King County Newspapers

Auburn, King County See entry under Slaughter, King County.

Fremont*
Lake Union Sentinel, a semi-weekly listed in the Seattle City Directory for 1890.

Kent
Advertiser, established on November 7, 1889, by Ward Ries. (Edwin N. Fuller, in Washington Press Association Proceedings, 1887-1890, page 87.) It was listed as an independent weekly by the Lord & Thomas Newspaper Directory for 1890.

Recorder, on August 15, 1889, Mr. Charles Prosch wrote: "The Recorder was started at Kent and the Sun at Slaughter, two interesting towns in the White river valley, last year, 1888, the first newspaper efforts in King county outside the city of Seattle." Washington Press Association Proceedings, 1887-1890, page 35.)

Polk's Seattle City Directory, for 1889, shows Beriah Brown, Jr., as editor and proprietor of the Recorder.

Des Moines
News, established on November 22, 1889, by W. F. Thompson. (Edwin N. Fuller, in Washington Press Association Proceedings, 1887-1890, page 86.)

Seattle, King County

Alaska Times and Seattle Dispatch, a paper with a short but rather spectacular career. In 1868, T. G. Murphy issued the Sitka Times weekly in manuscript form. It contained advertisements and unimportant local items. The first printed number appeared on April 29, 1869, and the last on September 13, 1870. Owing to lack of support and to changes in the military department in Alaska the paper was removed to Seattle, October 23, 1870. (H. H. Bancroft, Works, Volumes XXXI., page 379, and XXXII, page 677.) The Seattle Intelligencer, on August 1, 1870, announced that Mr. Murphy was in the city and "informs us that he intends removing his printing material from that hyperborean region and publishing a paper in Seattle." The Seattle Intelligencer published numerous articles about its contemporary. On Monday, October 31, 1870, it announced: ''Alaska Times was issued yesterday." On February 13, 1871, it published a long article saying that T. G. Murphy was severely flogged by F. Lampson for a scurrilous article printed by Murphy. Lampson was released on $100 bail, pled guilty to a charge of assault and battery, was fined $25, which, the citizens of Seattle raised. On May 15, 1871, it announced that the materials of the Alaska Times were sold to James McNaught who held a mortgage on it. On August 7, 1871, it said that Hall & Wilson, (Ike M. Hall and W. Wilson) who had been publishing the Alaska Times and Seattle Dispatch discontinued their work and turned the property back to James McNaught. On March 18, 1872, the Seattle Intelligencer announced that T. G. Murphy had been admitted to the bar as an attorney and counselor at law at Port Townsend on March 11, 1872.

American Continent, the Seattle Directory for 1884-1885 shows that M. Choir had an office in rooms 19 and 22 Yesler-Leary Building and that he was publisher of such a paper.

Call, an advertisement in the Seattle Directory for 1884-1885, says: "The Seattle Daily Call. Every day except Sundays by the Hall Publishing Company. Subscription rates: ten cents per week, delivered by carrier. Fifty cents per month or $5 per year by mail. Office: Mill Street, Rear of Post office. (Formerly Hanford's Job Printing Office. Hall Publishing Company (Walter A., Frederick M., and Frank L. Hall), proprietors." Edwin N. Fuller says the Daily Call appeared on May 5, 1885, and the weekly edition on May 9, 1885. He says a clipping from another Seattle paper announced that the daily lived sixteen days and the weekly appeared but once {Washington Press Association Proceedings, 1887-1890, page 83.) This statement of extreme brevity of life is an exaggeration. The paper was counted radical as it espoused vigorously the anti-Chinese issue of the day. Citizens made up a subsidy to establish a rival. (Frederic James Grant, History of Seattle, page 368.) See Times. On May 3, 1886, the Call was merged into a new publication. See Press.

