The New York herald., 1922-07-02
Century of Arkansas Papers.

Century OF Arkansas Papers.
When the Territory Of Arkansas
was organized 103 years ago one Of
the first things that the scattered
population asked was newspaper
of its own. WILLIAM E. WOODRUFF,
Yankee born and sojourning at
Franklin, Tennessee, heard the call
and, collecting some type second
hand press and the other necessary
compliments of the craft, loaded the
outfit on a raft and fioated down
the Cumberland River. He drifted
then down the Ohio, Mississippi and
White and, finally landing at Arkan-
sas Post, he issued the first number
Of the Arkansas Gazette on Novem-
Der 20, 1919.
The Gazette is the oldest news
paper vast of the Mississippi. There
have been 1,437 newspapers estab-
lished in Arkansas since it first ap-
peared. The record for 100 years Of
these papers constitutes the interest
ing press history of the State which
the Gazette has compiled, county by
county, town by town, in celebration
of the fiftieth anniversary Of the Ar
kansas Press Association.
Most of the early Arkansas edi-
tors had a hard struggle, just as
WOODRUFF did. One editor, unable to
buy printing press, was ingenious
enough to make one. With this home
made contrivance he successfully
printed his paper for several years.
Another started his paper with sec
ond hand army press, handful OF
much worn type, discarded tomb
stone for an ink distributor and
pieces of pool table for reglet. An
editor returning from the civil war
found that his establishment had been
wrecked; he fshed press, type and a
keg of ink out of lake into which
/ they had ban thrown and resumed
publication.
One successful Arkansas editor,
when cub printer, set part of the
first edition of Uncle Toms Cabin
Another, born without arms, wrote
with pencil between his teeth. "And
he got out rattling good paper"
Colonel J. r. TAYLOR of the Para
gould Soliphone kept fire burning
in his Office during cold weather so
that any tramp printer who arrived
in the town late at night could have
a lodging place. "If the new arrival
was in want he was put on the pay
roll and kept at work until he was
able to go elsewhere, regardless Of the
needs OF the Office A Republican
editor, who had bought paper, found
that his Democratic predecessor had
written political matter for and
printed one side of the paper. Too
poor to throw this away, he filled the
other side with matter devoted to the
interests Of the Republican party. CSC
the paper came out half and half"
Arkansas has been prolific in unus-
ual names for its newspapers. Several
towns had Busz-Sdio, one Rip-sc;s
and Rison, Cleveland county, a Band
sac. The Flying Needle was started
in Warren in 1880 and few years af.
terward a Western Boomerang al
Hampton. Garland county had 9
|, Horse shoe for almost fifty years and
Hot Springs a Thomas Cat. One lit
tie town had Tack Hammer, an
other a ScolpeI. One county sup
! ported a Serpent, another a Wa
EdgIc: one town had Wasp, severa
a Bee and a Hornet. A Locomotive
HeadHght, several Guards, a Can
: non Ball. Log Cabin, Spy, ,
Widow'S Mite and Kingldnd Sdnc
nodded public opinion.
Naturally Arkansas has had man,
5 Democrdts--a True Democrat. Old
: Line Democrat, Independent Demo
y crdt. National Democrat, NeW Demo
; crdt and just Democrat. IL has ha'
a five Arkansas Trouciers. The first wa
$ issued at Bentonville in 1868; the bes
! known was the Traveller, transferre,
+ from the Ozarks to Little Rock ant
e edited for some time by 0PIE REAr
e The Pea Ridge Pod, issued from tn
o site of the civil war battle tough
s by General VAN Dorm and Genera
= Curtis in 1862, gained more than
state reputation. Local pride kept
a going until the price of paper soare
e and the paper was moved to Siloar
J. Springs. But the Pod could no
= thrive away from it's congenial ma
/ tive Pea Ridge.
: OF the 1.43s newspapers In Arkan
2 sss in the last 100 years 2S6 sur