The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1923-12-26
.OLD-TI VIRGINIA CITY PRINTER
OPERATED FIRST PRESS IN MONTANA
N. N. Manner, Former Virginia City Printer, Now in His 18th
Year, Gives Interesting Interview in Which He Tells of
Having Operated the Lever on the Old Washington Hand
Press of Montana Post, The First Newspaper Printed in The
State; Carried Gold Dust in Bags.

Early day residents of towns in the
pioneer west no doubt will remember
that their first newspapers were
printed on what was known as the
Washington hand press. The publish
ers who blazed the trails through the
west always extended a royal well
come to the tourist" printer, if he
was a "swift" at pulling the lever
of one of those historic printing ma
chimes.
Like in many other states in pi-
oneer periods, says the Montana Rec
ord-Herald, the Washington hand
press had its day in Montana. The
first newspaper published in Montana
was the Montana Post, published in
Virginia City, during the gold rush
days when the Vigilantes controlled
the law and order in this part of the
west. The Montana Post got its
start by being printed on a Washing
ton hand press, and n of the first
printers to "pull the lever" on this
press was M. M. Manner, who in the
latter years of his life IOf long ex-
periences has resided in Lebanon,
Ind, where for a long time he owned
and was employed in the job printing
business.
Mr.. Manner, now is his 18th year,
retired from the profession six years
ago. He now spends a goodly por-
ton of his time relating his early
day experience in Montana.
Recently he wrote a story of his
experiences in Montana which was
published in the indianapolis Daily
Star and also in the Lebanon Daily
Reporter, copies of which he sent The
Record-Herald.
Tells His Experiences.
This story from the pen of Mr.
Manner follows:
81 enjoy the distinction of having
pulled the lever of the hand printing
press that printed the first news.
paper issued in Montana, then a ter
ritory-the Montana Post. 1t made
its first appearance in Virginia City
in July or August, 1854. A MAJ
named John Buchanon was it's edi
tor. 1 had charge of the mechanical
department. The first issue contain
ed an account of our trip from Kal
ida, Putnam county, Ohio, iron
whence we came, to Virginia City
), Mont. This account was all we coul
j get to put in the paper, as the coun
s try was new, and woolly, no telt
graph or telephone to secure tn
news.
"We bought the material and out
. fit at st. Louis, Mo-, shipped it on
steamboat called the Yellowstone ar
went up the Missouri river, expec
ing to land at Fort Benton. We e,
II up the river about 80 miles belo
t. Fort Benton, where the boat was u
h. able to run the rapids, was caugl
by a swift current of water, whi'
Id forced it down the river for quite
distance, landing on an island. In
few days the water went down al
the boat was lying on the botto
er helpless. The freight was unload
c. and placed on the island; the prir
c, ing outfit was a part of the freigl
m After the boat had laid there a we
ay or ten days, a quick and hard re-
" fell raising the river about three fl
nd in a short time. They hnrriedly 6
up steam and SPARED the boat
nd deeper water. We were compel
az to remain there about two weeks l
ey til OK and mule teams came do
he from Fort Benton and took US,
j. printing outfit and other freight
to the fort. From there we @
~, veyed it to Virginia City in wag,
TO drawn by oxen
it's. First Copies Brought Good RstuI