it-registrationsstlmediahistory

When the Founder Left, the Paper Faltered

It was under favorable circumstances that Joseph Charless sold his paper and retired from editorial life in St. Louis. Under his skillful guardianship the Missouri Gazette had grown from a twelve-column paper printed on a sheet of foolscap, to twice that size printed on an imperial sheet. The number of subscribers consistently increased, from 174 at its beginning in 1808, to 1,000 by 1820. It was due to his tenacity of purpose, his untiring industry, ability and tact, and a strength of will which no disasters or threats could overcome, that Joseph Charless became a recognized influence in St. Louis during his lifetime, and his paper a living testimony to his energy and ability long after his death.

Upon the retirement of Charless, James C. Cummins became the new proprietor and editor of the Gazette. His first change was to substitute for the former motto of the paper another, “Principles Not Persons,” which he considered “more generally applicable to the duties of a newspaper editor.” The following year the office of the Gazette was moved from the southeast corner of Fifth and Market, where it had been since early in 1820, to a house on  Main Street, “nearly opposite the Copper and Tinware Manufactory of Messrs. Neal and Liggett. Another removal took place in December, when the Gazette “set up shop” in the “large house on Main St. owned by Detier, directly opposite the [establishment] of James Clemens & Co. and formerly occupied as the St. Louis [Enquirer} office.”

Cummins closed his account with the Missouri Gazette on March 6, 1822, just eighteen months after his purchase of the paper from Joseph Charless. On that day Edward Charless, son of the founder, became its new proprietor and editor, and a few weeks later changed its name to the Missouri Republican.

(From the dissertation Early St. Louis Newspapers, 1808 – 1850 by Dorothy Grace Brown, Washington University, 1931).

Even Competitors Admired His Effort

Charles Keemle returned to journalistic work in St. Louis on March 3, 1829, at which time he resuscitated the Enquirer, publishing it under a new title – the St. Louis Beacon. Its inauguration received a more favorable comment from the Republican than might have been expected: “The first number of The Beacon, published by C. Keemle, was delivered to its city subscribers yesterday. It is very neatly executed, and bids fair to become an interesting journal. The editor has our best wishes for success in an enterprise at all times arduous and often profitless.”

The Beacon, a twenty column paper, measuring approximately 14 ½ x 19 ½ inches, was published every Monday at a subscription price of three dollars a year. Keemle early associated with him a man by the name of Brooks, as illustrated by the fact that after June 27, 1829, the paper bore the names of Keemle and Brooks as co-editors. This partnership lasted until January 9, 1830, when it was dissolved by “mutual consent;” Charles Keemle continued as sole editor of the paper until its expiration.

On September 5, 1829, the paper was inaugurated as a semi-weekly, issued on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the increased price of five dollars a year. It continued to be published twice a week until March, 1830, when the Beacon again became a weekly. The editor explained his action in the following notice:

“Reflection and experience now induce us to return to our original plan – and for reason which we will endeavor briefly to state. In the first place, the labor consequent in the publication of a semi-weekly paper of such ponderous columns, and on the smallest kind of type that newspapers are ever printed, has, even for the brief period of time during which it has been published, made serious inroads on our health, and would, we are painfully convinced, in six months longer undermine and totally destroy that most inestimable of human blessings.”

“…But in coming to the determination to discontinue the semi-weekly paper, we have also resolved to issue the Beacon on a larger sheet, as soon as we can cause a corresponding enlargement of the press to be made. By this means we will be enabled to lay before our readers nearly the same quantity of original and selected matter that the semi-weekly paper has heretofore afforded…We have thought it proper to reduce the terms to two dollars and fifty cents per year, as will be perceived by reference to the head of the first column.” (St. Louis Beacon 3/4/1830)

…On November 3, [1831] the establishment was offered for sale. From then until the following September the history of the paper is obscure…On November 19, 1832, Charles Keemle left the firm…and shortly afterwards the Beacon’s light went out.

(From the dissertation Early St. Louis Newspapers, 1808 – 1850 by Dorothy Grace Brown, Washington University, 1931).

A Detailed Look at the Content of an Early St. Louis Newspaper

Here we have a copy of the “Missouri Republican, dated November 7, 1824, published by Edward Charless & Co. at the white house below the Catholic Church.”

On the first page we read various advertisements, “For Sale, 262 acres of first rate farming land lying about 8 miles north of St. Louis. It is mostly prairie with plenty of water and 20 acres in cultivation. Robert Wash.”

John O’Fallon publishes a notice of final settlement of the estates of William Stokes and Jeremiah Connor.

The United States Government inserted the following notice: “Citizens of the United States having claims under the Treaty of Ghent for slaves and other private property taken from them during the late war between the United States and Great Britain are notified to exhibit their claims.”

The St. Louis Agricultural Society sets forth a resolution to offer premiums for the best species of corn, wheat, tobacco and potatoes, and for the greatest number of wolf scalps killed by any one person or family, $20.00 in loan office money. The above premiums will be awarded at the house of Wm. C. Carr on his farm adjoining the City of St. Louis.

