The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1889-08-29
Oldest Wisconsin Newspaper.

Oldest Wisconsin Newspaper.
The Wisconsin State Journal,
widely known and respectable news
paper, printed at Madison by Gen.
Atwood, claims to have been pub
lished fifty years, and to be now the
oldest newspaper in Wisconsin. The
State Journal bases its claim on hav-
ing reached an age of fifty years, on
the following historical statement:
In 1899, the Madison Express
was established by the late w. W.
Wyman, who was pioneer printer
IN Wisconsin. Under the name of
Madison Express it continued for
nine years, then it assumed the name
of Wisconsin Express, and continued
as such for four years, when gener-
al consolidation of newspapers in
Madison took place, which resulted
in dropping all the old papers and in
the adoption of that of the Wisconsin
State Journal, under which title it
has appeared once week ever since.
From the showing of the Wiscon-
sin State Journal, that paper was es
tablished in 1852, and therefore
needs an existence prior to that date
of thirteen years to give life of fifty
years. Nine years of the required
time is made by appropriating the
life of the Madison Express, publish
ed by W. W. Wyman, as a distinc-
lively Wing paper up to the time of
its discontinuanCe. Of the four years
of the Wisconsin Express, we know
nothing of its political history, nor is
it important, for if either one of the
consolidated papers can be taken to
aid in giving fifty years existence to
the life of the State Journal, any one
of the consolidated or extinct papers
can be taken for that purpose.
A brief history of the KENosHA
TELEGRAPH is here given, from
which the reader may judge whether
it has just claims to seniority of age.
The first number of the (Southport)
Kenosha TELEGRAPH was issued
in June, 184o, by Hon. c. L. Sholes,
proprietor and managing editor. Mr..
Sholes, the founder of the paper, is
still living in Milwaukee, where he
has for some years been incapacitated
for active business on account of i'll
health. There was no better known
man in the State than Mr.. Sholes
during many years. The mention of
the name of Mr.. Sholes is not made
here to prove the longevity of the
TELEGRAPH, but if the TELEGRAPH
has valid claim of being the oldest
paper in the State, the distinguished
founder should have the satisfaction
of having it SO pronounced. The
TELEGRAPH has been issued every
week since June, 1S4o, without a
single omission. Once after a great
fire, the Office building was destroyed
together with the adjoining edifces,
the printing cases were set up on the
street and the paper gotten out only
few hours behind time. The TEL
EGRAPH during all the years of its
existence has never dropped its dis
tinctive name, TELEGRAPH. It has
from the first been attached to the
same party and advocated the prin.
ciples of those who IN early times in
the State organized the Republican
party. The TELEGRAPH at different
times has had newspapers of other
names added to it as it now has the
added name of COURIER, but none of
these have at any time changed its
politics. 1t has never at any time
been under the editorial charge of
any but republicans. It is true much
of what is here stated, has no bearing
on the question of the age of the pa
per, but mentioned as matters of