1854-1878?.
Formerly The Eagle, when the name was changed, John B. Hay and William Orr, the latter a young man of brilliant talents and a fine newspaper writer, became the editors. This arrangement continued a short time. The office was sold to Edward R. Stuart and G.A. Harvey, who remained editors and publishers until September 3d, 1854, when William E. Hyde bought Stuart’s interest.
The firm of Hyde & Harvey continued until 1856, when Mr. Harvey became the sole owner of the office. He continued publication until July 1st, 1857, when he sold to Van Cleve and Weedin, owners and publishers of the Advocate. The Tribune was an eight-column folio, printed on a Hoe-press, the first power press in Belleville. The intention of the publishers was to make the Tribune office the best and most complete in southern Illinois, and for this purpose large sums of money were expended. But the failure of patrons to pay and the lack of sufficient means to carry on and tide it over the financial crisis of ’57 forced the proprietor to offer it for sale, and it found its way to the Advocate office, where so many of its predecessors had gone before.
(From the History of St. Clair County, Illinois ).
