The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-06-28
The OLD-IIME NEWSPAPERS


right hand side of Chapel street, be-
tween Orange and Church streets. He
received his supplies from New York by
steamboat, and it is stated that clerk
was frequently sent to. the roof to see
II the boat had arrived. The three
leading magazines issued at the time
We're Graham's and Godey's Lady S
BOOK of Philadelphia and the Lady's
Companion of New York; all these car
ried steel-plate illustrations. Graham's
maintained the highest literary stand
ard, publishing some of Edgar A. Poe's
snort stories, poems and book reviews.
Henry w. Longfellow was also a con
tr1butor. Graham at that early date
ran a department devoted to the sports
of the gun and rod. Godeys standard
was not so high and he gradually drift
ed into the publication Of fashion plates
and dress patterns for the fair sex. AS
the publication aged its literature be-
came of the namby pamby sort es-
teemed IN young ladies seminaries,
note the spelling of the era. The Ladys
Companion was readable and presented
serials by j. H. 1ngraham, known to
fame as the author Of THE Prince Of
the House of David" and George G.
Foster, who made a specially of tales
of New York city life. All three of the
publications abounded with alleged po-.
etry, some Of which was serious indeed,
so heavy, indeed, that it is wonder
that the boat was not sunk coming up
the Sound. Later on came Peterson S
Magazine, acquiring fame by the publ
cation Of Charles J. Peterson's serials,
as we'll as those of Ann S. Stephens,
Miss Hodgson and Frank Lee Benedict
Two peculiar characters vended news
papers and periodicals on the streets in
the early days. One was an Irlshman,
who was the, father of Edward Downes,
engaged in the news business for many
years in Exchange building; the other
was a Scotchman, David Mitchell, who
was always prominent in the celebra-
lions Of the birthday of Burns, which
used to be an annual fixture at the
Tontine Hotel,
On the occasion of the annual spread
January 25, 1856 the flowing bowl" it
being Maine law times, was banished
from the board, and the song of the
evening stated the situation to the de-
light Of the editors of the Maine Law
Advocate, local publication.
well, here we're all sitting good hui
mored and frisky
Over prime lemonade instead Of Scotch
whiskey;
Sure while you get that we shall none
of us funk
Cause why? When we part not man
will be drunk"
The same vocalist had sung at the
previous celebration lines much more
pleasing to "Davy Mitchell, that ven
der Of news"
You must know / were ask'd here to
To commemorate Burns in sociable
Cup"
In '55, as a member of the Cold Wa
ter Army, the vocalist poetized:
There's friend Jimmy Craig, who
looks not a day older;
And ancient John Anderson, the baker
and molder;
Yes, and old Davy Mitchell, that VEN
der of news,
Who's fond of Scotch haggis, roast oys-
tiers and stews."
In the celebration Of the memory of
Burns the following year the same
verse-fxer again turned his eyes and
included young David, the son of old
David, both newsdealers not forgetting
the Clan Mcleod in mentioning the
father Of Charles S. MacGilyray, who
has done duty at the news counter in
this town continuously since 1858
ga few such choice spirits my eyes |
now fix on,
Jimmy Craig, several Mitchells, Mcell-
vray and Dixon"
David c. Mitchell embarked In the
news business in 1910 on his own ac-
count, and for a time traded under the
name of Mitchell & Son, although no
such firm existed. Mitchell traded In
the Adelphi building until the building
of the depot, when he crossed the
street. in 1851 John H. Austin an APP
prentice to the publishers of the Palla-
dun, Babcock & Wildman. succeeded
Mitchell at the old stand. Mitchell at
the opening of the new depot In 1879
took possession of the news stand
there and conducted 1t for four years
The senior Mitchell for a time did BUS
mess under church which stood IN
place of the Masonic building, corner of
Union and Chapel streets The old gen.
tleman served his customers personally
about the city, obtaining his supplies
from his son. The old gentleman was
of the sociable sort and had no scru-
pies against Scotch, hot or cold; he in
cluded Fair Haven in his visiting terri
tory, and he sought that burgh one
day and met with scotchman, a ten
cent sale and an expenditure of one
hour and a half in effecting a sale. Da-
vid. Jr, was unable to figure out the
advantage of the trade, but the as
sumed head Of the house was well sat
listed and so was his patron who sent
him home on a one-horse truck CT a
form of build no longer seen in use.
When the firms of Pease, Mitchell,
Downes and Austin were all in full
blast serving the public much of the
light literature, the weekly newspapers
were issued in Boston. New York in
the issue of popular weekly publica-
tons scarcely played a respectable sec
ond violin. The publishing house of
Frederic Gleason led the procession,
and no Gotham publisher was near
enough to see the band wagon. Glea-
sons Pictorial was many years in ad-
vance of Frank Leslie or Harper, ale