donated to afford relief,
are now valued at from $50 to $3.50,
and are steadily increasing, and ov-
rybody interested in town. with the
solitary exception of Ourself, is got.
ting rich, This Aattering and agree
able state of things has been produced
largely at our expense, we claim
6;;tncar what the Herald of Freedom
says about the value ofa newspaper;
"ThOre is not man in the country
who does not know that a newspaper
is.the making of town. Places
which would never have been known
five miles away, but for newspaper,
under ito influence acquires reputa.
ton, and increases in prosperity un-
til it takes It's place among the first
towns in the country. Property
is advanced ten,fold in value by
such newspaper, while If it was
stricken from existence real estate
would Immediately depreciate in val
ne. Even New York, with all its
wealth and commerce, would hardly
bs Now York, with its worldwide
reputation, should the Tribune, Her.
aid and Times bo removed'to some
other locality"
Every person acquainted with the
past history Of Prairie City cannot