of the Civil War, when it passed into the hands of James B. Riggs, who failed in sustaining it, and a few months afterwards the materials and office fixtures came into the possession of Caleb P. Johnson, editor of the Delaware Gazette.

About 1857 the first effort was made to start a daily newspaper in Wilmington by Henry L. Bonsall, at present principal of the public schools of Camden, N. J. He published a small paper called the Daily Enterprise, but it failed to receive the support of the public and soon suspended publication. In 1866 a Mr. Tyler started a subscription list and laid the groundwork for the establishment of a daily paper in Wilmington. Before he had perfected his arrangements Howard M. Jenkins and Wilmer Atkinson, two young men from Pennsylvania, came upon the ground, reimbursed Mr. Tyler for the work done, and started the Daily Commercial. For five years the Commercial had the monopoly of the daily field in Wilmington. It was a bright, vigorous paper, and a credit to its publishers. In 1871 the Every Evening, "a 1-cent afternoon paper," made its appearance, edited by William T. Croasdale and published by the firm of Croasdale & Cameron, composed of William T. Croasdale and Gilbert C. Cameron. It proved a success, and rapidly forged to the front. In the course of a few years it came under the control of the Every Evening Publishing Company, by whom it is still published, and some four or five years ago the Daily Commercial was bought by the Every Evening Publishing Company, and the two papers united under the name of the Every Evening and Daily Commercial in April, 1877. Mr. Croasdale continued as editor until March, 1882, when he removed to Baltimore to take charge of the Baltimore Day, being succeeded as editor by Mr. Edward N. Vallandigham.

The Morning Herald, the first daily morning paper published in the State, was an outgrowth of the Wilmington Advertiser, a small advertising sheet, started by George Chance in connection with his job printing establishment. The leading spirit in the establishment of the Morning Herald was John O'Byrne, esq., a leading member of the Philadelphia bar, who came to Wilmington and took up his residence. It was controlled by three of his sons and a sister, Miss Catherine O'Byrne, under the firm name of George O'Byrne & Co. The first number was issued in August, 1876, and for some months it gave promise of vigor and long life, but it soon showed lack of management, and got tangled up financially, but continued to appear until March, 1880, when it passed into the hands of John H. Emerson, one of the pioneer newspaper men of the peninsula, who, with Henry C. Conrad, a member of the New Castle County bar, and the writer of this sketch, formed a partnership under the firm name of Emerson & Conrad, and in place of the Herald issued a morning paper called the Morning News. Mr. Emerson only continued in the management about four months, when his interest was purchased by Isaac R. Pennypacker, and the firm of Conrad & Pennypacker was formed, under whose direction the News continued until

January, 1882, when it passed under the control of the News Publishing Company, with Watson R. Sperry, formerly of the New York Evening Post, as editor-in-chief, by whom it is published at the present time.

SUNDAY PAPERS.

The first Sunday paper published in Wilmington was called the Sunday Dispatch, and was started by Francis Scheu in 1878. It continued about two years and a half.

In July, 1880, D. Taylor Bradford started the Sunday Mirror, but after an existence of about five months its publication was suspended. On March 6, 1881, the Sunday Star was established, with J. B. Bell as editor and proprietor. It proved a success and is still in existence, with every prospect of a long life.

GERMAN PAPERS.

The first paper printed in the German language published in Delaware was started in Wilmington in 1859 by Frederick Hæhnle. It was a weekly publication and was called the Delaware Pioneer. In 1861 it passed into the hands of Herman Lau, who continued to publish it until his death, which occurred in 1876, when it was bought by Francis Scheu, who still publishes it. In connection with the Pioneer Mr. Scheu started, in January, 1881, a daily paper printed in German, called the Freie Presse, which is still in existence.

RELIGIOUS NEWSPAPERS.

The Conference Worker, a religious paper, devoted to the interests of the Wilmington Conference M. E. Church, was started in 1875 by W. S. Armour and Charles H. Sentman. Mr. Armour retired in about six months, and F. J. Lindsay and R. F. Corchran came in with Mr. Sentman as partners, but at the end of about a year Mr. Sentman bought out their interest and became sole proprietor, and has so continued since.

