July 14, 1922
OUR ANNIVERSARY
The Press "points with pride" to the fact that with this issue the paper starts out on the forty-fifth year of its existance [sic]. Indeed, it is something to be proud of. Other papers, five in number--Reporter, Monitor, Advocate, Record, News--have sprung up from time to time and after a more or less turbulant [sic] existance [sic] have disappeared. But the Press goes on, very much alive, and its subscription list is today as large as in any year past.
On July 14, 1876, the first issue of The Crittenden Press made its appearance. It was a four-page, six column paper with the names of R. C. Walker and C. F. Champion as editors and publishers. Though very greatly admired from the first issue, yet, owing to the failure of its predecessor, The Marion Reporter, many of its friends doubted the paper's longevity. After a few issues Mr. Champion withdrew from the business, selling his interest in the paper to his partner. Newspaper men like poets, are born, not made. As our older readers know, Mr. Walker was a splendid newspaper man, and one who had the best interest of Marion and Crittenden county at heart; and it was to him as editorial writer and newsgatherer that the Press owes its success during the twenty-seven years of his proprietorship. He built the subscription from nothing to a substantial list. Many of our present subscribers tell us with much pride that they "took the paper while Bob Walker run it."
In 1903, owning to ill health, and wishing to retire from newspaper work and go west, Mr. Walker sold his plant to Mr. S. M. Jenkins. Though up to this time Mr. Jenkins was not versed in newspaper work, he was a splendid business manager and knew what it took to make a good newspaper. What he lacked in newspaper experience he made up in tact and as Marion grew in population, the subscription list to the Press likewise grew. By using a good deal of tact, Mr. Jenkins rarely lost a subscriber. Like all newspaper men, Mr. Jenkins sometimes sent out statements to his subscribers telling them to "come in and pay up". In a few days a disgruntled subscriber would come in and exclaim "Stop my paper." "All right Mr. Blank" the editor would reply "I've got plenty of others, but your wife wants the Press.["] "No, she don't want it either". "Well" returned Mr. Jenkins, "I'd like to make an agreement with you. Leave it to yourself, your wife and to me. The majority wins." In a few days he would receive a check, telling him to keep his name on the list.
In 1919, after 16 years of ownership, Mr. Jenkins sold out to W. F. and W. P. Hogard. Soon after the purchase, the entire plant with all its equipment was destroyed by fire. Despite this discouragement and loss not an issue of the paper failed to appear on time. The printing outfit of J. C. Bourland was purchased and to this was added a new Linotype, and other machinery, making it one of the best printing establishments in this part of the state. During the second year as editor of the paper, Mr. W. P. Hogard retired, selling his interest to W. F. Hogard and Sons, with Mr. R. E. Wilborn manager of the Job Department.
So now in starting our forty-fifth year we promise our readers to endeavor to make the Crittenden Press compare favorably with the issues of other days.
Source: Crittenden Press. (Marion, Ky.) 1919-Current, July 14, 1922, Edition 1, Image 2 - Chronicling America - The Library of Congress.
[My comments are in brackets.]
