The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-25
FACTS ABOUT FRANKLIN.
short Notes of the Patrfot-SaGe's
Long Life.
p~hiladalnbia Record

Philadelphia Record.
benjamin Franklin. printer. Journalist,
writer and statesman, was born IN Boston
in 1906: died in Philadelphia April IL. 1890
From the slight foTndation of about two
years schooling he achieved<wealth. a repu-
tation as a diplomatist and statesman. be-
came an accomplished scholar, a man OF
letters, a philosopher OF no small Importance
and an investigator ana discoVerer IN
He was the first self-made man OF any
eminence in our country.
His newspaper. the Pennsylvania Gazette.
was the best in the colonies 1t was a sin
gle sheet folded TO twelve by eight inches
and appeared twice a week.
According to Parton he originated the
modern system of business advertising in
his newspaper. He was the first man who
used this mighty engine OF publicity as we
use it."
Some difference of opinion exists as to
his being the originator or the plan OF dis
or cuts. One claims that he did. but an
other AYERS that his rival. Bradford, of the
Mercury, used them first
His greatest success came from his al
manac, the immortal Poor Richard" In
those days almanacs took the place OF books
with the masses, who could not afford TO
buy books. Poor Richard was issued as
Franklin's almanac in la33, and he an
nounced that it was prepared by Richard
Saunders, who soon became Poor Richard
Poor Dicks fame was world wide. Seven
teen editions were printed I'm English. fifty
six in French. eleven in German and nine In
ish. Danish, Swedish. Welsh. Polish, Gaelic.
Russian, Bohemian, Dutch, Catalan.
Chinese and modern Greek and still lives;
Franklin was postmaster Of Philadelphia
from 1877 until li53; He was then appointed
postmaster general OF all the colonies, hold
Ing office until 1774. when he was dismissed
by the British government on the eve OF
the revolution.
He was Governor of Pennsylvania for
three years after the revolution. giving the
salary received 10 charity. !.
Swimming was a great delight TO him ana
he excel1ed in IL. At seventy-nine he writes
of himself as falling asleep while floating
and sleeping an hour lying on the water;
Physically Franklin was stout when
young. and he grew stouter as he grew
older, being in old age corpulent and heavy.
about five feet ten inches. His pate was
very bald, fringed with thin, white locks.
He was very muscular and vigorous-look
ing. retaining until old age unusual
In i7sI Franklin received the idea of a
tilS in the rooms oor Of his eiub. the tanto. He
carried the idea into effect. and this grew
and expanded and became the mother OK
subscription libraries In North America
Twenty years later he obtained a grant of
$4,000 from the Assembly. stirred up SUD-
scribers and helped 10 ESTABLISH the nrst
wrote the striking and original inscription
on its cornerstone.
He lived in a Large bSuse. with garden
attached. on a court cailed by his name for
long afterward. This was back from the
south side OF Market street. between Third
In l743 ne attempted TO establish an acad-
envy at Philadelphia. which failed. In 1If9
ne renewed The enors and MAS successful,
and Arch streets Six years later IL was
chartered and became a college. the College
OF Philadelphia. During the revolution. the
charter was revoked. and another college
created that was worthless Then. eleven
years afterward, the old college was re-
State University. This union created the
present University OF Pennsylvania.