Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-08-13
Fifty Yeqrs Old.

THIS would indicate that II is now forty
SIX years old, but as the publication Of
tbs paper, lat frat under another name,
was commenced in 1872, it has actually
completed its half century of existence.
As age claims the privilege Of g~arrulity,
we hope oar readers will indulge us while
give u backward glance, and speak of the
past and the present.
On the 10th day of Juue, Isle, the first
newspaper was published in Warren, by
Thomas D. Webb, Esq, (vho Is still 4
citizen OF this town and printed by Dav-
id Fleming. 1t was called the Trump
Of Fame" was about one-third the pres
ent size of the Chronicle, and was fur
nished 10 subscribers for two dollars and
fifty cents per year. In December, 1913,
3Ir. Webb associated with himself. Mr..
James White. About a year after, Mr..
Webb sold out his interest, and Samuel
Qainby, Esq, took his place and the pa
per was published by Messrs. Quinby and
White, under the firm Of James White
u Co, for some two years, when it was
sold 20 Fitch Bissell. who changed the
name % chat of the Western Reserve
Chronicle" and the first paper bearing
thar name was published Oct. 18th. 1876.
In the fall oflSl7 it passed into the hands
Of MesSrs. Samuel Quinby and Elihu
Spencer. March 18th, 1919, Mr.. Spencer
went out Of the firm, and the late Mr.
George Hapgood, took his place. On the
lst Of July, following, Mr.. Quinby retired
and lie was. suGcceeeed rs partner with
Mr. Hapgood, by the following named
gentlemen: Otis Sprague, July LIST, 1919;
E. t. Thompson. Sept. 22d, 1870; Wm.
Quinby. March 23d, 1922; John Crowell
January Sd, 1898; Calvin Pease, Jr, Oct.
i4th, 1880; and =. W. Parker Oct. 18th,
1859. IN June 1871. Mr.. Hapgood sold
his interest to Mr. Parker. and retired,
after having been connected with the
Chronicle Tor more than twenty-five
yea7z-Nr. Parker continued to publish
until Jan, 1853, when ne disposed OF the
office 10 Ir. Edward, D. Howard. In
Feb'y., 1854, the Western Reserve Trans
cr.pt, published by James Dumars. was
combined with the Chronicle, and the pa
per was published BY Howard & Dumars,
under the name Of the Chronicle L Tran
script, until following October, when Mr..
Howard became sole proprietor. In April
iS55, the Office was purchased by c.. 4.
Adams, and George y. Hapgood, who
again christsned the paper with the time
honored name Of the Western Reserve
CAronicle," and twas published by them
under the firm Of Hapgood i Adams un-
til the first Of February last, when the
Trumbun Democrat, published by Wm.
RiteZei. was combined with the Chroni-
Gle, Mr.. Ritezel becoming one Of The pro-
prietogs.
The first number of fhe Trump of
Fame was issued two days before the
Declaration of War with England" was
made By Congress in 1912. The paper
may be said 10 have had It's birth in the
time CT Il war, and has completed its
half cycle in the midst Of another, COM
pared to which. the first was "ehild's
play"
To contrast the facilities for the trans
mission of news in the past and present,
we may note that the news that war had
been declared, did not reach this place lin
1922 Gutt uoTo than TWO weeks had
passed, and some Of the more remote set
Elements, until more than e month had
elapsed, while on the memorable 18th
Of april, lS5l-when the attack was
made on Fort Sumter ,-scarcely had the
first echoes Of the cannon died away, CT
the smoke lifted from the beleagured for
tress, before the swift lightning had car
RED the news to every city, and nearly
every hamlet in the land, the steam
presses had given it to the people, and
the pulsations of millions Of hearts beat
quicker at the thought of vengeance, or
stood still at the dead Of the dark future.
In 1872, west Of this State, the settle
ments were few and far between. To the
Pacific Ocean, stretched one vast wilder
ness, broken at wide intervals 10y the
light Of the campfire 0. some adventurous
hunter, or trapper, or by the wigwam OF
the Indian. a few hardy pioneers had
pushed forward into the Western wilds,
and the sound OF the strokes Of the wood
mans axe began TO mingle with the howl
Of the wolf, and the cry of the panther;
the bufaloes and deer were the only
herds that cropped the heritage in the
forest, the beavers built the only dams
across the streams, the lakes and rivers of
the far west were unruffied save by the
bark canoe of the Indian as he padded
around some headland OF the lake or
foated down some quiet stream, and he
lord of the soil.
In Ohio, in 1872, al the time Of the
birth Of the Trump Of Fame" it was the
only paper published IN Northern Ohio
and there were but three or four others
in the State. a few scattered villages
linked together by wretcned corduroy
roads, were the only settlements. Passen-
gers and freight were either packed on
horses OF oxen; half r dosen small schoo-
ners composed the feet upon Lake Erie,
and = few fiat boats nayigated the Ohio
River. How IS it nrw? More than thir-
ty millions Of newspapers are published
annually in Ohio within her borders are
4 colleges, 200 hundred academies and
1900 common schools; cities and towns
havesprung upasifby magic; upon the bOs-
ON of the waters floats q commerce which
equals in tonnage that Of the foreign COM
merce OF the nation fleets Of steamers