The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1914-12-31
LOUISIANA NEWSPAPER VETERANS.

in number of North Louisiana papers
recently as to whether Editor w. H. Scan
land of the Bossier Banner or Assistant
Editor Thomas J. Mangham of the Ruston
Leader is the Oldest newspaper man in
Louisiana-was given new twist this past
week when third contender for first hon.
ors was entered by Brother Hewett of the
Mansfield Enterprise. Editor Hewett says
that Veteran Scanland and Veteran Mang-
ham will have to take back seat until
they can boast of record to compare with
that of Editor j. P. Clarkson, of the Cou-
shatta Citizen, who has been in the news
paper business longer than either of the
other two.
Editor Scanland, known and beloved by
every newspaper man in Louisiana, and
held in high esteem by all of the older resi-
dents of Caddo and Bossies parishes,
started the Bossier Banner in the year
1854-three score years he has been at the
helm of this paper, which is to-day one OF
the very best weeklies in the State of Lou
isiana. But when this record was printed
few weeks ago, and the claim was made
that Editor Scanland is the rnestor of the
Louisiana press, objection was entered in
behalf of Thomas J. Mangham, now an
assistant. to Editor Lewis of the Ruston
Leader and daily contributor to the col
umns of that hustling sheet. tits declared
that Mr.. Mangham has been in the news
paper business since 1852-two years
longer than Editor Scanland, though he
came to Louisiana in 1857, which was
three years after Editor Scanland began
publishing the Bossier Banner.
Both these records looked good until
Editor Hewett, himself no spring chicken
in the newspaper business, gave it out last
week that j. P. Clarkson was publishing a
newspaper in the town of Mansfield in 1854
when Brother Scanland came to town,
bought out the plant of an opposition sheet
and moved it to Bossier Parish. Editor
Hewett says he began as ''devil' in Editor
Clarkson's office shortly after the war, in
| 1866, and knows that his employer had
been in business for some time when the
! Bossier Banner was started; Editor Hewett
has been in the game for forty eight years,
and has been editing newspaper forty
tours years on his own account-which is,
of itself, no short time. Yet he says that
when he contemplates the records estab-
lished by Editors Clarkson, Scanland and
Mangham he feels :" like young colt, able
and ready to kick up his heels and defy
Father Time for many years to come.'
The record of this quartet of North
Louisiana newspaper men-all of them still
actively engaged in newspaper works
one of which the whole newspaper profess
sion is justly proud. All four of them are
now "old enough to know BETTER" no
doubt, but because they love the business
and because they recognize their positions
as leaders in their several communities and
their duties to their fellowman, they con-
tinue in the game. We should like to sug-
gest to the brethren of the Louisiana State
Press Association that a special effort be
made to secure the attendance of these
four Veterans at the annual convention
next year, and that one of the sessions be
devoted to hearing them relate their won
derful stories and observation-disclosures
port journal. -
i After thanking most heartily our kind
brothers Frantz and Hewett for their highly
appreciated words of praise, fellowship and
esteem, we beg leave to correct an unin
tentional error of Brother Hewett's. The
editor of the Banner did not visit Mansfield
in 1854 and purchase plant of a paper il
that town. The printing material referred
to-and, we believe, formerly used by The
DeSoto Columbian or Democratic Egis
W. F. T. Bennett, owner-was brough
over from Mansfield late in August or earl,
in September, 1857, by Edward A. Lowry
The material was hauled from Mansfield tt
, Bellevue in an ox-wagon. When opposite
the Caddo Gazette office on Texas Street
near the levee, the wagon was halted ant
the printers in the Gazette office were in
vited to cross over to the "Gaiety" ant
celebrate the coming event-the establish
ment of a newspaper in Bossier Parish.
The first issue of Mr.. Lowry's paper
the Bossier Times-appeared Septembe
II, 1657-William G.. Mitchell and Edwar,
v A. Lowry, editors and proprietors. Ate
+ three or four suspensions and changes O
r editors and proprietors, the Times fnall,
] suspended June II, 1859. This explana
. ton is made because we believe in givin,
i "honor to whom honor is due,' and t
Edward A. Lowry, gallant Confederat
soldier, who was killed in battle during tn
f Civil War, is due the honor of havin
r published the first newspaper in Bessie
+ Parish.
h July l, 1859, the first number of the Bos
sier Banner was issued by the writer, VIII
f has been the sole proprietor of the pape
i from that day until the present. The oil
} Mansfield press-like cold friends that d