The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-03-21

Hunter. Mr.. Needham returneu "
the paper after a departure from lts
RESPONSIBILITIES of but about Iour
n,onthsx The style Of the firm was
row Leighton e Needham.
November 20, 1871, marks new
era for the Herald. The issue OF the
naper of this date was published from
tho office at the corner OF First ave-
INC and A street which the paper &C.
cupied up to 1903 when it was remoV-
ed to its present commodious quar-,
tiers on the corner of Market street
end A avenue. 1t was red-letter
day for the journal and 1t is but due
the occasion and the people OF the
time that we digress bit and ex-
plore the detail Of the then existing
situation.
Herald Block Built.
Along in the early part of the year
the idea of home for the Herald
was conceived by the owners OF the
paper. Larger, better and more con-
venient quarters were necessary and
this fathered the plans that on the
first of May, 1871, resulted in the pur-
chase of lots at the corner of Main
and Washington streets of that day.
The lot was purchased by Tobias
Leighton, H. c. Leighton and W. H.
Needham, of d. w. Loring. These
men commenced the erection OF
two story brick building, 20 foot front
by TO- The plan was entered into by
Eli Ketner, M. e. Cults, I. X. smith,
Dave Evans, Fenton Miller, M. Mum
sell and William Harbach, who had
the balance of the half block front on
Main street. A solid brick block was
erected by these gentlemen and the
same has, from that day, been known
as the Herald block. The front part
of the Herald home was occupied by
VIM. H. Needham and the postofiice.
The rear portion was then devoted to
the press rooms and the job depart
ment of the Herald and the second
story was the home of the compost
ton rooms and the editorial depart
ment of the paper. William Leighton
who has a state reputation as a job
printer and a well posted man in the
business, was at the head of the job
department, and was assisted by a
number of younger printers and
couple of devils" In the paper and
book departments of the upstairs
were Geo. r. Lee, Pierce Perdue, Jno.
s. Nichols, Geo. w. Hinesley and w.
p. Hellings, and ii is said that a bet
ter lot of boys never worked at the
trade. The Herald block was one OF
the most substantial improvements
Of that day. The new home added an
impetus to the now noted weekly
journal and prosperity perched on its
banner.
April 9, 1874, Captain w. A. Hunt
er again appears on the editorial staff
of the Herald in connection with the
agricultural department of the paper
and retired from the department and
the paper with the issue of Septem-
Der, 1875.
August 2, 1877, w. H. Needham re-
tired from the paper, selling his inter-
est to Geo. r. Lee and William Leigh
ton, who had been employed in the Of
fee for a number of years, having serv-
ed from the lowest rounds of the lad
der and the firm name became Leigh.
ton, Lee & Leighton. The new blood
in the firm continued the boom that
had commenced with the establish
ment of the new home in II and bus
mess in all departments was on the
increase with the development and
the growth of the city. The growing
paper had to have a larger press and
in the summer of 1877, a new Pot
ter Cylinder Press" was put in. The
first number in 1878, dated January
8, 1878, was enlarged to ten columns
of 80 inches to the page. 1t was a
blanket in size and was so known the
state over. This size was continued
until the administration of the pres
ent proprietors.
On January 81, 1878, occurred the
death of H. c. Leighton. Chas. Leigh
ton came to the Herald February 2,
1873, as the administrator of the es.
tate of H. G. Leighton. On January
2, 1879, Chas. Leighton acquired a
part of the interest in the paper that
had been the property of II. G.
Leighton. Mary Leighton, the widow
of the deceased H. c. Leighton, re
tanned an interest and the firm be-
came Leighton, Lee & Leighton
Brothers
Swain Comes to Herald.
March II, 1881, George r. Lee sells
his interest to Albert w. Swain, Of
the Des Moines Register. Mr.. Lee
entered the service of the paper in
1862, and with the exception of a few
years in the war of secession he was
on the paper for a period of twelve
years. Mr.. Swain came to the edi-
torial management of the paper and
| G. Leighton was at the business head.
Mr.. Swain came to the journal after
ripe experience, acquired in the
management and editorial direction
of the Grand Junction Head Light,
Jefferson Bee and Fort Dodge Messen-
ger and the Des Moines Register. The
man was well known through the
state and had a wide reputation as
writer in journalistic lines and it
was little wonder that his appearance
in the firm gave the paper a new
| place in the journalism of the state.
The paper advanced with the success
sion of years Opportunity and adj
| vancement walked hand in hand and
the Herald was leader of the day.
There was never want of the times
that the paper did not supply and
when in 1887, the growing city de-
manded the establishment of daily
the management of the paper came
forward to make the venture. Much
of the latter day growth of the paper
was attributed to the work and the
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