The Detroit Record VOL. 142 NO.31
DETROIT, BECKER COUNTY, MINNESOTA, SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 2015
1872-2015
FROM THE BECKER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
NO, IT WASN’T A FORMAL GATHERING just the everyday work clothes of the men and women who put out the Detroit Record every week for more than 100 years,
The Record had long, storied history With roots that stretch back to 1872, Record lasted until 2015 PIPPI MAYFIELD pmayfield@dlnewspapers.com In the Dec. 7, 1928, issue of The Detroit Record, George D. Hamilton wrote a recap of the past 50 years of the Record’s history. Below is a portion of that article: “The Record office was then located in a small frame building on the present site of the Northern Pacific freight station. “Mr. Ames returned to Wisconsin after we put out one or two issues of the paper, and only returned two or three times for short visits, and after the first year he decided there was not enough in the business to support two people, and suggested I give him my note for the original purchase price, payable ‘when convenient.’ “The equipment of the office when we took it over consisted of an old Hoe hand press that had seen much service, and had not stood the strain any too well; a case of well worn type, an imposing stone just large enough to enable that making up of a one page form. There was no paper cutter and for this service a jack-knife and straight edge were used. It was under these conditions that I managed to get out our first issue of the Record on Nov. 23, 1878. The first issue of the Record had been printed in 1872, under William Ball of Virginia, who ran the newspaper until Hamilton bought it. Ball later went on to become mayor of Fargo. “I think it was of 250 copies, and I was as proud of the product as a mother dog is of a litter of newborn puppies. Advertising was practically a trade proposition, and the only way in which the merchant could be induced to take space was to run up a bill and then make him understand that advertising space was our only source of payment. “Subscriptions were largely paid in cord wood, vegetables or any commodity that could be used or traded. Practically the only cash available was derived from the publication of legal notices, required by law and payment fixed by the statutes. This kept the wheels going round — but I believe there was only one wheel that was attached to the small pob press that
FROM THE BECKER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PARADE FLOAT: The sign says “The Record covers its field like a blanket.”
had seen much service. “And these are the conditions under which a young man labored in attempting to establish a readable newspaper in a frontier town; but withal they were happy days. “As Detroit grew to a thriving city of importance, improvements were gradually made and the Record became one of the prosperous businesses of the county. The circulation steadily increased until it covered the county thoroughly, and I believe I may say without seeming egotism, wielded considerable influence for the betterment of the community. “After 33 years of newspaper work the Record was sold to Lou Benshoof and A.T. Thompson, September 1911, and I am pleased to note that it has continued to prosper and that the general policy of the betterment and general upbuilding of the community has been consistently and ably main-
tained.” In this anniversary story of the Record, other former employees were welcome to contribute, several writing in their memories of their time at the Record and of Hamilton. Below is from Henry Jenson, a former reporter at the Record. “On January 1, 1905, I was enrolled as a member of the Detroit Record staff as its outside news (locals) gatherer. It was my senior year in high school and work was necessary in order to pay my way. “When the news items (the copy) were submitted to the keen eye of Harry Phillips, the Record foreman, they were scrutinized severally and weighed ponderously, so that it was with some misgivings that they were submitted to Mr. Hamilton. “But all my youthful worries would disappear before the generous praise and words of approval from the
Real Boss himself, and I would again go forth to gather the news for the next week with that exuberant feeling that ‘Mr. Hamilton knows what I am good for anyway.’ “Thomas Roen, my chum those days who had a real job with the Record, and I often discussed and compared ‘our paper and plant’ and its staff with other newspapers in the state and it was our unanimous opinion, that the Detroit Record was the best paper in the state and George D. the best editor. “My early association with Mr. Hamilton and the Detroit Record are among my pleasant recollections and I shall always remember him as one of the real men whom I have been privileged to know.” H.J. Jager was also associated with the Record in the early years. Here’s what he wrote in the 50-year tribute:
“Next February 21, it will be forty years since I began working in the Record office as ‘printer’s devil,’ at the salary of $2.50 per week. I slept on a cot in the pressroom and boarded at Trimlett’s Restaurant for $2.50 per week. Fortunately my wages were increased but my board bill was not. “The office was then located in the old Littlemore Building which has long since turned to dust and ashes. Later Mr. Hamilton bought the Morrow Block and we moved the Record to its present location — a wonderful improvement and much appreciate by us all. “It was my surroundings in the Record office that opened my eyes to the meaning and privilege of being an American citizen and created in me a desire for an education that I might become a more useful and worthy citizen of my adopted country. “I shall never forget that I owe to the influence of the dear old Record office and its little staff of workers — Mr. Hamilton, Jay Maltby and Sadie Dunning.” Former foreman J.H. Maltby, who went on to be the editor of the Lisbon (N.D.) Free Press, also contributed words for the anniversary: “Mr. Hamilton took over the first Record office, old Washington press and all, from a fire years before I became identified with his office force. I had been disciplined by the high school principal, George H. Watts, and smarting from a boyish feeling of injustice which I thought had been shown me, I left the school that year and went to work in the printing office. This was after the Record had moved from the north side of the town to the south side into the building which years afterwards became the Harris Meat Market — the Record then moved into its present quarters. “The Record office was ever a busy place, and during the dozen years we spent in it, there was something to do every moment, and when we left in 1892 for North Dakota, we were acquainted with probably half if not two-thirds of the people of Becker County from their calls at the office.”
