The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1860-04-05
History of the Newspaper Press
in WisC0NSEEa

soclauon held in Milwaukee, in June. 1852 9
committee was appointed to collect facts in re-
latlou to the early history of the Newspaper
press IN Wisconsin. Hon c. G. SHoLEs, al
the request of the Committee, furnished the fol-
lowiig paper on the subject, which we doub'
not, viii be read with interest by all who desire
to be acquainted with historical facts of this sort
To Ion. j. Hyer, Il. j. Turner, and j. ". Hovt
Responding to your letter, which 1 do cheer
fully, must premise with the remark, that hav-
ing TO data at hand to refer to, and memory
alone to depend upon, the brief sketch I send
you g the early history of the Wisconsin, press.
VIII doubtless in some particulars, be found in
accurate. My range Of time viii be from 1888
| to 1884.
| wisconsin, you know commenced an existence
as distinct territorial organization, on the 4th
OF Juy, 1886. Prior to this period, the whole
county now comprised within the limits of Wis
co9 1s and Iowa, formed part of the Territory
of Michigan
l arrived at Green Bay, July A, 1886, just in
1Iihe ?, become citizen of the new Territory
lnere had been up to this date, two newspapers
published IN the entire region above referred to
both 2t this place, i. e. Green Bay One, the
HIntelligencer" started as early as 1888, by
Messrs. j. V. Suydam land A. G.. Ellis the
other, think, was called the Spectator and
made Its appearance in 1885. The Intelligencer
IN Io'o, was IN charge of MessrS Ellis 81 Arndt
lion. A. u. Ellis, now of the Wisconsin Pine
ry," aTd Hon. G. G p. Arndt, who a few wears
subsequently, when member Of the Territorial
Council lost his life at the hands of j. R. Vines
yard, Joseph Dickinson, Esq, then a prominent
cltlzelt OF Northern Wisconsin, was the Editor
OF the Spectator" and Hon NJ L. Martin the
ownerof the press and material The Inteli-
genceT was printed on small two-pull wooden
Manage press. and the Spectator on a large
sized~sron press of the Washington patent. Both
papers were conducted with much ability, enter
ing zeaously, but on different sides into a dis
cussion of the political and personal matters of
the Governor Porter, Acting-Governor Homer
and Governor Mason period They were main
" devoted, however, to the work Of introducing
the new Territory of Wisconsin to the favorable
attention of immigrants and the eastern world
geneElly. l must digress a moment to tell you
what became of these two pioneer presses-the
Ramage was destroyed by fire at Green BAY in
l84l--the Washington is still in service, doing
up TIE work of the Independent at Elkhorn
wisconsin, apparently as good as new This
press yas shipped from Detroit to Green Bay in
1850 from Green Bay to Southport in 1870
used fifteen years or so by the "Teegraph''-
and hian removed to its present locality.
Nor. come to the Wisconsin press, dating
from IFle organization Of the Territory, and shall
SiFS sair ilfllH6o OI lu0 papers as neSriY L
IN the srder oftheir establishment:
!. Milwaukee Advertiser Jllv, 1886, D.
H. Rieilards-A fine well-printed sheet, with
host d hdltors-Kilbourn Croker, Richards,
PreDt.ss, Tweedy, Lapham, &c-the best talent
OF the place, zealously engaged in holding forth
the attractions Of Wisconsin, and the advantages
Of Milwaukee III particular as the destined com
mercal centre of the Territory and in discuss
ing 1latters pertaining to the Immediate interests
of tne u1hrVo nitx Tho ISoo
ject which has history y and harbor and
bridge, and road projects. An ADLER paper than
the Advertiser" during the FIRST year of its ex-
lstef#e, Wisconsin has net yet been favored
WITH anG us files, if preserved will be found
exec wing undressing and valuable. The 'Ad-
Vertiser" pass off the stage in 1871, giving place
to the " milwaukee, Courier" by j A. Noonan.
2. wisconsin Democrat, the product of the
consolidation of the Intelligcncer and Spectator.
Green Bay, H. o, and c. G.. Sholes-the first
number published in August, 1886 Following
in the footsteps of its predecessors, the Demo.
