NEWSPAPERS -- Hunterdon Independent – For 70 years, Frenchtown had two weekly newspapers.
The first was the Frenchtown Press, Charles Joiner, editor and publisher.
“In 1871, after trying every means to induce Mr. Joiner to sell out, Andrew Slack became the proprietor of another paper, started in opposition to the Press,” according to William Sipes, “and it was edited by his son, Silvanus Decker Slack (1871-1942) and Silvanus' cousin Ross Slack (1848-1921).
Silvanus had learned the printing trade at the Press office from Charles Joiner, who would become his enemy.
In its first issue on May 6, the Slacks promised to fill the paper “with reading that will interest the Farmer, Merchant, Tradesman, the Business and Professional man – old and young – everybody, and shall contain but little of the light literature of the day.” It explained that the county already had newspapers named the Democrat and the Republican, but this one would “be pledged to no party.”
Borough Council tried to split borough printing jobs between the Independent and the Press, but the Independent claimed the split was not 50-50.
It was customary for the editors of newspapers to razz each other in a friendly fashion, but in the mid-1870s Frenchtown was proving to be too small for two newspapers, and an ugly feud broke out between the Press and the Independent. Because the Hunterdon County Historical Society library has the Independent and not the Press on microfilm, only a one-sided account can be presented here.
The Independent accused the Press of stationing a shill outside its office to discourage print-shop customers with lies about prices and reliability. Joiner's journalism was also faulted. The April 18, 1874, issue of the Independent offers a sample of the hard feelings against Joiner:
Our contemporary, this week, emits his vile vomit on Mr. A. P. Kachline, of this place, and on the proprietor of this paper; and for what? Others, with ourselves, have been the subjects on which he from time to time has vented his spleen; made himself and paper perfectly disgusting with slanderous jargon and slang expressions, all of which have really amounted to nothing more than to please his own degraded taste and increase the circulation of our paper.
Brother, sweep before your own door first; pay your taxes, your debts, and remember the Golden Rule; and then you will have less time to curse your neighbors.
Accounts vary on when Ross Slack retired from the Independent, but after Silvanus' early death, John R. Hardon (1831-1917) bought the newspaper. Hardon was a Civil War veteran and a charter member of the 1888 fire company. He was baggage master at the depot in 1871, and had been a carpenter before acquiring the Independent, which was his from 1879 to 1910.
In May of 1882 Ross Slack attempted to start a publication called The Enterprise, then moved to Trenton in August, according to the Star.
The May 18, 1899, the Milford Leader reported that “while the large cylinder belonging to the new printing press, now being set up in Brother Hardon's printery, was being drawn up the stairway in Williams' Block last week, the rope broke and 1,400 pounds of iron came down with a crash to the street.
“Luckily no one was hurt, but the landing at the foot of the stairs was badly demolished… when the machine is ready and 'Pop' Hardon pulls the string, he will have a capacity of 1,300 papers per hour.
“No use talking, 'Pop' and his Independent occupy an orchestra seat in the newspaper theatre.”
Hardon's obituary said that “his untiring efforts in behalf of his town resulted in more good than can generally be imagined by his associates there.”
Fading white lettering painted at second-story level on the Harrison Street side of the old Williams Block says: “Newspaper Advertising” (window) “First Class Work, Prices Right” (window) “Job Printing.” But by the time you read this, the words may have faded out entirely.
Louis K. Davis was in charge 1910-11. Besides the brevity of his tenure, he left another indication that he was not completely comfortable in the editor's chair. Here's how he headed a news column in the March 31, 1911 issue: “Bucks County Items of More or Less Interest According to the Viewpoint Taken by the Reader.”
Davis quickly passed the torch in July 1911, to teenager Joshua B. Stout (1893-1964) of Idell, who would be editor and publisher until 1920. After him, came the final owner, Morgan T. Davy. Gloria Sipes Paleveda wrote that in the 1920s and '30s the Independent was published in a small building at 22 Second Street, which would be replaced by a house.
The Independent was a casualty of World War II, when the war effort starved it of manpower. In 1942 John A. Clements bought it, and it disappeared into the Hunterdon Republican, along with the Clinton Democrat.
From "Rick's Frenchtown Encyclopedia"
Pete, I'm pretty sure it was never in the Gem Building. I think it was up around Race Street at first, then it moved into the building in the photo, and it's last home was in a small building on Upper Second Street. But maybe I missed a move.
No, you never told me about Ray Bailey. So you have a family history of competing with the Hunterdon County Democrat! And I thought you were just contrary. :)
Rick,
Was the Independent housed in the old Gem Theater building ?
Did we ever discuss my Grand Uncle Ray Bailey? Was Editor of the Hunterdon Republican.
One should vent one's spleen occasionally to keep it healthy.