Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-08-27
LETTER FROM HIS OLD HOME

i. Tate, the veteran editor of the
Williamsport Sun, spent q few days
in our midst with old friends ani edi-
tors, and while here no addressed the
letter found below to his journal. He
is entirely mistaken about the material
Of the Clearfcld Democrat being used
to print the Journal. 1t was never
dedicated to so base purpose. That
concern was founded by Mr.. Swoopc
in 1864. The Colonel was foreman in
this Office when Col. Alexander, form
erly of the Clarion Democrat, was the
"devil." The CLEARrIELD REpUBLI-
CAN Of to-day is combination of all
the titles and journals named by Mr..
Tate. Read his letter:
CLEARFIELD, PA, Aug. 2, 1873.
READERS OF THE Sun "A short visit
to my native home, after an absence
Of some seventeen years, has proven
both pleasant and interesting. it was
here, near fifty years ago, that be-
gan to learn the printing business,
with Messrs. Irvine & Kratzer, in the
Office of The Pennsylvania Banner,
which was the first type ever intro
duced over tho Alleghenics and the
first paper ever printed in Clearfed
county. The Banner was very
small sheet-tbe paper on which it
was printed was usually carried in q
common -four sack, bundle in each
end of the bag, which was thrown
across a horse, with a boy on his back
Of about my Chem size, and the Ram
age Press, on which it was run off, was
made by @. Kratzer, Esq, then one OF
the Editorial firm, but now venera.
BILE and wealthy merchant, and was
carried to and from Hardman Phillips
Screw Factory, at Phillipsburg, on
horseback, in one end Of bag, with a
stone in the other end, to make it bal
ance, by The "Subscriber."
Since then, times and things, have
materially changed in Clearfield.-
The town and county, have each, also
doubled about five times in population
wealth and improvements. Agricul.
ture and other industrial pursuits
have been largely nurtured here, which
with the coal and lumber trade, aided
by the recent railroad enterprise, has
impaired new life and active vigol
into every section and among all clas
ses of people, and caused it, as a whole
10 bud and blossom as the rose.
In relation TO the printing and pub
fishing in Clearfcld, / might have ad
ded, that whilst the Banner, on which
| learned the cart preservative off al
arts" was the first journal ever print
ed in this county, and of which ] wal
subsequently one of the editors, under
the firm.name of Tate & Moore, wher
we added a prefix TO its name, calling
our paper The CledrfeId Pioneer dnt
Banner, and so conducted il during
the then fierce local contest betwix
| VIM. +. Packer, of Lycoming and AL
exander Irwin, of Clearfeld, for Stat,
Senator, and the bitter State election
in n triangular fight, for such it was
between political trio, headed b,
Messrs. Wolf and Muhlenberg, OF
the Democratic sido of tho question
and Jos. Ritner, the candidate of tn
Wings and Anti. Mason, and in whicl
contest, Mr.. Irwin, was elected Senu
tor, and Mr.. Ritner, Governor OF Penn
sylvania. 1t might also have bee
mentioned, that when | took part o
the printing Office here, in charge, tn
paper was published by Mathew
Brown and Wm. l.. Moore, and as Mr.
B., was whig, he changed the poli,i
cal complexion Of the paper, TO sui
his peculiar tactics, and arrayed j
against the Democratic party. Thi
however, he soon found, would not d
in little Democratic Clearfield. 1t wa
my pleasure in assuming its contro
with the consent of my partner, MI
VIM. Il. Moore, TO re-instate il upo
the Democratic platform, and so, | be
leve IL has continued faithful an,
. steadfast in the faith Of our father
and is now one of the very ablcst an
most reliable Democratic journals /
the State,-known as tho Cedrfel
Republican,-,he fearless organ of tn
, Clearield county Democracy, and
conducted by Geo. b. Goodlander, ESQ
, Following up the changes of the poil
ical status oil the Pioneer and Bdnntl
it may bo Interesting here to state, tha
my partner, Mr.. Moore, was soon az
pointed Post Master at Clearfeld, a
: the sequence of the changed condition
of our journal, under President Va
9 Buren's administration and subsC
qucntly, elected by the Democrat
party, as one of tho Associate Judge
. of Clcarfeld county. Judge Moor
1 died many years since, leaving for hi
family q good name and q competenc
in life.
Mr.. VIM. Bigler, prior to the poltl
cal contest between Ritncr, Wolf an
Muhlenbcrg, land while yet in hi
minority,) came hero from Bcllefonts
and established another printing con
cern, which he called tho Cledrfei
Democrat. lie ran it for some year
as such, when he sold the Office, an
| retired from journalistic life, and
f fell into the hands of the wings, anti
masons, knownotbings, and is nov
the organ of the Radicals, known q
The Rytsman'S Journal, upder tb
supervision of S. j. Row, Esq. 1t
protector, the then youthful William
Biger, having filed the various posi-
tions of State Senator, Governor Q
Pennsylvania, United States Senate
: and member of the Constitutional Con
vontion, has made his mark in th
world, and accumulated large for
tune, and is universally regarded n
, an eminent christian gentleman an,
opc of tho most respectable citizens o
, this commonwealth.
Among tho old associates of m,
early days, in "Old Town." | hav
found here now, only few. Messrs
, G. Kratzer, Alexander Irwin, Isaa
AZ