Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-09-15
A STEP in OUR HISTORY

A STEP in OUR HISTORY
With this weeks issue the Amer
lean starts out on Volume XIV and in
little different form, having changed
from six-column to seven-column pa
ges. For some time it has been a
ten-page paper. but by changing to
seven-column it will be possible to
get the material into eight pages.
When the. advertising is heavier it
will likely be necessary to make it
ten pages at times, even though there
are seven columns to the page, and
some times it may be necessary to in
crease it even to twelve pages. The
news and advertising columns are con-
stantly growing.
Having finished thirteen years of
pubhshing-over half way to the sill
yer jubilee-it seems natural to think
back to the days of the Americans
inception. 1t was started as an eight
page with six columns to the page,
four of the pages being furnished as
readyprint by the Western Newspaper
Union and four being printed at home.
1t was then printed on platen press,
one page at time. The circulation
was small to begin with so even
though it was printed one page at
time the press work task could be
overcome. 1t was one-man shop
then Tor rather man and wife) with
the same editor in charge as now and
the complete printing outfit represent
ed an investment of $3.50. After a
year and a half of struggling with
some discouragements, but with many
lifts and loyal support, the editors
brother joined in the business, MAX
ing it partnership and a two-man
shop. A half year later Linograph
typesetting machine was added to the
equipment and from then on the bus
mess developed. When the paper was
nearly three years old a cylinder
press was installed and it was turned
to all home print and all of it has
been printed at home since The
working force was increased steadily
as the job work department developed
and customers were gained in the
Twin Cities, Duluth, Chicago, and
many other places. The force is now
from six to ten people according to
the amount of work. Later a job
cylinder was added, an automatic job
press. much other equipment and
lately another Linograph typesetting
machine, so it is now a two-machine
shop.
In 1924 the business was incorpor-
ated under the firm name of American
Publishing Company taking in some
of the employees. ,
While the job department was stead
lily building up the newspaper-the
American-and the foundation of it
all-was not idle. The circulation
has increased from 200 or 300 copies
the first few months to where we are
now printing 1000 copies each week.
1t reaches well over the county, and
to folks who know about what the
average circulation of country week.
lies is, they will realize that a circu-
lation of 1000 by a paper published
in village of about $50 population
is little unusual. This is not men,
toned for the purpose of boasting, but
simply as giving the facts, and this
circulation could not have been at
tanned had it not been for the whole
hearted support of the local adver-
tisers and folks in general. Folks
here have wanted clean and newsy
paper-that is as 1t should be-and
we have constantly been put to the
task of doing our best. Editorial ex-
pressions have at times been a little
spicy-perhaps too severe-and we
have been criticised for it-and that
is also as it should be-we refer to
the criticism. We can not learn from
always agreeing on everything and it
is also likely that number of people
read the American because candid
opinions are frequently expressed
therein. AS Senator Shipstead recent
ly put it: Honest people can disagree
on issues" At any rate there is no
ill will on our part carried toward
anyone with whom we have disagreed.
The development of the American
has in a large part been due to a
corps of able correspondents, some of
whom have served faithfully almost
from the time the paper was started.
This job in many cases, perhaps in
all of them, is taken on by public
spirited citizens who wish to have
their various communities represented
In paper that is read over the coun-
ty. They wish to maintain weekly
column wherein the current news
events are given. announcements of
church services, community meetings.
farmers club meetings, and the like
are given publicity. for the informa-