Mr. L.P. Carpenter was the editor and proprietor of The Oneonta Herald in 1862. Upon reading through the weekly editions of that year, one could sense that his job wasn't the easiest or most popular of the time. The Civil War was pressing onward, subscribers weren't paying their bills and the costs of producing the newspaper were on the rise.
In the "Local Matters" portion of the Wednesday, March 26, edition, a headline over an article was titled, "Concerning the Editor."
The article stated, "If an editor omits anything he is lazy. If he speaks of things as they are, people are mad. If he glosses over -- smooths down the rough points -- he is bribed. If he calls things by their proper names he is unfit for the position of editor. If he does not furnish his readers with jokes he is a mullette. If he does he is a rattle-head, lacking stability. If he condemns the wrong, he is a good fellow but lacks discretion. If he lets wrongs and injuries go unmentioned he is a coward. If he upholds a public man, he does it for a 'consideration.' If he crticises (sic) him, he does it to gratify spite -- is a tool of a clique, or belongs to the 'outs.' If he indulges in personalities he is a blackguard -- if he does not his paper is dull and insipid."
Appearing in a local news section, this might infer that no matter what is printed, there's always a critic.
On Nov. 5, 1862, an article with the headline "S.S. Burnside," showed Carpenter had clearly been a target of criticism from Burnside, a major general who had formed the Militia Company B, 41st Regiment, in Oneonta in recent years and was a local figure during the Civil War.
"In a political speech this gentleman (?) made at West Davenport, a few nights since, he made a charge against the editor of this paper which he knew to be false, and if it is as we were told -- it is libelous. And if after inquiring into the matter, we find it as reported, he will have an opportunity to prove it before a jury of twelve of his countrymen. In peddling his low bred cunning around the country he had better learn not to be quite so personal. He has not of late, made a political speech without bringing in some of his neighbors, if they happen to differ with him on the subject he is talking about. He may find that he has for once gone a little too far -- he may have got his foot in."
What Burnside said and what came from this article were not published, but it was clear there was bad blood between Burnside and Carpenter.
If the editorial side wasn't tough at times in 1862, the business end of publishing the newspaper was.
Carpenter, under "Local Matters" signed an article, headlined "You Must Pay up," on Wednesday, Aug. 27.
"We shall make up the account of each person who is indebted to us, to the first of September, and we must have our pay. In all probability we should be called upon to shoulder our musket about the first of next month, and go forth in defence (sic) of our country, and it is necessary that we have a settlement of our business before we go; therefore we call upon all to walk up and settle."
From the Wednesday, Nov. 12, edition came this article.
"Will be taken at this office, on subscription, and the market price allowed, wheat, corn, rye, buckwheat, oats and wood. Those having the above articles and wishing to dispose of them, (we was never known to refuse to take money) will confer a favor upon the publisher of the Herald, by leaving them at his office."
It was common at that time for the mainly agricultural population of the area, not having much money to purchase items, to pay in trade or goods.
The Herald offices needed to be warm in the winter months, so firewood was commonly traded for a subscription.
Mr. Carpenter always made it clear that prices for printing materials were going up through the year.
Paper was still being made of rag materials at the time, and Carpenter encouraged "prudent housekeepers" in December to save every rag and old newspaper "for the day when the peddler comes around to give her cash for them."
Carpenter also gave notice to subscribers that no papers would be mailed after Jan. 1 unless paid for in advance.
"And we hope our friends will not feel hard towards us for adopting this course, unless we do it we shall be obliged to 'shut-up-shop.'" This never came to be.
On Monday: Two new supermarkets opened in Oneonta in 1952.
City Historian Mark Simonson's column appears twice weekly. On Saturdays, his column focuses on the area during the Depression and before. His Monday columns address local history after the Depression. If you have feedback or ideas about the column, write to him at The Daily Star, or email him at simmark@stny.rr.com. His website is www.oneontahistorian.com. His columns can be found at www.thedailystar.com/marksimonson.
Mark Simonson
Newspaper publishing in 1862 had its difficulties
- Mark Simonson
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A Main Street facelift for Oneonta in the 1920s
It has been just a little over 30 years, 1980 in fact, that Main Street in Oneonta went through a major transformation in appearance. Even now I'll hear mixed comments about the changes, which included antique style lamps, trees, planters and brick trim. Some liked the changes while others liked the wider street with the even-sized sidewalks.
