Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 26, Number 1, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 29 June 1895 — Page 2

Vol. 26—No. 1.

THE MAIL

OBSERVES THE TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS FOUNDING.

The Business Men of Terre Haute to 1870 •N Shown BY The Mail'* Adv«»ll*lD* Columns—8outr of The Mall's Newsboj a Who

Bkve KiMii to BoilntM and Political froinlnenc*—C. W. Biowu't Reminis­

cences of Terre Haate Newspaper*.

MAJOR 0. J. 8MITH.

On Saturday, July 2, 1870, the first number of tbe Saturday Evening Mail was issued by O. J. Smith, who previous to that time had been associated with C. W. Brown in the publication of the Saturday Evening Gazette. The publication office was on the north side of Main street, between Fifth and Sixth streets, in one of the buildings razed to make way for tbe handsome building of tbe Havens A Geddes Co. Major Smith whs a member of one of the oldest fami­

lies

of tbe county, and served with distinction during the war as a member of the 71st Indiana. He was mustered into service as first lieutenant of Co. B, of that regiment, and by gallant conduct merited and received promotion, retiring at the close of tbe war with the rank of major. He was a vigorous writer and made The Mail a success from the start. He sold it to Perry S. Westfall in March, 1872, and for a number of years was con nected with tbe Daily Express, and becoming attracted by the doctrines of the Greenback party, transferred his allegiance to that faith, taking with him the Express, leaving tbe Republicans without an official organ in this city. His zeal for the cause was intense, and the Express gained a power and influence, and what was eminently pleasing in the business office, a circulation scarcely expected in any other than a metropolitan Journal. Major Smith's vigorous, convincing style, and his own striking personality, led many an old-time Republican to foisake bis party and cast his fortunes with the new organization that for a time threatened to sweep the old parties out of existence. While the greenback oraze was at its height he removed to Chicago and established the Chicago Express, which also wielded a great Influence. Major Smith, with Geo. W. Cummings, a Terre Haute boy, who was city editor of The Mall at the time it was started, and several other gentleman, were the founders of the American Press Association, which furnishes

4'plate"

matter to newspapers. It is the

largest association of tbe kind in the country, and hai made Its founders wealthy. Major Smith is Its president, and haa bis headquarters at tbe main office in New York City. He Uvea at Dobbs' Ferry, a beautiful resort on the Hudson river, and a place of great his toric interest. George W. Cummings Is secretary of tbe company, and is also located In New York City.

In addition to George W. Cummings, above referred to, J. S. Dlckerson was a

PKRUY 8. WESTKAl.U.

tneirber of The Mail local for**. He was a brilliant writer, who afterwads attained national reputation as a oorree pond en He died several yew* ago In -St. Paul, Minnesota, where he was a member ol the staff of the Pioneer-Press.

In the oomposing room of the new paper, Harvey O. Carr was foreman. Mr. Carr removed to Grand Rapids a num* ber of years ago, and is one of tbat city's most prominent men. He is superin

mmm*

tendent of police, and is also secretary of the national aaaooiation of polioe superintendent*. The compositors employed were Jaoob W. Clifton, who ia still a resident of tbia olty, and a printer on the Tribune, William Stanail, now in Buffalo, N. Y., Miss Emma Baber, who waa the first female compositor employed in this oity, and Emil Langen, who was the "cob" or "printers' devil." The present whereabouts of the young lady are unknown, but Mr. Langen ia now a oookkeeper in St. Louis. William Fritz, now foreman of the Globe Printing House, was pressman on the first edition of The Mail, whloh was printed on the presses of the Terre Haute Printing Co.

THE BUSINESS MEN OF LONO AQO. Here is a list of the busineas and professional men, of Terre Haute, whose advertisements appeared in the earlier issues of The Mail:

Terre Haate Printing House, O. J. Smith A C. proprietors, 142 Main stretft. New York store, Wittenberg, Ruschanpt A Co., proprietors, 78 Main street.

