Ogden City was, for about nineteen years, without a newspaper of her own. Indeed, for a number of years the only journal published in the Territory was the Deseret News, which was issued weekly. Realizing the truth of the adage that "the pen is mightier than the sword" in many respects, both for good and evil, and being anxious for an exponent of their own—an organ through which they could represent themselves—it was with unfeigned pleasure that in the winter of 1868 our citizens heard that Mr. T. B. H. Stenhouse was intending to publish a newspaper in Ogden. But it was not his intention at that time to move to this city and publish the Daily, Semi—Weekly, and Weekly Telegraph. It was the design of Mr. Stenhouse to issue a weekly journal to be called the Ogden Times. For this purpose he purchased press and material in the East, and when the temporary depot or way station was located at "Taylor's Switch," Mr. Joseph Hall was dispatched to Wasatch to hunt up the freight car containing the material for the Times. But fate willed that the journal under that name should not receive birth in the Junction City. Mr. Hall succeded in finding the freight and getting it released; no easy task at that period of railroad rustlings. Delays, however, were frequent and lengthy. The winter rolled away, spring set in, and the program of the Ogden pioneer press was changed. It was determined that Stenhouse should move to this city and bring the Telegraph establishment with him. Mr. Hall and Mr. Thomas G. Odell were engaged making preparations and receiving the machinery, type, etc., as they arrived from Salt Lake City, and deposit them in the "Seventies Hall," where thc paper was to be issued. On the 8th of May, 1869, Mr. John Jaques, the Editor, and Mr. T. G. Webber, the able Business Manager, arrived from the capital, and, on the 11th of May, the first number of the Daily Telegraph was issued in Ogden City. But here we must correct an error in relation to part of the name of the journal. It was not called the Ogden Daily Telegraph, but it retained the former name---viz.: Salt Lake Daily Telegraph, and some of the citizens of Ogden took umbrage at this, be cause they expected he proprietor of the paper would adopt the name of this city for his new venture. Mr. Odell became the Foreman of the establ ish ment, and Mr. Hall the City Editor.
Mr. Jaques had been appointed at a General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter—day Saints, held in Salt Lake City in April, to take a mission to England, and therefore occupied the editorial chair but for a brief period. He was succeeded by the late Mr. Edward L. Sloan, one of the founders and also Editor—in— Chief of the Salt Lake Herald. After a run of a few months the publication of the Telegraph was discontinued, and the proprietor removed the establishment back to the capital—and thus terminated Ogden's debut in journalism. Among the compositors who had worked on the Telegraph in this city were Mr. John G. Chambers, Mr. Orson H. Eggleston, and Mr. Reuben B. Eggleston; the last named gentleman still plies his vocation in the Ogden Herald office.
For the remainder of the year the people of this city and county were without a newspaper. This condition of things could, of necessity, be of but brief duration. The people must have a journal here—the necessities of the times demanded it. In December of 1869, a company of gentlemen united and organized, under the name of the "Ogden Junction Publishing Company;" and on January 1st 1870, the first number of the Semi-Weekly Ogden Junction was issued, with Hon. F. D. Richards, Editor, C. W. Penrose, Esq., Associate Editor, Mr. Joseph Hall, City Editor, and Mr. James McGaw, Business Manager of the new journal; with also the same foreman and a number of the same compositors that worked on the Telegraph. On the retirement of Mr. Richards, Mr. Penrose became the Editor-in-Chief. The Junction gained a large and extensive circulation in Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada, &c. In the month of September, 1872, the issuing of the Daily Junction was commenced. The Semi-Weekly was also continued. In 1877, the company sold out the establishment to Mr. Richard Ballantyne. Mr. Penrose removed to Salt Lake City and became the Editor of the Deseret News, and Mr. S. A. Kenner was engaged as Editor of the Junction.
