Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1921-02-09
is old NEWSPAPER
Baltimore Americans Long and
Eventful History.
First Issued in 1878, the Newspaper
7as Continued Without a Break
Until the Present Day.


Many people find fascination In
old newspapers. They like to read
nat such and such a paper is tho old
est in the country, or the first one
published in such and such a city.
And when a newspaper changes own
ers, says writer in the Christian
Science Monitor, it is always sure of
finding interested readers for the
scraps of its own history which st
prints along with the announcement
Of the change. Thus when Frank A.
Munsey's New York Herald. in an
nOuneing recently Mr.. Munsey's pur-
chase of the Baltimore American, re-
ferred TO the American as colder than
the government of the United States
itself" aud as the second oldest news
paper in America" many who saw The
iNm found their thoughts turning
back to the days when newspapers
we're far less common than they are
today. But presumably none were
misled into taking that statement to
Indicate that the American was the
United States OF course, there were
many before ii. The Baltimore Amer
lean was first issued on August 20,
1773 It's founder was that William
Goddard who was at the time editor
Of the Pennsylvania Chronicle of PHIL
adelphia. and who. on the occasion Of
a visit to Baltimore. was urged TO I'M
derrake a publication there. The Bal
timore American was not specifically.
the paper which Goddard founded in
Baltimore His first issue there ap-
peared under the title of the Maryland
Journal and Baltimore Advertiser, and
continued under that title until an
other Philadelphian went to Baltimore
and, purchasing the newspapers,
changed Its name to the Baltimore
American and Commercial Intelli-
geneer, Thus the name Baltimore
American first served as the heading
for the newspaper in 1895.
Bat William Goddard was already
newspaper man of demonstrated en-
terprise and ability, even before his
experience with the Pennsylvania
Chronicle. Apparently he had served
as an editor in New York, and GER
tainly he had had newspaper expert
ence in Providence, II. l., where he
established the Providence Gazette and
Journal in 1862 Thus Goddard him
self appears to have had some connec-
tion with at least three newspapers
before he ever thought of the one
which eventually became the Balti-
more American. And journalistic his
tory brings up a number of newspaper
titles which were antecedent to his
Baltimore foundation There was the
New England group of which the
Boston Newsletter first appeared on
April "a. 1904, and early found rivals
in the Boston Gazette. Initiated De
cember 81. 1719. and the New England
Courant. appearing on August Z. 1921.
The first newspaper In the middle colo
MES, the American Mercury OF Phila-
delphia, began publication on Deem
her %. 1910 The Pennsylvania Ga
zette, with which Benjamin Frankiin's
name was associated appeared on De
cember "a, 1928. Ahead of Goddard
IN Maryland, William Parks. who had
been made public printer there. es-
tablished the Maryland Gazette at
Annapolis, on September 10. 1927. But
the Baltimore American gained its
temporary precedence over newspapers
now in existence and claims its tirle
as the second oldest In America. for
continuing issues without break from
the day when Goddard first issued the
Maryland Journal in 1878.