Candidates for Digitization

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1 Pennsylvania Digital Newspaper Project, Phase I, Historical Context Candidates for Digitization Philadelphia Pittsburgh Scranton Harrisburg Lancaster Population ,980 1,046,964 1,293,697 1,549,008 1,823,779 1,823, , , , , , ,343 45,850 75, , , , ,783 30,762 39,385 50,167 64,186 75,917 75,917 25,769 32,011 41,459 47,227 53,150 53,150 Circulation₂ City Title Frequency Bias Philadelphia Public Ledger* morn.ex.sun. Ind. 85,000 80,000 70,000 60, , ,288 Proquest Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger evg.ex.sun. Ind. 0 0 Free Library Phila. Pittsburgh Pittsburg Press evg.ex.sun. ex Ind. 38,790 65, , , ,321 Proquest Pittsburgh Pittsburg Dispatch morn.ex.sun. Rep./Ind. 12,000 31,828 51,084 65,232 55,416 54,544 Library of Congress Scranton Republican* morn.ex.sun. Rep./ Ind.Rep. 3,500 7,800 10,000 20,097 30,384 30,014 IMR & Proquest Scranton Tribune morn.ex.sun. Rep. 0 10,500 State Library Harrisburg Telegraph* evg.ex.sun. Rep. 4,800 4,860 6,400 17,276 32,558 39,478 IMR Harrisburg Independent/Star Independent evg.ex.sun. Ind. 5,700 8,000 8,000 16,124 State Library & IMR Lancaster Lancaster Daily Intelligencer evg. ex. Sun. Dem. 3,000 4,000 5,000 3,750 26,266 21,867 Publisher 1 County Seat 2 Circulation: blank cells indicate title not published; 0 in cell indicates circulation not reported / = Change in title, frequency, or bias * Paper of Record Source: Ayer, N. H., & Son (1881, 1891, 1901, 1911, 1921, 1923). American Newspaper Annual and Directory. Philadelphia: N. W. Ayer & Son

2 Cell: B10 Comment: Public Ledger "We consider the Public Ledger the premier paper in Philadelphia and it is always the first paper we consult when people ask questions about either genealogy or historical things." (Lee Arnold, Director of Library & Collections, Historical Society of PA, 12/2/2008) "Between 1880 and 1922 the Public Ledger was huge, and was probably the 'paper of record' for Philadelphia and perhaps much of the state as well, but its owner ultimately bought the Inquirer, which displaced it." (Barbara Pilvin, Free Library of Philadelphia, 10/14/2008). Public Ledger morning and Sunday editions were merged with Inquirer in Cell: D10 Comment: Public Ledger editors: George Oakes Randolph Marshall George W. Childs Cell: B11 Comment: Evening Public Ledger launched in 1914 as an evening edition of the Public Ledger. After the morning and Sunday editions of the Public Ledger were merged into the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1934, the Evening Public Ledger continued an independent life. In 1941, the paper was sold to Robert Cresswell, formerly of the New York Herald Tribune. Mounting debts brought on a court ordered liquidation, and the paper ceased publication in January, (wikipedia 11/8/2008) Cell: D11 Comment: Evening Public Ledger publisher: Public Ledger Co. Cell: J11 Comment: Evening Public Ledger evening edition circulation reported with morning edition. Cell: B12 Comment: Pittsburg Press was established in 1884 as the Pittsburg Penny Press. The Pittsburg Press (daily and Sunday), which is noted in Pittsburgh journalism as one of the pioneers in the one cent field, in 1906 issued, as a rule, from 20 to 32 eight column pages every evening, and 64 pages on Sunday. The Press was founded in 1883 by Col. Thomas M. Bayne, at that time a member of Congress from the Allegheny district; with him were associated John S. Ritenour and others. An important departure in the paper was its low rate for small 'want' advertisements, particularly those coming from people in need of employment; this greatly increased its circulation. Under Col. Bayne's successors this policy of getting the paper as close as possible to the people's interests has been amplified rather than curtailed. The Press has great coverage of the 1909 World Series. Cell: D12 Comment: Press editor 1911:

