The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-01-23
KNAPP, FAMOUS ST. LOUIS JOURNALIST, IS 66 TODAY.

The history Of Uncle sam's great Southwest is largely that of the city Of St Louis; the history of the Mis- spuri EuetroEioifs has laxaely been res corded in the columns of the Re- public, and the history Of that in- Tluential newspaper has been made principally by the Knapp family. Charles Welbourne Knapp. who has Been editor and president of the Re public for twenty-six years. was born in St Louis sixty-six years agostoday.. His life story is one of dsV otion to the interests Of a. new apaper with. which he een eoniected for nearly half a cantnry, and to which his father and uncle also game the best part of their lives
 The Republic was first issued in 1908. under the name of the Mis- souri Gazette, by Joseph Charles. whose son, Edward, later became the publisher. It was the first paper pub lished west of the hIissfssippi. When the Republic was born, St. Louis was A mere tradi1s station in Louisi- ana Territory The newspaper was in its seeond year before St. Louis was incorporated as a town, and it was four years old when the terri tory of Missouri was formed and the first general assembly met in St. Louis The Repubac's first issue was eight by thirteen inches in size and consisted of four pages In 1927 editor, entered the office as prin- Eter's apprentice. Seven years later he became a partner in the enterprise Sixty years ago the firm of George Knapp & Co, was formed. with George and John Knapp and Nathan iel Paschan as mariners Col. George Knapp died in 1888 and Col. John Knapp in 1888.
 Charles W. Knapp, who succeeded to the interests. of his father. was eeI- ueated at St. Louis University and the University of Kentucky, and joined the staff of the Republic, then called the Missouri Republican. in 1887. It was his fathers desire that he become acquainted with all depart nents of newspaper work. so he serv- cd in the various editorial and bslsi- ness branches of the publication, and for several years represented the Re- public as Washington correspondent. In 1887 he became president of the corporation, and it's editorial and bus mess executive, and one of his first acts was to change the name of the paper to the St. Louis Republic At first the Republic had been Jeffer- sonian Republican in politics, and 1afer if sr111oo-te2f7 ff7a V017ios IT <-,z posed the secession movement, and e~as conciliatory throughout the civil s4-ar. After that struggle, however, &he Republic became democratic in hs political affiliations, and the name of .-Republican was a nisnomer
 MT. Knapp not only perfected him self in the business and editorial branches of newspaper work, but he also mastered the mechanical part Of newspaper publishing. He can {sssticl.s tx-, make up forms. and rattle the Keyboard of a typesetting machine with the best of them. He has been highly honored by his fel- tow publishers, having served as pres ident of the Associated Press and the American Newspaper Publishers As Eociation Under his management the Republic has prosp as never before, and it is. now generally con kidered one of the best paying news paper properties in America
 The Republic of to-day carries the news of the world to the breakfast tables of the people of several States;