The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-01-29
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 dispatch to the
Minneapolis Journal
The historic printing press, an old
Washington hand-press, which, II Is
claimed, printed the first newspaper In
the Northwest, is now In the hands of
the Minnesota Historical society. The
Minnesota contention as to the history
of the press is substantially as fol-
lows:
"its active career began back In 1886,
when John King of Dubuque pur-
chased II In Cincinnati. He arrived In
Dubuque with the new press on May
i, 1886. after tedious trip on river
steamboat The first issue of this pa
per, the Dubuque Visitor, appeared on
May IL. 1t 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 stock concern, J. Allen Bar
ber, Daniel Benfill and Nelson Derby,
who latter was to become Wisconsin'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.
"The Herald passed finally into the
hands of James M. Goodhue, lawyer
by profession and q fighting editor OF
the old school. Goodhue in the spring
of 1Sf9 shipped his press up the river
to st. Paul, Mimi, where he founded
the Pioneer, which years afterward be-
came the Pioneer Press.
'1n 1855 me press passed into the
hands of jeremiah Russell, who took 10
to Sauk Rapids to use in printing ar
other pioneer venture, the Frontiers
man. After that it changed hands fire.
guently. 1t printed among other pub
lications the Sauk Valley Press con-
Quoted by Herman Muhlenberg, state
adjutant general. The material of this
publication was later sold to the Lind
strom Citizen, a Swedish newspaper.
last home In the state museum in st.
Peul.
"Gov. Samuel ]. Albright, associate
editor of the st. Paul paper. purchased
the press in 1858. carried 1t 400 miles
across the prairies to Sioux Falls, Da-
kota Territory, where, July 3, 1859. he
established and printed the Dakota
Democrat.
During the Indian hostillties cf
1862. Sioux Falls was abandoned and
the Indians took possession of the
place. They found the old press and
broke II TO pieces. The settlers found
the fragments but could not put II to-
rether again. Senator r. T. Pettigrew
of Sioux Falls Is understood to have
secured the plate and made from II
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 It that 1T was so
stated, so understood and, I believe, so
published upon its removal to Dakorl.'
"But, on the other hand, In the Mn
nesota museum stands press which
is claimed to be the one in dlspg'e,
This one II simply constructed end
from its appearance might have print
ed every pioneer newspaper IN the
Northwest. Whatever the trrr stcry
of the identity of the press may De- It
is well worth contention"