Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 17, Number 48, DeMotte, Jasper County, 24 October 1947 — Wallpaper Newspaper Relic of Civil War [ARTICLE]

Wallpaper Newspaper Relic of Civil War

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kiersma Of DeMotte Display Vicksburg, Miss.,-Edition Of July, 1863. A yellowed “wallpaper newspaper,” “The Daily Citizens” of Vicksburg, Miss., of July 2, 1863, vintage is being displayed by Mr.

and Mi’s. Rol>ert Kiersma of DeMotte who left it at this office today that we might have a “look-see” at the same. It belonged to Mrs. Kiersma’s late mother, Mrs. Blanche Aylesworth Gasaway. Many have heard, hut few have seen, the “wallpaper newspaper” of the Civil war years. Paper was so scarce at! that time that newspapers had to resort to wallpaper as a sub-' stitute for regular newsprint. The edition present by Mr , and Mrs Kiersma is a single-page publication. The back side of the! news sheet presents a pink and white flowered wallpaper pattern. Publisher of the old-time paper was J. M. Swords. The news, even the most startling, is condensed into paragraphs of a few lines. This significant note appears; in the paper: “July 4,’ 1863. “Two days bring about great : change. The banner of the Union I f loots over Vicksburg. General Grant has “caught the rabbit,” he j has dined in Vicksburg, and he did bring his dinner with him. The! ‘Citizen’ lives to see it. For the last time it appears on "wallpaper.” No more will it eulogize j the luxury of mule meat and fri- j cassed kitten-urge southern war- j riors to such diet nevermore. This j is the last wall-paper Citizen, and ; it is, except to note, from! types as we found them. It will be valuable herein as a criosity.”j

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Myer rehome Monday after spending a week in New’ York.

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Abbring returned home Tuesday night, after being in Detroit for a couple of days on business.