Chronicle. Kirk C. Ward, on losing control of the Seattle Post in 1881, began at once the publication of the Chronicle. Associated with him were Beriah Brown, Jr., W. M. Leach and Jud R. Andrews. Clarence B. Bagley says Mr. Ward was a fluent writer and a promoter of no mean sagacity. ("Pioneer Papers of Puget Sound," in the Quarterly of the Oregon Historical Society, Volume IV., page 383.) The paper was started as an evening journal but was changed to a morning journal until 1884. In that year the Chronicle passed under the management of Thaddeus Hanford for political reasons. The paper failed and Mert Dishon was appointed receiver. Through these financial troubles the paper passed into the ownership of the legal firm of McNaught, Ferry, McNaught & Mitchell. Mr. Dishon changed the Chronicle back to an evening paper. S. G. Young became editor on September 20, 1884. He gave way to Frank C. Montgomery, as editor, on February 17, 1885. (Charles Prosch and Edwin N. Fuller, in Washington Press Association Proceedings, 1887-1890, pages 32 and 82.) Mr. Bagley, in the article cited above says Frank C. Montgomery was ''a Bohemian from Kansas." He remained editor until the paper was merged with the Call forming a new publication. See Press.

Citizen, after parting with his interest in the Seattle Journal, Alexander Begg issued a handsome weekly paper called the Citizen. It was listed in the Seattle Directories for 1889 and 1890.

Citizen's Dispatch. Issued at the Puget Sound Gazette office and bound with that paper dated October 23, 1864. The paper is ten by three inches and contains the first telegraphic dispatch received direct. It is saved in the University of Washington Library, Bagley Collection. Mr. C. B. Bagley, speaking of Seattle's first newspaper and editor says: *'But when the first telegraphic dispatch to Seattle, on October 26, 1864, brought Civil War news, the primitive newspaper office on the outpost of civilization was electrified to activity. The dispatch arrived from Portland at 4 o'clock. Portland had received it from Kansas City and Kansas City from New York. It gave the news from Chattanooga of the operations of Sherman against Hood in the Atlanta campaign. The Gazette did not lose any time in issuing its Citizen's Dispatch, giving the first published dispatch coming by wire. At 1 o'clock the day before the cannon had been fired to celebrate the completion of the Western Union Telegraph line to Seattle." (History of Seattle, Volume I., page 190.) In the following week Editor Watson gave his "extras" the name of People's Telegram. See Puget Sound Gazette and People's Telegram.

Commercial Gazette and Puget Sound Maritime Reporter was listed in Polk's Puget Sound Directory for 1887.

Commercial Herald, listed in 1890 as a monthly publication. (Seattle Directory.)

Die Puget Sound Post, this German paper was reported as established in Seattle on November 5, 1883, by Schmidt &: Hunter. (Edwin N. Fuller, in Washington Press Association Proceedings, 1887-1890, page 80.)

Die Tribuene. Frederic James Grant says the paper was first issued in 1883 and "was the first paper published in the German, or, for that matter, in any foreign language, in Seattle or Washington." (History of Seattle, page 370.) The Seattle Directory, for 1884-1885, on page 50, carries an advertisement proclaiming it the oldest German paper in the Territory and giving Phil. Schmitz as proprietor. The Seattle Directory, for 1885-1886, gives Rudolph Damus as proprietor and publisher. The Seattle Directory, for 1889, still shows the same publisher and advertises the claim that its circulation in Washington and the Northwest exceeded that of all other German papers combined. On January 17, 1915, the Post-Intelligencer carried a long article praising the Daily Washington Staats-Zeitung and Jacob Schaefer, its editor and publisher. This larger paper had absorbed Die Tribuene.

Dispatch, see Paget Sound Dispatch and Post-Intelligencer.

Enterprise. On August 14, 1889, Charles Prosch wrote: "Repeated efforts have been made in past years by leading members of the Democratic party to establish an organ in Seattle. On the 30th of April, 1888, these efforts culminated in the incorporation of the Enterprise Publishing Company, which straightway proceeded to disseminate the principles of the party mentioned. After a checkered career of one month, the Enterprise died from lack of support. Litigation for wages and material followed the suspension, and, to crown the misfortunes of the venture, the plant was destroyed by fire on Thanksgiving night." (Washington Press Association Proceedings, 1887-1890, page 33.)

Fin-Back, published at varying intervals by Stewart & Ebersold. The intervals are shown by the files preserved in the University of Washington Library. In Volume I, it is a weekly from December 8, 1879, to November 29, 1880. Volume II, shows the paper as a monthly from December 25, 1880, to February 1, 1881; and as a tri-weekly from February 5, 1881, to June 28, 1881, which runs into Volume III. With the tri-weekly the publishers changed to Bowman & Austin, while Stewart & Ebersold retained the job printing office. On August 31, 1881, the paper appeared as the Daily Evening Pin-Back, with the label Volume III, number 123 and continued as such to Number 151, October 4, 1881. In the initial number it was claimed that "1000 copies circulated up and down the Sound free of charge." Another announcement was: "Published for the instruction and amusement of its readers. Devoted to the interests of the world at large and Seattle in particular."

