New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-04
Ne WSPAPER RENINLSCESCES.

THE LATE AzARIAH c. FIAGG AND THE EARLY S.ws-
PAPER PREss-A TRIBUTE BY THURLow WEED
To me Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: Mayor Haverneycrs comprehensive, appropr,-
ate and very just tribute to the character and services
Of Mr.. Flagg, turned my thoughts back 10 the
period Of bis usefulness, and TO the men with
whom he was associated in the public ser
vice, nearly all Of whom preceded him 10 their
final rest Of the members of the Legislature Of
1923 in which Mr. Flagg first served. Samuel l.. I'd
wards of Onondaga County il, believe, the only
survivor. OF the more memorable Legislature of
1924 there are three surviving members Of the As
sembly, and one of the Senate. That Senator. the
Hon. Heman J. Redfeld of Batavia, now 81 or IS
years Of age. but in good health and with unim-
paired faculties, attended the funeral Of Mr. F1agg
his early and lifelong political and personal friend.
Mr. Redield was Collector of the Port of New-York
while Mr.. Flagg was its City Controller Among
the statesmen with whom Mr. Flagg affiliated more
closely than with his other contemporaries was
Michael Hoffman.
Two of the three surviving members of the As
sembly of 1924 were, like Mr. Flagg, printers. 1t
singulary happened that four printers and editors
Of newspapers were elected TO that House Of Assem-
bly,, viz: Mr.. Flagg of The Piattsbargh Re1y5inon
john z Hubbard Of The Noracich Journal, Oran Fol-
lett of The Baara Adrocdie, and sacc Riggs OF 7hs
Schenectady Cabinet the three first belonging to tho
"Buckta" and the latter 70 tho "Clintonian"
party Mr. Hubbard still resides at Norwich.
where / visited him two years ago. Mr..
Folett is resident of Sandusky, OHIO Gen.
Christopher p BelIinger of Herkimer is
the other surviving member attended
the three sessions of that Legislature by
which Presidential Electors were chosen. as An
ardent supporter of John Quincy Adams; becoming
not only acquainted but intimate through all subse
auent years with its distinguished members. James
Tamadge and Henry Wheaton were eloquent and
impressive in debate. Mr.. FlAgg was clear and
forcible as a speaker, and influential in council
James Mullett though seldom taking part IN debate.
was earnest and eloquent He closed his useful life
as Judge Of the Eighth Circuit, leaving the ermine
which his shoulders graced all the brighter FOR hav-
ing been worn by man Of judicial wisdom and IN
tegrity.
Those now connected with the newspaper press
will perhaps, be interested in comparing its condi-
ton when Mr.. Flagg entered the field with tho
present state of journalism: In 1872 about tho tina
that Mr.. Flagg established The PiattsOwgh Repe6Lt~
can, was an apprentice in the office of The lynn at
Onondaga Hollow. We received in exchange"
nearly all the newspapers published IN this State.
each of which, in complexion and Typography
az familiar as tho faces Of intimate friends. kept
files of many of them. some of which are still in
my possession. In this city, The G;oselte, pub
lished by Lang and Turner aud The Mercantile Id
uertser by Mr. Butler comprised the list of morning
daily papers; while The Commercial ddrertiser The
Ereang Post, and The Columbian completed the list
of evening journals. OF these all but Tie Columbian
were Federal papers. son of Mr.. Holt, editor and
publisher of The Columbian now residing in Brook
lyn so strongly resembles his father in FORM face,
and manner that never see the former without be-
ing startled with the impression that one who has
been dead nearly half a century stands before me.
There newspaper then published either on
Long Island or in Westminster County. The Orangs
County Patriot. then published at Goshen, was
printed on q sheet az yellow the bills Of what
then known as the Butter Bank" There was
paper at Newburgh published by Ward NJ. Gazly.
The Journal lFederaD and a Republican paper. ths
name of which cannot remember were published
at Poughkeepsie. The Plebeidn published at
Kingston by Jesse Buell. who in 1914 established Tho
albany Argus. The Recorder. by Mackay Cros-
well father of Edwin CroswelD, was pub
lished at Catskill. The Bee, a Republican
paper was published at Hudson. Its
Federal rival The Balance, by Harry Cros-
well, had recently been discontinued. The Register.
by Solomon Southwick, and The Gazette, by Web
sters G. SINNERS, organs, respectively of the
Federal and Republican parties Rensselaer, County
had two newspapers, The Northern Budget tRepubli-
can) by Francis Adincourt, at Troy and The Gazette
Federal, by Tracy e. Bliss at Lansngburgh. Thera
was Republican paper at Ballston Spa whose
spring attracted a few wealthy visitors in tho
Summer season. Saratoga and its healthy and de-
lcious Congress spring water then of little
account. There Federal paper published at
Salem. Washington Co. At JOhnstOwn Montgomery
Co., there was Federal and Republican paper.
The american was published at Herkimer by Henry
Dram vho succaaded m nv the lals
William L. Stone who was subsequently distiu-
guished as editor of The Hudson Whig The Hartford
Mirror, The Albany Daily Adrertiscr, and finally,
until the close of his life, of The ~ Y Commercial
Adrertiser The O,sego Herald by Judge Phinney.
and The Federalisi, by Col. J. II. Prentiss wers
published at CooperstOwn. believe that the lats
James Percival then published paper in
Chenango Co. At Utica, The Columbian Gazette
by Thomas Walker and The Utica Herald
by Ira Merrill. were published. In the
counties north of Oneida there were no news
papers At Cazenoyia Oran L. Baker published The
Pilot At Manlius. Onondaga County. Daniel Kel-
lOgg published The Times. while at Onopdaga Hollow
Thomas Chittenden Fay published The Lynn, the
former intensely Federal and the latter vehemently
Republican. The Lyr, established in 1911, collapsed
in 1872. That publication was succeeded in 1914 BY
The Oaoadaga VALLEY Gazette with the now veneer
able Lewis H. Rediicld. who has just completed his
SOth year, as proprietor and editor The now large.
enterprising, and intelligent City of Syracuse
had then no existence in name or in fact There
was wasplsh Federal paper published at Auburn
by H. and j. H. Pace. Royal T. Chamberlain
established The 7ocsia, Republican paper. at
Spring Mills Cayuga County, IN the Summer Of 1872.
The Gazette, Federal paper. published at
Geneva by James Bogart. The Repositorv (FederaD
by James d. Bemis. and The Messenger Republicanb