Rock Island Argus., 1920-03-24
ARGUS HISTORY
ONE OF GROWTH
SINCE FOUNDED
For More Than Three
Score Years Paper
Published in City.

The first issue of the paper which |
afterwards became The Argus was
gotten out in a. rear room on the |
second floor of what was then !
known as the Whitaker & Everts
building located just east of the
present Argus building, Oct. Is,
1851.
1t began as the Rock Island Re-
publican and the adoption Of the |
present name was brought about in-
1855 by the formation Of an oppos-
ing political party which took the
one the paper bore. Its publication
was begun by Fred s. Nichols and
John w. Durham and the outfit
they used was a second hand one
purchased in St. Louis. Both part
ners had had considerable expert
ence in newspaper work previous
to their coming to Rock Island and
their acquaintance was formed
while they were working together
on the st. Louis Intelligencer.
DoulVEtu DuyS lulcIeSts
Nichols was q northern man and
Durham a southerner. The latter
soon became tired of the undertak-
ing and after six weeks he sold out
to his partner and returned to the
, south. Nichols continued alone till
November, 1852, when he sold q
half interest to J. B. Danforth, Jr.,
whose connection. with the paper
continued to a more or less extent
from that time till 1869.
Having acquired the interest Of
Nichols in the spring OF 1858 MIR.
Danforth continued as sole proprie-
tor three years, when a share was
purchased by Robert V. Shurley.
The Buford block ut the northeast
corner Of Second avenue and Sev-'
enteenth street, the first 4-story
building in the city, was completed
in 1854 and The Republican took
up quarters there which it retained
II years. July 13 of that year the
first daily was issued. At that time
there was no other daily nearer
than Dubuque.
Varied Experiences.
Sept. 16, 1857, Pershing & Con-
nelly, the latter Major H. C. Con-
nelly, then publishers Of the Rock
Islander, bought the interests not
owned by Mr.. Shur1ey and the title
OF the paper was changed to The
Rock Islander and Argus.
A week after this transaction Mr..
Shurley sold out to Milton Jones,
who held an editorial position on
the paper till 1881. Sept. 16, 1853,
J. B. Danforth again secured An in
terest, buying out Pershing & Con-
nelly, and the paper once more be-
came The Argus. In the meantime,
July Is, 1859, the daily was sus-
pended and a tri-weekly begun.
This was continued till Sept. l, 1861,
when the daily was resumed.
In 1869 Robert F. McNeal bought
out Mr.. Danforth, but Jan. l, 1870,
he in turn parted with his interests
to J. S. Drake and three years later
The Argus company was formed
and incorporated with a capital
stock OF $4,000. In 1871 the Bu-
ford heirs erected The Argus block
next the alley on thOeast side of
East Seventeenth street and the pa
per went into it's first exclusive
quarters. Ten years later Richard
son & Powers acquired a control
ling interest in the company. For
a Brief year they waged struggle
against adversely. At the end Of
that time. in 1881, financial reverses
necessitated q suspension Of the
paper. This under all ordinary cir
cumstances would have been the
end Of The Argus.
/ Mr.. P0aer's Management.
But a different fate was in store
for it. ]. W. Potter, publisher OF
the Freeport Bulletin, came upon
the scene at this critical juncture
and bought the wrecked newspaper,
sending his son, the late j. W. Pot
ter. Jr., here to manage it. The
first issue under the new manage
|, ment came out Aug. 2, 1882. In
May, 1885. the elder Mr.. Potter died
, and the son became sole owner.
When Mr.. Potter took charge d
The Argus there was little but the
name left and the task OF building
up a successful publication was one
which required great amount OF
persistent effort and enterprise, to
say nothing Of journalistic ability.
i In 1888 the old quarters on East
Seventeenth street were outgrown
, and during that season the building
, now occupied was purchased by
Mr.. Potter, remodeled and became
| the papers home, the removal TAX
ing place in June.
!. The first Daily Argus. which was
issued July Is. 1854. was an even
| ing paper. Dec. II. 1855. it was
. changed to q morning paper and
, published as such till Nov. Is. 1851
when evening publication Was again
, | resumed. and has been continued VI
J to the present. ....
j Upon Mr.. Potter's death in 1898
iThe J. w. Potter company was or
! ranized and the paper. has since
: been published under that corporate
name