The daily gazette., 1883-09-03
wilmington in 1896.

tFrom the Morning News.l
An esteemed friend of The Morning Netcs left
with us a dozen numbers OF the DELAWARE
GAZETTE, "printed by W. &. Smyth, rear
of the new fire engine, Shpley street, OPP
posite Capt. OFF nn's tavern, Whining ton y
The first number WAS published on "Wednes
day, November ., 1885, or almost eighty y-seveu
Yeas ago, and during the first heated Presi-
dent campaign this country has ever expert
enced. The GAZETTE was evidently neutral in
politics, and through "letters to the editor
gave expression to al shades of political
opinions without disclosing even once whether
the editor favored Adams or Jefferson. The
election was held November 8, Dut the full re-
turns were not published for month atterward,
if ever. by this foreTunner of Delaware journal
ism. Delaware went for Adams, but the
GAZETTE apparently did not think it worth
while to say So. 1t appears to have concerned
itself more about the resolt in Pennsylvania,
which then, as at every succeeding Presidential
election, gave its vote to the successful candi-
date.
This ancient newspaper was published twice
a week, and it. yellow pages still give evidence
of its prosperity if not popularity 1t contained
four pages, llXls inches each divided into four
gOod-szed columns. OF these seven were ap-
prOprlated TO advertisements, and the rest were
chiefly filled with foreign news correspondence
and "impOrtant State papers. Not line OF
local news encountered the twelve numbers, and
such of the local worthies who wanted to see
themselves in print had to pay tor it through
advertisements II anybody married, or was
given in marriage; if anybody die /. or moved
hither or thither, he did so without disturbing
the sanctum OF the stately old GAZgTTE. The
small talk of everyday home affairs did not
concern Editor Smyth, and such thngas a ru-
xVoa vi 10 70 nd Z
the community. Local reporting was no doubt
strictly confined to church circles, preachers
school teachers tea parties and the sewing SO
cieties. Everybody was left TO himself and the
"still hunt appears to have been the favorite
method of nearly all
Only about rs persons or firms ventured into
print in those days, and half Of these lived out
side OF the city. Among the enterprislng per
sons of this city and county at that time wer
Bonsal Il Starr, job printers and the forme
owners Of the GAz"T -, Hugh Mccullough
chair dresser, who advert ed the best-scente
hair powder and pOmatum, powder bags an
silk pufis, combs, hair ribbons and razOrs;''
Wilson and j. johnson, who advertised the put
lication of various books by subscription, an
W. G.. Smyth, who offered to publish "Jehel
sons Notes ON Virginia in the same way; Ben
and Jacob johnson, who had Imported DIR
goods from London and Liverpool" for salt
John and William Warner, who offered -!
hogsheads Of Montferat and ST Croix rum {
their customers Thomas HOllingswOrth VIII
advertised himself as fuller, five miles mort
of Wilmington" on the Brandywine, an
John Athens, who was in the same business a
ElktOn. while of his apprentices, Since
Button, set up in the business in Mill Cree
hundred; Robert Dawson, who manufacture
the best paten boltng CLOTH now chief
made in Switzerland and appended to his cal
in proof of what he claimed, the names of sue
well remembered milling firms az the Msssr