The Wilmington morning star., 1947-02-16
BY RYE PAGE JR.,
Star-News Staff Writer

A lot OF water mas down
the historic Cape Fear river and
our section has undergone many
a change since 1867, the year the
oldest daily newspaper in North
Carolina came into being to greet
the residents of Southeastern
North Carolina each morning.
Oddly enough, The Morning Star
first appeared as an evening news
paper on September %, 1867, but
one month later it changed to the
morning field and during these 80
years has strived. together with
its younger partner, to give its
readers the best possible service.
The Wilmington News, the So
year-old contemporary. was start
ed by The Dispatch Publishing
company il January, 1894, as the
Wilmington Dispatch. The original
paper eventually operated under
several different names, finally
settling down to its present title.
Today's Star, The News and The
Sunday Star-News come to you as
established newspapers published
by the same organization for al
most two decades and with a
background of a total of 1873 years
service.
The founder of The Star was
Major W. H. Bernard, scion OF a
noted North Carolina family and
a native of Fayetteville. His rea-
son for selecting Wilmington as
the site for his newspaper was
that he looked upon the city, near
the scene of the Fort Fisher de-
bacle, as the logical place to be-
sin his campaign of restoring the
south to its pre-Civil war position.
The original newspaper was
quite different from the one you
receive today. The first issue con.
tanned six pages with five eight
inch columns 10 the page. The
paper has grown to any number
OF paees averaging from eight te
"a daily in these days of news
PRINT shortages.
The year 1910 saw The Star sold
to a stock company with William
E. Springer as president and
Joseph E. Thompson as vice-pres.
ide:lt and general manager. III
health or the part of Major Der
nard was the reason for the
change.
A group of stockholders COM
posed, among others, o. j.. o.
Carr, J. A. Taylor. w. H. Sprunt.
]. L. Sprunt, nj. W. jacob and
]. Holmes Davis purchased the
newspaper in 1919. This company
operated it until 1927.
In the meanwhile, The Dispatch
was publishing as an afternoon
paper operated by a company
composed Of James F. Perry,
Clayton C. R e d d, George W
Cameron and R. P. McClammy.
Perry was the first editor and the
first issue appeared on January
10. 1894. as a four-page, six
column sheet with a circulation oil
900.
The success of the new paper
vas short lived, however. and the
Dispatch ceased publication in
1923.
Sensing the need of an afternoon
newspaper, the Star rose to the
occasion and with only three days
notice started The News. r,
Determined not to give up SC
easy, The Dispatch a revived
and gave The News spirited com.
petition. The two papers. under
the. name of The News-Dispatch
were merged in October, 1923, anc
were operated by Joseph E
Thompson. C. c. Bellamy. anc
George McFarlane.
In 1927, The Star was sold te
the R. W. Page, ST., corporation
with R. B. Page, Sr., as publisher.
Two years later. the corporation
purchased The News-Dispatch anc
consolidated the papers under the
lile VI lne Slar-NeWS.
Page bought the Star-News l.
March, 1888, and continues as
publisher today. Under his guild,
ance, the paper has grown to be
one OF the most respected dali,
publications in the state and ha:
constantly advocated p r ogress il
Wilmington.
Some of the many achievement.
which The Star-News has been in
strumental in effecting in Wi
mlngton are the removal of toll,
over the Cape Fear river bridge
a free causeWay to Wrightsvill,
Eeach, paving o. Wriehtsvill,
Beach. parking meters for til,
city, traffic signals at importan
intersections within the city limit,
a ROTC unit for New Hanove
High school, an adequate airpor
at Bluethenthal field, air servic
: to this section, a deeper channe
from Wilmington to the sea-, SUP
plement il the school budget. Cit
council manaeer form of govern
: ment. the development of resort
in southeastern North Caroline
new industries. industrial agen
the North Carolina link of the II
tracoastal waterway, and. durin
S the war, Camp Davis and TT
North Carolina Shipbuildins con
pany.
n In order to encourage Wilmini
Ie tens we'll rounded advancement
y he policy of the paner lnclua'
t. advocacy of a Junior college.
Tuberculosis sanatorium, Sta
lPorts terminals. the continuatss