THE REPUBLICAN

June 16, 1899

 

WAUPACA’S FIRST DAILY

A Few Notes from Volume I, Number I.

 

            Judge Winfield Scott handed us a copy of the first daily paper ever printed in Waupaca.  It was an evening daily headed “The Daily Waupaca Spirit”, published by Chas. E. Redfield, editor, dated “April 18, 1861,” “Terms 25 cents per week” and the issue before us is Vol. I, No. I.  The firing on Fort Sumpter by the rebels at Charleston and the events that followed in the great uprising of the north and south.  There was no railroad or telegraph in Waupaca then, the Spirit took its latest news from the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern.  The news features tells of the tender of troops and services to the government from governors and others from Maine to the far west in the defense of the Union and the flag.  Also the activity of the seceding states was equally as brisk.

A. H. Stevens of Georgia, in an interview at Montgomery, Ala., in commenting on Lincoln’s call for 75, 000 troops said “It will take 75,000 times 75,000 men to put down the rebellion and then it can’t be done.”  Well it did take about that amount of men, but the rebellion was put down.

            A dispatch from New Haven April 16 tells of the Elm City Bank tendering the governor $50,000 toward meeting a national emergency.  The Concord, N.H. bank gave $25,000.

            A Baltimore Maryland dispatch speaks of governor’s guards calling on governor Hicks and informed him that they had come to sing the Star Spangled Banner with him, to which the governor responded that he would be delighted and then all joined in singing that immortal song.  The governor thanked the visitors, and said “the song would be sung on all fitting occasions forever.”

            A Madison dispatch says that the bank bill suspending specie payment until Dec. was passed.

            Wisconsin was not behind in patriotism.  The dispatch from the capital further stated that “the Madison Guards, Milwaukee Light Guards, one company each from Kenosha and Horicon have been mustered into service,” and another that “Wisconsin can furnish 10,000 men in less than thirty days if required.”

            “Immediately after the adjournment of the legislature the Star Spangled Banner was sung in the assembly chamber nearly all the members joining and many others joining with them.  Cheer after cheer made the whole capitol ring.”

            Among the miscellaneous items is an account of the horrible atrocities inflicted on the Christians by the Druses there being a total of 16,000 men, women and children killed and 3,000 young women and girls carried off and sold to the Turks.  150 towns and villages with the churches, schools and monasteries had been pillaged, burned, or destroyed.

            “The Wolf River was encroaching on Gills Landing, the water being higher than ever before known and our friend Godfrey had been compelled to move a large quantity of wheat.  The editors informant was “King Bill” who said it kept rising notwithstanding he had “protested against it.”

            Here is one of Redfield’s editorials:  “An editorial in the Charleston Mercury professes to believe that the Northwestern states will soon be anxious to apply for admission to the Southern Confederacy and oppose the idea of advance with a great flourish of righteous indignation.”

            “As well might it expect the Northwest to transfer itself to the moon, and on that supposition declare war against moonshine.”

            Among the locals there were three or four items, the officers elected at the April town

 

 

meeting in Matteson ad the list of petit jurors drawn to serve at the May term of court.

            The following is the jury list:

                        Andrew Murphy                                    H. H. Danks

                        John Otis                                              John Stoner

                        D. L. Manchester                                  John Brown

                        N. Lilly                                                 Schyler Brodley

                        Wm. S. Hner                                        Joseph Barker

                        Samuel Leonard                                    Andrew Mack

                        J.R. Van Tassel                                                Geo.Warren

                        H. Cleaves                                            K. Hanner

                        Jas. Smiley                                            Jonathan Gore

                        J. P. Abby                                            J. W. Horton

                        John Robbins                                         F. B. Yound

                        J. W. Noyes                                          Joseph Richie

            The only three or four remain of the above list, we can call to mind but two, J. R. Van Tassel of this city and Jas. Smiley of Mukwa.

            Among the advertisements was the following:

            N. B. Van Siyke, Pres. And E. E. Blinn, Cashier advertise a private bank.  The ad. Is dated Oct. 3, 1859.  E. E. Blinn was also agent for the Phoenix Insurance Co.

            Apothecaries Hall advertises drugs and medicines.

A. Gordon, “dry goods, millinery goods, gents’ and ladies’ shawls, hats, and caps, crockery, hardware, groceries, boots and shoes, looking glasses, glassware, paints, oils, window glass, etc., all of which will be sold for cash or ready pay.”

J. B. Simcock & Bro. Advertise hardware, etc.

P. A. House, new blacksmith shop.

G. L. Lord, Grocery store.

Waupaca County Agricultural Society advertises a combination. Two dollars for

annual membership in the society and a copy each of the Wisconsin Farmer and Genessee Farmer.  John M. Vaughan was president of the society, David Robinson and Thomas Pipe Sr. were vice presidents, L. R. Brainerd secretary, L. L. Post Treasurer.

            P. M. Davis advertised a paint shop over Silverthorn’s blacksmith shop.

            J. G. Bemis, Justice of the peace and collection agency.

            P. Folger and C. Belden also advertise justice of the peace and collection agency.

            Among the county officers who have cards in the paper are A. K. Osborn, county judge; Evan Townsend, county treasurer; Winfield Scott, clerk of the court; O. Wordon, sheriff.

            Among the lawyers who believed in letting their lights shine in ink and type were, Browne & Dreutzer, Sessions & Reed, J. H. Jones, Rural; J. S. & S. H. Alban, Stanton, Wis.

            The paper was a three column folio and Judge Scott says he thinks it was kept up during the first week or two of the excitement.  Later Editor Redfield took the field and went out as captain of a company, letting his brother Luke run the Weekly Spirit while he was at the front, fighting to help save the Union.