Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-05-31

the Preston Register" at Kingwood
It was followed speedily by the estab-
lishment of the Chronicle" at the same
place.
Levi Klauser issued the first number
of the Preston County Journal at
Eingwood, May 10, 1865. The Office
was entirely destroyed by fire at the
time of the burning of the Court House
March Z, 1869. 1t is still continued by
Hon. 2. White.
On the 22d day of October. 1870,
James H. Carroll founded the Preston
County Herald, and August %, 1877,
the name was changed to The West
Virginia Argus, the destiny of which
is now in the hands of the honored
President of this Association.
IN MARION COUNTY.
The Marion County Pioneer, the first
newspaper in Marion county, was es-
tabHshed at Fairmont in 1910 by Lind
sey Borgess.. whose successor was R.
Fulton Cooper. This was followed by
the Baptist Recorded, edited by DR.. w.
ID. Eyster: it was the first church pa
per published within the present limits
of the State.
Tn March, 1850 Daniel F. Norris be-
gan at Fairmont the publication of the
Democratic Banner: he sold the paper
to A. =. O'Bannon, who changed the
name of the paper to The True Vir-
ginian and Trans-AIegheny Advertis-
er. and associated with himself Benja-
min F. BeaI. whose interest was later
transferred to George P. Morgan.
Then W. F. Drinkard became the pro-
prietor and so continued until 1861,
when the paper ceased to exist.
J. NJ. Scroggin. in 1893. began the
publication of the Fairmont Republi-
can with DR.. W. w. Granger as editor.
Next came the Methodist Protestant
Sentinel. conducted by DR.. D. b. Dor
sey. and then by Rev. Samuel Young.
In 1862. A. F. Richie began the pub
LEGATION of the Fairmont National. In
1866. The Vidette was printed by J. \.
Boyd and later by Timothy B. Taylor,
who sold the paper to Josiah Dillon.
He changed the name to the West Viz
ginian. and later sold it to Henry w.
Rock and Charles NJ. Shinn. In 1873,
the latter assumed control of the Jour
nal. and in 1873 sold it to A. H. Flem-
ing and Lamar C. Powell. The office
was destroyed by the great fire of 1876,
but a new one was speedily provided
and the West Virginian continues to
make its appearance.
In 1870, Fontaine Smith & Son es-
tabl.shed the Liberalist at Fairmont'
but i'm a few weeks sold it TO J. R.
Grove. James Morrow, IT., then be-
came the manager. and W. S. Hay
mond its local editor. This paper con-
tinued but two years.
In February. 1874. Major W. P. Coop
er commenced the publication Of the
Fairmont Index. the office of which
was almost totally destroyed in 1876
nv the same fire that destroyed that
or the West Virginian. The office was
refred by Clarence L. Smith and
George A. burlington who, in Feb
rr7rv 1877. sold it TO William A. Ohley
and Albert J. Dick. who in turn sold
Fl To- Clarence L. Smith and o. 5.
Mckinney.
This paper has grown to too great
length. with
ALMOST THE WHOLE FIELD
Of West Virginia Journalism untouch-
ed For want Of space not even the
mention of the subject matter that
would 90 to make most interesting
chapters in its annals at Clarksburg'
Petersburg. Point Pleasant, Charles
TON Lewisburg. Huntington and other
towns. and. in fact, in every county OF
the State. Gladly would l make eX-
tended mention Of the work accom-
plfshed in these fields, but I must de-
sist and close with a word as to the
changes that have been made in hun
drad wears. The progress that has
been made in our State is truly Won
derful not so much because of discov-
erv in new fields as in those whose cul-
tivation had been heretofore neglected.
The most important of these is illus
trated in the interest manifested in
nh. collection of local news. The early
newspapers of West Virginia neglected
This important feature almost entirely
Some of them which l have in my pos
session make not the slightest mention
Of anv matters in the region in which
they we're published. Instead. their
columns are filed with news items of
the old World. and one Of these papers
published in Monongalia county, had
mage set apart for information from
and concerning Asia But editors and
ministers of West Virginia now real
fze that their energies must be confined
principally to the development of the
field whose boundaries are commensu-
rate with the geographical interest OF
their readers. and the county newspa-
per has a fruitful field in which moth
ING else can ever take its place. These
-. o.o hnirr dnrelnned for to-day