Evening journal., 1908-11-16
EXTRACTS FROM
OLD NEWSPAPERS
Some Old Periodicals in the
Possession Of Joseph
WiggIeSwOrth

dom was then ia its Infancy. In the
latter part Of the eighteenth century
In America the comparison is all the
more marked. for Turing these times
the newspaper as 81 EDUCATIONAL iaoior
though not being Terhaps very we'll
recognized was at least beginning to De
felt.
1t is an interesting matter TO know
that residents OF WILMINGTON have in
their possession paper printed before
the DAYS Of the linotype machine ana
tn estraight line press or even the old
fashioned fiat bed press that is used ia
some extent To-day BY small weelOliss
In villages in New England and other
communities. A paper printed from old
fashioned type made of wood is indeed
a curiosity. Two Of these old-time pa
pers are in the possession Of Joseph
Wigglesworth. secretary of the noara
Of Health. Recently a newspaper
printed in 1899 in this city was pre-
sented to CAPTAIN Kane Of the Polcs
Department and good deal of interest
was manifested in .hs all set-uD and
make-up of the print Now Mr.. Wig
ellsworth comes forth with two anccn.
newspapers. one printed IN 1898 and the
kane's paper bv eeversl wears
The first named was printed in this
city in the latter part Of the eigh-
teenth century. about sixteen years af-
ter the thirteen States comprising the
then United States. won from Eng.
land their independence. News was not
flashed alone a wire in those days nor
under the ocean lv cable or through
the air without visible means Of corr
munication. and an item was several
davs old before it finally reached a
newspaper 70 be made known 10 tho
public. There We're No extra" editions
announcing a victory over the enemy's
forces or a reverse met with during
some of the strenuous campaigns The
outcome Of battles afar or among the
Indians or with the ihish dii not
reach Wilmington until weeks after ;he
events had occutrel.
More Than Century Old.
This coDv of the Delaware Gazette.
which Mr. Wigglesworth has in his pos.
session. is dated Saturday. January 3,
1898. 1t Is Of four DaEes. four columns
to a page. Compare this wi.h ihS
eight. ten and twelve ard ninety-paSo
daily and Sunday papers of to-day
with the seven ami eight columns.
The paper was p~intel from movable
wood tvpe and the odd character oc
the letters give it the stamp Of IN
tiduity. The paper as a whole looks
something like a Sunday school tract
It is very conservative in its dress. The
only sensationallsm that this MODEST
newspaper could Law claim to IS the
Capitalization Of words considered im-
portant in a letter, and this. IT may
/ be presumed. was thought 10 he very
/ impressive way OF emphasizing the
editors opirions. When the editor
Of TODAY wishes 10 do that he has the
printer use red ink and seventy point
tyne. throwing IN raliaf across the first
( page enough ink that if reduced 20 the
consistency Of writing full would last
a family OF authors cf "best sellers
q lifetime.
Some Odd Losses.
on the first page of the Gazette are
/ several small advertisements. one Of
/ fering a reward Of twenty pounds for
/ the return Of negro Jack and negro
Daniel. run away from Colonel Llovds
| farm at Wve River. Nd. In tho next
/ column appears n letter Of Thomas
/ Paine to the people of France. making
mention OF the honor 10 have been
adopted a citizen Of France and a fell
/ low citizen of the National Convention
The letter also discussed the American
/ Revolution and the affairs in France
/ about that time.
On the second page is given notes
Of ships arriving, sixty days from
/ ENGLAND il. took then. and an arrival
was always a great occurrence from
the fact that letters from friends We're
expected and MANY little notes of in.
terest We're EXCHANGED by those who
were among the passengers. This
other page is occuoiad with letters on
happenings in the States, letters writ
ten with discrimination and care and
of matters appertainilT to politics ana
governmental affairs.
Easy on Subscribers.
on the last page the announcement
is verv gently made that the paper 'is
printed and folded by Peter Brynbere
and Samuel Andrews in Market street.
where Advertisements arc thankfully
received: likewise subscriptions for this
paper at 80 per annum. one-half TO bi
paid at the time Of subscription and
the remainder at the end of the year"
The American Watchman and Dela-
ware Republican is the name Of the
second ancient newspaper owned by
Mr.. Wigglesworth. and although more
modern than its companion. is fully as
quaint II was published Wednes.
davs and SATURDAYS by James Wilson
at No. 105 Market street. and consists
Of four pages. four columns wide The
first page has a poem by Lord Byron
as a leader" entitled "To a Beautiful
| Quaker" 1t is one of Byron's many
| apostrophes 10 women and begins:
"Sweet girl. though only once we met.
That meeting / shall ne'er forget"
Beneath is a letter. Call Ye This
Federalism" being extracts of an
epistle from a gentleman al Plattsburg
to his friend in New York" dated
August 5. 1913. It tells Of the retreat
of the British.
At about this time the war with
England was going on and not only the
British forces in this country were
busilv engaged but the Indians were
troublesome also, fighting in leaguewith
the English forces. There follows a
newsletter dated from the University OF
MARYLAND and in the next column be-
gins an ".Nct Of Congress to lay and
4 collect direct tax within the United
States" on the second page is given
several items Of news under the
caption Further Particulars" and
there are several letters relating of the
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