Kussner's Palace of Music, south aide of public square. Kuppeuhelraer A Bra., clothiers, 80 Main

Moore A Hagerty, tinners, 181 Main. T. M. Brasher, carpenter, corner Fifth and Walnut.

Lainoreux & Stimson, marble and granite works, Slxtn street, opposite Dowilng hall. John R. Freeir an, Jeweler, iSo. Warren block, 91 Main.

Hudson A East, 133 Main street, dealers in queensware. Jo es A Jones, "Q say yes Q," wholesale Implement dealers.

Terre Haute Commercial College, R. Garvin, principal, corner Fifth and Main. .v "Hykes" hat- store, 113 Main.

Warren, Hoberg A Co., successors to Edsall Co., dry goods corner Fourth and Main. O'Boyle Bros., wholesale and retail dealers in wts and shoes, 182 Main street.

C. C. r»mlth A Co., dealers In stoves, plows, etc., 50 and 52 Main street. Wabash Woolen Mills, G. F. Ellis, proprietor, northwest corner First and Walnut.

B. U. Cox & Co., booksellers, lc9 Main. Ouliok & Berry, drugs, corner Fourth and

Vigo Foundry and T. H. Car Works, Seath A Huger, proprietors, works on Canal street, between Main and Ohio.

Jcott, Oren A Co., carriage manufacturers, corner Main and First streets. Corey, Defrees A Co., hardware, 121 Main and 1 and 3 Fifth street.

Pioneer btove Warehouse, G. Foster Smith, 150 Main. Newhart's Plow Factory, Philip Newhart, proprietor, First near Main. 8. R. Henderson, stove dealer, 13 south Fourto street.

Boggs A Felt us, painters, Sixth, between Matn and Cherry. Terre Haute House, T. C. Buntln, proprietor. Street cars pass this house every ten minutes from depot and river. Artesian baths are connected with this house.

Manning A Maguire, painters, Ohio, between Fourth and Filth W. H. Scudder, confectionery, 194 Main st.

F. C. Crawford, boots and shoes.98 Matn. Jos. M. Lawrence, singer sewing machines, 83 Main.

Eagle Iron Works, Wm. J. Ball A Co., proprietors, corner First and Walnut. Tuell, Ripley A Deming, dry goods, corner Fifth and Main.

Eclipse Stable. Chadwlck A Monroe, pro-

Srietors,

south Fourth, between Main ana

hio, opposite old postoffice. U. R. Jeffers A Co, "Yankee Notions" and white goods, and cigars, 140 Main.

Hager A McKeen, fire and life insurance, office Dowilng hall. New York Tea Store, Perry S. Tuttle proprietor, 143 Main.

Jas. M. Lyons, hardware, 130 Mam. 8. a Kennedy A Co., dealers in wool, corner Main and Tenth streets.

Prairie City Planing Mills, Clift A Williams, corner Ninth and Mulberry.

Roue man A Borssum, tailors, 217 Main.

J. W. Mand, wood and willow ware, 9 Main street. M. M. Joab, attorney-at-law, Ohio, between Third and Fourth.

T. E. Lawes, agricultural Implements, cor ner Third and Cherry. Bsrtiett A Co. booksellers, the new opera bouse, 101 Main street.

Dan'l Brown, queensware, 78 Main street. What changes twenty-five years have wrought!. Of all this long list of men who were prominent in Terre Haute business circles a quarter of a century ago, not more than eight are now identified with ber business establishments.

8ALR OF THE MA1I..

On the 2d day of March, 1872, Perry 8. Westfall, who bad been connected with tbe newspaper business In Terre Haute since 1857, when be became foreman of tbe Daily Express oomposing room, Coi. R. N. Hudson being at that time the editor and proprietor, purobased The Mail of Major Smith. His industry while oonneoted with the Express was almost proverbial, and he gradually rose, until just before purchasing The Mall be was at one and tbe same time business manager, loeal editor, bookkeeper and advertising solloltor of the Dally Express, while be at tbe same time maintained a partial supervision over the mechanical department. Bach industry when applied to his own enterprise could not fail to bring Its reward, and tbe success of The Mail noder his ownership was phenomenal. Many new features were introduced and the sprightly "Town Talk" and sedate "Husks and Nubbins" are well remembered. Liter contributors whose writings added interest to The Mail were Mrs. Ida A. Harper and "Susan Perkins," whose racy letters created a sensation whenever they appeared. The identity of "Susan Perkins" was so sacredly preserved that it is yet a matter of conjecture as to whose sarcastic pen waa employed.

