The first paper in the present territory of Mahoning county was the Olive Branch and New County Advocate which made its appearance at Youngstown in the fall of 1843.  It was issued for the purpose of influencing public opinion in favor of changing the county seat to Youngstown, but proved but a feeble supporter of the cause, and its publication was soon suspended.  It was followed soon after the organization of the county by The Ohio Republican, published by A. Medbury and J. M. Webb, the latter being the chief editorial writer.  In politics it represented pure Jacksonianism, and if we are to believe the business statement of its publishers contained in the last issue found in the files of the county auditor's office, private funds were drawn upon to maintain its publication.
     After the Presidential election in 1852, the Republican was removed to Canfield and combined with the Mahoning Sentinel under the name, Mahoning Republican-Sentinel.  The Mahoning Sentinel had been established in 1852 by an association of citizens, with Ira Norris as editor.  After passing through some changes of ownership and editorship it was finally purchased by John M. Webb, and in a few years removed to Youngstown.  Mr. Webb made a strong fight for old line Democratic principles during the campaign of 1860, but the secession of the Southern States had broken party lines and in the fall of 1861 his paper suspended publication for lack of support.  July 10, 1862, however, it again appeared, bearing the motto, "The Constitution as it is and the Union as it was;" but though ably conducted, the political effect of the revived sheet was small and it barely survived the Presidential election of 1864.  "Its place as a Democratic organ was not filled until the Vindicator made its appearance in 1869."
     "The Mahoning Courier was established just after the war by Patrick O'Connor and brother.  It was a vigorous Republican paper and divided Republican patronage with the Register until 1869, when its publication was suspended."
     "The Youngstown Commercial was issued by Patrick O'Connor and L. F. Shoaf, May 5, 1875.  It suspended publication in about six months after that time.  Patrick O'Connor began the publication of the New Star, May 28, 1879.  It was continued as a weekly journal, and for some time was the organ in the Mahning Valley of the National Greenback party.
     "In 1881, O. P. Wharton, formerly of the Vindicator, established the Free Press, which had an existence of a few years.
     "The first daily newspaper in Youngstown was the Miner and Manufacturer, which first made its appearance as a daily in June, 1873.

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As a weekly in the interest of the laboring men, it had been published for some time previous, Mr. A. D. Fassett being the editor.  During the strikes of 1873 it gained prestige by the manner in which it supported the strikers, despite the somewhat unwarranted attempt of a few business men to coerce it into a change of policy.  The dailly issue shortly after made its appearance as a five-column folio, selling at two cents and was well received.  It was soon after enlarged to six columns, and it had a circulation of about eight hundred, which it held until the Daily Tribune was started in 1874, the latter, owing to its good financial backing, being soon enabled to take the lead.  The Miner and Manufacturer struggled along until November, 1874, when it suspended publication, the editor being chosen to the city editorship of the Daily Register, which was started in December of that year."

