Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-14
DONE IN PHILADELPHIA


evening paper to be published in the world.
Some OF my Boston friends. VINO have prided
themselves upon what the Hub has done ior
journalism as we'll as for ell other branches OF
polite literature, probably will take exception
to this statement and hasten to remind me
that there was a Boston Evening Post as far
back as 1875.
In reply, assuming my Boston friends would
make this assault, 1 must remind them that
the Boston Evening Post can scarcely bs
classed as an evening newspaper.
The Boston Evening Post originally was
known az The Rehearsal, and under that nam
was published about 1881. It was weekly, and
less a literary paper, after the style
OF so many Of the little sheets in the eighteenth
century. No reader of the Evening Ledger
would think of it newspaper In the
modern sense. However about two years after
IT was in existence, it became the property OF
Thomas Fleet, who for long time was
believed to be connected with the authorship
of Mother Goose" That question has not been
definitely settled yet, but may let that pass.
Fleet maintained his paper as The Rehearsal
for some time. and then, without notice.
changed its name to the Boston Evening Post.
The only other change was the time of publi-
cation. It now came out on Monday evening,
whereas the paper formerly had come out on
Monday morning.
But we must be entirely fair. There still
another evening paper published in this
country before the Pennsylvania Evening Post.
Let take look at it.
This also was a weekly. and was printed in
New York by Henry de Forrest. This was
begun in 17l6 but did not live more than ?
o,,t,- onI
only by students Of American journalism, 1t
made no impress unon history.
But the Pennsylvania Evening Post did make
an iudenble impression American jour-
nalisnl.
1t is rather curious to find that this paper
was connected in its history with Public
Ledger, not the present one, of course but an
earlier and forgotten one.
Benjamin Townc the publisher OF the Penn
sylvania Evening Post, Englishmnn,
born in Lincolnshire. according to Isaiah
Thomas. lie seems to have come first to
Philadelphia. as did almost every cntcrprising
English omErant in the eighteenth century.
ana engaged by Goddard journeyman
printer. Goddard. who in partnership
with tho Tories, Joseph Galloway AID Thomas
Wharton, published the Pennsylvania Chronicle
in 1867 and fair in his treatment Of
American topics that he and his partners had
a falling out. 1t is a most interesting tale
by itself and one OF these afternoons may
tell more of it.
In the meantime however. we must speak OF
Towne's connection with Goddard's paper.
The latters partners, who were leaders of
what might be called the Tory party here,
were much angered at the publication Of
Dckinson's Farmers Letters, which gave the
American view OF the dispute with the mother
that they induced Townc to act as
a spy for them i'll Goddards office, Finally,
when Goddard left the city Townc. probably
with tho assistance of his former employers,
started printing hous" Of his own.
James Humphreys, who was a Phadelphian |
born. and who had received his education in .
the College of Philadelphia, had finally, after
several attempts to find himself, taken UP the |
trade OF printing. In the autumn Of l1T4 he
that lie would soon publish an i'm
partial newspaper There a suspicion
among the people that the Ledger would be
Tory paper, and Towne thought he an op-
to start an opposition sheet 50 he
lastened to publish the PENNSYLVANIA Evening
Post before Humphreys could issue his Ledger
Both papers made their appearance about tn,
same time in l1I5 Townc had the best OF it .
from the start lie became friendly with the .
Wings, and his sheet was regarded as a Whs
ryan. Congress let him have their PROCEEDINGS .
to print and he was prospecting. But ho was
,erson to whom self interest was uppermost F..
lie was Wing SO long as the Americans held .
the city, but when the British came To- town
ruwne remained aad continued to print tho kind 7
)r news Lord Howe desired At that time
Humphreys who had been obliged 10 leave tho
sity because Of his Tory principles, returned
md aGaiu issued his Ledger. but Townc was 50
successful in carrying water on both shoulder,
hat he remained master of the field.