Gazette, see Puget Sound Gazette.

Herald. "The evening Herald was first issued on July 5, 1882, by a company consisting of W. G. C. Pitt, T. H. Bates, and Thaddeus Hanford. It was printed with the material of the old Pacific Tribune. (H. H. Bancroft, Works, Volume XXXI., page 379.) The Seattle Directory, for 1882, carries a full-page advertisement calling the Daily Herald the "People's Paper", "Bold and Fearless", "Enterprising and Truthful". By mail, the price was $6 the year. On September 19, 1884, the paper explained its suspension for a single issue owing to financial troubles. "It died on October 8, 1884, from lack of resources." (Edwin N. Fuller, in Washington Press Association Proceedings, 1887-1890, page 83.)

Illustrated Budget, was started a few weeks before the great Seattle fire of June 6, 1889. The editor and proprietor was Samuel R. Frazier, a former Pittsburg newspaper man. His paper was steadily increasing in favor until the fire checked its course. Mr. Frazier accepted the position of editor of the Press and his Budget was disposed of and soon ceased publication.

Intelligencer, first appeared on August 5, 1867, as a weekly, neutral in politics, with S. E. Maxwell, as publisher. Beginning on August 9, 1870, the Intelligencer, continuing its weekly edition at $4 a year, published also a tri-weekly on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday of each week at $8 a year. In September a daily issue was begun but about February 4, 1871, all issues were discontinued except the weekly. (H. H. Bancroft, Works, Volume XXXI., page 379, and inspection of files by Victor J. Farrar.) On August 9, 1873, and on September 5, 1874, Mr. Maxwell advertises in his own paper and offers to sell out on account of sickness in his family. E. M. McKenney, of San Francisco, in his Pacific Coast Directory, for 1878, listed the Intelligencer as a daily and weekly with Higgins & Hanford as publishers. In 1878, the Intelligencer absorbed two other papers, the Pacific Tribune which had begun its existence in Olympia in 1863 and moved to Tacoma and later to Seattle before its absorption by the Intelligencer; the other, the Puget Sound Dispatch, which had been established in 1871 by Col. C. H. Larrabee and Beriah Brown. See Pacific Tribune under Olympia, Tacoma and Seattle, and Puget Sound Dispatch. After this amalgamation, the Intelligencer continued. The Pacific Coast Directory, for 1880-1881, lists it with Prosch & Crawford, as proprietors. This firm was composed of Thomas W. Prosch and Samuel Leroy Crawford. They had acquired the Intelligencer in 1879, after Mr. Prosch had ceased to be postmaster of Seattle. On October 1, 1881, the Intelligencer was merged with the Post. See Post-Intelligencer. The Seattle Public Library has incomplete files beginning with Volume I., Number 1, August 5, 1867 and extending to June 3, 1876. The University of Washington Library has the weekly issues from Volume I., Number 1, to Volume VI., Number 52, August 2, 1873, and another volume containing the issues from August 9, 1873 to July 31, 1875. The same library has a file of the Tri-Weekly Intelligencer from Volume L, Number 1, August 9, 1870, to Number 77, February 4, 1871. This form of the paper was discontinued at the end of six months.

Journal, Charles Prosch and Edwin N. Fuller have saved the information that, in 1888, Alexander Begg, Edmond S. Meany and David B. Murray established in Seattle the Daily Trade Journal. Mr. Prosch says: "As its name indicated, it was designed strictly as a commercial paper, and for some weeks was devoted exclusively to market reports, stock quotations, etc. By degrees its sphere was enlarged, until finally it contained daily an epitome of passing events, local and general, in addition to commercial matters." (Washington Press Association Proceedings, 1887-1890, pages 34, 86.) In 1889, the paper passed into the hands of a company which included such well known men as Judge Thomas Burke, John Collins and D. E. Durie. The word ''Trade" was dropped from the title and it became the Journal, a morning paper with Democratic leanings. The Seattle Directory, for 1889, announces E. W. S. Tingle, as editor, Charles S. Painter, as Business Manager. The paper was delivered by carriers at seventy-five cents a month and was sent by mail at six dollars a year. The paper survived the great fire of June 6, 1889, and passed on for a short time into the early days of statehood.

