The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1947-03-20
Horse And Buggy Days
BY IDA 10 MARTIN

It is interesting to look through
old newspapers and notice the things
that happened years ago, and often
times the advertisements prove to
be quite amusing.
Recently an old newspaper - or
maybe l should say Journal-was
loaned to me by Paul w. Shank, of
Maugansville, whose hobby is col
lecting books and any old papers he
can get.
This paper is not a local, but it is
so old and that makes it quite in
teresting. 1t happens to be the first
issue and was printed on August 20,
1898. The name of the paper is 'The
Maryland Journal, and the Balti
more Advertiser"
1t is a four-page paper and it
must have been good grade of
paper, because it is still almost white.
The print is very easy to read, look
ing very much like the print in the
newspapers today, with the excep-
ton that the letter go resembles an
"f" There is only a slight differ
ence, but after reading a few lines
one becomes accustomed to it.
On the front page, beneath the
name of the paper, it reads: Con
tanning the Freshest Advices, both
Foreign and Domestic" The editor,
or printer. of the paper, was William
Goddard.
The following is a copy of the
editorial. 1 enjoyed it, but read it
for yourself and see if it reads like
the editorials of today:
TO THE PUBLIC
The great difficulty and experience
of speedily obtaining a proper as
sortment of printing Materials, an
inadequate number of subscribers to
defray the charge of printing a
weekly newspaper, added to several
unfortunate events which have hap
pened to me, have been the reasons
why the Maryland Journal and Bal
timore Advertiser, so long expected,
hath not before made its appearance.
This L fiatter myself, will be con-
sidered an ample apology, in the
minds of the candid, for the long
delay in publishing it. Many gentle
men however, encouraging me to
hope for a considerable addition to
my list of subscribers, now venture
to send the first number abroad; and
while l solicit the further encour-
agement of the public, | humbly be-
speak candid reception for this be-
ginning, which, l am sensible, must
appear under many disadvantages,
as l have not yet been able to es-
tablish special post from this place
to Philadelphia, for the purpose of
bringing down, in due season, the
latest papers
was aware when it was first
proposed to me to undertake a news
paper in this town, that although
1t possessed many advantages in
point of situation, yet it was i'm
practicable to print such a one as
would suit this part of the country,
without establishing a rider from
Baltimore to Philadelphia, to set out
from the last mentioned place early
on Monday morning, and to arrive
here on Tuesday evening, whereby
l should receive the Massachusetts,
Connecticut, NewYor}z, Pennsylvania
and sometimes the British and Irish
papers, and be enabled to publish
the Journal, with the freshest adj
vices deliver it to the customers in
town, and forward it to Annapolis
and the lower counties, on Thursday
morning, several hours before the
arrival of the Kings Post
After what l have already pub
lished touching the plan propose to
pursue in conducting this paper, lit
tie think, need be. added shall
content myself, therefore, with as
surfing the public that 1 am deter
mined that nothing shall induce me
to depart from the engagements 1
have made in my proposals and in
short, that it is my resolution to
continue the Maryland Journal, &c,
in the following manner-viz.
First-That the paper shall be pub
ished every Thursday (unless an
other day should prove more agree
able to the customers) and shall con-
tain not only the public news, which
I shall collect and compile with the
greatest care, but on failure of anec-
dotes of that sort, I will supply the
room with such moral pieces, from
the best writers, as will conduce
most to inculcate good principles and
humane behaviour, and now and
then with pieces of wit and humour,