For seventeen years Mr. Westfall conducted The Mail, making for it a name tbat was known tbe whole country over. On tbe l?th day of January, 1889, be passed to the reward that Is given to those who are honorable and upright in their dealing* with tbe world, and thoughtful, kind and generous to alt with whom they oome In contact—for all those attributes were characteristic of Perry Westfall, than whom no better, purer man, or truer friend, ever lived. In a sketch of this character It is almost impossible to keep from growing personally reminiscent. The sen lor member of the present firm of proprietors of The Mall received his first knowledge of the

Coi,. TIIOS. II. NELSON. COL. WM. E. MCLEAN..

TERRE HAUTE, END., SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 29, 1895.

printing business more than eighteen years ago in the oomposing room of Tbe Mall upder the direction of Mr. Westfall, who from that tlmejantll the hour of his death, was a sincere friend and kindly adviser of the writer of ibis artl ole. One of the saddest duties tbe latter was ever called upon to perform waa that of preparing for Mr. Weatfall's own paper, a memorial announcing the death of the proprietor. He may be pardoned, therefore, for thus lapsing in to personalities to pay this tribute to tbe memory of a good man whose life was a shining example of virtue, honesty and energy.

After the death of Mr. Westfall The Mail was oonduoted on its former lines, by his eldest son, Edwin P. Westfall, who had been oonneoted with the paper from his youth, and waa familiar with the details of ita management, in the mechanical as well a* the business department. With his knowledge of the business be was well qualified to assume tbe responsibilities thus thrown upon his shoulders and the paper continued in its career of prosperity. Mr. Westfall had assooiated with him in the editorial department at various times Wm. H. Duncan, a writer of great foroe and who had much experience as the editor of the Dally Express, and who was a newspaper correspondent of ability. He filled an important position under the department of tbe Interior, whloh he gave up to return to .Terre Haute Douglass H. Smith, at one time editor of the Daily

WM

and 8, R. Henderson lives in Los Angeles. Cal., and is still in the newspaper business.

COI,. R. W. THOMPSON.'

TERRE HAUTE'S BIG FIVE.

No other city in the entire land can boast of five such distinguished citizens as are shown in the above group. Their rcpntation is not simply lojal. While they are held in the highest esteem by their fellow citizens, among whom their lives have been spent, they are known the whole country over for the prominence they have obtained in public affairs.

Col. Richard W. Thompson, "the old man eloquent," the advocate of protection, with all its ben. eflts, is the idol, not only of Terre Haute and Indiana Republicans, but of the members of that faith the country over. He served with distinction as secretary of the navy under President Hayes, and has filled many positions of honor and trust, and always with great credit. He recently celebrated his 86th birthday, and, if the people of Terre Haute could have their way, he would live &1 wnys,

Col. Thomas H. Nelson, for a man of his extreme youth, has filled several Important stations in his country's service. He was minister to Chile during Lincoln's administration, and when Gen. Grant became president, among his first appointments jwas that of Col. Nelson as minister to Mexico, where he served as dean of the diplomatic corps.

Senator Daniel W. Voorhees, the "Tall Sycamore of the Wabash," the idol of Hoosier Democracy, troe to his friends at all times and under all circumstances, silver-tongued and convincing, what Terre Hautcan can but feel a pride in him, whether or not he agrees with him in his political opinions.

Col William E. McLean, who has served his state and country in various capacities, is a shining member of the above group.

A gallant

News, and a writer of great promise, and W. Arnold Layman, a graduate of the Rose Polytechnic, who bad a natural aptitude for the newspaper business, but who surrendered bis ambition ita tbat direction to devote himself to the study of electricity, being connected at present with the Wagner KlectrioCo., of St. Louis.

