Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-10-13
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER Z, 1870.
THE CENTENNIAL.
THE DINNER.

count OF the length of responses to toasts
beyond tho expected time. Hence the
committee of arrangements were request
ed by some of the gentlemen expected to
speak, to Gurtail the list of regular toasts,
which was consented to, upon condition
that the responses to these toasts should
be furnished to the press for publication.
by the gentlemen who had prepared them.
One of these toasts was:
Tie PreSs--The great educator of
modern times. May its teachings ever be
worthy of its unreasonable power.
The first response is by Mr.. George A.
futile, who was to have remarked
Mr.. President, LADIES' and Gentlemen ::
| exceedingly regret that the committee
who were charged with the duty of pro-
viding for the intellectual part of this
entertainment should have thought fit to
place my name upon their list to respond
to the sentiment Just read, and now also
offer my protest to being appointed to
speak after such eloquent responses have
been made by those whom am to follow,
for my theme is an humble one, and |
claim no gifts of oratory. But we are
here TO celebrate our centennial anniver-
sary and to meet and greet old friends,
and have no heart on this occasion to
shrink any responsibility which may be
thrown upon me.
Whatever I may say will be more of a
historical character, entering largely into
and embraced in the history of our town,
than any effort for oratorical effect.
My frat acquaintance with the press
dates back a little over forty years, when
my apprenticeship commenced, and it af-
fords me pleasure to look back and re-
view the improvements in my day. There
were then few daily papers published in
our county, and a far less number of
weelllies than now. Ii reoollect Alright
there were but two dalies published in
New York-the ErpresS and the Journal
Of Commerce.. The latter was regarded
rs the leading paper. 1t was about two
thirds the size of the present DAILY
HERALD, printed on coarse type and
largely devoted to commercial interests.
l recollect reading in an early number of
that paper a notice calling the attention
Of the business public to the fact that it
was the loading daily of the country, and
that in consequence of having reached
daily circulation of about 1900 copies,
mostly circulated among the merchants
and business men of the country, it Of
fered peculiar advantages to advertisers.
1t was printed upon hand-press and it
took two men five hours to print single
side of it.
There were no lightning presses in
those days capable of turning off their 90
900 impressions an hour, and there was
no occasion for them, for there ware no
telegraphs, no railroads, or ocean steamers,
to give quick transit of news from place
to place and from all parts of the earth.
News thirty days from England was con-
sidered very fresh, and more ordinarily
it was forty days old when received. 1t
took ten days to get news from New Or
leans, and about six months from China
But what change forty years has
wrought. There is now in New York, in
Guiding daily, weekly, and monthly is
sues, one hundred and seventy-one news
papers, devoted to every branch of in
dustry and every department of literature.
Fourteen of these are dailies, and some
reach a circulation of nearly one hundred
thousand copies day,-taxing the ca
pacity of two lerge paper mills to supply
them with white paper, and in the aggre-
gate employ millions of capital and an
army of workmen.
Events transporting now in any part OF
Europe in the evening are transmitted by
ocean cable and chronicled the next
morning in the dailies throughout the
country in season to be read by our PEG
plo before breakfast. Important loca
events are also flashed over the telegraph
wires Of the country and are read stimuli
taneously in New York, Now Orleans
Chicago, ST. Louis and San Francisco
Such has been the growth aud progress @
the press in forty years.
In the days Of our fathers, the pres
filled an important mission in diffusini
intelligence among the people, an
furthering the advancement of civilizs
ton. But how much more its power fc
good or evil at present. And how impol
tant it Is that it should be, not only yea
ou9 and patriotic, but elevated and pure
When I reflect upon the weighty r
sponsibilites resting upon the conducto
Of the press at the present time, almo
feel like invoking upon them from Uea
en-, divine guidance and direction, tn
they may be saved from evil influence
that their mission may b. for good, tn
through their l4bors the great principl
of civilization ana brotherhood may
advanced, and that society may be MAJ
purer and better.
l come now to the press of Rutlan
and whatever I may say in relation
it's history, ! must be pardoned if lit
vanity is manifested on my part, as
have been personally identified with
for over thirty years, and feel just pri
in the position it has held, and the wo
il has done.
The first newspaper published in Ri
land, was established by Autheny H.
well, June IS, 1892, and was called t
Herald Of Vermont or Rutland Coard
Thirteen numbers of it had been publish
when the Office was burned down and
paper discontinued.
In 1898 Mr.. J. Lyon commenced t
publication of the Farmers Libra
which.publication was continued for abo
two years, when the concern was pr
chased by Judge Samuel Williams a.
Rev Samuel Williams, LII. D., and
the 9Th. day of December 1894, the fiji
number of the present Rutland HERAl