Smyrna times., 1895-05-08
John w. Oliver Eighty Years
Old.
INTERESTING INCIDENTS IN THE CA
kEER OF THE VETERAN EDITOR
OF THE YONKERs STATESMAN
-HoNoRED BY HIS
FRIENDS.

r.
as ne appears now, had the following
sketch of his life, in the issue of that
paper Wednesday last.
Mr.. Oliver is we'll remembered bv
our citizens, his excellent wife and
family residing near Smyrna for several
years near twenty years ago.
John W. Oliver, Editor of the Yonk.
ers Statesman, was eighty wears Ola
yesterday. In honor of the anniversarv
a number of his personal friends al
PIomlneht citizens of YOnkers, sur
prIseu MIN at his home, at Rose Cot
Iage' IN Warburton avenue. The
party arrived at . O'Clock in the after
noon noon! After congratulating Mr.. Oliver
ing address: 'O'io"-
John W. Oliver, Esq. As friends and
helghDors, we offer our sincere con-
gratulations on the eightieth anniver-
sary OF your birthday, and ask vonr
acceptance of the accompanying token
OF our regard and esteem as token of
Ine DAY. In common with manv others
OF our tellow-citizens, we have long |
neId IN nigh appreciation, and take |
pleasure In acknowledging your public
service Tor the welfare of our commnn-
ity' the efficient aid you have given
70 every good cause, your personal de.
Votlon during many years to the hest
interests of YOnkers, and yOur untirino
energy 10 the successful prosecution of
your calling as publisher and editor eo
closely Identified with the growth and
progress of our CITY.
Whep he had finished reading. Mr.
D 6Dutler presented Mr.. Oliver a silver
loving cup and salver, inscribed "Jobn
W: Oliver, 1915; April 80, 1896"
Mr. oliver responded briefly. thank.
ing the men for their gift and the ex-
preston OF their appreciation of his
IaDors' Alter the presentation those
present spent social hour with the
veteran editor. ''- 'H0
Mr. oliver passed his childhood on a
iarm IN Baltimore County, Md. Hav- {
ing lost his father when twelve wears
old, he was bound out to BENJAMIN
Ehes, OF Baltimore, to learn the nrint. {
ing trade. He left that CITY on foot in ,
May, 1855, and worked his wav to New
\ 0rk City, where be arrived on Nav
10 with six cents in his pocket. Within J
an hour he was at work with Wi;Iion1 q
;. Dorr, at Fulton and Gold streets In
month ne was made foreman, and in T
~ Iwo years ne had an Office of his own. :,
HarIy IN 1870 he conceived the idea of 0
!, small cylinder press for job printing. v
1e consulted Colonel Richard NJ. Hoe. a
VAo V',Ao agreed to make the press for 5000 :,
Ir' 'I' OliVer, having no capital, called on 81
nr' Bruce, the wealthy type founder. a
o "nom he explained his object. and a
sKed for loan in order to procure the Il
oveted piece of machinery. After ;,
Ittle thought Mr.. Bruce said: "Mr :.
'lVer, In the first place, consider u
gu theories in regard to the cylinder ol
ress entirely visionary; and, in the a
ecOnd place, 1T is a rule with me not
allow my capital to be used by those
mo nave no capital to bring them into
ompeutlon with my customers who &c
ave capital" Mr.. Oliver turned on his m
eel and walked out, but a few wears M
tier, when Mr.. Oliver had ten cyIinder ho
resses at work, the door opened one
ay and Mr.. Bruce walked into his Ia
flee. ''''0 "'S re
am seventy to-day, twas the pleas ne
ut greeting, "and 1 thought | would ho
all on my old friends. I remember :"
lr conversation about the little Ie
7llnder press, and now have come of
confess TO you that was wrong and Ial
on were right" -;
Mr' oliver was the first printer to ~
DpIy steam power to job printing, and al
reVolutlonlzed the trade, In l842.
r. Oliver, with his brother Isaac foI
'ganlzed the Sons of Temperance and no
lhllshed the New York Organ. His
importance work brought him in close
latlon with Horace Greelv. with ha
nom he was also closely Y associated in Br
,lltlcal movements. 90,
Having arranged for the late Thos. =.
Marshall TO lecture in the Broadway Vi
'6ernacle, in 1841, Mr.. Oliver waited mi
Mr.. Greeley, at his office, and asked {
at he recommend to him some one NAT
10 would make good report of the ~
'ture for the Organ. ''u
Il have just the man." Mr.. GreeIev yer
a ana calling the late Henry J. Ray 4
lnd, bargain was struck for S5. lila
10 1866 Mr.. Oliver moved to Youkers l..
some years later became Editor of
1onKers statesman, then a weekly. coT'
became prominently Unidentified bun
70 puolic matters, and organized the lars
= uOisuluB company, which | thai
fchased the Statesman, and he was '""
de editor and publisher. Two wears
Or he founded the Daily Statesman.
ich has proven a success. The three
1gs in Yonkers with which Mr.. OH.
has been Unidentified, and of which II
seems proud, are his part in estab- turn
Ing the system of sewers, the estab- Tor
ing of the Daily Statesman and the aPpt
ction of tie Soldiers Monument in edit
nor Hall Park. Mr.. Oliver now one
Is seven-eighths of the Yonkers and
'eSman, has always been a hard as n
ker, and thinks he is doing as good look
K In his advanced age as ever be. peGt
e Is ably assisted by his son, Edwin pictl
Diver, whose humorous paragraphs mou
er the head of "Whim Whams. nare OF TO
ted far and wide. by 1
Q has been happily married twice. potat
three ehildren-two daughters and the
son, Edwin, now associate editor tan
The Yonkers Statesman, and has vatlo
ed two sons and two daughters. Two
has been cOmmunicant of the mors
hodist Episcopal Church since 1912 NJ. II
politics he was an old line Whig. r. Ii
has been a Republican siEce the NETT
latiOn of that party. ions