Tbe present proprietors of Tbe Mall assumed control on tbe first day of August, 1893, and Its history since tbat time Is familiar to the public. ft

THK DAILY WATFC.

During the exciting campaign of 1878 tbe Republicans were left for a time without a political organ, and for three months a dclly edition of The Mail was published in the Interests of tbat party. Mr. Westfall bad charge of its business management, white bis editorial assistant* were the Rev. E. Frank Howe, then pastor of tbe Congregational Church, and an able writer John O. Hardesty, who Is still writing vlf- rous Republican editorials for tbe At. Vrson Times, of which be Is proprietor*. *!. R, Henderson, wbo was for a long, .ime oonneoted with the Saturday M^ j^tnd Lawrenoe Hudson, who was rtu' and one of the brightest yc.-^ who ever figured in local jofj Of these men tbe Rev. Mr. Lawrenoe Hudson are dead,1 desty Is In Anderson, as bef|:

THE MAIL'S »gW81»«(WM«

The pride of The Mail has ever been Its newsboys. From tbe date of its first issue it has bad gathered arunnd it a group of bright-faced, hustling little fellows, getting their first ideas of business, by selling on the streets every Saturday the paper tbat has always been so cordially welcomed in every household in the oity. They are so different from the general run of newsboys to be found in the great olties tbat they are not to be mentioned in the same breath. They are not hoodlums—as is too often the case with the great city newsboys—but come from the homes of the rich as well as from those perhaps not so well blessed in this world's goods —ambitious and energetic—to them The Mail greatly owes it's prosperity. Many a man now prominent among tbe business men in this community made his start in life as a Mail newsboy, and still retains in bis heart a tender spot for The Mail and tbe associations tbat cluster around it.

Glancing through the record in The Mail offloe we find among the names of newsboys tbat of James W. Land rum, tbe successful manager of the Terre Haute Coal and Lime Company, who was one of its first carriers, and who still preserves with much pride bis first route book. Spencer F. Ball, who clung to the newspaper business, and to whose

•%L:a SENATOR D. W. VOORHEES. PRESIDENT W. MCKHEN.

soldier, an eloquent orator, he filled one of the most Im­

portant positions at the hands of the former Cleveland administration, that of deputy commissioner of pensions. William R. McKeen, for twenty-eight years president of the T. H. & I. and in point of service next to the oldest railroad president in the country, Is one of the best known of Indiana's citizefi*, a bighearted, generous man, who has done much to promote the prosperity of Terre Haute.

energetic management the present great prosperity of the Daily Gazette is due. Charles W. Conn was a Mail boy once, and little thought, doubtless,* that be would be tbe cashier of as successful an institution as the Vigo County Na tlonal Bank, which position be held before going into business for himself in Chicago. Charles Baur was among them, too, and a good one be must have been to develop into one of tbe shrewdest hotel managers fn tbe country. In the procession was Robert L. Hay man, who gathered some clever ideas about news papers In those days, for he well knows how to use them nowadays, when be is tbe most successful of all tbe managers of tbe numerous amusement places controlled by tbe Dicksons, wbo are well up as to bis abilities. Ernest Wbitebouse was a Mail newsboy, too, in those old days, and while perhaps the record he made Is not as enviable as that made by some of his associates, it can truly be said in his behalf that persecutions, as much as anything else—after be made his first misstep—led to bis downfall. Richard Purdon, who died this week In Colorado, and who was an assistant superintendent of one of tbe divisions of tbe Rook Island system, was a Mail newsboy.