Leader, established in the very year of statehood this Paper flourished for a few years as the only temperance publication in Washington. Its first issue is given by Edwin N. Fuller as of April 11, 1889. (Washington Press Association Proceedings, 1887-1890, page 88.) An incomplete file, embracing parts of Volumes I, and II, is preserved in the University of Washington Library. The issue for August 1, 1889, shows the following officers: President, Everett Smith; Secretary, H. E. Kelsey; Treasurer, John B. Denny; those and A. Macready and F. H. Terry constituted the Board of Directors. Jonas Bushell was Manager.

Mirror, about six years before the appearance of the Leader, another temperance paper was attempted in Seattle, under the name of Mirror. Edwin N. Fuller says the last issue was Volume I, Number 45, bearing the date of September 14, 1884. (Washington Press Association Proceedings, 1887-1890, page 83.) This would place the first issue at November 11, 1883.

Nordvest Kusten, in the Seattle City and King County Directory, for 1885-1886, page, 38, an advertisement says that such a paper is published "at the foot of Columbia Street opposite the bay." It was to appear twice a month at $1.20 per year. Frans Lager was given as the publisher, though on page 108 his name was spelled Lagerof.

North Pacific Rural, Benson I. Northrup, a veteran of the Civil War, arrived in Seattle with his family on September 11, 1875, and on the next Monday morning he went to work as foreman in the Intelligencer office. In 1876, he rented from the publisher of that paper the job printing department. Among other works turned out from that office was Seattle's first Business Directory. It carries on the little page the date 1876, with the line: ''Comprising a history of the first settlement, after development and present population and business of the City." It was compiled by Kirk C. Ward and published by B. L. Northrup who was credited with the printing. From this same office Mr. Northrup also published the North Pacific Rural, a monthly agricultural paper. Mr. Charles Prosch says it obtained some circulation in the country and became the nucleus of a new daily. (Washington Press Association Proceedings, 1887-1890, page 31.) On November 15, 1878, Mr. Northrup formed a partnership with Kirk C. Ward, who had helped him with the Directory, and on that date merged his agricultural paper into the new daily which took the name of Post. See Seattle Post and Post-Intelligencer.

North Seattle
Advocate, the Seattle Directories, for 1888 and 1889, show this paper as being published by H. Leland & Company, advertisement in 1889 shows the company to consist of Henry Iceland and John J. Knoff. They sought job printing of every description and gave their address as "2317 Front Street."

Northern Light, this name appears at least three times in the Territory of Washington, in Bellingham, Port Townsend and Seattle. In the case of Seattle, the name appears merely in an announcement in the Olympia Pioneer and Democrat for February 8, 1861: "Mr. Daniel Dodge proposes to commence a newspaper at Seattle, W. T., about the first of May. Terms $3 in advance. Mr. Dodge's paper will be called the Northern Light."

Northwest Trade: Review, listed as a semi-monthly by the Seattle Directory, for 1890.

Observer, listed as a weekly in the Seattle Directory, for 1890.

Pacific Tribune, established in Olympia in 1863 by R. H. Hewitt and passed into the control of Charles Prosch and his son Thomas W. Prosch, who, in August, 1873, moved the paper to Tacoma. On June 15, 1875, the paper, under the same name, with Thomas W. Prosch as publisher made its first appearance as a Seattle publication. The moving was chronicled by the Seattle Intelligencer, on June 19, 1875. The first Seattle Directory, 1876, carries a full-Page advertisement for the Pacific Tribune, daily and weekly. The price was $10 for the daily and $3 for the weekly. Job printing was solicited and Thomas W. Prosch was publisher. Edward A. Turner, a native of Maine, came to Seattle in 1875. He became editor of the Pacific Tribune for a short time. In 1878, Thomas W. Prosch became postmaster of Seattle and in that same year the Pacific Tribune was purchased by Thaddeus Hanford and merged into Intelligencer. (Charles Prosch in Washington Press Association Proceedings, 1887-1890, pages 31-33.) See same title under Olympia and Tacoma and also see Post-Intelligencer. Incomplete files of the Pacific Tribune are in the University of Washington Library.

Footnotes:
* Now part Seattle.

Washington AHGP |  County Newspapers

Source: Washington Historical Quarterly, Volume 13-14, 1923