Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-05-12
THE EVENING CAPITAL
CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY
Another Year Added to Life Of the
Only Daily Newspaper in
Annapolis.
lSS4,l9l6.
The Capital is 81 Years Old Today
During Past 81 Years Has Had
Interesting and Useful Life.

Thirty-two years ago today the first
copies of the Evening Capital were
printed Only one by one the sheets
Of paper were placed upon small
hand-press, receiving the impression
from hand-set type.
The beginning of this enterprise. the
birth of the only daily paper published
in Annapolis, took place in the old
Maryland Gazette office (Which paper
some years ago was absorbed by the
Evening Capital) on Conduit street,
above the present electric supply store
of Mr. Walton Childs Here was the
birthplace of the daily paper in Annap-
oils, which has for thirty-two years
steadily plodded along and is today,
after five moves, on the same street
where it had its beginning, and oppo-
site its birthplace.
To look over the files of The Even.
ing Capital, which is the most complete
record of the daily happenings OF
Annapolis, is more than interesting.
Besides showing the progress of the
newspaper from a very small. unpre-
tentious paper, the record in the old
volumes for thirty-two years, The Cap
ital demonstrates the remarkable
change in conditions about Annapolis
Time has brought about many trans
formations in the last one-third of a
century, which are noted from tlay to
day and year TO year in the old copies
of The Capital.
The very first copy of The Capital
issued demands more than passing at
tention. Yellow with age, the small
newspaper is unique in appearance.
It is about one-half the size of the
present Capital There was a scarcity
of local news in the first issue of the
paper and, I'M fact. the doings of An
napolis each day were chronicled in
but little space for some time later.
The field in which to gather news had
TO be extended and developed. But the
paper was a good one considering the
facilities that could then be ceaamand-
ed. There were no linotype machines
TO insure the speedy setting of the
type; then the compositors had to
stand by their cases and pick up letter
by letter to make up the paper.
II would have been an impossibility
then to turn out column after column
of reading matter, as can be done at
present with the machines which can
be operated to mobl the lines of lead
type about as fast as the copy is com
posed on the typewriter. The Capital
was destined for a career of great use
fulness to the community. Little by
little the paper increased its patronage
Year after year new readers and new
friends were added. until now The
Capital stands in an enviable position
having reached mature growth, and
being better equipped than ever to
fulfill the highest purpose of a daily
newspaper.
AS might be expected, The Capital
at the beginning had hard road to
travel People had to be educated
nto the necessity of a daily paper
1t is said that one of the hardest things
the first manager had to contend with
was to get the people to subscribe
The way they would get to read it was
this: Several persons on a street
would buy copies which would then
pass from house to house. But grail
ually names were added ot the sub
scription list. and from that time until
this The Capital had grown steadily.
Predicted Failure 0utliyed.
That The Capital succeeded as well
as il did is due to the push and determ-
ination of the promoter of the umier-
taking 1t was generally predicted
that the venture of daily newspaper
would fail in short time and the out
look, it is true, was not the brightest
The Capital put up a creditable sheet
from the beginning. considering the
conditions. and gained after time the
confidence of the public. The people
soon saw that Annapolis was really tC
have daily newspaper of some stand.
ing and worth. BY faithful and intel.
ligent effort constantly, the paper Fl.
nally won the patronage and support
of the community.
With a clear purpose in view. out.
Incl at the very beginning, The Cap
ital has striven to give Annapolis 6
newspaper of which it could Justly b,
proud, and that it has succeeded vel
is attested by the unlimited confidenc,
and excellent patronage of the com
munity These are the words which
introduced to the public the first cop,
of The Capital. May u. 1884. under ths
headline "0ur Bow:
In presenting the Evening Cap
ital to the public today. we do so
fully convinced of the many diff
culties that a new enterprise of
this kind will have to encounter.
There is no undertaking. we ven
ture TO say so hazardous. so dis
couraging. so embarrassing and
none requiring greater effort. labor
and outlay than that attending the
publication of daily journal
Aware of these facts, we enter
F.! upon our labors with determine
ton to overcome all difficulties