Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1904-12-23


wished for it unbounded success.
Soon after the close of the cam
paign, Mr.. Wood disposed Of his in
terests in the Patriot and early the
following year he started the Kasson
Telegram. While this paper was still
in operation, he commenced the pub
licatioh of Eyota Enquirer. both of
which were short lived The Sank
Comfy Courier, the first issue of
; which was given to the public in
, June, 1878, was his next venture and
in November of the same year he
moved it to Little Falls and changed
the name to the Little Falls Courier.
This paper was in existence for two
years
The Reedsburg Courier, installed in
,, Reedsburg, Wis. was the next ven-
! ture of this itinerant editor and its
first issue came from the press IN
September. 1875. Two years was
sufficient to wind up it's career and
Mr.. Wood returned to Minnesota, es-
tablishing the Benton County Press
in Septembe 1878. That lasted for a
year and then the plant was taken to
Breckenridge and the Red River Free
Press was the result. The onward
march was continued and the paper
was removed to Wahpeton, N. D.,
where it became the Wahpeton Times.
That paper is still ia existence.
Mr.. Wood saw an unoccupied field
in Trail county, North Dakota, on
the Goose River and the Caledonia
Northern Signal was the result. When
the railroad from Fargo to Grand
Rapids was completed, A. A. White
laid out the townsite of Hillsboro and
the Northern Signal was put on
wheels and removed to that place.
TIE name was changed to the Hills
boro Banner to suit the new location.
The publication has survi 7ed and un-
der new ownership, is still in exis-
tence.
During portion of the time that
Mr.. Wood was running the Red River
Free Press, he also owned the
Caledonia Signal. He handled the
editorial end of the two papers and
Mrs. Wood was equally busy with
the business management. On the day
Of the publication of the Free Press.
she would leave Breckenridge on the
midnight train and by going across
the bleak prairie, distance Of 30
miles to Caledonia, on "a Stage or
''tote' team would reach her destina-
ton in time to assist in getting out
the Northern Signal.
In these days the circulation of a
country paper on the frontier was no
small undertaking and often the
greatest sshardship was ,endured, in
order to get the publication into the
hands Of the subscribe It was the
custom Of Mr.. Wood, while acting
the dual role of country editor in
two states to carry by stage the reg
ular edition, mailing 1t at Fargo, on
the railroad line. This was during
the terrible winter If 1881, when So
many lives were lost On account Of
the cold.
When summer came again, Mr.
Woods desire to move asserted itself
and the Herman Herald at Herman,
MIMI, was established after he had
disposed of the other doings. This
new paper took an active part in the
campaign of 1852 and to further this
end, the Traverse County Tribune
and the Grant County Banner were
given being. After the close of the
political battle these papers were left
in the keeping of Mrs. Wood while
her husband put IN the Walcott OBJ
server and the Pelican Rapids Times.
Both of these were started in the fail
of 1882 and the latter is still in opera
tion. This was the year in which Mr.
Wood made new record by establish
ing five papers in single twelve
month.
The Carlton County Press at Carl
ton, the first paper in that county, was
brought into existence in 1883 and this
Mr.. Wood operated for three years.
! leaving to start the Sank Rapids Free
Press in 1885. The following April q
cyclone swept over that locality and
papers, type and press were scattered
to the four winds. The owner grimly
remarked. as he surveyed the ruins,
that it had been the most rapid circu.
lation of country paper on record.
he bought new outfit in Minneapolis
the following year and took it tc
Bessemer, Mich, where the Gogebie
Mining World was opened up. This
was at the time of the iron mining
excitement in that section and thu
paper prospered and waved tat as 6
result. Postmaster and Judge of pro.
bate were among--..the Offices which
were bestowed upon the pioneer editor
| IF tho comnrritv