The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-26

little coins was imported from the east
and put into circulation. This clever
move overcame all OBSTACLES, and Min
neapolis has never since lacked tor
pennies. Incidentally, the management
reaped it's reward in a very handsome
increase in circulation. Th j o T.
n a ] was thus the pioneer low-priced
paper in the northwest, and it's popu-
larity among the citizens of Mime
apolis and of the northwest generally
has been extended and retained on that
basis. 1t was several years before the
other papers of the twin cities found
themselves forced to admit the wisdom
of T he our n Us course, but
eventually all made the reduction.
The value of The Journal prop
erty increased so rapidly that when
George K. Shaw sold his half interest.
In the spring of 1885, that he might
become one of the owners of the st.
Paul Dispatch, he received $4,000 for
1t. 1t will be recalled that the total
value of the plant in 1880, following
the Bracket block fire, was 1000.
This had grown to 100000 by the
spring Of 1885. The circulation, which
was 5000 at the time of the first fire,
had grown to 10000.
The Present Management
Takes Control of Property.
The second epoch in the history of
TIL J o ur n |, covered by the MINI
oCkS management, came to an end on
Nov. l, 1883, Wnen the property passed
under the control OF the present man
agement. 1t had been an epoch of
rapid growth and development, but the
paper had not yet attained the breadth
and character BETTING the leading
newspaper Of Minneapolis. 1t seemed
to a quartet Of newspaper men, who
had been quietly looking the field over,
that there was a demand in Mime
apC1is for evening DaDer conducted
on even broader and more liberal lines
They had in mind, too, the adoption of
more modern methods of neWsgather-
ing.
It happened that a rival Of the Az
ISOLATED Press had grown UP into a
strong news agency. 1t was known as
the United Press and had for its clients
some Of the strongest and most pro-
gressive dailies in the country. The
afternoon franchise of the United
Press for Minneapolis was secured
but, before launching a new neWspa-
. per venture, the quartet made an offer
to purchase the well-established Jour-
nal from G. A. and w. A. Nimocks,
who were now in sole control. The
Messrs. Nimocks were not anxious to
sell, and at first refused to consider
the offer. Finally, however, after much
negotiating, they agreed to accept
$1o5,O0O for the property. This was
paid to them, and on Nov. 1. 1885,
r h J a became the property
of Lucian Swift, Harry w. Hawley,
William z. Haskell and Alden x j.
Blethen. The active management OF
the property was committed to
Messrs. Swift and Hawley.
Mr.. Swift, who had had experience
In the business department of the
Tribune, became business manager, a
position he has held ever since. Mr..
Hawley had but little more than a
year before been graduated from the
University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor,
and, while his active newspaper ex-
perience had been comparatively brief
he had shown a marvellous aptitude
for the executive work of the editorial
department, to say nothing of a those
for news" that was very keen. He de-
voted himself to organizing a staff and
building I'D the news service of T h 6
Journ a l. His labors were SO arduous
and ,unremitting that in a year his
health broke down and he was forced
to part with his stock and retire. This
brought John S. McLain, who ha6
Joined the new staff in 1885 as man
aging editor, and Charles M. Palmer
then with the Northwestern Miller
into The Journal company. Mr.
Blethen, too, had other irons In the
Journalistic fire and he soon sold his
stock to E. B. Haskell of the Boston
Herald.
Faithful Employees Are
Taken Into the Company.
In recent years Mr.. Palmer has dis
posed of his stock. 1t was divided
among six Of the faithful employees O.
The Journal |, all heads of depart
ments, namely: Winthrop B. Cham
berlain, managing editor; William A
Frisbie, city editor; Charles A. fuller
assistant manager; F.. H. Sanders, man
ager of advertising; K. T. Boardman
manager Of circulation, and w. II
Webster, foreman of the composing
room. The company is organized a
follows: E. B. Haskell, president; j
S. McLain, vice president and editor
Lucian Swift, treasurer and manager
G.. A. fuller, secretary. These, will
w. B. Chamberlain, are the directors
At the time of the purchase in 1885
the editorial force was organized will
David Blakeley, editorial writer; j. S
McLain, managing editor; G.. D. Rog
ers, commercial editor; G. Y. Barton
telegraph editor; G. A. Hamilton
Washington correspondent; Fl. w
Hawley, city editor, and w. E. Brown
lee, A. G.. Harris, w. P. Van Norman
II. V. Jones and f. E. Nimocks, re
porters.
D. A. Macarthur was advertising SO
licitor, Charles A. Tuller was collector
j. A. Hilliker owned the city circula
ton, and o. D. Gelatt owned the coun
try circulation.
Some of these men had come owe
from the Nimocks management. Whel
compared in size with The Journa
staff of to-day, the staff of 1885 seem
very small. There are single depart
ments of the newspaper of to-da
which employ more men than wer'
required to make UP the entire edi
torial and business office force in 1885
With the resignation of Mr.. Blake
ley, which came soon after the chang
In ownership, Mr.. McLain became edi
tor. When Mr.. Hawley. first as cit
editor and then as managing editor
became broken in health, and wa
compelled to withdraw, Mr.. McLai
discharged the combined duties of edi
tor and managing editor. He has bee
editor of T h o ur al ever. since
Mr.. Brownlee, after serving as cit
editor, became managing editor an
then, contrary to his inclination, re
signed to look after a manufacturing
business in Detroit, Mich, which cam
to him on the death of his father
Mr.. Van Norman died after brie
career which was full Of promise. +
V. Jones remained with T n e u
n a until a few years ago, most of tn
time serving in the capacity of com
mercial editor. He finally Withdrew
to found the Commercial West. MI
fuller, who had begun as collector
rose to the. post of assistant manager
a place he still holds.
When the new management too
hold, T h e J o u IN a l was already in
An11o u 49,. ,>cf; Toe, + y,