History of Reedsburg and the Upper Baraboo Valley, by Merton Edwin Krug, Publ. February 1929 by the author. Printed by Democrat Printing Company, Madison, Wis., Page 55-61
THE REEDSBURG HERALD
In the fall of 1856, some of the principal men of the village conceived the idea that a newspaper would add largely to its importance and a stock company was formed, with shares at five dollars each. Two printers, C. LOHMAN and P. RUGE, engaged the materials needed, and on the 21st of October of that year the first number of the Reedsburg Herald was issued. It was originally intended to make the paper independent in politics but upon counting the shares of stock it was found that all but three shares were held by Democrats, and, as partisan politics at that time ran high, it was determined by the stockholders to publish the paper in the interest of the Democratic party. It was a well-printed, twenty-eight column sheet, and unquestionably a credit to so young a place as Reedsburg. Joseph MACKEY, E. G. WHEELER and Samuel RAMSEY were announced as editors, and LOHMAN and RUGE as the publishers. How long RUGE was connected with the paper we can only conjecture, but LOHMAN remained nominally publisher until the fall of 1857.
The early annals contain a discreditable record of LOHMAN. He was dissipated, and was only retained by the stockholders, upon repeated promises of reformation, which he Has repeatedly violated. An amusing story concerning him and MACKEY is written:
He had been on an unusually long debauch, after which he was taken to task by a committee representing the shareholders, of whom MACKEY was one, and told that unless he reformed he would have to sever his connections with the paper. He appeared penitent, and pledged himself henceforth to total abstinence, and for a while really tried to reform. A few days after, MACKEY, in company with a friend or two, went into a saloon for beer. Just as the boniface was pouring out of the foaming amber liquid, and before it was raised to the lips, who should come in but LOHMAN! He cast a longing, pitiful look towards the filled glasses.
"Mr. MACKEY," he exclaimed, "that is a most beautiful beverage!"
LOHMAN soon relapsed into his drunken ways. In the fall of '57, having announced himself as agent to procure loans from the school fund, he was engaged by Mr. CARD of Winfield to negotiate a loan for him, which he did to the amount of five hundred dollars. But getting on a spree, on his way home from Madison, he spent, lost, or embezzled the money. He pretended that he had been robbed but the transaction put an end to the patience of the company, and he was discharged. For a few weeks, two printers, Andrew HOLT and George WING, were employed on the paper. But the financial crash, having begun to affect their resources unfavorably, it was necessary to retrench, and they employed N. V. CHANDLER, who had moved here in October, to get out the paper at a stipulated price per week, which he did until some time in February 1858, when, it having become evident that the publication would involve a continuing loss, the paper was discontinued. After that the Reedsburg Herald was no more.
In the meantime the town had grown considerably, and the surrounding community had been settled by pioneer farmers. The latter class are covered in the histories of the respective towns. From the advertisements in the Herald, we learn that at that time the following individuals were doing business in the village. This list is not inclusive:
E. G. WHEELER, J. MACKEY, E. W. OLIN, G. STEVENS and William MILES, Attorneys; Dr. Samuel RAMSEY, druggist; W. S. NORTHRUP, land-broker; A. H. CLARK, proprietor of livery stable; M. and E. W. YOUNG, GREEN and WATERMAN, J. JOHNSON and Co., J. KELLOGG and W. SHUMWAY, dealers in general merchandise; W. L. FULLER, artist; Mort FINCH, harness maker; W. W. WINCHESTER and Co., and George MEYERS, furniture manufacturers; T. LICHTENHEIM and Co., dealers in dry-goods and clothing; L. H. JEWETT, grocer; J. and S. MACKEY, manufacturers of lumber and flour; Amos PETTYES, tailor; J. and A. SMITH, proprietors of stage line; W. WARREN, blacksmith; D. WILSON, jeweler.
From 1858 until 1860, N. V. CHANDLER sought to eke out a livelihood doing job printing. These three years, as all the world knows, were among the most eventful years in the history of the United States. Daily developments were shaping to affect, in more than one way, every individual in the country. They were years of not merely political agitation or dissension, they were years that terminated in political and moral upheaval, years that were soon to write the most impressive chapter in the history of America - and Reedsburg.
People in those days were possessed of a party loyalty seldom known in rural sections now-a-days. Every man was interested in the great national issues, slavery and secession and in this particular community there seems to have been unusual interest. Mr. CHANDLER was avowedly an abolitionist, an ardent Republican, and a party enthusiast. Whereas the publishers of the Herald were Democrats, he saw an opportunity to begin a republican paper, knowing well that at that time the locality was of his party. The three years just passed were years when everybody's finances were unduly low, as a result of the crash of 1857. CHANDLER was as embarrassed as any citizen in the village, and lack of money to start with for a time threatened to defeat him in his newspaper project. E. G. WHEELER, who had acquired a controlling interest in the Herald, some time in the fall or winter of 1859-'60, sold the equipment to a New Lisbon man, so CHANDLER knew a press would have to be brought from out of town with considerable cost in moving it hither. With the sale of the Herald press CHANDLER's job printing was at an end, and he had no way of earning a living for his family. In his distraction he went to his friend, W. SHUMWAY, to whom he imparted the secret of his depleted finances, and sought advice on how he could restore his fortunes.
