Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-10-16
THE CONFEDERATE PRESS.
HOW SOUTHERN PAPERS WERE
PRINTED IN WAR TIMES.

Scarcity OF Paper md Paper Making Me-
terials-straits OF Publishers Of Books
and Sheet Musio-Song Books, Tracts
and PampletS-Now Novels.
Side by side with the reports of battles
and tho records Of peace commissions,
congresses and legislatures, tho blurred
columns Of tho Confederate press wcro
wont TO teen with domestic recipes for
cheap dishes. directions for raising and
utilizing various vegetable products, in
structions for making much Of little in
matters pertaining to every phase Of
household life. Hard by list of dead
and wounded would stand recipe for
tanning dog skins for gloves; while tho
paragraphs just succeeding the closing
column of the description OF naval en-
gagement of Hampton roads were direc-
tions for tho use Of boneset as a substi-
tuto for quinine
Tho journals of that day were printed
usually upon the poorest paper, made Of
straw and cotton rags, and 80 brittle that
tho slightest touch mutilated 1t. The
Ink, like tho paper, was of tho cheapest
and commonest. and left It's impression,
not only on tho face of the sheet, but on
tho hands no less than on the mind Of tho
reader. Few fonts Of now typo found
their way into tho Confederacy during
the war, and at tho end Of four years tho
facilities for printing had como to low
ebb. 1t was no uncommon thing for
publishers TO issue half sheets in lieu Of o
complete paper, with scarcely an apology
IN Qt1hQaNt fN- katl
literary and nows rations. 1t was gen
orally understood that this happened only
through stern necessity, and not from
any disposition on the part of the news
paper mon to give less than an equivalent
for tho subscription price.
Sometimes tho journal which on yester-
day appeared In all the glory OF six
column page was today cut down to q
four column half sheet, or publication
was suspended with the announcement
that the stock Of materials had been ex-
hausted, and that us soon as the Office
could bo replenished publication would be
resumed. Eagerly Us tho rough sheets
were looked for and closely us they were
read. diminution OF matter in them, or
n failure TO appear, caused only passing
comment or dissatisfaction. Mems minds
were 30 filed with the thousand things
that each day brought forth about them,
there were so many rumors in tho air, and
news few so rapidly even without news
paper aid, as TO cause them not too greatly
to miss that which today has come TO be
ono Of the vcriest necessities of American
life-a daily journal full Of oil tho doings
of all the world.
Sometimes even the coarse straw paper
failed the publishing fraternity when IN
edition was absolutely imperative, yet In
Iuch emergency the inventive talent never
deserted them. II was considered won
derful journalistic feat on the part of It's
publishers for The Vickburg Citizen, dur
ing tho siegc Of that city, 10 make its ap-
poarance, when all other resources had
lailed. upon wall paper.
Publishers of books and sheet music oc-
cupied q scarcely less helpless condition
than tho newspaper people. Their sole
grounds Of superiority consisted in tho
fact that the demands upon them wero
not so urgent. The girl who sang TO her
soldier lover the popular songs of that
time, "Loionn," "When This Cruel War
Is Over" Tho Standard Bearer" or
Harp OF the South" which were all duly
advertised ''at tho retail price Of 81 per
Sheet the trade supplied, however. at half
off, with an additional discount whero 100
ofono piece arc ordered. did not experience
that immediate and insistent need of tho
song and its music which men and wo-
mon alike felt for the newspaper that
would tell them where the last battle had
been fought, which army had been vic
torious, who had been promoted and who
had fallen. Tho fateful column might
contain evil or good report Of some dear
one, and its coming was full Of interest
and apprehension. Yet tho sheet music,
printed like the newspapers, In the rough
est style, upon tho commonest paper
with now and then caricatured litho-
graphic likeness Of some Confederate gen.
eral on tho tito page, continued to be
sold and sung, oven though its prico ran
from 81 to So per sheet.
War songs and war music were the or
der of the day, and the soldiers IN the
camps and tho small boys In ragged jack
cts shouted with on equal zest;
The despot's heel is on thy shoroi