Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-08-13
wInnrAM n cnoAspA1n prAp.

--1hbncNutnt NAth Ills
Pen.
William T. Croasdale, one Of the
founders and for nearly eleven years
editor-in-chief of EVERY EVENING, died
Sunday at Merriewold Park, Sullivan
county, New York, in the house OF the
Single Tax Club, of which he was an
official and prominent member. AZ
though he had been complaining OF Ill
health for five or six weeks, no serious
apprehension had been felt. On wed
nesday of last week, however, he sud
denly grew much worse and dled on
Sunday from peritonitis. 1t is thought
his trouble was brought on by an OPP
GRAFTON which was performed on MN
three years ago in Bellevue Hospital.
The news of Mr.. Croasdales death
was a great sunrise to his friends in this
CITY. who did not even know that he
was i'll and were informed of his death
only by the announcement in the morn
ing papers.
SKETCH OF THE DECEASED.
William I. Croasdale was born in
Christiana hundred, near Newport, on
March 9th, 1S44. His father was Steven
son Croasdale, a well-known member of
the Society of Friends Young Croasdale
htt6nutu sNuOOl Nv ANtn POlb anu SuuSt-
uuently attended the well-known school
of 7. IClarkson Taylor, in this city, for
several years.
! Mr.. Croasdale evinced taste for
IN. iQkfnalism at an early age, and while
u yet boy was connected with the Dela-
r sodre Inquirer, weekly paper, pub
lished in this city by James Mont
gomery and later by james Riggs. lie
commenced as clerk, canyasser and
collector, and his first newspaper work
was the writing of local notices for adj
vertisers. He soon became a reporter
for the paper and afterwards ali edi-
torial and literary contributor.
At the breaking out of the civil war
Mr. Croasdale, although only q boy of
II years, was an enthusiastic Uniunist.
He enlisted in the Fifth Delaware Regi-
ment as a private and was promoted 10
the position Of color sergeant during his
term of service.
During the Presidential campaign OF
1864 Mr.. Croasdale was given the posi.
ton of editor of the Georgetown Un,0R
Republican paper published al
Georgetown, and about the only expo.
nent of Republican principles in Sussex
county. 1t was then that he displayed
that facility for ready editorial writing
and trenchant expression of opinion
that subsequently made him so famou.
in his chosen profession. He preached
Unionism straight and unadulterated
and it was afterwards conceded that il
was largely due to his editorial effort,
that the secession sentiment which ex,
listed TO a very considerable extent ii
lower Delaware was kept within propel
bounds.
Mr.. Croasdale remained in charge OF
the Union until after the close of til,
civil war, when he returned to vii
mington. The Union subsequently be-
came the SUSSEX Jouradt, now the chic
organ of the Sussex county Democrats
When the Wilmington Ddiiy Con,aer
DIAL was started by Jenkins ~ Atkinson
October LIST, 1866, Mr.. Croasdale Wen
with them as city editor This position
he filled with great credit and ability
until Monday, September 4th, 1871
when, in connection with G. Gilber
Cameron, under the firm name of Croas
dale " Cameron, he started the venture
which, while pronounced innovation
upon the then accepted lines of Viii
mington journalism, has since prove,
the great leader of all the newspapers o
the Peninsula-E EVENING.
Mr.. Croasdale was justly proud o
EVERY EVENING from the start, an,
earnestly labored TO make it what HI
thought Wilmington ought to haye--i
newspaper in every sense of the word
sit will be vehicle of news rattle
than an organ Of opinion, he wrote in hi
salutatory, though il will never b
., found without decided views ourteouslt
, expressed, on all subjects touching tn
growth and welfare Of our city. Here
hnNpAUar a c in a riNt1V Tliti,.a1
its editors will evince their respect TO
the calm judgment Of well-informe,
people by endeavoring to furnish Til
public with the facts to enable il t
judge, rather than attempt to furnis
judgments ready-made for its accept
ance. Our paper will be, in short,
cheap, live newspaper for the whole pee
Pile. ("
...., And that is what Mr.. Croasdale mad
EVERY EVENING, from the start. 'rha
the people appreciated his sentiment
and enjoyed the fruits of his labors wa
attested by the rapid increase of tn
papers circulation, which soon attaine
figures not before dreamed OF by til
publishers of the Wilmington press.
The career Of Mr.. Croasdale as tn
editor of EVERY EVENING is well know
to the people of this community. He re
manned with the paper (which mean
while, April lst, 1877, absorbed lis Oh
rival, the Commercially until Februar
18th, 1882, when he retired from til
position he had occupied with sue
sigral ability. During this period til
paper had passed into the hands Of iii
hands of the Every Evening Publishin
Company, OF which Mr. Croasdale wa
president. In his farewell editoria
alluding to the career Of the papc
since its foundation, he said: .Durn
that long period wonderful change Il
the better has taken place III Wiming
ton newspapers, but the Oldest papt
has always maintained the lead t
which its start entitled it, and it ha
become the representative Of Delawai
70 the outside world and so aclnow
edged at home and abroad
From Wilmington Mr. Croasdal
went to Baltimore, where he cntcre
upon the formidable task of putin
life and yigor into the almost moribun
Baltimore Gazette, the Democratic oIga
of that city. For awhile Ills success NJ
unparalleled, and he introduced methol
OF enterprising newsgathering cntirel
foreign at that time To- thernther prosa
journals Of the Maryland metrnpnli
The name Of the paper was CHANGED
the Dry, and il was made an aitern0d
instead Of morning paper. rs brigl
and attractive news features comtarndC
the paper to the people and in sh0
time its circulation reached figures TIL
made necessary the Introduction IL
perfecting press with d capacity