The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1920-02-05
BOTH CLAIM HONOR
Dispute Over Location of First
Press in Northwest.
Minnesota and South Dakota Each
Firm in the Belief That They Are
In Possession OF Historic
Old Relic.


The location Of the FIRST printing
press In the Northwest is being dis
puted by two states. Minnesota and
South Dakota, says a dispatch 20 the
Minneapolis Journal.
The historic printing press, In old
Washington hand-prcss. which, 1t is
claimed printed the first newspaper IN
the Northwest, Is now In the hands of
the Minnesota Historical society. The
Minnesota contention as 10 the history
Of the press is substantially as fol
lows:
Its active career began back In 1885,
when John King Of Dubuque pur-
chased II In Cincinnati He arrived in
Dubuque with the new press on May
]. 1896. after tedious trip on river
steamboat. The first issue of this pa
per, the Dubuque Visitor, appeared on
May H. II is said that the Visitor was
The only paper north of st. Louis and
west of the Mississippi river at that
time.
The press, In 1913, for some reason
or other. was sold to three representa-
tives of a stock concern J. Allen Bar
Der, Daniel Benfill and Nelson Derby,
who latter was 10 become Wisconsn's
first governor These men took the
press across the river to Lancaster,
Wis. to print the Grant County Her
aid, of which l.. o. Schrader was the
first editor
M Il.rf tat In
hands of James M. Goodhue, lawyer
by profession and a fighting editor OF
the old school. Goodhue In the spring
of 1S49 shipped his press up the river
TO st. Paul, Mimi. where he founded
the Pioneer, which years .afterward be-
came the Pioneer Press
'in 1855 the press passed into the
hands of Jeremiah Russell, who took II
TO Sank Rapids to use In printing an
other pioneer venture, the Frontiers
man. After that II changed hands fire.
Quently. 1t printed among other pub
locations the Sank Valley Press con-
Quoted by Herman Muhlenberg, state
adjutant general. The material Of this
publication was later sold to the Lind
strom Citizen, Swedish newspaper.
Shortly after this old press found Its
last home In the state museum In st.
Paul.
"Gov. Samuel J. Albright, associate
editor OF the St Paul paper, purchased
the press in 1853. Carried 1t 400 miles
across the pralrles to Sioux Falls, Da-
kota Territory, where, July 3, 1852 he
established and printed the Dakota
Democrat.
During the Indian hostlities of
1862, Sioux Falls was abandoned and
the Indians took possession of the
place. They found the old press and
broke 1t to pieces. The settlers found
the fragments but could not put 1t to-
gether again. Senator II. f. Pettigrew
of Sioux Falls Is understood to have
secured the plate and made from II a
doorstep.
'"The South Dakota story has been
verified satisfactorily so far as. the
South Dakota department is Con-
cerned. by Governor Albright, who
wrote In regard TO 1t that 1T was so
stated. so understood and believe, so
published upon its removal to Dakota
''But, on the other hand. In the Min
nesota museum stands a press which
is claimed to be the one In dispute.
This one is simply constructed and
from Its appearance might have print
ed every pioneer newspaper in the
Northwest. Whatever the true story
of the identity of the press may be, 1t
is well worth contention"