The Courier and The Express

[klsm54]

This from the History of Clearfield County Pennsylvania that was written in 1887 by Lewis Cass Aldrich. The early history of the two DuBois newspapers.

 

The Du Bois Courier.---This paper made its first appearance January 15, 1879, Butler & Horton editors and proprietors. The paper, a seven-column folio, with patent side, was well printed on good type, and independent in political sentiment. In June, 1882, J. A. Johnston succeeded Butler & Horton, and the following spring dispensed with its patent attachment, and in one year thereafter enlarge it to an eight-column quarto, thus placing it among the foremost papers of the county. In October, 1884, E. W. Gray purchased a half interest of Mr. Johnston, and under the firm of Johnston & Gray the Courier was published for about two years, or until October, 1886, when it was sold to R. L. Earle, who changed it to a full-fledged and radical Republican organ, and it is now recognized and valued as such.

 

The Du Bois Express.-The Express was established October 12 1883, as an independent paper, by H. C. Wilson, B. S. Hoag, and Frank M'Michael, a four page, eight-column folio, on good clean type, and with patent outside. The Express, like the Courier, seems to have been well patronized locally, and has always presented a creditable appearance. Mr. Hoag retired January 14 of the present year, transferring his interest to the present firm of John P. Wilson, C. A. Read, H. C. Wilson, and Frank M'Michael, and to be known as the "Express Publishing Company." All the members of this firm are active, intelligent, and enterprising practical printers, and promise to give the Express a prominent place among the country newspapers of Pennsylvania, and with this hope in view have recently put in new presses and material preparatory to enlarging it to a six-column quarto, and to make it all home work, or at least to dispense with their patent outside; and as all the members of the firm are Democrats, and the Courier has been recognized as a Republican paper, and the population of that section of the county pretty equally divided between the two great political parties, the preponderance being slightly in favor of the Democrats, the proprietors of the Express seriously contemplate the propriety of dropping its neutral or independent character, and making it an advocate of democratic principles, not an "organ," but a free and independent democratic newspaper. Judging by their columns, the Du Bois papers are the best patronized of any in the county, and where advertising is extensively followed, job work will flourish also.

 

Circulation and subscription rates in 1887

 

Du Bois Express - 900 - $1.50 per year

 

Du Bois Courier - 1,100 - $1.50 per year

 

 

 

[Roy G. Biv]

Interesting...    

[Spygirl06]

Wow!  I had no idea that our current Courier Express started out as two separate newspapers.  Interesting!

[klsm54]

Here is Courier-Express article, from a couple years back, that gives more detail on the history of the newspaper.

 

 

04/07/2006

 

 

History of our Newspapers  

 

 

 

The history of the Courier-Express begins within a decade of the start of the history of DuBois, where it is located.

In 1872, John DuBois came to the then-village of Rumbargertown to start his lumbering operations and eventually to have the city named after him.

Seven years later, Bion H. Butler founded the Weekly Courier, printed at what is now Brady and Scribner streets. J.A. Johnston took over from Butler and published the weekly newspaper until Oct. 20, 1884.

On that date, E.W. Gray and E.S. Gray bought the newspaper.

One year earlier, in 1883, a competitor appeared.

The Express was organized by Frank McMichael and H.C. Wilson, and appeared in October as a weekly.

Four years later, on Jan. 2, 1888, the weekly newspaper became a daily newspaper, the DuBois Morning Courier, founded by E.W. Gray and Co.. In 1900, it became incorporated as Gray Printing Company. It was located in a small office at the rear of Brady Street and East Long Avenue, until the fire of June 18, 1888 destroyed its office as well as most of downtown DuBois. That same fire destroyed the Pettigrew Building offices of the Express.

At that time, the only source of news outside DuBois was to "clip," actually plagiarize, the news from the large-city daily newspapers and reprint it 12 hours later.

On June 14, 1889, the Morning Courier moved into the Hight Building, where it stayed until 1926, then moving to West Long Avenue and High Streets. A Universal cylinder press was installed, first powered by steam, later by a gas engine and finally by electricity. About 1905, the first Linotype typesetting machine was installed, replacing the practice of setting each letter of each line of type by hand. During the same time, the Express moved into the Knarr Building on Brady Street and, in 1890, was bought by David Reams. Another fire, this one in 1898, left the Express homeless again. It later moved into new quarters in the former Bob's Army and Navy Store building. In 1895, the Express became a daily newspaper with Charles H. Redfern as editor. In 1897, V. King Pifer became editor. In 1904, H.H. Rutter was the editor. In 1906, David C. Whitehill bought the Express, and W.B. Ross became its editor.

Early in the 1900s, the Morning Courier joined the Associated Press "pony" service, which consisted of several western Pennsylvania newspapers being hooked up to a "reader" in Pittsburgh who dictated news in two 15-minute periods to be transcribed by typewriter by editors in the half-dozen cities where the local papers were located.

In 1909, A.E. Hasbrook bought an interest in the Express and changed its name to the Daily Express.

In 1914, E.S. Gray sold his interest in the Morning Courier.

In 1921, H.T. Gray entered the business and in 1923, J.S. Gray entered the business at the time of the death of E.W. Gray.

On May 16, 1927, the Gray Publishing Company took over the Daily Express. The two newspapers were published as separate newspapers for 17 years, with J.S. Gray editor of the Express, W.B. Ross the editor of the Morning Courier.

A Courier-Express retrospective published in 1957 said the Courier was generally recognized as "dry" (promoting Prohibition) and Republican, while the Express was "wet" (against Prohibition) and Democratic.

The two newspapers became one newspaper during 1944 when World War II shortages of newsprint and workers forced the consolidation.

W.B. Ross retired as editor in 1953, and F.I. Gillung was editor until 1956. George Waylonis became the editor in 1956 and Marvin Bloom became general manager.

In 1957, the newspaper installed a 32-page Hoe press, doubling its previous 16-page printing capacity.

In the 1980s, Jason Gray became publisher.

In 1988, the newspaper was sold to McLean Publishing Co. of Bryn Mawr, Pa. The parent company, Independent Publications Inc., also owns daily newspapers in Geneva, N.Y., and Nashua, N.H., and operates a commercial printing business, Evergreen Printing, in Bellmawr, N.J., as well as Independence Communications Inc., a sound and communications business with offices in Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina.

Independent Publications Inc. is owned by William L. McLean III, a third-generation newspaperman, and his family. Andrew Bickford is its executive vice-president.

In 1990, McLean Publishing Co. bought the Jeffersonian Democrat and the Brookville American, each one a weekly newspaper published in Brookville, Jefferson County, by the McMurray Printing Co. Kenneth Frizell became publisher and Dennis J. Bonavita became editor.

In 1993, the McLean newspapers pooled their resources and founded Tri-County Sunday.

In 1995, W. Dock Lias became publisher.

In 1998, McLean Publishing Co. bought The Leader-Vindicator of New Bethlehem.

In 2001, Dennis J. Bonavita became publisher and Nick Hoffman became managing editor.

 

 

 

http://www.thecourierexpress.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16445686&BRD=2758&PAG=461&dept_id=577644&rfi=6