The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-03-21
HERALD HISTORY
IS INTERESTING
gcoatinued from Page ID

arranged. Mr.. Needham was 70 have
editorial charge Of the paper and Mr..
McNeely was 70 be put at the me
chanicaI head OF the work. McNeely
was a practical printer and he was
sent to st. Louis to purchase addl-
tional material with which TO dress
M the printing establishment
brought here bodily from Cambridge,
Ohio. 1t had been used in the pnbli.
cation of the Cambridge Times. 1t
was loaded on boat in Ohio and
sent down the Ohio river and up the
Mississippi to Keoluk. then overland
bv wagon. He made the purchases
and the necessary materials were al.
SO brought to Keokuk by boat and
thence to this city overland by wag-
on. There was type and strange ma
chinery and unheard of material that
found its way into the first printing
Office in the city. The result OF this
was anxiously awaited by the citi-
zens. who had already began to feel
that the new paper was to be part
OF themselves.
Location of First Office.
The first Herald Office was located
on the second floor Oh two-story
frame building that stood at the
southeast corner of the park, on the
site Of the viii Neagle store. From
this place on the second day of July,
1850. fifty-seven years ago, was sent
the first paper. II was a great day in
the little town of Oskaloosa. Copies
of the paper were eagerly sought and
were carried to the homes in all parts
Of the town and to the corners of the
county. 1t was felt that the town and
the community had made a wonder
fnl stride in the direction of civiliza-
tion and that the dawning of a new
era for the city had been marked by
the birth of the paper.
The people flocked to the support
of the paper Merchants gave freely
OF their advertising, subscriptions
rolled in from all directions and the
success Of the enterprise was assur-
ed. The paper was published weekly,
and was given TO the public on Fri
days from small hand press. The
forms we're mixed by hand and the la
Dor connected with the publishing of
the sheet was very great The enor-
nifty Of the undertaking for that early
day can hardly be understood TODAY
by those who have not been connect
ed with similar venture.
The infant grew rapidly. 1t was
nourished by popular enthusiasm and
thrived quite rapidly. To such an ex-
tent had the paper grown that a new
order Of things was demanded few
months after the first paper had been
taken from the press. Eighteen
weeks after the establishment of the
paper. the child was taken from the
clothes of its infancy II was given
new dress and improved in many
respects. The novelty of afpaper had
Worn away. system had been INSTALL
: ed In the office of the editor and the
business of news gathering had been
reduced to a science. Suggested i'm
proYements and changes we're made,
and on Friday, November /, 1850, the
paper went to its friends and sub
scribers as the Oskaloosa Herald
New type had been purchased, more
news matter both local and foreign
were given place and advertising pat
ronage was larger and better than ey-
er before. The paper at this time was
a six column folio. The pages meas
ured 22xl6 inches, the same size as
at the start. This size of the paper
was maintained TO the end Of the sec
ond volume which was issued Friday.
August 10, 1852. There had been a
number Of issues of the weekly miss
ed during the two years and the miss.
ed numbers of the paper were made
up to the subscribers.
New Press Installed.
The issue of Friday, August 20,
1852. marked another era in the his
tory of the paper. Increased demands
upon the business capacity of the pa
per had made necessary a larger and
better press than the old style ma
chine that had turned of the paper
at the rate Of perhaps maximum of
one hundred copies per hour and a
new hand press made by Foster &
Co., of Cincinnati, was installed in
the office and the size of the paper
was increased to seven columns to a
page. Then on September 20. 1852,
came another change that was in
keeping with the progress of the pa
per. New and better quarters were
required for the advancing paper and
these were found In the Street brick
block that was built on the west side
of the park. On the second floor ~
this building the Herald was install
ed and had its home for a number of
years The changes in the paper at
this time were made the subject of
general congratulations. There had
been trials and fluctuations for the
nervy men who had been at the head
OF the enterprise. In that early day
there were no railroads in the coun-
ty and all the supplies had to be
brought by water to Keokuk or TO
Burlington and hauled overland to
this city. In this service Oskaloosa's
veteran transferman, Milton Janney.
will be remembered There were dis
couTagements and there were times
when 1t kept the proprietors engaged
In thought over the subject Of what
next to do to meet the demands of
the hour. All storms were weather
ed. however, and the paper was kept
abreast Of the times.
Change In Ownership.
Along about 1853. Mr.. McNeely
sold his interests to John w Murphy
Mr. Murphy sold to James n. Knox,
and he TO James Brown. The paper
was more and more in demand and
took It's place in line with the Jour
nails Of tho state II Qraw and i'm