Fnnk Teel, tbe clever assistant cashier of tbe First National bank, had a Mail route then, as did John Seaman,

it

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who is tbe successful manager of F. J. Biel'a wholesale tobacco business. Sam Farmer sold Mails, too, and it is to be hoped tbat he was more successful as a newsboy than be has been since as a prizefighter. Ed. Moorebead, wbo is a successful physician in Chicago, Louis D. Smith, tbe newsdealer and tioket broker, George Maier, secretary of the Terre Haute Brewing Co Eugene Hess, wbo is bookkeeper for a big Kansas City wholesale house, George Hollo way, tbe artlstlo photographer, were amona tbe crowd that every week beseiged The Mail's front doors in times gone by. So was "Willie" Dorsey, who has long since outgrown the Willie part of bis name, and is now "Colonel Bill," and after being assistant city engineer, is now oil inspector for this distriot under State Geologist W. S. Blatcbley Frank H. Cooper, ex-city engineer and tbe artistic designer of the cover of to-day's paper, is likewise a Mail graduate.

Among the others who may be mentioned as former newsboys of The Mail, is Albert Banta, wbo is in tbe wilds of western Texai, engaged with an unole in the lumber business. Wesley Glover is also in tbe lumber business in tbe northern part of the city, and Mort Gould is likewise in tbat business in Chicago, with bis father-in-law, ExMayor Dickason, of Danville, 111. Eugene Glover is in tbe drug store business in Denver, Col. Will Keiley and Charles Keiley were as energetio selling Mails then as they are now in soliciting insurance. Emo Bichowsky is manager of the "Sunny 8lope" vineyard, at San Gabriel, California and was back here this week visiting bis parents. Patrick Walsh was in it then, and as be witnesses some of bis colleagues scrap in the city council now, it probably reminds him of tbe wars tbat were indulged in, in the effort to get a plaoe in line. Cbas. C. Gifford, of the Big Four freight office, Max Frank who travels for aNew York house, Fred Tyler, the contractor, were among tbe earlier newsboys of The Mail, as was F. J. Piepenbrink, one ef the present proprietors. Further down in the years are to be found the names of Chas. Fox, bookkeeper for Nelson Morris fe Co., Thomas Shannon, the railroader, John Bryan, the paper-hanger, Martin Ryan, of the E. T. H. freight office, Miohael Ryan, molder, Adolph Neukom, bookkeeper for Stahl A Urban, John MoArthur, bookkeeper for the Terre Haute Coal and Lime Co., Chauncey Pointer, painter, Carl Wittenberg, the plumber, Herman Moencb, with A. Z. Foster, Ed Dorsey, formerly machinist at the Van shops, but now in the C. A E I. shops at Danville, 111., Chas. Hammerstein, of G. J. Hammerstein A Son, Edward Duncan and 3onny Walsh, of the fire department. Will Jtatzenbaoh, formerly passenger agent for the "Air Line" at St. Louis, Herbert Dickhout, formerly clerk in the secretary of state's office at Indianapolis, Thatcher Parker, formerly superintendent of a big machine shop at Burlington, Iowa, but now with his father, J. A. Parker, Fred Longman, of the Van auditor's office, Herbert Travioli. traveling man for E H. Bindley A Co., William Garvin, of Garvin Oommerclal College, Harry Burget, with one of the leading insurance companies in New York City, Fred

Freers, with the telephone company, Frank Buckingham, ex-actor, and Will Hamilton, deputy city clerk, Michael O'Brien, wbo now spells his name "Mique," one of the brightest reporters on tbe Cincinnati press, Frank Hedges, an expert with a large Chicago establishment, Chas. Wood, commonly known as "Cap.," traveling for a wholesale hat firm of Indianapolis, Ross Miller, tbe Vandalia engineer, Otto Brewer, with E. L. Feldler, the grocer, Clair Dobbs, with John G. Dobbs, furni ture, Albert Neukom, droggist, Louis Naylor, olerk Van freight office, Augustus Markle, the electrical expert, Willis Miller, real estate and insurance sgent, Adolph Joseph, clothing, Louis Katzenbacb, undertaker, Wm. Bensingor, machinist at Van shops, Robert Paige, assistant city engineer, Wm. Nasb, painter, Van shops, Will Neukom, druggist, Frank Connelly, of Wolf, Connelly & Johnsoo, Jacob Strauss, man ager Union Pacific Tea Co., George LiniK, policeman, Frank Borgstrom, of tbe Vigo County Bank. Lee Greiner, Harry Foulkes, of Schluer A Foulkes, James McGrew, night clerk at the National, and so on indefinitely. As they earnestly devoted their juvenile energies to their embryo business in those days, so are they as men devoting their time and energies to the calling of their maturer life—good citizens, assisting to promote and advance tbe welfare of the several communities In which tbey reside, May the isds who, to-day, just as earnestly devote their time to prospering The Mall, as did tbe boys named here, make au excellent record for themselves as bave tbe boys of old. And they will, too, for the future bankers, merchants, and professional men of this community, are to-day Tbe Mall's advance guards. Right well do they perform their work—may their shadows never grow less!

