Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-10-13

The frequently reiterated assertion
that another Republican newspaper is
to be published in this city, issued from
the Office OF the evening paper by that
large and influential and amply finan-
cially backed element of the Republican
party dissatisfied with the course and
policy of the Intelligencer, has awaken
ed more than ordinary interest, not
only among politicians but as well the
old newspaper men, who recall, with re-
greet If not with tears, some former eff
forts to establish new daily publiea-
tions in this community.
Many promising ventures have gone
the way of all things earthly, and taken
many thousands of good dollars and
much fine brain work with them into
oblivion. The Evening "Jakey" of
1872, during the Gubernatorial cam
paign, may be cited in passing to
the notable case OF the Even
ing Standard 1t was started in
the latter part of 1878, as a joint stock
company. with Dana l.. Hubbard as its
President and James F. Carroll as Sec
rotary. The first number was issued
December 20. 1873. and the weekly edi-
ton was commenced on Thursday OF
the following week The paper was
at first Independent. and later Repub-
lican, as is the one now pro
posed to be started. under the manage
ment of Ex-Governor Atkinson, but it
was not success, being on all sides OF
all questions, and on March s,
1879, it was disposed of to
the State Democrat Company.
which had short career and
then disappeared. The Standard was
well and ably edited, had ample finan-
cial backing, and good patronage, but
lit no longer exists. 1t probably cost
thirty or forty thousand dollars to
demonstrate conclusiveb the fact that
there was something wrong, some
where.
The Saturday Evening Journal points
another moral as we'll as adjoining
tale. 1t was starteI upon the joint
ruins of the Evening Standard and
State Democrat by A. j. Halstead and
John 7. Grub, its first issue being Au-
gust 16. 1879 1t was Independent in
politics and about everything else-but,
it wouldn't go, despite a good patron
age, and silently joined the majority
OF defunct publications.
There are also some "reminiscences of
the local German press-for instance
the Stats Zetung and the Deutsche
Zeitung Won West Virginien, and the
old Arfbiter Freund, and the Volkes-
blaat and Vo.kesfreund. They are
among the has beens."
Then there was the Sunday Leader.
1t was bright and popular paper. The
best newspaper men in the city and vi
entity contributed to it. it had a large
circulation and a fine advertising pat
ronage, but under Charlie" Johnson it
failed, and when purchased by a joint
stock company it failed again, although
it was started the second time without
a dollar of debt and with every pros
pect of permanent success.
The Graphic, published Saturday
evening, will be remembered. 1t was a
good local paper, chatty and interest
ing but it died. Then came. in a diff
ferent form, but illustrating the same
point of the difficulty of establishing
new publication, that sprightly month
ly magazine, Events. 1t fingered for
about a year and a half, and then sue
cumbed to that often undiagnosible
disease that saps the life of enterprises
of which every one speaks we'll, and
which. by all the rules, should be sue
cessful.
The fact is that Wheeling has all
the newspapers it needs and can sup
port. Those now in existence furnish
an excellent service to their patrons.
and the city can boast justly Of as
modern publications as any communi-
ty of its size in this or any other coun-
try. In no other department of en-
deavor Is more enterprise shown, and
the people have the results of large in
vestments, of much thought. experience
and hard labor at nominal price, and
one much less than few years ago.
Democratic, Republican and Independ-
ent papers have frequently been pro-
je"ted or started but failure has been
a general result. 1t is. as has been truth
fully remarked, one thing to start
newspaper, and quite a different prop
osition to establish it in the hearts
and minds of the people Many nil
lions have been lost in the experiment
in many cities, and it takes not only
long purse, but ideas. to win success.