A FAREWELL SALUTE TO THE BECKER COUNTY RECORD
SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 2015 • THE DETROIT RECORD • 3C
The men behind the newspaper
E.G. Holmes was an early owner, John Meyer played later role PIPPI MAYFIELD pmayfield@dlnewspapers.com The Becker County Record published for one year in Otter Tail City before moving to Detroit Lakes. From there it became The Weekly Record, located in Detroit City. The first issue in Detroit was printed on May 18, 1878, and W.F. Ball was the editor and publisher, and E.G. Holmes was the proprietor, or owner. From that day until the present, ownership of the Record has change six times. Hamilton owned the newspaper until 1911, when he sold it to Lou Benshoof and A.T Thompson. Lou Benshoof was a native of Iowa and edited the Record-Review in Barnesville for four and a half years before coming to the Record in 1907. He worked as a writer. A.T. Thompson previously published papers in Lake Park and Gary. In 1947, the two men sold the newspaper to Byron L. Benshoof and Roger G. Hamilton. When Byron Benshoof returned from the service in January of 1946, he assumed the editorial direction of the Record with his father, Lou, becoming inactive in the business at that time. After purchasing the newspaper a year later, Byron Benshoof worked as editor of the paper, and Roger Hamilton served as business manager. Byron also served as the president of the Detroit Lakes Junior Chamber of Commerce, and Roger served as the vice president. At one time, Roger was associated with the staff of the Detroit Lakes Tribune. Willard (Bill) Robbins purchased the Detroit Lakes Record and the Town & Country Shopper from B.L. Benshoof and R.G. Hamilton in May of 1961. He took over the business June 3, and Benshoof and Hamilton remained with him for a brief period of time. The Town & Country Shopper had been established 15 months prior to the sale. Robbins graduated from the University of South Dakota with a degree in journalism. He worked as the editor-manager of the Times-Republican in Corydon, Iowa, and he had spent four years in the Navy also. After the service, he spent 12 years as manager of Zekan-Robbins Co., Harlan, a firm providing advertising campaigns, ad services and photography and engraving services for newspapers in 38 states. He and his wife and their daughter resided on Deadshot Bay after moving to Detroit Lakes. Not long after, on Oct. 9, 1963, The Lakes Publishing Company purchased the Becker County Record from Bill Robbins. The three new owners were Iowa and Nebraska newspapermen — J. Allan Cramer,
TAKEN FROM THE DETROIT RECORD
In charge since 1911...Lou Benshoof and A.T. Thompson retire after 18 years
A.T. THOMPSON Owner
B. L. BENSHOOF Owner and Editor
BILL ROBBINS Owner and Editor
JOHN MEYER Owner
John Meyer and Richard Knowles. Robbins remained editor of the newspaper, and Meyer was the publisher of the paper. Meyer started his journalism career at age 15, and after graduating from University of Iowa, he served as a reporter in radio and television in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as sports editor of the Oelwein (Iowa) Daily Register for two and a half years and as
a member of the sports staff of the Cedar Rapids Gazette for four and a half years. For the three years before coming to Detroit Lakes, he served as first news editor and then business manager of the Denison Bulletin in Denison, Iowa. At the time of the Record purchase, Lakes Publishing Company also purchased the Detroit Lakes Tribune.
And then finally, in the April 29, 1985, issue of the Record, it tells about how John Meyer sold to the Forum Publishing Company in Fargo. With this company purchase, this is the first time publishers were not the owners of the newspaper. At this time, Forum Publishing Company, now known as Forum Communications Company, pur-
chased Detroit Lakes Newspapers (which included the Record and the Tribune) and the Park Rapids Enterprise and commercial printing operations in Detroit Lakes and Hawley. By this time, Meyer was the sole owner of the Detroit Lakes and Hawley operations, and Douglas Hirsch was his partner in ownership of the Park Rapids newspaper.
