The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1928-06-07
Many Community .
Changes in Is Years
-By Asa VI. Wallace

The completion of sixty-one
years is quite time for any bust
ness to survive and continue going
strong.
The Sank Centre Herald, with
this issue, starts its sixty-second
volume.
The present editor of the Herald
had assumed that the Herald was
established the first Thursday in
June, 1868.
On checking over the file of the
first year of the Herald in the
archives of the Bryant Library we
were surprised to discover that the
first issue was published the first
Thursday in June, 1867. Mime
sofa was taken into statehood nine
years prior to the establishment of
the Herald.
Somewhere along the way prior
to the purchase of the paper by
the writer, Is years ago, volume
number has been dropped. In
order that there will be no con-
fusion in the future, the issue this
week will be Vol. 81, No. 1.
The Herald is the oldest paper
in Minnesota West of st. Cloud.
AS a matter of fact, when the paper
was established by j. H. Simonton,
it was the most Northwesterly
newspaper published in the United
States east of the Rocky Noun
tains. There was a small paper
published at Fort Gary (now Win
nipeg), Canada. At one period
the Herald was the official paper
for six counties, namely: Stearns,
Morrison, Todd, Douglas, Pope and
Otter Tail counties.
The first issue of the Herald
was printed on the first newspaper
press brought into Minnesota, and
used on the old St. Paul Pioneer.
This old Washington hand press
is now preserved by the Minnesota
Historical society.
During the 81 years of service,
except for short intervals, there
have been four editors-J. H.
Simonton, Charles Hendryx, Frank
M. Eddy, A. IN. Welles, and Asa
M. Wallace. All prior to the pres
ent edition were distinguished
newspaper men of their day and
the Herald has generally been rec
ognized as one of the leading rural
weeklies of Minnesota.
The Herald has often been cred
tied by other publishers as having
been a credit to Sank Centre.
With the completion of 81 years
of service to this community the
publishers believed it would be of
material benefit to future genera
tons to compile and publish the
history of this unusual community
from the very beginning to the
present day.
The task has been largely a
labor of love for the community.
When the writer first visited
Sank Centre in an official capacity
early in 1913 he fell in love with
the town. We had tired of a pol
itical job and were anxious to get
back to work at a profession we
had started Jan. %, 1881. Before
leaving we interrogated the Herald
publisher, our old friend A. M.
Welles, as to the possibility of
acquiring the Herald. He said it
was not for sale. He did promise,
however, that any time he should
put the property on the market we
would be given first chance. "A
letter early in July said he was
ready to sell. We took the first
train out Of st. Paul for Sank
Centre.
Mr.. Welles had cottage for the
summer at Little Birch Lake, Ward
Springs. He met US at the train,
and with jovial Tom Smith as the
driver we made the perilous
journey of those days to the lake.
Mr.. Welles was a confirmed
bachelor and a competent host. He
prepared a juicy steak, fed US
literally, furnished cigars, and
when we were comfortably seated
on theporch he said: "Wen, Asa,
I have decided to part with the
Herald" He stated his price. In
20 minutes the Herald changed
hands and the new owner took
possession Aug. 1, 1913.