Source: Portrait & Biographical Album of Whiteside County, IL
Originally published 1885, Chapman Bros., Chicago, IL

Transcribed by: Denise McLoughlin
Tampico Area Historical Society
www.tampicohistoricalsociety.citymax.com

pg 921 - THE PRESS

No enterprising or prosperous community will remain long without a newspaper. In fact, no community, however enterprising, will be prosperous long without a press to represent it; and so the people of Morrison believed; for the stubs were not yet removed from the streets before they began to consider this important question, and to devise means to carry it out. However important a newspaper may be to the growth and development of a town or country, it is not every man that is qualified topublish one, any more than that  every man can run a hotel, except into the found. It would be a large record that could contain the births and deaths of all the newspaper enterprises of the country.

The Whiteside Sentinel - The citizens of Morrison were not long, however, in finding a man with the nerve to take hold of the enterprise, and this man was Mr. Alfred McFadden, formerly connected with the Fulton Investigator. They advanced the money, and a hand-press (which in those days quite fully met the wants of an ordinarily ambitious newspaper man), with type and a small job office, was purchased. A building was secured for this pioneer plant, and July 23, 1857, the first issue of the Whiteside Sentinel went forth to the world, fresh and newsy, the editor full of hope for the success of his little venture. He may have thought, as he sent his venture forth into an untraveled sea, as Bob Southey did:

Go, my little book, from this my solitude;
I cast thee on the waters; go thy ways;
But if, as I suppose, they vein be good,
The world will find thee after many days.

Mr. McFadden edited the paper until 1862, when, his health failing him, it was leased to Elmer Searle for one year. At the expiration of Mr. Searle's lease Mr. McFadden again took charge, and in a few years enlarged it to an eight-column paper.

In July, 1867, the Sentinel was purchased by Charles Bent and Morris Savage. In May, 1870, Mr. Bent purchased Mr. Savage's interest, and became sole proprietor. Mr. Bent made many improvements inthe plant, put in a cylinder power press, a new job office, and enlarged the paper to nine columns. He published the paper until 1877, when he sold out to Robert W. Welch, of New York. After a few years, Mr. Bent again purchased the Sentinel, and is the present owner. The Whiteside Sentinel is a nine-column folio, published every Thursday, with a ciruculation of about 1,800. It is a good paper, and well conducted. From its foundation it has been Republican in politics, and a strong advocate of the principles of this party.

The Whiteside Herald - This is an eight-column weekly paper, published every Friday. It was founded by A. D. Hill, in 1878. Its first issue appeared April 4th of that year. In the fall of 1878, Mr. A. D. Adams purchased an interest, and the Herald was conducted by him and Mr. Hill until 1882, when the former leased the paper. In 1883, Mr. Adams purchased Mr. Hill;s interest, and is now the owner. A good job office is connected with the Herald, and the proprietor is prepared to fill all orders in this line to the satisfaction ofhis customers. It is independent in politics, and has a circulation of over 800. the Herald, which is a less zealous advocate of the interests of the city, is ably edited, and is a bright and newsy sheet.

Reform Investigator -There were several other papers started in Morrison from time to time, but they were of short life. In 1868, Elmer Searle came out with a sheet, which he called the Reform Investigator. Whether or not he thought the people of Morrison needed reformation in religion, morals, politics ormanners, history does not inform us. It was a company concern, and like most of company enterprises when connected with newspapers, it was a failure. In 1870 the plant was moved to Chicago, and converted into ashes in the great fire of 1871.

Morrison Independent - The year 1872 gave birth to the Morrison Independent. It was started to advance the interests of Horace Greeley for the Presidnecy. It was established by a stock company and conducted by L. S. Ward and J. W. Huett, the latter being the editor. the immortal Greeley has said that nothing succeeds likde success. The campaign not being successful, it did not succeed; and the Independent met with the same fate. It barely outlived this campaign, closing in 1874. The office was purchased by G. J. Booth & Son, who, in July of the same year, established the Morrison Times. It was Democratic in politics, and a fair newspaper, but was not sufficiently patronized to warrant its continuation, and in 1876 the plant was moved to Rock Falls, and from it was issued forth in a short time the Whiteside Times.

The Morrison Democrat - The ever memorable year of 1876 witnessed the establishment of another political paper in Morrison, which had for its ambition the election of Samuel J. Tilden to the Presidency. It was started by Messrs. Connelly & Gove, who moved their office from Lyndon, and was called the Morrison Democrat. It survived the inauguration of that weakest and most unreliable and incompetent of all Presidents, R. B. Hayes, but a few weeks, and then the plant was closed out at a mortgage sale.

RELATED LINKS:

CITY OF MORRISON

SOCIETIES 1885

CHURCHES

BUSINESS INTERESTS