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Newspapers in Wisconsin 1848-1905

Introduction

According to The History of Wisconsin, the beginnings of newspaper production in the Wisconsin Territory are difficult to pinpoint for two main reasons. First, the printing profession went through a considerable number of changes in terms of printing plant ownership, which was a frequent occurrence. Second, changes in newspaper ownership were very rapid. These reasons made targeting the birth of Wisconsin newspapers difficult, but once they started, they proliferated rapidly. There reasons for this include: keeping up with the flow of emigration, the "advancement" of the country, and especially, politics, which is quite evident in the examples that follow.

The first newspaper in Madison was the Madison Enquirer, established in 1838. A year before, the Mineral Point Miners' Free Press was first published. By 1852, there were six local daily papers in Madison, which included the Argus and Democrat and the Wisconsin State Journal. To get a flavor of what constituted "news" during this time period, examples of headlines that appeared on the front page of each of these papers follow.

Miner's Free Press

"Printed and published by H.B. Welsh and H. Plowman, Every Tuesday, at Mineral Point, Wisconsin Territory."

Subscription rate: $3 per year

Tuesday, July 24, 1838, Volume 1 Number 1:

Front page sections included:

* Poetry
* "A Slice of Brant. Or a passage in the eventful history of the renowned thayendanegea." This was a "graphic sketch of stirring incidents in one of the border wars of the American revolution."
* Increase of Population. In other words, a birth announcement.
* Shrewdness. Short moral definition of this word as "weedling a living out of others and living in idleness yourself."

Tuesday, March 31, 1840, Volume 2 Number 35:

Front page sections included:

* Advertising
* Notices (e.g. mortgage sale)
* Reprints (e.g. article from Milwaukee Sentinel)

Weekly Argus and Democrat Volume 1, Number 1: "Union, Concession, Harmony."

Subscription rate: $1.50 in advance

Front page sections included:

* Official Directory. State officers, judiciary, officers of Dane County
* General Business Directory
* "Democratic National Convention. First Day's Proceedings"

Wisconsin Enquirer April 3, 1841; Volume 3, Number 19

"In this paper the laws, resolves, and public treaties of the United States, are published by authority."

Front page sections included:

* "Laws of the United States." A list of acts, laws passed, etc.
* "Poetry."
* "Miscellany." This included articles entitled "Democracy and Religion" and "Sketches of Franklin."

Wisconsin State Journal

Friday, March 30, 1860

"Local Matters"

* Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad Schedule
* Republican Club Meeting time and place
* Report of the Republican City Convention
* Educational Meetings and Addresses (teacher appointments, etc.)

"Wisconsin Legislature"

* Senate News
* "Judge Howe's Speech"

Wednesday Afternoon, March 30, 1870

"Wisconsin Items"

* "The Jefferson County Union notes that Rev. C. Caverno, of Lake Mills, is still too ill for pastoral work."

"News Paragraphs"

* "The Minnesota State Fair is to be held at Winona."
* "A dispatch from Rome states 610 votes are now sure in favor of Papal infallibility, being a large majority of the Council."

"BY TELEGRAPH"

* Foreign News
* National News
* Proceedings of Congress

"Personalities"

* "Prince Arthur is going to California Next Month"
* "Madame Jaunescheck, the great tragedienne, is at Southhampton, England"

Tuesday Afternoon, March 30, 1880

"News of the Day"
--"Condensed from our last night's telegraphic report"

"BY TELEGRAPH"

* "Pelting Parnell!"
* "Washington News"

Saturday Afternoon, March 29, 1890

* "The Tracy Tragedy"
-- "A servant said to have confessed to starting the fire"
* "Ruin and Death"
-- "Fatalities by the Louisville Horror will probably fall short of 100." Names of the killed as far as identified.

Friday Afternoon, March 30, 1900

* "Spooner Speaks Monday"
-- "Gives notice that he will talk on Puerto Rican Bill:
* "Chicago Getting Ready for Dewey"
-- "Mayor Harrison asks for regular troops and war ships for May 1st"
* "City News Notes"

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