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Perfect attendance by Saturday’s Bread for 20 years in Oneonta
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100 Years Ago -
Recalling the Hindenburg, John D. Rockefeller in May 1937
A young person of 75 years ago may still recall where they were or what they were doing in the month of May, as two big news events took place. They were the Hindenburg disaster and the passing of billionaire John D. Rockefeller. There were some local connections with both news items.
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Oneonta residents had diversions aplenty in the spring of 1952
It is always good to keep up with current events. However, it is starting to become an unwritten requirement to seek some diversions from staying up to date on news, as for some it can become overwhelming or depressing.
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Damaschke essential to ensuring Oneonta baseball in 1927
Oftentimes, in the distant past, the place you worked for became a social nucleus in the village or town. Employees at large companies such as Endicott-Johnson Shoe Co. or IBM in the Binghamton area took part in activities after work such as sports, music and theater, both in and out of town, to represent their company.
- Monday, May 7, 2012
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Area tunes to WONT in November 1972
As a youngster growing up in the area and having a fascination with radio broadcasting, I used to consider it a part-time hobby to put the earphone into my transistor radio and go exploring what was out there to listen to, up and down the dial. It was indeed a long-distance journey at night when listening to AM radio, as you could hear live and locally staffed stations from Chicago, Windsor/Detroit, Atlanta and New Orleans, to name a few cities. I never spent a lot of time listening to FM radio 40 years ago, simply because there wasn't the same "excitement" of the long-distance journey. Little did I realize, things were changing locally on that "other" band of radio frequencies that included decimal points.
- Saturday, May 5, 2012
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Congressman Fairchild added downtown growth in 1912
Another case of wandering imagination struck this historian recently, while learning about the building at 244-248 Main St. in Oneonta, storefronts for the Autumn Café and Razzle Dazzle. This structure is known as the Fairchild block, and it turns 100 this year.
- Monday, April 30, 2012
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From no TV to saving eagles, it was life in April 1982
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- Saturday, April 28, 2012
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A daily newspaper for Oneonta was an achievement in 1887
Depending on the electronic device you have these days, accessing news can be made nearly as soon as something happens. Oneontans of 125 years ago got their news on a weekly basis, courtesy of The Oneonta Herald.
- Monday, April 23, 2012
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Area saw Hollywood stars up close in April 1952
It has been a mighty long time since Greer Garson, Victor Jory, Don Taylor and Audrey Totter drew big numbers of people at the box office of our local movie theaters. Make it 60 years, in fact. Now generations removed from popularity, some are still able to remember the names of these four movie stars who paid a visit to our area in late April 1952.
- Saturday, April 21, 2012
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Spring tree plantings were numerous in 1927
None of my calendars at home or at my other workplaces show that April 27 of this year is Arbor Day.
- Monday, April 16, 2012
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Nuclear weapon debates were plentiful in April 1982
Plan for a nuclear war -- or seek a nuclear weapons freeze. That was a frequent debate going on in our region during the month of April 1982.
- Saturday, April 14, 2012
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A Titanic survivor stopped in Oneonta days after disaster
Edward Bean was one amongst the lucky one-third of the passengers aboard the Titanic who lived to tell about the disaster of the ill-fated ship that sank after hitting an iceberg on April 15, 1912. Only about a week after the disaster, Bean was in Oneonta, on his way home to Cincinnati.
- Monday, April 9, 2012
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Simonson: April 1952 brought educational developments in Oneonta
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- Saturday, April 7, 2012
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Oneonta's first automobile exhibition took place in April 1917
An automobile show as large as those in Albany or Utica. That was the heady claim of the organizers of Oneonta's first such show, set for early April 1917.
- Monday, April 2, 2012
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Thruway bridge collapsed 25 years ago into Schoharie Creek
I had just started my evening music shift at a Binghamton radio station on Sunday evening, April 5, 1987, with a network newscast at the top of the hour.
- Saturday, March 31, 2012
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Oneonta responded to declaration of World War I
"President Asks For War."
- Monday, March 26, 2012
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Devastating fire, loss in sports status, education made major area news in March 1982
A fire destroyed a foundry in Morris, Hartwick College basketball dropped a division level, two schools considered a merger, and a local Odyssey of the Mind was born. These news items and more made for a busy month in March 1982.
- Saturday, March 24, 2012
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Useful advice for farmers came to the area in 1912
It is practically a rite of autumn for high school students, or college students looking to transfer to a different college.
- Monday, March 19, 2012
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St. Mary's Church of Oneonta dedicated 55 years ago
"With solemn, historic pageantry, the Most Rev. William A. Scully, bishop of Albany, yesterday dedicated the new St. Mary's Church."
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A Main Street facelift for Oneonta in the 1920s
