Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-11

letter. The idea of forming syndi-
cate of evening newspapers in south
eastern Iowa, is the fruit of the bus
president Of the Lee Syndicate and
publisher Of the Courier for many
years. About ten years ago Mr.. LIE,
purchased the controlling interest In
the Davenport Times. which at that
time, and more especially so now, was
the peoples paper and aside from Its
enormous circulation in Davenport, it
has large subscription list in Rock
Island and Moline, ILL.,, which are
located across the river from Daven-
port. This was made the leading pa
per of Davenport and prints mora
pages than any other paper in tho
state.
Highest Standard.
Shortly after the taking in of the
Times, at Davenport, Mr.. Lee Sc
cured the controlling interest in tie
Muscatine Evening Journal. Tits
too was put on a strong firm basis and
soon had the lead of the papers In that
city as well as the best equipment OF
any paper published there. One fea-
ture of the syndicate papers has ever
been to secure and maintain the very
best equipment for the handling OF
their publication and perhaps the most
striking feature of the syndicate pa
pers has been their continual applica-
ton in building up the biggest circu-
lation as well as attaining the highest
standard of any paper in the COM
munity. Every inch of the way has
been fought by the syndicate papers
and especially is this true of the
Courier, Davenport Times. and the
Muscatine Journal, which have by
sheer endeavor and continual WORK,
gotten the field between Burlington
and Muscatine along the river and all
the outlying small cities surrounding
their respective localities completely
covered and are the household papers
in their districts.
Never Ease Up.
No let up has been made by the
syndicate since it's formation and the
effort thrown into it at it's beginning
mas even increased without easing at
any time until now 1t is one of the
leading factors in journalism through
out the state. Constantlv on the out
look for the development of it's al
ready wide field of endeavor the Lee
Syndicate during the early part of
1907 added two more papers to the
syndicate. The first OF these was the
Hannibal, Mo-, Courier Post, going
for the first time out Of the state and
penetrating the field of newspaperdon,
IN Missouri. This acquisition to the
syndicate made quartet Of eyenina
papers all Of which have been FOR
some time the leaders in their vicinity
and soon to be enlarged by another
publication from a sister state, this
time going north to Wisconsin. The
La Crosse, Wis, Tribune, was the
fifth addition to the Lee Syndicate
which Is now comprised Of five dailies
that thoroughly cover the fields
wherein they are situated and are The
best equipped papers in their localities
having modern facilities for tho
gathering of and printing the news O
the world and their locality.
Employees Quadruple. :
The Courier when purchased hJ
Mr., Lee. was but a small concern
compared with the size 1t has attain.
ed at present with It's modern plan
that is replete with all Of the up-to
date facilities for printing and cor
Quoting of a modern newspaper. Wher
Mr.. Lee took charge of the papel
there were on the rolls as employees
the not large number OF ten persons
exclusive of carrier boys. Now tn
employees Of the Courier nun1be
over forty persons, exclusive of tn,
carriers and neWSbOyS.
Thus briefly is told the life Of tn
Oldest newspaper In Wapello count.
and the successes that have from tim
to time developed the original publ
cation. until now sixty years after
ward 1t stands a monument Of thu
pioneer enterprise of Street and
Warden as well as the business saga
city and foresight of Norris, Mus
sleman. Caldwell. Holden. He'd
rick Hamilton and last but not least
A. w. Lee. OF the many who wer
identified with the ownership and edi
torial management of the Courle
during the sixty years it has been reat
and published in the county. all hav
passed to the great beyond but Majo
A. H. Hamilton, who was identine
with the publishing of the Courie
for the twenty-one years from 1856
until 1890.
The period most productive of re
suits however, will be seen to hav
been those from 1890 until the pre-
sent. During these eighteen years III,
| wonderful business acumen of the lat
A. w. Lee is easily seen. His excel
lent faculties as an organizer and tn
| unusual executive ability displayed b!
| this leader of newspaper men Is read
lily perceived in reviewing his active
ments as publisher and in the formst
ton of and direction of the Lee Syn.
| dictate. Tonight begins the first issu
on the sixty-flr year Of the paper
| existence.