San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1880-11-18
Seven Years Retrospect.

~ oNVVu hssss ssss~'V~N"
Seven years ago the 9th Of Sep
tcmbor last, wed began the publica'
ton Of a paper At this place, which
was then called The Times, but which
wo changed January !, 1874, to the
FgEErPsrss. The anniversary of the
date suggested some thoughts to our
mind which wc meant to have re-
corded at the time, but could not
find opportunity. Now, at the DO
CHING ola new volume, they will per
haps be equally appropriate, and we
we shall proceed TO make q few hasty
jottings in the direction referred to.
We came hero in June, 1873, with
A vito stricken with incurabie disease,
but whom it was hoped the climite
might restore TO health, and a help
less family dependent upon u.s.
After a pretty thorough reading up
of Texas, in all its parts, We started
for San Marcos rs our preference.
We had not then solitary personal
acquaintance here-we found ourself
emphatically "a stranger in a strange
land."ay We found, however, the
country and the people very much
what We had been led to anticipate,
and among the latter good and true
friends in time Of trouble, whose
kindness we shall never forget. p
We came here, next to health,
simply to seek IN humble, quiet home
in a mild climate We had no other
object or ambition--no purpose or
sympathy in common with the carpet
bag class. Reared in community of
Southern oregin, we had no fears
that we would not feel at home
among Southern people. M ar
As to the five long, lonely, dreary
subsequent years, behold are they
not written in tho book of our re-
membrance? With them the pub
lie has no concern, 80 we come back
to our publishing experience. ''a q.
Tie second newspaper experiment
WIS in progress when we took hold
Of it, ! The first, the "Sln Marcos
Pioneer" was begun in Nay, 1869, by
Snyder & Earnest Mr. Snyder sopn
after took sole charge and run it
about year, when it ceasel, to be.
After some months the times was
started by Msnlove & Hallum, and
afterwards continued by Manlove
alone, then by Mlnlove & Kone, and
again by Manlove till he sold out to
us in 70. Thus within about four
years before our time San Marcos
had had two distinct newspaper en-
terprises, one Of which had "played
out" and the other was on the verge
Of q similar fate. And these two en-.
terprises had engaged the efforts Of
no less than five distinct firms or in.
dividuals. We adduce these facts
merely to place in contrast the other
fact that during SEVEN years we
have, under at least equally adverse
circumstances, continued the publ
cation of paper at this place. And
the same contrast is equally conspic-
nous II we look to the most of the
adjacent counties Since we began
business here there have boen Va
rious suspensions aud changes of
firms all around us, Caldwell, Qua
dalupe, and various other counties
have witnessed several newspaper
changes. Only one of the two
newspapers which so long struggled
for the mastery in the populous and
wealthy old county Of Gonzales sur
wives, and it after several changes of
management In short, we believe
the only two papers Of this part OF
the State which survive under the
same management since We began
publishing paper here seven wears
ago, are the Columbus Citizen and
the Bsstrop Advertiser
In view Of these facts we think we
are entitled 20 claim for ourself at
least fair degree Of persistency
And Judging by the start made here
before We came, and the changes
elsewhere since, our readers can
judge whether, il We had not taken
hold, there would not prOblbly have
been at least half q dozen different
papers or changes Of management
made here during the past seven
years
Bat this IS not alive claim. We
claim to hAye oScupiei the 6sld quiie
rs wei as any one else woal have
done, cOrsid=r.hg the circumstances
dunng that time We feel an abid-