Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 October 1885 — Old Newspapers. [ARTICLE]

Old Newspapers.

The Indiana Farmer having stated that the first newspaper ever published west of Cincinnati was the Vincennes Sun in 1806, the next the Missouri Gazette, of St. Louis, in 1808, afterward merged into the present Republican, and the third the Illinois Gazette, at Kankakee, 111., C. F. Clarkson, in the Des Moines Register, comments as follows: There are two slight errors in the foregoing paragraph from the Indiana Farmer, and they may as well be corrected while men are living who can do it. The Vincennes Sun was commenced by Elihu Stout, in 1804. And the Missouri Gazette, the first paper published at St. Louis, Louisiana (now Missouri), was started July 12, 1808. In the year 1800 Congress divided the Northwest Territory and established the Territory of Indiana, including all of what is now Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, and the seat of government was established at Vincennes, and Gen. Wm. H. Harrison was appointed Governor and Superintendent of Indian Affairs. At that time there were about 9,000 white inhabitants in all that vast Territory, and the Indian title was extinguished to but a small part of the Territory. But Gen. Harrison went to Vincennes, and soon found it necessary to have a man with a few printing materials to print the various documents he found necessary in the administraion of the Territory. About 1803 he induced a young man by the name of Stout to go there and occupy one corner of the blockhouse with a press and type, not with the idea of printing a newspaper, but of job printing. The writer has talked with General Harrison and also Mr. Stout about the first printing and the commencement tof the first paper in the Northwest Territory. Some time in the latter part of the year 1804 Mr. Stout, probably being out of employment, published the first number of the Vincennes Sun. It was a small concern, and was published semi-occasionally for the next nine years, during Avhich time the inhabitants there were in constant dread of their lives from hostile Indians, constantly stirred up by British agents and the turbulence of Tecumseh and the Prophet. Most of the time, except when the soldiers Avere in camp there, the inhabitants had to keep their block-houses constantly barricaded, so a very limited edition of the Sun could have been circulated if printed. But it was so irregular in its publication that the Indiana Farmer would be safe in saying it was started in 1806, or even in 1810, or really not until after the battle of Tippecanoe, in 1813. But the writer has pretty clear evidence of the date of the commencement of the Missouri Gazette, as he has before him as he writes. No. 3, dated July 26, 1808, and, as it was a weekly, would make the date of commencement July 12, 1808, by Joseph Charless.

It was the impression of Mr. Stout hat he published a paper at Vincennes efore one was started in Cincinnati. Bnt it mnst have been but a short time before, if at all. We have before us a copy of the Liberty Hall, published at Cincinnati, June 3, 1816, and it is a weekly paper, and this is No. 35 of the twelfth volume, which makes it at that time eleven years and thirty-five weeks old, which would fix the date of its commencement about December, 1805. Probably there may be older men, or older records, that may correct these dates. But history requires their being put upon record correctly now. Two young ladies were singing a duet in a concert room. A stranger, who had heard better performances, turned to one of the guests and said: “Does not that young lady in white sing awful?” “Excuse me,” replied the other, “I do not feel at liberty to express my sentiments; she is my sister.” “I beg your pardon, sir,” said the first speaker; “I mean the lady in blue.” “lou are perfectly right there,” replied the gentleman; “she is my wife.” * * * * Male weakness and loss of power promptly cured. Book, 10 oents In stamps. World’s Dispensary Medical Association, 663 Main Street, Buffalo, N. Y. , People who live in gas-houses had better not throw squibs.— Texas Siftings. Howe Scales, Trucks, Coffee Mills,Car-Start-ers, Harrison Conveyor Koad Scrapers. Catalogues of Borden, Selleck & Co., Chicago, IIL, Get Lyon’s Patent Heel Stiffeners applied to new boots and shoes before you wear them out —— | The Frazer Axle Grease is the very best. A trial will prove we are right. Best, easiest to use, and cheapest. Piso’S Bemedy for Catarrh. By druggists. 60c. If afflicted with Sore Eyes, use Dr. Isaac Thompson's Eye Water. Druggists sell It. 25c.