"Why don't you start a paper here?" said his advisor, more in suggestion than inquiry.
"Start a paper?" CHANDLER replied, not attempting to conceal his desire. "What have I got to start a paper with?"
"Circulate, counseled SHUMWAY, "a subscription among the business men."
CHANDLER was somewhat amused at the idea, but did not, at the movement, entertain it at all.
"How much will you give?" he shot at his companion testily.
"Oh, I will give something!" said SHUMWAY, indefinitely.
The conversation terminated, but for many days the idea remained with the would-be newspaperman, and its practicability and desirability were thoroughly weighed. In the meantime every other scheme for obtaining livelihood was considered, and the prospect looked gloomy enough. At the end of a few days he reached the conclusion that it could do no harm to try the experiment. Word had reached him that there was a second-hand press in good condition at Richland Center, which was for sale for $50, and he believed that for $200 he could get enough second-hand material to print a six-column paper.
Accordingly, he drew up a subscription paper, setting forth his intentions and promising that if $200 was raised he would establish a paper and publish it one year, refunding the amount in advertising, job work or subscription - no portion of the money to be paid to him until the first number appeared. Notwithstanding the liberality of this proposition, after two weeks persistent canvassing (during which he exhausted his powers of rhetoric and persuasion, and after demonstrating over and over again, to his own satisfaction, that if the amount was forthcoming the paper would be also, and that for one year, at least, Reedsburg would be represented among the newspaper towns of the state) he had obtained pledges aggregating only $165, in sums ranging from $5 to $20. At length, in desperation, he went to J. F. DANFORTH, who was known to have money, and proposed that if he would put his name down for the balance, $35, he would give him a mortgage on the material for the office, when procured, before demanding the money, and would repay the loan in cash, with lawful interest, then 12 per cent. After thinking the matter over a few days, he conferred with CHANDLER and, dipping his quill pen into ink, he affixed his signature to the paper.
As soon as DANFORTH gave his signature preparations were made for a journey to Richland Center. His departure was made at 11 A.M., in glowing sun and heat on the first of May, 1860. His route was through woods, over roads entirely unfamiliar and scarcely distinguishable, and often "blazed" trees were his only guidance. Nightfall overtook him six miles this side of his destination, and he put up at a farmhouse, where he obtained supper, slumber and breakfast, and in the morning continued his journey to the Center.
No time was lost in obtaining an interview with the owner of the press, and the terms were quickly agreed to - one was anxious to sell even as the other was anxious to buy. The sum of $50 was required for the press, and a hundred pounds of type were bought for fifteen cents per pound. When the question of pay came up a difficulty arose which threatened to be fatal to the enterprise. The owner knew no one in Reedsburg and CHANDLER knew no one at the Center. The latter offered a note signed by himself and two citizens of Reedsburg payable in two months. Finally the owner bethought him that he had a slight acquaintance with George FLAUTT, then a law student with one of the Reedsburg lawyers, to whom a letter was written, in which he stated that if FLAUTT would certify to the responsibility of his fellow-townsmen, CHANDLER, and his endorsers, the latter could have the press. CHANDLER immediately departed with the letter, and covering the distance of thirty-six miles, reached Reedsburg at nightfall, presented the letter to FLAUTT who made the required certifications, and the bargain was concluded.
The next day he procured a team and went for his press and hundred pounds of minion type, all of which were brought to Reedsburg.
He then spent a few days resting, after which he departed for Milwaukee and intermediate points, to hunt up the balance of type necessary to get out his paper. He walked to a point fourteen miles beyond Portage, forty-four miles from Reedsburg, the first day, and the next morning walked four miles to Cambria, where he took a train for Beaver Dam. There he obtained the necessary type, and with it returned to Reedsburg.. In less than a month the press was set up, and on the 25th day of June, 1860, was issued the first copy of the Reedsburg Free Press. He fulfilled his agreement with the citizens of Reedsburg, continuing the paper until the seventh day of September, 1861, when, on account of the outbreak of the Civil war, it was discontinued. Through this period his editorials were devoted to the principles of his political party. He made frequent attacks upon the evils of slavery, and vigorously urged the northern cause. It is an interesting circumstance that the first issue contained a powerful article urging support of Lincoln and Hamlin. His editorials were raw, viewed from the standpoint of present-day journalism. At an early day in the Civil War, CHANDLER enlisted. Of his return from the war and the re-establishment of the Free Press, mention is made in Part 4 under the caption of Free Press.
Submitted by Carol