Then follows a “Proclamation by the Governor of the State of Missouri” offering a reward for the capture of an escaped convict. “Done at St. Charles the eighteenth day of October, A.D. one thousand eight hundred and twenty four and of the Independence of the United States the forty ninth. A. McNair. By the Governor, Wm. G. Pettus, Secretary of State.”

Another interesting advertisement says, “For Sale at Madame Landreville’s 25 yards of Rag Carpeting, manufactured by the Poor under the superintendence of the Female Charitable Society. It is wide and of good quality. Agnes P. Spaulding, Secretary.”

“Female Academy. Mrs. Mary L. Elliott would respectfully inform the public that the term for which she was engaged as an instructress by the Rev. Mr. Giddings having expired, she intends opening a school in the room under the Baptist Church. Her terms for tuition will be $5.00 per quarter and for the small Misses $3.00.”

Here follows a page of “Late News from Europe” several months old, telling of the successes of Greece in its war with Turkey. Then there is a bit of local news. “Homicide. Mr. William Smith, a native of Germany and a peaceable and good mechanic of this town, being a white smith by trade, was struck with a brickbat on Saturday evening last and died the next day. The person who committed this murderous deed has since absconded.”

That we had, even at that early date, “Letters from the People” is shown by the following, “I would suggest to the General Assembly the propriety of providing by law for the printing of the decisions of the Supreme Court of this State. Even lawyers and judges are unacquainted with them. One of the People.”

Here follows a copy of “An Ordinance to widen Market Street, East of Fourth Street, to fifty English feet in width.”

“Hugh Richards begs to inform the public that he will continue the manufacture of Tobacco, Segars and Snuff at the old stand on Main Street. Wanted two good hands for the making of segars.”

“Strayed or Stolen from Isaac Walker, an Indian of the Delaware tribe, at his encampment west of Chouteau’s Mill Pond, a black mare” etc. describing her.

“Cash will be paid by the subscriber for a negro boy between fourteen and twenty years of age, accustomed to farm work. Charles Chambers, near Florissant.”

“District of Missouri, City of St. Louis, District Court of the United States, September term 1824, ordered that the court will hold a special session on the Fourth Monday in November next under the authority of an Act of Congress entitled, An Act enabling the claimants to lands to institute proceedings to try the validity of their claims.”

Then there is a woodcut of a whiskey still with this announcement “Joseph Liggett has on hand a good assortment of Stills and Stew and Tea Kettles.”

1849 An interesting news item in the Missouri Republican of Jan. 15, 1849 is the following:

“Tea Party – To view the capacious room over the State Tobacco Warehouse, one would suppose it sufficient to accommodate as large a company as would participate in any public festival. Capacious as it is, however, the test made Saturday evening at evening at the German Ladies’ festival, given to raise funds to aid in the struggle for freedom now going on in the Fatherland, proved it insufficient. The room was beautifully decorated with paintings, banners and flags, the music (by the Laclede Band and Polyhymnia Society,) most excellent, the provision ample, and the order and general arrangements complete.”

(From The St. Louis Story by McCune Gill, 1952.)

A Terribly Written Effort to Impress New Readers

The combination of knowledge with labor, may be regarded as the only means of securing to the industrial classes their legitimate position in the ranks of civilization.

It is not sufficient that these classes should be acquainted with the details of the arts in which they are employed. They must advance a step further, and enlighten their minds with a knowledge of the science connected with their several pursuits; and they should, also, understand the relation which exists between the producers and the consumers of all the leading articles of human comfort.

Owing to the diversity and variety of human wants, a large portion of mankind must necessarily be employed in producing articles for the use and consumption of others; and hence arises the necessity of an exchange of products: the means of making these exchanges, so as to promote the interest of all classes, constitutes one of the great problems of political economy, and is alike interesting to both producer and consumer. The nearer these two classes can be brought together – other things being equal – the greater will be the advantage of each; for, it must be borne in mind that the labor and capital employed in these exchanges add nothing to the quantity or quality of the article, therefore if we analyze the subject, we shall discover that the merchant and the carrier derive all their support and profit from the labor of the producers; and hence it follows as an inevitable result, that the greater the distance and cost of making the exchanges, the greater will be the burthen imposed upon the producing classes. For, although the merchant and carrier are necessary agents, yet viewed abstractly, they may be considered as constituting a privileged (sic) class.

Impressed with the truth, as well as the importance of these propositions, the Editors of the Western Journal have entered upon its publication, with the design collecting and laying before the people of the Mississippi Valley, that class of facts and information which relate to the varied pursuits of the People. And, to enable them to do justice to the work which they have undertaken, they respectfully invite the agriculturist, the merchant, the manufacturer and the miner, to furnish the Journal with such facts and information as may be deemed useful and interesting to the public.

The Western Journal will contain an account of all valuable discoveries and improvements in agriculture, manufactures and the mechanic arts.

The leading and more important statistics of the agriculture, commerce, manufacturing, mining &c., of not only the Mississippi valley, but of the whole country, will be collected with care and fidelity, and laid before our readers in as concise and clear a form as their nature will admit.