THE FREE DEMOCRAT TO TELEGRAM

     In the latter part of the year 1852 the Free Democrat, representing the abolition sentiment of the county, made its appearance, the first number being published December 31.  The Free Democrat was the first of a chain of news papers ending with the Telegram.  The editor was Edward D. Howard and M. Cullaton was the publisher.  In 1853 The Democrat was a sturdy advocate of the election of Samuel Lewis as governor and in 1856 was equally as enthusiastic in advocating the nomination of John P. Hale of New Hampshire for president.  In 1853 D. S. Elliott purchased the paper, but two years later Howard was again at the helm.  Early in February, 1855, the Free Democrat was succeeded by the True American, the editors being D. S. Elliott and James M. Nash.  The latter withdrew from the paper a few months later and the paper was sold to Colonel James Dumars, one of the best known political leaders of the state.  The colonel liked the Mahoning county field so well that he disposed of his Warren paper and devoted his time to his new purchase, which he called the Mahoning Register.  Colonel Dumars was a practical newspaper man of the old school and the publication was one of the brightest and best of the Western Reserve.  He was an enthusiastic anti-slavery man and a Republican.  John M. Edwards was the associate editor.
     Colonel Dumars sold the paper to E. V. Smalley & Company Apr. 1, 1865, the colonel going south.  He started a paper at Memphis, Tenn., but gave up the venture in a short time.  Mr. Smalley became the editor, Mr. Edwards continuing as associate.  About a year later R. E. Hull, one of the best known among the pioneer newspaper men of this section, joined the staff.  In September, 1868, the firm name was changed to Smalley, Hull & Hudson, the new member being James F. Hudson.  Mr. Hudson is still in the harness, being an editorial writer on the Pittsburg Dispatch.  Mr. Smalley retired from the firm in 1869, going to the northwest where he was soon recognized as a leader in his profession.  Mr. Hull retired in 1871, Mr. Hudson continuing as sole proprietor until Dec. 11, 1873, when he disposed of his interests to the firm of Vaughan, Seagrave and Gault.  The members of the firm were C. A. Vaughan, A. R. Seagrave and W. H. Gault, the latter two being local business men.  In May, 1874 Walter L. Campbell, who later became known as Youngstown's "Blind mayor" purchased Mr. Gault's interests and became associate editor with Seagrave, Mr. Vaughan looking after the business end of the paper.  A little later A. D. Fassett, state senator, labor commissioner, etc., became associated with the paper as the city editor.
     On Feb. 18, 1874, the Youngstown Tribune made its appearance, the publishers being Colonel James M. Nash, James K. Bailey and Joseph R. Johnston, afterward judge and state senator.  Colonel Nash, who assumed the editorship, was succeeded by William H. Eckman, Sept. 6, 1874.  One year later the Tribune was merged with the Register under the name of the Register and Tribune.  Shortly afterwards the name was changed to the Evening Register.  The editorial force at this time was as follows: W. L. Campbell and A. R. Seagrave, editors; A. D. Fassett, city editor;

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Thomas W. Johnston and Nain Grute, reporters.  Seagrave was appointed postmaster and Mr. Campbell became sole editor.
     On July 16, 1877, the Evening News appeared as a daily, being published by the Youngstown Printing Company, an association constituted by R. E. Hull, W. S. Stigleman, E. K. Hull, Thomas Kerr and C. E. Kennedy, all printers.  In the following January an in corporated company took charge, John M. Webb being the editor.  In July, 1879, the News began the publication of Associated Press dispatches.  Chauncey H. Andrews became financially interested and a newspaper war followed between the News and the Register.  In August, 1880, the News announced that it would be Republican in politics and Mr. Webb retired.  O. P. Shaffer became managing editor and among his assistants at various times were "Reddy" Bowman, J. Ed Leslie, Nain Grute, T. W. Johnston, Jr., and George McGuigan.  Thomp. Burton was connected with the advertising and circulation departments.  The fight between the two newspapers reached a bitter stage but finally consolidation was arranged, the name of the paper to be the News-Register.  The News interests had three directors.  T. W. Sanderson, Mason Evans and O. P. Shaffer, while the Register's selections were Robert McCurdy, Thomas H. Wells and H. O. Bonnell.  As managing director or the umpire of disputes Frank Williams was chosen but he soon retired in favor of W. W. McKeown.  In February, 1882, Editor Campbell retired and two years later was elected mayor.  Following a disagreement between directors, O. P. Shaffer became managing editor and an other clash resulted in Shaffer being succeeded by F. S. Presbrey.
     Mr. Shaffer, in company with C. H. Andrews, Mason Evans, T. W. Sanderson and Jonathan Head, began the publication of the Daily News.  On Nov. 17, 1885, G. M. McKelvey, William Cornelius, Louis W. King, Henry M. Garlick and H. K. Taylor organized the Youngstown Printing Company with $40,000 capital.  On November 26, the directors accepted the proposition for the sale of the News-Register, the Daily News and the Sunday Morning, the latter being Colonel Thomp. Burton's paper.  The new paper was christened the Evening Telegram.  The directors were G. M. McKelvey, president; H. K. Taylor, secretary; William Cornelius, L. W. King, J. Craig Smith, Thomas H. Wilson and H. H. Stambaugh.  Judge King was made editorial manager, T. W. Johnston, editor, and William Cornelius manager.  Mr. Johnston was succeeded by W. H. Smiley of Warren who filled the position for a short time, J. Ed. Leslie being called to the position.  In turn Leslie was succeeded by Clate A. Smith.  Nov. 10, 1890, A. J. Halford of Washington became editorial manager, S. L. Bowman succeeding Smith as managing editor.  James J. McNally on Dec. 2, 1892, became manager and on July 6, 1891, was succeeded by J. H. Edwards.  Jackson D. Haag took the place of Mr. Bowman as managing editor and Mar. 27, 1896, E. E. Wright was chosen managing editor.  Mr. Wright returned to the Pittsburg Dispatch, but upon the selection of George C. Phillips again assumed the position which he occupies at the present time.  R. R. Harman succeeded Mr. Phillips as manager, holding the post until the paper was sold to R. T. Dobson of Akron.  Mr. Dobson retired shortly afterward because of ill health and Samuel G. McClure of Columbus secured control.  He is the present publisher and editor.
     Youngstown has kept pace with the journalism of the country and the Telegram of today is on a par with any, being the leading Republican daily in Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania.

