Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-01-31
Was Held in High Esteem
Letters and Extracts from the Press Euoec Of the Late Mead
[From the DEBORAH Republican,

Letters and Extracts from the Press
From the DEBORAH Republican,
w. r. Mead, of the PLAIN DEALER,
Cresco, closed his long and eventful
career on Sunday morning last. We
are not in possession of the data for
complete obituary, and can write of
him only in a contemporary relation
that has existed for lutte over forty
five years
1t was in the fall of 1859 that he
gan the publication of the PLAIN
DEALER at New Oregon, then the
county seat of Howard, and on the
very border of civilization. The
earlier iss u IS would now be valuable
curiosity; it was "set'' in "small
plea, IA size of type three sizes larger
than the common type of today, aud
betrayed conspicuously that its editor
had not been an apprentice tn the
printers trade. When the rail way
came and CresGo re-Wrote local his
tory, the PLAIN DEALER, with all
else save the cellars, moved to the new
county seat. The wonder then WIS,
and}for many years after, how MIR.
Mead held his ground aud won sup
port out Of the meagre business af-
forded by the sparse population, the
little revenue to be had from advertis-
ing and the driblets job printing af-
forded.
From the very first Mr.. Mead was an
aggressive, outspoken democrat in a
community that sharply disagreed
with his political sentiments. Poll
tics were hot in those days, for it was
just prior to the political battle Of
1860 that resulted in the election of
the first republican president in the
person of Abraham Lincoln. An in
tense feeling OF bitterness in the south
was leading to the War of the Rebel
lion aud all its subsequent events. In
all these heats Mr.. Mead abated not a
jot or little Of his democracy. How
he was able to hold such a field
against all competition was problem
never solved, save one recognized his
possession of personal traits that won
him friendships, and held them, des-
pite the rancor of the bitterest per-
sonal politics. Mead never truckled
particle; he seemed to know no such
thing as fear, and yielded not SEN
tence or modified not a word in any
debate or position to which be was
led In his zeal for his political afilia-
lions. But he had warm friends; he
kept in close personal touch with his
readers and held his own surprisingly.
The personal features of Mr. Mead's
life-hirth, education, marriage, etc ),
we are unable to give at this time.
After all, these matter but little at
the end; the life he lived was the
thing that tells. Looking back upon
1t, with the heat and the rancor all
gone, we must pay him the tribute
due man Of industry, marked ability
and no small SUCCESS. Although he
raked together only a small heap Of
the stuff BY which the world measures
it must be admitted that he
earned the record by what he attained
IN SO small field. Had he been on
the winning side in The great political
struggles of the last half of the nine
teenth century he might haye won
recognition In state and national af-
fairs. Opportunity has waited upon
and given honors to many men of |
lesser hrain.power, smaller capacity
ana fever attainments. It was his
lot to be of those who
Along the cool, sequestered vale Of life
Kept the noiseless tenor of their way"
IT Is our hope that after life's ftful
fever he sleeps we'll.
In one respect w. r. Mead was the
senior editor In Iowa, and had been
such since the death of W. W. Jun-
sin, of the Fairfield Ledger. In an
other method Of reckoning Joseph
is the senior. He began his
editorial work at Garnavillo, before
w. Mead started his PLAIN DEALER,
md moved the oalce to Elkader.
Early In the sixties he sold out, Wis
ted bis home country In Europe, and,
when be resumed editorial work, it
vas ct pes Moipes. Mr.. Mead's SER
ice was continuous and on the one
newspaper. In this respect the senior
ditor OF this paper is Mr.. Mead's
upeesgsor as the elder by continuous
eFvice without 2 break. George D.
Perkins, Of the sioux City Journal, is
= intervenor by reason OF starting in
business at Cedar rails In February.
$3.50. But he also lost his grade by
cling out that venture, living year
p Chicago, and resuming at Sioux
lily
[Fr9m the Charles City Daily Press.l
W. n. Mead, editor OF the Cresco
LAIN DEALER, died at his home in
'resco, Howard county, Monday, at
be great age OF 81 years. Mr..