It is our wish to collect at as early a period as practicable, a full and complete account of all the manufacturing establishments of whatsoever kind in the Mississippi valley; to the end, that we may be enabled to note the increase from year to year, so long as our Journal shall be continued.

Considering internal improvements as one of the great social agents of the age, we shall collect and publish such facts and information touching this subject as may be deemed useful to our readers.

Believing that our Republican form of government can only be sustained by the virtue and the intelligence of the people, we shall advocate the importance of establishing an efficient system of Education in the State of Missouri; one that shall secure sufficient instruction to every free white child within our limits, to enable it to read the Holy Scriptures and the Constitution of the State, and also, that each elector may be able to write his own ticket at the polls of an election. To enable us to better promote this important object, we shall be pleased to receive and publish the plans and suggestions of such patriotic individuals as may be willing to connect their names with this subject.

In the absence of more important and interesting matter, we shall endeavor to furnish our patrons with original essays upon the various subjects connected with the objects of our Journal; but we entertain a hope that the intelligence and public spirit of the people of the West will in due season relieve us from much of this labor by furnishing matter more interesting than our own productions.

We shall neither write nor publish any article which has reference merely to the politics of the State or general government; but in treating every subject which comes properly within the range of the objects proposed by this Journal, we shall seek for truth, and endeavor to establish it by the aid of reason, without reference to the private or political opinions of others. Unfortunately, political opinions have reference mainly to expedients, and change with the causes which give rise to them; – we aspire to an object more permanent – we aim to direct the mind of all classes to what we esteem their true interest, and to afford all the light in our power to direct them in its pursuit. We wish to see the almost boundless resources of this great valley developed, and to connect our humble names to its history.

(From the Western Journal, January, 1848).

Newspaper Takes Up the Effort to Promote St. Louis to St. Louisans

St. Louis has advertised to the world that it is a good city to live in, work in and play in. The Chamber of Commerce, Advertising Club, Convention Bureau and other business and civic organizations are exerting every effort to sell St. Louis to the universe. A local newspaper has conceived the idea of assisting the bodies that are elevating the city to a higher plane, by intensifying the civic interest of the local population.

The plan which is being executed by the St. Louis Star is intended to create not a passive, but an aggressive spirit of loyalty in St. Louisans. The most potent known power – advertising – is being used on a large scale to bring about the desired results. The slogan that The Star has adopted is “punchy” and brief – “If it helps St. Louis, BOOST it. If it doesn’t – FIGHT.”

Between forty and fifty bulletin boards and wall signs, located in well-traveled parts of the city, carry this message; it appears daily in the columns of The Star; banners posted on this newspaper’s fleet of trucks flaunt it before the eyes of thousands of people daily. Cards containing a colored reproduction of the design will be mailed to more than a thousand business firms, with the request that they be displayed where employees may easily see them.

If “charity begins at home,” then certainly the appreciation of St. Louis must originate in the same place. It is not to be doubted that St. Louisans realize the privilege and prestige of being identified with a city that has demonstrated progressiveness and enterprise as has this city in the past few years. But the fact that St. Louis must constantly be exploited in order to maintain its reputation and strength as a “live wire” cannot be over-emphasized to its people. It should become the individual determination of every man and woman who is proud of his and her home in the city, to broadcast that fact at every opportunity. If that determination can be instilled in at least a large percentage of St. Louis; if, likewise, a fighting spirit will be evidenced when malicious or hastily-uttered “knocks” are heard, then this city has accomplished something which is priceless and which constitutes the very essence  unlimited success.

“If it helps St. Louis, BOOST it. If it doesn’t – FIGHT.” These few words strike the keynote of the ideal civic attitude. The St. Louis Star is to be commended for creating the slogan and the plan of giving it such effective publicity.

(Originally published in Greater St. Louis October 1923).

A First-Class Newspaper

In politics, the Evening Post will be wholly independent of parties and politicians; it will favor honest money, a revenue tariff and a closed union of the States; it will recognize that the prosperity of the country can not be complete until the ample resources of the South are developed, and it will advocate the restoration of Southern prosperity through the exertion of the Southern people, and according to their wishes. It will defend honesty, solvency and property against the assaults of demagogues, and will not be disturbed in its defense of the vested interests of the country by any appeal to passion, prejudice or ignorance.

Its chief aim will be to give the news of the day in full up to the hour of going to press; it will make unsparing use of the telegraph, receiving the latest dispatches through the National Associated Press, and having its special agents in all prominent news centers.

Special attention will be paid to the Local News of St. Louis; and one of the objects of the paper will be to furnish a full Commercial Report of the day’s business. The markets will be reported in full, with all transactions, quotations and flutuations on ‘Change, giving all the news that has hitherto appeared only in the next day’s morning papers. The special attention of country merchants, buyers and shippers, and business men generally, is called to this feature of the Evening Post.

The Court proceedings will also be made a special feature of the daily news, and will be reported in full up to the last moment.
Theatrical, Musical and Literary items will receive proper recognition, and the departments of Fashion and Society will be in the hands of competent specialists. No improper matter of any kind will be admitted in its columns.