VINDICATOR

     The always-Democratic Vindicator, from the modest beginning in July, 1869, is today, under the business management of the Hon. William F. Maag, one of the leading papers in Ohio.
     There are weekly, semi-weekly, Sunday and daily editions, the daily a paper of never fewer than twelve pages, frequently sixteen

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and at least on one week-day - Friday - twenty-four, the number invariably found in the Sunday issue, facts indicating the metropolitan character of the paper, which in business enterprise and influence is surpassed by no other journal in a city the size of Youngstown.
     Though in existence fewer than forty years the Vindicator has had a quite eventful history, the paper beginning its career in the name of Mahoning Vindicator and being started by J. H. Odell, now deceased.  After the paper had continued about six months Mark Sharkey was associated with Mr. Odell, but retired in August, 1870.  Mr. Odell retired from the paper in September, 1873, being succeeded by O. P. Wharton, an old compositor in the office.  Then Odell and William A. Edwards bought the paper.  That was in April, 1874, Mr. Odell taking editorial charge.  In February 1875, S. L. Everett purchased the plant.  Col. W. L. Brown, noted in New York journalism and politics, now numbered with dead, purchased from Everett in July, 1875, and continued the publication until succeeded by Hon. Charles N. Vallandigham and John H. Clarke in April, 1880.  O. P. Shaffer and O. P. Wharton were employed on the editorial staff during Col. Brown's management.  Judge L. D. Thoman purchased Vallandigham's interest in April, 1881, subsequent to which the paper was published and edited by Thoman and Clarke until they sold out to Dr. Thomas Patton, who came from Newark to Youngstown and himself practically alone conducted the business and penned the editorials.  For a very brief period the paper was in the hands of J. A. Caldwell, who, with Charles Underwood, also issued an experimental daily.  After the death of Dr. Patton, Mr. Maag, in November, 1887, bought the plant at administrator's sale.  Very soon after that Mr. Maag formed a partnership with John M. Webb, a Democrat and journalist of the old school, the firm name being Webb & Maag, and succeeded by the Vindicator Printing Company, which was organized Sept. 3, 1889, with a capital of $20,000 and the following officers:  President, John M. Webb; vice-president E. M. Wilson; secretary John H. Clarke; treasurer and general manager, William F. Maag.
     The first regular daily Vindicator, a folio was put out Sept. 23, 1889.  Mr. Webb was managing editor; William B. Dawson was associate editor and Mr. Maag was then, as ever since and now, the head of the business department.
     Mr. Webb died Feb. 2, 1893, a short time before the block now occupied by the paper was completel completed.  His funeral services, which were attended by a large concourse of acquaintances and friends, were conducted in the incompleted building.
     Mr. Webb's immediate successor was C. H. Wayne, and he in turn was succeeded as editor-in-chief by William B. Dawson, who died in 1903.  The editorial chair was then taken by F. A. Douglas by whom it is still retained.
     The first very notable step in advance in business was made in 1893. May 1, that year, the Vindicator plant, with new equipment, including an eight-page perfecting press, put out the first issue in the new building on the present site, the southwest corner of Boardman and Phelps streets, the building being a substantial three-and-a-half story structure of brick and stone.  From then until now the Vindicator has made rapid progress, being among the first to install Merganthaler linotypes, now having eight such, among them machines provided with the very latest improvements.  About four years ago the eight-page perfecting press was superseded by the most modern twenty-four page machine with a capacity of 24,000 folded papers an hour.
     The officers of the Vindicator Printing Company are: President, John H. Clark; vice-president, Charles E. Ducasse; secretary, John W. Smith; treasurer and general manager, William F. Maag.
     In the Vindicator block and controlled by the Vindicator Printing Company are an up-to-date job department, a book bindery.  The

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Art Engraving Company and the Vindicator with its weekly, semi-weekly, Sunday and daily editions.
     In fourteen years Youngstown has made remarkable progress in many directions and in a large number of enterprises, but in none has progress been more uniform more rapid and more conspicuous than in the continuous prosperity of the concerns controlled by the Vindicator Printing Company.