3 O. S. Hershman Cell: F12 Comment: Pittsburg Press ad Ayer's 1891: " one of the very best papers in the State of Pennsylvania one that has fought itself to the front and LEADS, despite the efforts of its older competitors. It prints more small ads. "Wants,""To Let," "For Sale," etc. than any other paper in Pittsgurg a fact that shows its local popularity. "BEAR IN MIND that Pittsburg is one of the greatest iron industrial cities in the world, and that THE PRESS is read not only by the red shirted artificer, the manufacturer, the merchant, the banker, but may be found in the aristocratic boudoir, and in the hands of the red headed kitchen girl. Through its columns you reach the masses." Cell: B13 Comment: Pittsburg Dispatch "Official paper of Allegheny County". The Dispatch, one of Pittsburgh's representative papers, was established February 8, 1846, by the late Col. J. H. Foster. It was the first penny paper published west of the mountains... It took the lead in discarding the old quarto form for the eight paged sheet. It was a pioneer in the enlargement of expenditure for special telegrams and news features to a degree that a few years earlier would have been deemed ruinous. Its independent tendencies attained their full development in 1882, when it joined the Stewart revolt against the corruption of the State machine, in the campaign that resulted in the first election of Pattison. Since that time the Dispatch has always disavowed the character of a party organ. It is in sympathy with Republican doctrines on the old war issues and the later principles of tariff and protection. But is has never recognized any duty to conceal the defects of 'party', and has always been at liberty to support other parties when their candidates or measures seemed preferable. In November of 1885, Elizabeth Cochrane ( ), the Nellie Bly of the "Around the world in 72 days" fame began her newspaper career as a reporter for the Pittsburg Dispatch. She investigated the factories and public institutions of the city and reported about them. In 1898, Willa Cather, novelist, joined the staff of the Pittsburg Dispatch. Two years later she became reporter for the Pittsburgh Leader. The Pittsburg Dispatch had branch offices in New York, NY, Chicago, IL, Alantic City, NJ. The Dispatch was purchased jointly by the Post, the Gazette Times, the Press, the Sun, and the Chronicle Telegraph, and killed in February of Today, Pittsburgh historians describe the paper as sensational and muckraking for its exposure of corruption as compared to the staid Pittsburgh Press. Cell: D13 Comment: Pittsburg Dispatch editor 1911: C. A. Rook Cell: H13 Comment: Pittsburg Dispatch ad Ayer's 1911: "THE ARGUMENT OF EXPERIENCE is what every successful advertiser will impart to you in favor of the Pittsburg Dispatch. CLAIMS may be but idle fancies FACTS must and will stand. So ask akvertisrs who have facts to tell gained by experience. If you want to cover the geat Pittsburg territory you must use The Dispatch, as it is the only Newspaper that reaches those of all classes with money to spend. A home delivered circulation, going directly into the hands of the actual buyers of this community. Get the BEST Always. The want and realty medium of Pennsylvania, carrying more classified advertising than any other

4 Pittsburg newspaper." Cell: B14 Comment: Scranton Republican title changes: Scranton Republican (1877) Tribune Republican (1910) Scranton Republican and Tribune (1915) Scranton Republican Tribune and Truth (1915) Scranton Republican Tribune Truth and Daily News (1915) Scranton Republican (1915) Scranton Tribune (1936) Tribune (1977) Scranton Tribune (1987) Scrantonian Tribune (1987) Tribune (1990) Times Tribune (2005) Cell: D14 Comment: Republican editors: John A. Scranton Robert D. Towne G. A. Somarindyck John E. Barrett Cell: H14 Comment: Tribune Republican, Ayer ad 1911: "Scranton's only morning newspaper. Largest circulation of any morning newspaper in Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia and Pittsburg. Some of the large stores use the Tribune Republican exclusively. Local advertisers use its columns to as great an extent as they do any other Scranton paper and pay as high a rate." Cell: B15 Comment: Scranton Tribune (1891) merged with the Scranton Republican (1877) to form the Tribune Republican (1910) Cell: D15 Comment: Tribune editor: L. S. Richard Cell: B16 Comment: Telegraph Paper of Record: "Having personally read every daily issue from 1856 through 1941 for a project I am working on (which took me 30 years), I would give the

5 "paper of record" prize to the Harrisburg Telegraph. However, the Harrisburg Patriot was published continuously for the same time period. I believe it would be a matter of preference" Ken Frew, Research Librarian, Historical Society of Dauphin County (10/13/2008) Cell: D16 Comment: Telegraph editors: M. W. McAlarney Walter R. Linn E. J. Stackpole Cell: H16 Comment: Telegraph ad 1911 Ayer: "A thousand a year for seven years. That's been the steady, consistent gain of the Harrisburg Telegraph from 1903 to Largest net paid circulation of any Harrisburg newspaper." Cell: B17 Comment: Star Independent absorbed by Harrisburg Telegraph (1879) in Cell: D17 Comment: Star Independent editors: H. S. Meyers B. F. Meyers V. Hummel Berghaus, Jr. W. K. Meyers Cell: F17 Comment: Star Independent ad 1891 Ayer: The Daily Star Independent is the best advertising medium at the State Capital, having as much circulation as that of the other three Harrisburg dailies combined. It is printed on a web press, running at the rate of 12,000 copies per hour. No other Harrisburg paper finds it necessary to use a web press to get out its edition." Cell: D18 Comment: Intelligencer editors: A. J. Steinman C. S. Foltz J. F. Steinman J. H. Steinman publishers: Robert Clark Steinman & Foltz Steinman & Steinman

6 Cell: I18 Comment: Intelligencer circulation includes that of News Journal. Cell: J18 Comment: Intelligencer circulation includes that of News Journal