NEW CASTLE.

The New Castle Star has been until recently under the control of J. Albert Whitelock. It is the only paper published in the city of New Castle. It was originally published by a young man named George J. Herman, and its existence has been marked by many changes and seeming discouragements. The present proprietor is Joseph C. White. The experience of the past would indicate that New Castle has not been a rose-hued field for journalists. The Gazette, published in 1836 by Enoch E. Camp, and the Diamond State and Record, established a few years later by George W. Mahan, both failed to go, and after a trial of about a year were discontinued.

MIDDLETOWN.

Middletown seems to have been "left," as far as newspapers were concerned, as I can find no record of any paper being started there until 1867, when the Transcript was established by Mr. Henry Vanderford, formerly of the Cecil Democrat. He relinquished in favor of his son, Charles H. Vanderford, and he sold out to Edward Reynolds, who in turn disposed of it to Mr. W. Scott Way in 1877, the present affable and efficient secretary of our association, who for the last five years. has made the Transcript "bright shining as the sun."

NEWARK.

During the year 1875 Charles H. Sentman, the present editor of the the Conference Worker, made some exertions towards starting a paper at Newark, but abandoned it. The Saturday Visitor, the first paper ever published in Newark, made its first appearance on February 11, 1876, under the control of J. H. Rowlenson, a young man who came from Centerville, Md. It is related of him that he had but 35 cents in his pocket when he brought up at Newark. He was a practical printer and had considerable journalistic ability, but his dissipated habits interfered with his success. Only a few numbers of the Visitor appeared when the name was changed to the Record, and in less than a year's time Rowlenson became discouraged and sold out to J. M. Armstrong, of New York City, who also failed to make it go, and in about year afterwards the paper passed into the hands of Samuel D. McCartney, of Philadelphia, who changed the name to the Journal. A short experience convinced Mr. McCartney that he could not succeed, and in a brief time he sold out to L. Theodore Esling, a young man who had assisted Mr. McCartney in the office. Mr. Esling changed the name to the Newark Ledger, and by close application to business he built up the paper and it soon began to show growth and thrift. In January, 1881, Mr. Esling was cut off by death, and the paper for nearly three months afterwards did not appear. It was then purchased by Maj. F. A. G. Handy, of Washington, D. C., one of the ablest and most popular Washington correspondents. His brother, Egbert G. Handy, who was at that time connected with the Philadelphia Press, was put in charge of the paper, and about four months later purchased the property, the name being changed to the Delaware Ledger. Under Mr. Handy's management Newark has a paper which in all regards is a credit to her, the editorial utterances of the Ledger being very largely quoted by other journals.

SMYRNA.

The first paper published in Smyrna was the Smyrna Telegraph, started in 1839 by Samuel L. Jones. He got into debt and into jail as the result of the debt, and in 1847 or 1848 the paper fell into the hands of some

temperance men, who ran it in behalf of the prohibition cause. Abraham Poulson published it for a while for the temperance people and then became the owner himself with the name of the Delaware Herald and Peninsula Advocate. At one time he had a partner, I. W. Cooper, but the paper did not prove successful and subsequently, about 1854, fell into the hands of T. L. Poulson and R. D. Hoffecker. It continued for a few months as the Herald and Advocate until the retirement of Mr. Poulson, who entered the ministry. The junior partner changed the name to the Smyrna Times. In 1865 Mr. Joseph H. Hoffecker assumed the management and it continued under him until January, 1878, when Robert D. Hoffecker again assumed control and he still continues to be editor and proprietor.

CLAYTON.

The Clayton Herald was started at Clayton in 1867 by Mrs. R. McConanghy, but it collapsed in a couple of years. The materials were afterward used in the publication of the Herald and the Intelligencer at Smyrna, but both proved short-lived and soon went out of exist

ence.

DOVER.