RUNDSCHAU.

     For a third of a century the Youngstown Rundschau has been the only German news paper published in the territory between Cleveland and Pittsburg.  During all but one year of that time it has been under the same control.
     Established in the summer of 1874 by Henry Gentz, the Rundschau appeared for the first time on August 1 of that year with Rudolph Wilbrandt as editor and manager.  In July of the next year William F. Maag bought it, the first issue under his charge coming out just twelve months after the initial number.  The paper was then a small folio with sheets about half the present size.  Two years later the number of pages was doubled and as time went on and circulation and interest in the paper grew with the coming of more Germans to this territory, the size was gradually increased until, after being issued every week for thirty-three years, it now contains sixteen pages of the regular newspaper size.  It is set almost wholly by machine.  Since Mr. Maag took over the Vindicator the two papers have had offices together.
     The aim of the Rundschau is to give all the important general and local news of the week, to print weekly letters from various parts of Germany and from places in the vicinity of Youngstown, and to publish good and entertaining literature.  In politics it is independent.  In editorial charge of it have been Fred Riederer, Gustav Schiller, Emil Braun, A. Sparkuhl, Frederick Oertly, Otto Glus, Theodore Schuele, and the present editor, Theodore Lange.  William F. Maag has been manager since the paper came into his possession.  The Rundschau has attained to considerable influence through being the only German paper in a territory where large numbers of Germans have settled, but its greatest service has probably consisted in maintaining among the Germans in this country interest in the language and thought and customs of the Fatherland.

THE ROMA.

     The Roma is a weekly Italian newspaper in Youngstown, and was established as a literary paper in New Castle, Pennsylvania, in 1902, under the name of La Farfalla Umana, with a weekly circulation of 500 copies.  Subsequently its name was changed to L'Emigrante Italiano, and its publication was thus continued for several years.  It was then removed to Youngstown and enlarged, and has since been published here under the name of The Roma.  Under the capable editorship of Elpidio Buonpane, who is also the publisher, the paper is now in a flourishing condition, having a subscription list of 3500.  It is issued every Saturday.

THE YOUNGSTOWN LABOR ADVOCATE.

     The first issue of the Youngstown Labor Advocate appeared the first week of June, 1903, with David G. Jenkins as editor, and W. W. Paramore, manager.  The paper was first published by a partnership composed of those two gentlemen.  In September of the same year the Advocate Publishing Company was incorporated, and continued the publication of the Labor Advocate.  Mr. Jenkins severed his connection with the paper as editor in September, 1905, to devote his whole time to the study of law.  John Slayton, Henry O. Nelson, Sedge Rcilley and Byron Williams, all well known newspaper men and labor writers, were connected with the paper as editors.  The Labor Advocate was the organ of the labor unions of the Mahoning Valley and enjoyed a large circulation and influence.  Publication was suspended in January, 1907.

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THE YOUNGSTOWN JOURNAL.

     The Youngstown Journal, a weekly devoted to local industrials and labor almost exclusively, made its initial appearance Feb. 1, 1907, and is practically the successor of the Labor Advocate.  The new labor organ is owned, edited and published by Byron Williams, a well known and versatile local newspaper man, who successfully wrote at different times for the two local dailies, and who did his last work, before branching out for himself, on the deceased Labor Advocate. 
     Editor Williams, in his first issue, had the following to say by way of editorial or salutatory:
     "The Youngstown Journal is devoted to the publication of news pertaining to the industries and labor of Youngstown and vicinity, and for the dissemination of general information.  It will be the aim to keep the public well informed in regard to these matters in a thorough and impartial manner.  We most respectfully ask the support of the public, and will at all times endeavor to merit it."
     The Journal is neat in appearance and an eight-page paper with six columns to the page, each one of which is alive with advertisements.

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R. McCURDY

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