The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-15

There were also, during the few next sue
ceeding years several afternoon papers.
In 1874 the two morning newspaper pub
Iications were absorbed by the Morning
News.
In 1875 the site upon which the present
handsome and imposing Morning News
building stands was purchased aud
building was erected, and in January iol-
lowing the plant and office were moved 10
the new quarters. In 1885 the Morning
News building was rebuilt and enlarged
to its present dimensions.
The Morning News has always been
at the forefront in newsgathering enter
prise and Innovations 1t was among the
first. if not the very first, in the South TO
print a paper every day of the year.
and also in establishing a regular and COM
plete system of special telegraphic ana
mail correspondence, covering not only ITS
own field in the state but the national
capitaI as well 1t was the first news
paper in the South to use folding ma
chimes. to adopt the perfecting press which
prints from a continuous roll OF White
paper, and to stereotype its forms for the
press 1t was also among the first TO
establish a complete battery of Mergen-
thaler typesetting machines, or linotypes.
The history of the paper, as matter
of fact, is co-incident with the history or
Savannah as a great commercial city.
Each has grown with the other, and eacn
mas contributed to the success Of the
other At the time the paper made its
I, GT11ll
and struggling city. and newspapers were
just beginning to be recognized as legiti-
mate and commendable enterprises.
1t must be acknowledged that the Morn
ing News experienced a most fitful and
uncertain infancy. In 1854, for instance,
it encountered a trying experience. To
the horrors of dreadful epidemic disease
in that year were added the disadvantages
and losses occasioned by a fearful storm.
Following the storm the half-sick and dis
Outraged force set type under roofiess
rafters by the light of tallow candles; for
the storm which had taken the roof Off
also damaged the city gas works TO such
extent that tallow dips were the only
available iHuminants. And there We're
financial stringencies in those days, too,
which threatened to swamp the business
interests of the country. But the then
infant paper weathered them all.
Then followed the trying times of the
War of Secession, when man after man
left the business, editorial or mechanical
department to fight for his country, many
of them destined never to return. 1t was
a roll of honor, the names of the men
who went from the Morning News office
to fight and fan for the Stars and Bars.
The struggles and eXpedients resorted to
during the war TO get printers ink and
white paper with which TO print the pa
per would make an interesting and anus
ing story in these late days, when tele-
graphic order will bring either or both
in any quantity desired. But there was
nothing amusing about it then, when day
after day the enemy's feet hammered with
their artillery at the forts and batteries
that defended the city. Printing materials
were sorely wanted with which to tell
the story of the battles along the line
of the Charleston and Savannah Railroad,
of the constant fighting in Charleston
harbor, and the defenses of Florida, to
say nothing of the battles of the armies
of Lee. Johnston and Hood, in all of which
the Morning News was deeply interested
because Savannahs sons were foremost in
the fights. Is was hard to get the white
paper and the ink, but they were pro-
cured by hook or crook.
Every battle in Virginia, or in the West,
and latch on in Georgia, made news OF
loved ones dead or perchance dying; and
it was the duty of the paper TO chroni-
Gle and distribute this news. The advance
of Sherman's army towards the sea, and
the dreadful stories that came from along
the line of that army's march, telling OF
burnings and outrages. were told in the
daily editions of the paper. The siege of
the city of Savannah came finally, and
when it did all of the men of the Morn
ing News force able to bear musket
were to be found al the breastworks But
the enemy was too strong. The last edi-
ton of the paper under Confederate rule,
giving notice of the surrender, was pub
lished as the enemy's forces tramped in
to the city.
There was but short suspension of
publication and when the clouds of war.
with their martial law and soldier govern
ment cleared away the Morning News
was once more TO be found standing up
right for self-government and the rights
of the people. Once free from the die
tation of the military governors of the
city, it began a vigorous fight against
those who were trying to steal in peace
what they had failed to destroy in
war Through the four dreadful years
of reconstruction, which were hardly less
disastrous than the years of war. the
Morning News was as a Waterman on the
tower.
Those dreary years, however, passed at
last, and were succeeded by brighter
ones Georgia came to her own and Sa
vannah took on new life, as a great and
growing commercial city. And with each
step of progress Of state and city. the