Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-11
FIRST COPY WAS ssPusLlsHED ON,
AUGUST 9, 1s4s. AND WAS At
THAT TIME FARTHER wEsTl
THAN ANY COMPETITOR.
"A GLANCE 8ATyEARLY
HISTORY OF PAPER
WELL EDITED FROM THE Ffnsn
AND LITTLE INDICATION THATa
IT WAS AT THAT EARLY pAM
BUT A COUNTRY WEEKLY.

From the old hand press Of sixtya
years ago when newspapers were aid
most luxury and Ii was custnmarya
Tor the neighbors to swap yarns at theS
corner grocery, or the good housed
wives to relate neighborhood histurys
over the back fence, to the presenN
day when the newspaper has become al
necessity and is looked for as much, asa
the evening meal, is a period that hasa
been spanned by the existence Of thea
Courier which on Saturday accom-a
plished three score years and quietlya
observed its sixtieth anniversary. Az
glance at the first issue Of the them
known "Des Moines Courier" reveaigs
the manner and customs Of the news-s
paper OF that time which when CONF;
pared with those Of the present make
an interesting comparison. The trend
of the times in Ottumwa during that
time has been to advance and the
Courier has kept pace with the march
of progress.
Then the Fartherst West.
At its infancy the Courier was To-
Gated the farthest west OF any paper
between the Atlantic and Pacific
coasts and a pushing, progressive
spirit has ever dominated it
as is shown by the things 1t has ac-
complished in that time. Beginning
with the pioneer equipment when the
strong arm accomplished most of that
which Is now done by machinery
Telegraphic dispatches for paper at
that time were something unheard Of.
The typo set his type in the old stick
method and when the paper was up
helped to make up the forms and take
his turn at the old Washington press
to assist in printing the sheet. Today
the Courier Is gotten out in more mod
ern methods.
A New Departure.
Four Merganthaler linotype ma
chimes set up the matter for the pa
per and instead of the typo helping to-
print the paper, another distinct de-
partment of the art handles that ex-
olusively. The stereotyper gets the
forms, makes a matrix, stereotypes the,
forms and turns the newly made stereo.
typed form over to the pressman. who
places 1T on the cylinders of the press,
(not the old Washington, but mod
ern perfecting press, thrown on the
(juice) electricity and watches the pa
pers slide out folded and ready for
the carrier at the rate of several
thousand per hour.
The pioneer newspaper Of Wapello
county made It's first appearance Aug
ust 8, 1S48, under the name of the
"Des Moines Courier" which in 1857
was changed to the Ottumwa Cour-
Ter. J. Fl. d. Street and r. H. Warden
were the editors and proprietors. 1t
was six column folio, neatly printed.
and edited with ability. 1t advocated
the candidacy of Zachary Taylor and
Millard Fillmore for the presidency
and vice presidency.
Changes Hands.
At the beginning of the second vol
ume the paper was enlarged to a
seven column folio. Street and War
den continued the publication Of the
paper until January 20, 1881, when Mr.
Warden became sole proprietor, and
continued such until December 90,
1885, when J. w. Norris purchased
the paper and in connection with his
brother G. W. Norris, published the
paper until 1866, when NJ D. Mussle-
man, w. III. Caldwell and w. @. Hol-
den became the proprietors.
Founder of Chicago journal.
j. w. Norris, the second editor OF
the Courier, was the publisher of
the first city directory of Chicago,
where he lived In 1914. He was the
founder of the Chicago Evening Jour
nal, one of the live evening Chi
cago dailies at the present time.
While on trip with six other young
men, in 1S49, when the gold fever was
bringing many to California, James
Norris, happening through Dahlonega
township, met his father on horseback
along the country road and the meet
ing resulted in him subsequently To-
eating here. In his editorial utterances
while editor of the Courier he was
quite conservative, though warm
supporter of Republican principles.
A. w. Lee Takes Charge, 1890.
In August, 1869, Gen. John M. He'd.
rick and Maj. Augustus H. Hamilton
became editors and proprietors of the
Courier, and continued in partner
ship until January, 1878, when A. H.
Hamilton became sole owner. A. H.
Hamilton continued in charge Of the