Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-08-30
THE PIONEER PAPER.
EToRY OF THE FIRST NEWSPAPER Is
SUED IN CALIFORNIA.

An Old Philadelphian Was the Mainspring
of Its Early Life-Rigging Up Plant
Under Great Dif;culties-A Member ~
the Original staff Honored In Monterey.
The only living member of the origi'
nal staff Of the first newspaper ever
printed in California resides about five
miles from the city of Monterey, in the
Carmel valley. His name is Swan, and
every one calls him "Pioneer" Swan,
partly to please him and partly because
he deserves the title. Few men are in
teresting at 81, but "Pioneer" is still
bright and clear in his memory and not
entirely without ambition. If you ask
him, he will tell you, with evident rel
ish, about some highly interesting inter-
views of his reportorial days.
The small beginnings of this first
newspaper in California are quite Curl
ous as related by Swan. The original
press was imported from Spain by Jose
Figueroa, the sixth governor of Califor-
nia under Maxican rule. Figueroa,
whose term of Office expired in 1885,
imported the press with the intention Of
printing his official reports His guber-
material career, however, was Brief and
stormy, and he never found time to col
lect his materials, much less print his
reports, so the machine was consigned
to storeroom in the old cuartel, which
was the Mexican soldiers barracks in
Monterey. There it lay, together with
keg of ink, covered with rubbish and
undisturbed, until 1S46.
This was the year when Cotton be-
came alcalde, and with the character
istic American restlessness commenced
to stir things up in the sleepy old town.
The first thing that he did was to COM
mence an investigation Of all the gov
ernment property. Among this proper.
ty was the cuartel, and here he found
the old press. Being man of literary
tastes and some experience, he decided
to start newspaper and utilize his dis
covery. First, he selected partner,
Robert Semple, and then began search
for the requisite materials. There were
ink and press, but the ingenuity of the
pair was taxed to restore the rules and
leads, which had become separated from
the press and lost during its years oi
| idleness
In Colton's diary there is descrip
tion Of the paper. Under the date o.
Aug. 15, 1916, he writes: "Today thu
first newspaper ever published in Cali
fornia made it's appearance. The hon
or, if such it may be, Of writing thu
prospectus falls to me. 1t is to be ISSUED
every Saturday and is published b.
Semple & Cotton.
Little did I think when I relin
quished the editorship of The Nortl
American, in Philadelphia, that m.
next feat in this line would be off her
in California
my partner, Semple, is an emigran
from Kentucky, who stands feet
inches in his stockings. He wears
buckskin dress, foxskin cap, is tru
with his rife, ready with his pen ant
quick at the type case.
"He created the materials of our offic
out of chaos of small concern whic
Jose Figueroa intended to use in print
ing official reports.
1.-THE press is old enough to be rre
served as a curiosity. The mice ha
burrowed in the balls, there were n
rules nor leads, and the types wer
rusty an6 all in pi. 1t was only b
securing that the letters could be mad
to show their faces With iacklsrit
we cut a piece Of tin. into leads an
rules. Luckily we found with the pres
part of keg of ink, and Eow came til
main scratch for paper. None could b
found, except what is used to envelo
the tobacco used by the natives. :
coaster which was lying in the bay ha
q small amount Oh hoard, which we PR
, cured. The sheets were trifle large
than foolscap. A crowd was waitin
, when the first sheet was thrown frol
the press. There was a, good deal Of e.
citement. Never was bank run upo
harder, not, however, by people wit
: paper to get specie, but just the reverse.
! The paper was first printed half
, English and half in Spanish to accom-
modate the Monterey public. Anotht
difficulty the original proprietors had
, overcome in setting the type for Il
English portion of the paper was I'll
lack of the letter "W," as the SPANS
, type did not contain it. A "W'' W;
constructed by using two "V's."
May, 1847, the paper was moved to Sa
a Francisco, where it was published fl
| many years under the name of The AL
| California.
y Since ending his newspaper care
"Pioneer" Swan has been rancher
a small way in Carmel valley. He h
many visitors, although his location
somewhat remote, and he is very dea
On his quarterly visits to Monterey
Is invariably the recipient Of consider
BILE attention, and his rusty old ha
r with its staring inscription Of "Pionee
s 1843," makes him known to easterne
9 who, but for this, would see nothing
0 him except healthy looking old ma
San Francisco Call
= |
Jewish guides Iii Rome never pa
! under the arch of Titus, but wa
around 1t. The reason is 1t commem