In this same year the Amateur, a literary magazine, was commenced, under the auspices and in the interests of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association. It was published bi-weekly. Its Editors and contributors were the members of the Association. At the close of the second volume it was discontinued.
In 1878, Mr. Ballantyne sold the Junction to a company of gentlemen in this city, who soon after enlarged the sheet and made it a morning journal; but subsequently changed the time (with changes of the railroad time tables) of publication to an evening paper again. In March of 1880, Mr. Leo Haefeli became the Editor, and Mr. George G. Taylor, City Editor. These gentlemen continued in this capacity until February 14th, 1881, when that journal suspended.
In the summer of 1875, Legh R. Freeman and wife arrived here and commenced the publication of a semi-weekly paper, bearing their own name—the Ogden Freeman. The first number was issued by the lady, Mrs. Ada V. Freeman. It was very conservative in tone and character—indeed Mrs. Freeman appeared desirous to conciliate the people of Ogden and gain their good will. She succeeded to some extent by her non-interference with the religious and social system of the citizens. But when Freeman arrived here the policy of the paper was soon changed. He was a strong anti-"Mormon"—in fact he was a sort of wild Ishmaelite—his hand was soon turned against every man that he could not bulldoze, but he sometimes met with severe retaliation. Freeman came to Utah on wheels, with his peripatetic press, and at intervals along the route of the Union Pacific Railroad, at various towns issued an edition of his paper which was then called the Frontier Index. In the month of Nov., 1868, while at Bear River City, in Box Elder County, he raised an excitement against him which culminated in the destruction of his press, and had he not made good his escape he would have been lynched by the enraged people. Freeman charges that the rage against him was caused by his exposing some land rings and land jobbers. Freeman was in continual hot water during the time he remained here in consequence of his malignity and abuse of many of the citizens. In 1879 he collapsed, and the same season he started with his family for Montana. While en route Mrs. Freeman was shot by the accidental discharge of some fire arms. The wounds proved fatal. After lingering and severe suffering for a short time she died.
On the first of January, 1879, the Dispatch, a daily paper, was commenced by the Dispatch Publishing Com—pany. Mr. F. B. Millard was Editor, and Chas. S. King, City Editor. It was an anti—"Mormon" sheet and was of course opposed to the religion, politics, and general policy of the "Mormon" leaders and community. In November of the same year the Dispatch was sold to another company consisting of Messrs. Bradford and Crowell. They engaged Hon. Marshal N. Brewster as Editor. After the journal changed hands it did not live long, although it was more conservative than it had been under the former management. It collapsed for lack of support. On January 31st, 1880, the last number of the Dispatch was issued, and the enterprise sank in to the grave of its predecessors.
On New Year's Day, 1880, was commenced another small sheet called the Rustler, by the same Editors and Publishers who first inaugurated the Dispatch. The Local Editor of that sheet, Mr. Chas. King, was himself a "rustler." He was full of zeal, energy, and vim. He was severe on immoral institutions and gave such vivid pen-pictures of several parties who it was charged visited and supported houses of ill-repute, that he incurred their wrath and the vengeance of some of them. The Rustler was a morning paper, and about midnight, on the 22nd of February, a party of masked ruffians entered the office, abused Mr. King, dragged him out into the darkness, tarred and feathered him, and then decamped. The parties who committed the dastardly deeds were known, although the misdemeanor could not be proved against them. But Charley was not only a King, but also a hero and a martyr. The sympathies of all peaceable and law-abiding citizens were with him. On March 15th, 1880, the editors published their valedictory, the Rustler rushed out of existence and was seen no more.
