The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1860-05-19
THREE YEARS.

tor. was then both proprietor and editor,
while Mr.. Jacob Stotler, one of the present
proprietors, was foreman of the establish
ment There were just three houses in
Emporia at that time-the hotel, the store
of Hornsby d Flick, and small building
temporarily used by Mr.. Storrs for store
and dwelling-size 14x16 feet. The type
for the first number were ''set up in one
of the cham ber-rooms of the hotel, while
the sheets were worked OFF, in what is
now the parlor. Piles of newspaper bun
dies, did service respectively as Editors
Table" "Bank'' and "stone" stand. The
printers were-Jacob Stotler, Foreman; G.
c. Clawson, composition; T. w. French,
devH, while the Editor officiated as "press-
man" and occasionally went to the ''case"
and set up an editorial item which was
bothering to be oppressed" The issue of
the second number it was announced, would
be delayed two weeks il order TO give chance
to fix up matters in the office and also to
get additional assistance in the topographic
al department. But the editor was taken
sick with the smallpox just before the second
number was ready to be issued. which de-
layed it several days longer; and for sever
al numbers the paper was issued only once
in two weeks. Finally the building being
erected for the purpose of an office was
completed, and the material moved into it,
when. the editor having recovered, the pa
per began to be issued regularly every week.
There were no post offices or mail routes
in these parts then. All the mail matter
for this region, was address ed "box 500,
Lawrence" from whence it was brought to
Emporia-sometimes by emigrants or other
persons happening to come this way; some
times team was hired and sent up on pur
pose. Of course it was anything but regu-
larly received, and of course, too, under
such circumstances, publishing a newspaper
here was not the easiest and most profitable
business in the world
But for its own sake, and for the sake of
Emporia, The NEWS was regularly issued
| from that time forward regardless of the
discouragements that environed it, and the
pecuniary embarrassments to which it sub
jected the proprietor. We do not exagger-
ate when we say that the regular appearance
of The News during the first year of the
history of Emporia, did more to save the
topn, and establish it firm in the confidence
of the people than all else put together. 1t
betokened faith and purpose which put
| 4 h. hO hoo
that the town would fail. 1t inspired conf
dence in those already here, and induced
others to come. It's suspension, even tenn
porarily, would have resulted most disas-
trously 10 the town; and its continued reg
ular publication during that year, was the
greatest pecuniary sacrifice. that has ever
been made for the benefit of Emporia, and
the surrounding country.
The absence of all mail facilities, and the
sparseness of the population prevented The
NEWS from acquiring very extensive cir
culation the first year of its existence, which,
of course, had corresponding effect upon
the finances. At the end of the first year,
Mr.. Stotler became joint proprietor and edi-
tor of the paper. The new volume com
menced under little more favorable aus
pices than had before existed. A mail route
bad been established from Lawrence, on
which there was regular service most Of the
time. The population of the surrounding
country had become more dense, which had
the effect of adding very materially to the
subscription list. and also of attracting the
advertisements of the Missouri river mer-
chants, who were very anxious to get the
trade from this section, while the amount
of local advertisements and job work had
also considerably increased. THE News
had also come to be recognized as one Of
the permanent institutions" of Central
Kansas, which inspired the confidence OF
the public and aided not little.
Since he.eommencement of the second
volume there have been two other changes
! in the proprietorship of the Paper-none Of
} them. however. involving any change in
} the management. financial or editorial. and
! only such as were calculated to strengthen
! it. Neither has it ever been in strange
; hands. Messrs Stoller and Plumb have
t been connected with it from the first. anc
f Mr.. Randall was compassion in the Office
/ as early as the summer of 1857. The pat
: ronage of THE NEWS has been steadily or
the increase for the last two years. It:
iona ride subscription list, advertising and
; job patronage is much larger than that 0
j any paper in interior Kansas, excepting
: alone the Lawrence Republican,; and it il
, probably greater than all the other papers
, in Central and Southwest Kansas combin
r ed. Il is pleasant to be able to record
these facts; because they are but indexes Il
t the growth and wealth of this portion 0
Kansas. Both have grown together-cOn