The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-02-05
EARLY CAROLINA NEWSPAPERS.
Manuscript Left by Late Capt. Grist
Contains Interesting Rcminisc.
cnces.
From the Yorkville Enquirer.

From the Yorkville Enquirer.
While examining some old docu-
monts not long ago in desk that
was formerly used by the late Capt.
L. M. Grist, q member of the Enquir-
er staff came across some written
pages in the handwriting Of that vet
era.n printer and publisher that con-
tain some facts that will prove of
some little interest to the younger
printers and publishers Of this gen.
Grafton, and probably also TO the his
torians as we'll. The pages were writ
ten July 81. 1899. and although net
intended for publication in the form
In which they We're found. their con-
tents are reproduced herewith sub
stantially without change: my
father was a printer. When he caus-
ed me to enter the printing office in
May. 1840. 1t was for the purpose Of
commencing the publication Of the
Yorkville Compiler, prospectus for
which had been issued some time
previous. lie had arranged to use
press that had been rought to York
Vile about 1892 for the purpose Of
printing the lectures Of the Rev. VIM
c. Davis. learned and able Presby-
terian minister. The press was ksown
ns 'Ramage.' end was similar in
style 70 that used by Benjamin Frank
lina in his day. The forms and type
we're linked by what were technically
known as balls made OF buckskin
bags stuffed with wool. They were
provided with wooden handles and
the ink was distributed hy rubb:n.
the balls together. and then pounding
them down lightly on the type.
About year after this we dispensed
with the balls and instaed use e roller
made by strentching a pice Of wooller
blanket over cylinder and covering
1t with buclSskin. We first commenc.
cd tn use composition roller in
1S43. When went to the case in
1s40 the only daily papers printed IL:
the State were In Charleston. They
were the Charleston Courier, the
Cthraleston Mercury, the Southern
Patriot and the Charleston Evening
Transcript tho Evening Transcript was
issued from the office Of the Southern
Patriot, The Courier and Mercury is
sued tri-weekIies. making them up
form the first and fourth pages oe two
daily Issues and sending them out or
eoch alternate day. There was no
caption across the pages as at present
Besides the dailies thcre were in
Charleston the following weeklies:
Southern Baptist. Catholic Missionary,
Southern Christian Advocate. In
Columbia there were three weeklies,
as follows: South Carolina Chronic,e,
temperance Advocate. There were
three weekly papers in Edgefield
County. two at Hamburg and one at
Edgefeld Court House :~'here wer.
the Edgefeld Advertiser Hamburg
Journal and the Hamburg Re.
publican. The Edgefield Advertiser
was published by w. F. Duriso. The
other papers In the State were: the
Mountaineer. OF Creenville: the
Compiler. Of Yorkville: tho Journal.
Of Camden; the Messenger OF P~ndle.
ton and the Gazette Of Cherterfield. To
the best Of my recollection there were
no others papers in the State. There
was none In Chester. Winnsbcro, New.
berry. Union, spartanburg. .Abbevill.,
Anderson. Sumter. Orangeburg. Barn
we'll. Colleton Laurens, Iforry or
Williamsburg. The Edgeficld Advcr-
tiscr and the Southern Christian Ad.
Vocatea are the only papers
that have been printed con-
tinuously under the same
name. I remember the early num-
bers Of all the other papers in the
State not mentioned above. The
Pioneer was the first paper published
In Yorkvillc. and the date OF tho first
Issue was August 16. 1929. The first
issue of the Yorkville Enquirer made
Its appearance on January 4, 1855.
This was the first South Carolina
newspaper outside OF Columbia and
Charleston to use q machine, pres,
ard steam power"