The sun., 1888-05-06
PENNsTLTANLA JOURNALISM.
"Reminiscences Of what it Was Years Age
In and About Pike County.

MILFORD, Pa. May 8. - Tho death In
Lebanon, Pa, recently Of BENJAMIN A. Bidlack.
native OF Pike county, recalls some inter-
esting and amusing "reminiscences of old-time
journalism In Pike county. Mr.. Bidlack was
q son OF the Hon. Benjamin A. Bidlack, who was
prominent in politics half a century ago, hav-
ing been Minister to Guatamala and member
OF Congress from Luzerne county.
As long ago rs 1925 q newspaper called the
Gazette was printed in Milford when there was
not another village in all tho present county's
area. In 1881 the name Of the paper was
changed to the Northern Eagle and Milford
Monitor. title that occupied one-auarter OF
the frst page. or this paper Benjamin A. Bid
lack and Francis A. L. Smith were editors
In 1863 another Northern Eagts was estab-
lshed in Pike county, and the record OF this
paper has unique place in the history OF
American journalism. In 1853 DR.. Edward
Halliday OF Mount Vernon Westchester county,
N. Y, came to Milford to practise his profess
sion. He was very poor. but educated. hand
some, and an excellent physician. although but
little past his majority. paper called the
Herald was then printed in Milford. Its editor
was John B. Adams who. few years later,
started the first daily paper ever printed
in Scranton or in the entire Lackawanna
valley. .Adams, and Dr.. Halliday became
close friends. Milford had 600 Inhabitants.
There was not another village nearer than
s THREE o.S.r mor In
Port Port Jervis. n. Y. to draw upon, Besides. the
eSsS,snts here was not no
great deal Of money IN the practice Of msd
cine at that time p IN eouy b tbe ineoms
of the editor Of the Milford Herald was nrinci;;
pay eordW9od oqr senison ana 10
Or. Halliday that they try to make a few dollars
ont OF some Kind 81 patent tnd medicine; daam:
drew up short advertisement setting
forth tho claims OF some kind Of magic pow
der It sent t. NsM sa the
sent TO q certain box In the New York Post Ofice.
st York to collect sdH the the mail He rstarned with
more money than either he or the editor LAD
ever seen before. Business was ENLARGED. The
income from the medicine ran UP into the hun,
dreds of dollars u day. Then the Doctor and
Adams dissolved partnership. Adams went to
and formulated many patent medicines. two or
three OF which are now among the most famous
snd ssss Of in ss New afHs fsa saSs
Years pr Halliday returned 70 MI, Milford m WITH VIA,
and w5h an established business that
TSsrs were W I'm in 1868 about 800 Republican
Il Pss lSS Tbs aaaay S.s @s
strong The war Of the rebellion
paign OF 1864 was coming, on. Tho MiJord
Herald. n strong Democratic paper. was the
Gn the sSsnt T asd ns
courage and strengthen the handful OF Repub-
licans In the county Or; Halliday resolved to
publican Kind in the very hotbed Of the old
jackson Democracy. He fitted up one OF the
sopssts amy
started his ,papor. while the old dyed.
what they looked upon as something but little
less than u sacrilegious invasion OF the DEMO
e1m Eagle. It was a large eiGht-eolumn folio
printed on the best sized and ealendered paper
Col Thomas piet9n ne veteran n New York
ne'tS rssuiarly; George Arnold. Henry SlaPP. yr.,
son. and many other good writer's Of that day
were among the regular paid contributors to
f the bESGs The ysa5 PFstg
by Charles NJ; Dickinson. and which for years
was credited in newspapers and pu olished po;;
srisnsy sssa sHseSfhhe IN the Y Eas Dr. Hsdsg
spared no expense in publishing his paper In
s 1s % s1 wRe G9ts mao
printing less than 600. Its influence was wide.
~ felt In northern Pennsylvania. but tho en-
did not at the time excite the wonder that q
similar collection OF genius and talent on q
local paper in village OF less than 1000 nhab.
itants and In county three-quarters forest
WHHe The iHa{ iirst Republican meeting ever held in
mass ma meeting Horace Greeley was present
inent Republicans and Aboitionists. whose
presence In Pike county five years before would
almost have melted riot we're present and ad d;
people from half dozen couLties. Old-time
Democrats could not believe their eyes. and
With the close OF the war Dr. Halliday gave
his paper to his brother;in;l Law. but as there
had been any pT9 IN p9S .bat
would be worth 9 good price as 3 the b most UNIQUE
Or o fsf fRsnsnS q
Sens htf ost h, oTh bis fortune % IN specuaea
strove for a. year or two to recover his lost
but fate was ,o agaHi drd hn Da 9ps
came back. HIS magnificent residence and
grounds in tho village are now the property OF
tGSp 1851 the Milford Herald was edited by 0.
II; Mott. brilliant and popular Dsmocrat.
ILL., esced dSna "
was a member OF the State Senate In 1861. The
q war with the South. Itwas not disloyalty.
but an honest, serious GonvietiSn that war
Sn Ssr and yated Tor ali al
measures that favored tn, the pgtting piIg down 81 3,
As editor Of the paper his brother was in ina
owner OF the paper was In the Senate advocat-
Ing war The people ., Of PIKE county RSy1n didn't
Heller, bright young printer; was then an
editorial writer on the paper. He wrote two
! sharp and decisive measures In suppressing
| the rebellion and another opposing war in lust
OF ex-Congressman George W. Beebo. kept a
billiard saloon In Milford. After Editor Mott
had read the two editorials he laid them down
| and said to Heller: m
"Tom, m tell you, what We'll do, Wen 20
| down to Bob's and play game OF billiards. II
yon beat mo we are In for this war from the
word go. II beat you we are aHanst ns It, pa,,o,
Mott won e The next weeks bs haid came ns0S, og!
reached Harrisburg. and Senator Mott read It.
no was FURIOUS. He hunted np an tG editor; :, ll Ms
him. He turned the whole anti-war editorial
stan printers and all: on inc street re-
| chair. and the following Meek's Neratd