The next Gentile journalistic venture was the Og-den Daily Pilot. Its initial number was issued early in March, 1881, by E. A. Littlefield, formerly editor and proprietor of the Post, Elko, Nevada. Quite a number of the leading firms in Ogden gave to the enterprise considerable subscription and advertising patronage, with the understanding that the policy of the journal would be non-interference. But the first number contained a vigorous and pronounced attack on the religious tenets of the majority of the citizens, so that they withdrew their patronage and, of course, the institution suffered in consequence. Subsequently Mr. Littlefield sold out to a company, he continuing to act as business manager. Instead of improving, however, the tone of the paper continued to grow more abusive, its own friends became disgusted, and the sheet was threatened with collapse. Recently the Pilot changed hands, and with the change came also a change in temper. Its tone under the new regime is courteous and conciliatory. Mr. Wm. M. Thompson is the Business Manager.
Thus it will be discovered that quite a number of newspapers have found their birth and demise in Ogden City. After the suspension of the Ogden Junction, the demise of this journal left the majority of the citizens of Ogden, for more than two months, minus an organ to represent their interests, or to defend themselves against the vituperative attacks of an abusive press. This was a desideratum that was severely felt by the citizens of all Weber County, and they determined to supply this want.
On the 9th of February, 1881, a number of prominent citizens met at the residence of Hon. D. H. Peery, in this city, to take the initial steps for the organization of the Ogden Herald Publishing Company. Mr. Peery was elected chairman and Mr. Joseph Hall secretary. The object of the meeting was thoroughly discussed and a temporary organization was effected as follows: D. H. Peery, President; L. J. Herrick, Vice-president; Joseph Hall, Secretary; Charles F. Middleton, Treasurer. At an adjourned meeting held in the City Hall, February 19th, a permanent organization was completed, with the above named gentlemen as officers of the company. An Executive Committee and Board of Directors were also elected. The books were opened at once and stock was subscribed. New presses, type, etc., were purchased, and, on the 2nd of May, 1881, the first number of the Ogden Daily Herald (evening issue) was issued, with Mr. John Nicholson as Editor, Leo Haefeli City Editor, Joseph Hall as Agent and Traveling Correspondent, E. H. Anderson Business Manager, and Alma D. Chambers, Foreman. Mr. Hall traveled in the interests of this journal in Western Wyoming, Eastern and Northern Utah, Idaho, Montana to the terminus of the Utah & Northern Railroad, to San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other places, securing subscription and advertising patronage and writing up for publication in the Herald whatever appeared of interest in the places he visited. In October 1881, Mr. Nicholson retired from the editorial chair of the Herald and removed to Salt Lake City, where he took a position on the editorial staff of the Deseret News. The present Editors of the Herald are Joseph Hall and Leo Haefeli Esqs.
The Ogden Herald is devoted to the advocacy of the constitutional, religious, civil, political, and local rights of the whole community, regardless of race, color, or creed. Its motto is "Good Will to All—Enmity to None." The Herald supports all measures for the elevation of the moral tone of society to the highest standard of excellency. It furnishes its readers with the latest political, commercial, general, and local news, up to the hour of going to press. The Herald encourages and promotes educa-tion, home industries, the development of our agricultural and mineral resources, and the financial, commercial, and mechanical interests of the Great West. In politics it represents the People's Party; in religion, it represents the dominant party in the County.
The Ogden Herald has been established a little over two years, and not withstanding many others have failed, this enterprise has been successful beyond the most sanguine hopes and expectations of those who inaugurated it. It is well and ably conducted. Its Editors are experienced in journalistic life and have been connected with other newspaper enterprises and institutions. It is hightoned and courteous, and its columns are open to the temperate discussion of all questions of public interest and benefit to the greatest number. It enjoys an extensive circulation, which is still increasing. Its list of exchanges, besides its Utah, Idaho, and other northern contemporaries, comprises a large number of respectable, influential journals published on the Pacitic Slope and the Atlantic seaboard. There is an excellent job office attached to the Herald institution, where first-class work can be obtained, and whose patronage keeps its presses constantly running. The Herald's prospects for the future are cheering, and the progress of the Junction City and changes in the arrival and departure of the trains on the railroads centering in this place may necessitate also a change in the issuing of the Herald. In that event it will become a morning journal.
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