W. BROW.X'S RECOLLECT! NS.

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C. W. Brown, the veteran editor and printer, contributes to this number the following reminiscences of the newspa

rfr

rwenty-sixth Year.

per business in Terre Haute, which will prove of great interest in this connection. Besides Msjor O. J. Smith, Mr. Brown is the only living newspsper man who was engaged in tbe newspaper business in this city at the time Tbe Mail was started. Mr. Brown says:

Our recollections of personal journalism in the city during tbe last half century or more must necessarily be brief, as we write from memory alone. Tbe editor of tbe first paper published in the city, that of the Plow-Boy, of

EDWIN P. WESTFALL.

which we bave any knowledge was John W. Osborn, a somewhat eccentric and original obaracter, full of energy and vim, and possessed of no little amount of public spirit and enterprise, forsuoh he must bave bad in tbatdt»y and age(somewhere in the "twenties") to have engaged in tbe publication of a paper in tbe wildernes» then surrounding tbe village of Terre Haute—not possessed of over four or five hundred inhabitants. Tbe career of the Plow-Boy, though somewhat brief, fulfilled its mission, and prepared tbe way for other and more pretentious publio journals. Mr. Osborn was the father of Mrs. 8amuel B. Gookins, and Mrs. Solomon Claypool (long time citizens of this place) as well as grand father of Mrs. Faris, wife of our present congressman. Mr. Osborn long sinoe went to bis reward.

Tbe Wabash Courier,vedited and published by Thomas and John Dowling, and established a short time after tbe demise of the Plow-Bow, was a sprightly and well conducted journal, at the time we became conversant with its pages— in 1839. Messrs. Dowlings were practical printers, frequently occupying a place at the "oase" in preparing the paper for publication. As intimated, they were writers of no mean ability, cunning, shrewd and forcible in presenting their arguments. They represented the great Whig party, and their paper had a wide reputation throughout the oountry. In the canvass of 1840, when Harrison and Van Buren ran for president, perhaps no paper exerted a greater influence in procuring the election of William Henry Harrison to the presidency of the United States. The Dowlings were of Irish descent, and it was said that Thomas, tbe older of the two, was born on ship board while in transit from Ireland to this country. He, it will be recollected, died in this olty a few years back, after filling with credit many important publio places in the general government as well as In the county of his adoption. John, of whom we were not so well informed, died not many years back some where in the state of Virginia. He was a man of marked traits of character and for a time was state printer for Indiana.

After having disposed of their interest in the Wabash Courier to one Jesse Conard, who continued its publication for several years, Thomas Dowling started the Wabash Express—we think not latftr tban tbe fall of 1843. This be conducted for a few years with his usual energy and ability, when he sold the establishment to Bavid S. Danaldson, in 1845 or 1846, and retired permanently from tbe tripod. In tbis last enterprise Mr. Dowling was a supporter of the Tyler administration.

Jesse Conard, then, was tbe successor of Thomas and John Dowling in the publication of the Courier. All the older citizens recollect with what stately

C.W. BROWN.

pomposity Jesse walked up and down our street* for a number of years, inflated with tbe dignity of bis position as editor of tbe Courier. He was chiefly known among tbe printers as a man wbo would not pay his compositors if be could help it. He was not of much force or ability as a newspaper writer. He emigrated to this place from tbe city of Philadelphia, and appeared to labor under the impression that no one knew

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