Dover has attracted a good many newspaper efforts, but only two remain the Delawarean, under the management of Mr. Charles E. Fenn, and the State Septinel with Henry W. Cannon as editor and proprietor. In 1825 the Delaware Record and Federal Advertiser was published by Mr. J. Robinson, as a J. Q. Adams campaign paper; and William Huffington, who afterward became mayor of Wilmington, started a monthly publication in Dover in 1838, called the Delaware Register. It lasted only a few months. Samuel F. Shinn published the Delaware Intelligencer in 1822. In 1853 Mr. George W. S. Nicholson started the Delaware State Reporter. It continued for several years as a Democratic paper under Mr. Nicholson's management, and then passed into the hands of William Sharp, who published it a few months, and the paper was discontinued. The Delawarean, with James Kirk as editor and proprietor, first appeared in 1859. The State Sentinel was founded in 1874 by Henry W. Cannon, its present owner and editor. The Delaware Sentinel was started in 1856 by Wharton & Harrington, but did not continue but a short time. A paper called the Protectionist also had a short existence in Dover.

MILFORD.

The first paper published in Milford was the Beacon, founded in 1848 by John H. Emerson, at present editor of the Denton (Md.) Union. He continued to run the Beacon for three years when he sold it to Col. J.

There is now also the Index, a vigorous journal, L. P. P.

Hart Conrad, of Philadelphia. Col. Conrad edited it for about a year, when he died, and the establishment passed into the hands of James B. Mahan, who had been foreman and assistant editor for Col. Conrad. George W. Mahan was admitted to a part interest, and the paper under the name of the Beacon, continued under the management of the Mahan Bros. until 1859, when the name was changed to the Diamond State, and the paper removed to New Castle, where its publication was continued under the same management. The Sussex Gleaner was started in South Milford in 1856, but could not be made to go. In 1857 the name of the Beacon was revived in a newspaper started by a Mr. Chambers, from Maryland, and he, soon after its inception, sold to W. W. Austin, who discontinued it in a few months. In the same year (1857) two other papers were started in Milford. The Peninsular News and Advertiser, by James D. Prettyman, and the Observer, by Truitt & Ennis. Three newspapers seemed to be more than were needed, and the result was the discontinuance of the Beacon and the Observer and the survival of the News and Advertiser. The latter had a stormy and varied existence. It continued for six years but was continually changing in ownership. In that time it was under the control of Prettyman & Hudson, Dr. John S. Prettyman, E. P. Aldred, James B. Mahan, and W. H. Hutchin. From 1863 to 1867 but one effort was made to establish a paper at Milford. A gentleman named Briggs, from Wil mington, started the Milford Statesman, but it proved a failure after a few numbers had been issued. In 1867 James B. Mahan again came to the front and started the Milford Argus. In a few months it was disposed of to the Revell Brothers, who published it about a year when J. Lowery & Co. purchased it and changed the name to Our Mutual Friend. In 1870 it passed into the hands of Gen. Levi Harris & Co., who ran it a year when Dr. John S. Prettyman purchased the whole establishment, and in 1872 started the Peninsula News and Advertiser, associating with himself Dr. W. C. Davidson as editor, and William P. Corsa as publisher. Dr. Prettyman continued to control it for several years, and in January, 1880, sold it to his son Harry H. Prettyman, who took in Henry Harris, of Wisconsin, as a partner, in March, 1880. In August, 1880, Henry L. Hynson bought Prettyman's interest and it was published by Harris and Hynson until November, 1881, when H. L. Hynson became sole proprietor, by whom it is at present conducted. The Milford Chronicle was started October 1, 1878, by Julius E. Scott and Theo dore Townsend. On January 1, 1881, Mr. Scott sold his interest to William P. Corsa, and it has since been published by Corsa & Townsend.

GEORGETOWN.

About 1840 Henry H. Cannon started a paper at Georgetown called the Delaware Sentinel. He published it a year or so and then moved it to Wilmington and united it with the Republican. In 1864 a paper 3064 DEL-13