GRAFT was mainly engaged in the discussion and
elucidation of topics connected with the growth
and prosperity of Wiscon sin, and the interests
of Green Bay in particular, then the most norm.
lous and thriving portion the Territory. One
of its editorial staples at the time was the elm
provement of the navigation of the Fox River
and the connected navigation of the Fox and
Ousconsin, thereby { to use the stereotyped
phrase opening direct water communication,
via Green Bay, from Lake Michigan to the Mis-
sissippi ;" or to vary it occasionally, "from the
Great Lakes to the Father of Waters This
was the Green Bay hobby-and the "NTiwaukee
and Rock River canal" the Milwaukee hobby
The Democrat occasionally referred to Milwau-
kee as point of some promise in the far off fus
ture, but not to be named in the same category
with Green Bay, which it could never expect to
rival Doty, Martin, Ellis, Shackelford, Suy-
dam, &c, were occasional contributors their
contributions, of course, adding greatly to the
value and interest of the paper: The Democrat
before the close of 1886, passed into 1.-THE hands
of G, G. Sholes, who continued the publication
until 1910, in the spring of which year the estab
lishmen was removed to Southport Perhaps
the most memorable point in the history of this !
sheet is that it was the first to move for the or
ganization of the Democratic party in Wiscon
sin-bus take nc credit to myself now on this
ground.
8. Belmont Gazette Clarke & Holebrook.
Belmont was the seat of government of Wiscon-
sin, made SO by proclamation of Gov. Dodge, in
1886 and it was here-an open prairie, few
miles west of Mineral Point-that the first sess- |
ion of the Legislature ofthe Territory was held
IN the fall ofthat year. The Gazette was estab-
lished to be, and was the recipiant of Legislative
favors in the shape of public printing, at the
rate OF $3.50 per thousand ems paper and press
WIN IHSIuu0u. III CSdeeu It's eAiSIeHC6 OF course
as soon as the session closed, it having been de-
termined by legislative enactment to fix the
seat OF government elsewhere viz at Burng- |
ton (now Iowa) temporarily, and Madison per-
manenty. The press and type were removed
to Mineral Point, where was commenced in 1887. |
4. "The Miners Free Press" by Holebrook
d Walsh-and Walsh and Plowman subsequent |
ly, to 1841, when the establishment passed into |
the hands of Cashier Knapp, of the Mineral |
Point Bank, and Col. W. S. Hamilton, which, as
nearly as | can recollect, was about the last of
1t, The Free Press was jealous democratic |
paper, ably conducted, giving considerable atten-
ton to the interests of the mining region. Its
columns were not unfrequently enriched with ar
ticles from the pen of Major John P. Sheldon, |
then resident of that part of Wisconsin. |
5. Wisconsin Enquirer" j. A. Nonan, at |
Madison, in 1888, prior to the commencement of |
the first session Of the Legislature held at that |
place, as the permanent seat of government
politically democratic This sheet (Which has
as you are aware quite history passed, in 1871
into the hands of G. G. Sholes-then fSholes & |
Hyer-afterwards j. G Knapp, succeeded by
Harrison Reed and a Mr.. Lambert-its title
changed once to ''Wiskonsan Standard (?)-l
when, finally it was taken up bodily by G. G..
Shoes, who had lien on the material and trans
planted to Milwaukee.
9. Madison Express" w. w. Wyman.-
his paper, with various mutations of fortune,
and IN various hands, was published a number
OF years, and at last removed to Fond du Lac
In its political character Wing, after the organi
cation ofp parties
q 1.-THE Milwaukee Sentinel 1889, Mr. John
o 'Rovrke-A well conducted sheet, devoted to
local subjects subsequently in the hands of
Harrison Reed, an able Wing organ. In the
summer of 1912, taken possession of by FL. n.
Wells, and its political position changed. In
the fall Of 1341, its former Editor Mr.. Reed, re
Stunning charge, restoring it to its Wing position
changing its title to Sentinel and Farmer, "asso-
eating with himself in the editorial department
Silas Chapman-retiring in Muy, 1642-suc-
ceeded by E. Star-and subsequently, after 9TH