Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-01
PIONEER JOURNALISM.
NEWSPAPERS AND JOURNALISTS OF
THE ARGoNAUTIC PERIOD.
Interesting "reminiscences of the Early
Days in California, and OF the Rise
and Fall of Newspapers.

To comprehensively treat this subject
in newspaper article would be impos
sible. [ shall therefore, in combining
myself to the space at my command,
cursorily glance at some of the most
salient features of pioneer journalism,
endeavor to sketch the chief character
istics of the leading papers of the time,
and to give slight pen picture of some
of the most representative men of the
press of that period,
The newspaper era of California can
scarcely be said to have opened till 1850.
Outside of San Francisco but one paper
was published till that year. The Alta-
Co7ftoynja. the outgrowth of two earlier
enterprises, developed into daily
newspaper in 1S49, and took the lead
under the able and brilliant editorship
of Edward Gilbert and his associate,
Edward C. Kemble. 1t had the field to
itself until the Pacific Neos, quite an
able newspaper, was started at the close
of the argonautic year. a rapid sue
cession of new dailies came out in 1850.
Among these were the JOu1maL Of COM
nerce, HeruJd, Courier, etc. The Jour-
mail If Commerce was owned and edited
bv Washington Bartlett, present Mayor
of San Francisco, and survived but a
few years. The Courier was edited and
published by Judge Crane and Mr..
Rice, subsequently American Consul at
Panama. Judge Crane was Nlrglnlan
and a Wing, and his paper was devoted
to the success of the party he espoused.
He was a man of sterling problty and
worth admired for his truth and can
dor, and esteemed by his party as a
strong and forcible, though rather
uncultured, writer. Mr.. Rice was the
reverse. Hewrote with great precision OF
stvle. but paucity of force. The Heratd,
from the beginning, came before the
Dublic with immense prestige. At its
head we're Edmund Randolph, General
VIM. Walker (the Nicaragua tihbusterl
and John Nugent. This was powerful
newspaper triumvirate, and 1t Is not sur
prising that their paper at once assumed
a commanding position IN journalism
Attbat time there lived in San Francisco
a man who had become very rich IN
town lots. B. r. Buckelew had reached
Yerba Buena before the gold period, and
established himself there as a leweler
and matchmaker. The discovery of gold
was a bonanza to him, and he invested
his rains in city property, principally
in the vicinity of Clarks point, a good
business locality at that time. In 1850
he ranked in wealth with such men as
sam Branpan, w. d. NJ. Howard, Cap
fain Jos. L. Folsom and John Parrott.
He was close, irascible and cranky. He
took umbrage, one day, at some attl-
tude the Alta had taken, and declared
that he would start a paper himself to
crush it. In pursuance of tins deter
mination he sent an agent to New YORK
to buy types and presses, and IN the
Fall of 1850 he issued from his timely
appointed establishment The PH555c
BdiaRcs. first class daily. The late
Fuoene Casserly was installed as the
aditor. and he soon made the paper a
newer in the city. But with all his
wealth. Buckelew found that he had en-
tered into deep and dangerous waters
when he attempted to force upon city,
aIreadvwelI supplied, another tirst-class
newspaper. CompOsltOrs were getting
two dollars per thousand ems, and all
fbe EXPENSES of the office were large III
Droportion. Besides, he could not get
Mr. Casserlv to follow his views IN the
conduct of the editorial columns, and a
rupture naturally ensued. Mr.. Casser-
a., withdrew from the Public B0laHce,
and in connection with company OF
printers, started paper which he called
tbe True Balance, afterwards changed
10 fine True Stluddrd as the result of law
proceedings instituted by Buckelew
fTba Py5lic Balance was then leased by
Or Natthewsou and an ASSOCIATION OF
printers, and continued to flourish until
the fire of May, 1871. That fire and
+he one that occurred IN June, month
afterwards, swept the whole city, ano
Enes were worth their weight IN gold
The Altd-Calf0rHiI and the HGalo
MANAGED to secure new plants, at enOr
mons cost, from material on board ships
in fine harbor. and continued to appear
Judce Crane also brought out the
Co,r,ier. but the other establishment,
went to the wall, or maintained a check
cred existence for brief time and theI
died.
THE REPRESENTATIVE JOURNALISTS.
If must not be supposed that in tn,
above hastv glance, | have named al
+be papers that made their appearance
I'm san Francisco during the first two
ar three years after the advent of The
srrouauts. | recall the SIM, the Pict
amin. the Morning Post, the AdrsHtsfT
fbe Ereaiug J0uru1i, the Wing, etc
But of all these ventures, however, tn
dlfr and the HerUd became the leading
and established papers, and eXerclseI
fine greatest influence IN mOldlng pub
lie opinion and in directngno only tn
current of action in municipal, but Il
State affairs. The graceful pen O
Frank Soule was added to the edltorla
staff of the Alta, and John \. Dun
vage. a iteratcur of wide reputation
became its musical and dramatic critic
The Hga'd lost Edmund Randolph
and General Walker, the former open
iug q law Office, and the latter prepar
ing his plans Cor his first tihhusterns
expedition INTO Lower California. Thel
places were taken by Messrs. A. J
Nouller and George b. Upton. Edw
Gilbert. of the IH,,was killed in a due
with General J.. ". Denver In 1852
and Nugeut, of the Hr1'd, had tire,
serious meetings ON the field before b.
won his way to editorial distinction
Indeed, in those days, the editor VIII,
refused. If called ont, to back his edi
torial ut,crauccs with a hostile meeting
lost not only his influence. but damaged
lbs newspaper \. c. Russell, VIII,
edited the PHaggas, was challenge,
successfully by Captain Folsom am,
Governor John NcDoUEal, and fouul
1t easier. as he said himself, to risk hu
life on the field than to face the sheer
and obloQuy of public opinion 10y de
cGuing the combat. The pioneer news
papers were therefore held in esteem II
proportion 10 the courage of their con
duct. Under this system the editoria
columns Of the daily press brIstled witt
powerful articles directed against pub
lie abuses and although personal de
fraction was rarely resOrted to, pUbl
men were handled with 4 dircctues
and vicor which frequently led to stree
collisions and hostile meetings. Will
it is probable that a great deal of pub
lie crookedness was arrested by tn
direct and courageous course of tn
,,ioraar EDITORS. vet some OF the most ri