Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-14
OLDEST j. S.PAPER
ENDS TOOTH YEAR
Maryland Gazette 10 Mark
Historic Career With
Souvenir Edition.

Americas oldest newspaper. the
Maryland Gazette, published at An
napolis Nd. will close rs 200th
volume on September Is, and the pres.
ent owners are preparing an elaborate
150.page souvenir historical book to
properly observe a memorable occa.
sion in Journalism in the United
States.
Two Hundred Years With the
Maryland Gazette" Is the title Of the
souvenir, which will be supplied all
subscribers to the paper. which circu.
lates largely in Anne Arundel
County. and it is dedicated to WI.
liam Parks. who established on Sep.
TENDER 10. 1877. the Maryland
Wood Cuts Used In 1928.
A feature of the book, which Is
profusely illustrated and contains
many reproductions from early copies
of the Maryland Gazette, is a fac.
smile of the front page of the issue
OF Tuesday, December II. 1928. Wood
cuts OF Neptune and, Mercury flank
the masthead of this issue, which, as
was characteristic Of the early news
papers, contains no headlines what.
ever.
1t is interesting to note that the
issue in July, 1776, carrying the text
OF the Declaration of Independence
mas this front page story" buried
on the second page. In defense of
the editorial Judgment of the Gazette
Is pointed out that the Declaration
had In substance several times been
adopted by the States individually
and Its adoption by the Continental
congress was regarded more or less
OF matter of form.
Ferhaps the most interesting issues
or the Maryland Gazette, four of
Whlch are reproduced in the souvenir
book, are those known as THE
Famous Stamp Tax Series"
Paper Dressed in Mourning.
Dressed in mourning the Thursday.
october 10, 1865, issue of the Gazette
states in its heading: Expiring: In
Uncertain Hopes of Resurrection Of
Life Again.
Explaining that the publisher of the
paper preferred to suspend publication
ra.ner than pay the despised stamp
tribute to England, the issue boldly
prints prominent black bordered
skull and crossbones where the stamn
was supposed to be affixed. The fol.
lowing quaint language Is employed
to advise the subscribers Of the Ga.
zette Of the situation.
we are sorry heartily sorry, to
acquaint the public in general and
our good customers in particular that
this Gazette will not any longer be
published for some time) for reasons
already given, which cannot but be
known. 1t is true, It might have
lived Three more Weeks, before that
Dooms.Day, the dreadful First Of
November; but as this Weeks PaDer
compleats the Year with all our old
customers, as well as finishes the
seven years partnership in it, between
the printers and that Dismal Day
being near at Hand, it ceases Now"
When the Maryland Gazette re.
sumed publication after the Stamp Tax
series the top lines Of the paper read:
"An Apnarition Of The MARYLAND
| Gazette. Which is not Dead, but only
| Sleepeth."
State History Recounted.
Inasmuch as the Maryland Gazette
| covers in full the history Of MARYLAND
| the souvenir edition Of the earliest
Newspaper dwells at length on the his.
| tory of the State. Detailed stories and
| engravings are used of the six Lords
Baltimore, while important historical
documents and events are reproduced.
Commenting upon the history Of the
| earliest newspapers in the American
colonies the publishers Of the souvenir
| state:
| THE first newspaper to be published
| in British America was the Boston
News Letter, established in 1904. The
second newspaper. the Boston Gazette,
began In 1719. The American Weekly
Mercury was established in Philadel.
| phia in 1719, and New York printed
it's first newspaper in 1925. There
| was another paper started in Boston
in 1927. the New England Weekly,
and then, later the same year, the
Maryland Gazette. at Annapolis, print.
ed its first issue, numbering the sixth
newspaper or periodical to be estab.
| lished in America.
Gan have succumbed to the changes
Of the times. or the will Of tyrants.
Others have been established and
died, but down through the years the
Maryland Gazette has marched with
Father Time"
II. s. Parsons. acting chief of the
periodical division. Library OF Con
gress. in commenting on the Maryland
Gazette. says:
1.-THE Maryland Gazette Is the dean
Of present.day American newspapers
All that began to publish earlier have
long since ceased"
|
It takes az soldiers to operate one
of the big 12inch disappearing gun
at Fort Monroe. where Coast Artiller,
' TyS ~ 10,