News from 1878: Tobacco is good for you, helps save your teeth FIRST NEWS from page 2C
and aims at a wider range of readers. ****************** The New Gold Discoveries in the Lake Superior Region From the Saginaw (Mich.) Enterprise We received a call yesterday from W.A. Northup, Esq., a prominent businessman and resident of Houghton, Lake Superior, but who has been spending the winter in prospecting in the famous silver and gold districts of Canada surrounding Thunder Bay, on the “North Shore” of Lake Superior. Mr. Northrup reports the prospects in highly favorable terms. The great Silver Islet mine is as rich as ever, and has produced a large amount of rich silver ore during the winter, which will be shipped to the Wyandotte Smelting and Refining Works by the first boats in the spring. Another mine, the Shuniaha, which has been producing moderately during the past season, struck a rich vein a few days before Mr. Northup’s departure, which gives a sudden impetus to the stock value in Detroit, which it is mostly held. A single blast threw out a barrel of silver ore as rich in pure metal as that found in Silver Islet. ****************** Buried Villages in Switzerland From the London Standard An interesting archeological
discovery has recently been made on the shores of the Lake of Bienne. The Swiss Government has been for a long time endeavoring to drain a considerable tract of land between the two lakes of Morat and Bienne, but in order to do this effectively it has been found necessary to lower the Lake of Neuchatel. At the beginning of the present year the sluices were opened and the waters of the Lake Bienne allowed to flow into that of Neuchatel. Up to the present time that level of the Bieler Sea has fallen upwards of three feet, and this fall has brought to light a number of stakes driven firmly into the bed of the lake. This fact becoming known, a number of archeologists visited the spot, and it was decided to remove the soil round these stakes to see whether any remains of a Lacustrine village, which they suspected has been raised upon them, could be traced. At a distance of between five and six feet from the present bed of the lake the workmen came upon a large number of objects of various kinds, which have been collected and are at present under the custody of Dr. Gross, of Locrass. ****************** Remedy for Hydrophobia Vapor baths are the latest remedy for hydrophobia. A celebrated French physician says: “If the disorder has declared itself, I prescribe a single bath, and leave the patient in until a cure is affected. Hydrophobia may last three days. Experience has
proven to me that a cure is certain on the first day of the outbreak; on the second day, doubtful; on the third, hopeless, on account of the difficulty of conveying the patient to the bath and keeping him in. And as hydrophobia never breaks out before the seventh day, there is time to perform a long journey to obtain a bath.” ****************** Too Much Soft Soap The other day, a Peoria family perceived that the water in their well was not water, but a weak solution of soft soap. Although as Patrick Henry so eloquently remarked, it is natural for a man to indulge in the solution of soap, this particular family did not prefer theirs as a beverage. An investigation was instituted, and it was discovered that a youth of the neighborhood, aged 14, had appropriated a barrel of soap from a neighbor, and, out of sheer mischief, deposited it in another neighbor’s well. The boy was arrested, but subsequently made his escape, and has not since been heard from. ****************** Street-Car Tracks in London The street-car system has firmly established itself in popular favor at London, and miles of new track are laid every year. The track differs from that which is used in this country, and obviates some of the objections that are experienced here. It is a flat strip of iron, with a groove for the
flange of the wheel to run in. This strip is not sunk, but is exactly level with the surface of the pavement, thus offering no obstacle to teams crossing the track. The cars are also differently constructed, and have seats outside as well as inside. ****************** The Campbell Murder Case Phoebe Campbell is the rather pretty name of a woman who has been sentenced to be hung for a brutal murder committed in the town of Nissouri, Ontario. On the morning of the 15th of July, the body of a farmer named George Campbell was found lying in his house, horribly mutilated and drenched with blood. His wife, Phoebe, said that she had been awakened during the night, and saw two men who were standing over the bed and demanding her husband’s money. Then she gave a detailed account of the struggle that ensued, which was, in substance, that while the ruffians pounded her husband to death, she was trying to soothe the children. After threatening her with death if she gave the alarm before daybreak, they took their departure. This highly probable story did not save her from arrest and on the following day she revised her account, and stated that her lover named Coyle, committed the crime. On the next day, she retracted this statement, and accused her cousin, a man named McWain. McWain was actually tried, but was promptly acquitted. Then the wom-
an was put on trial, and though the evidence was purely circumstantial, she was found guilty, and will be executed on the 20th of June. ****************** The Use of Tobacco A very lively discussion on the use of tobacco occurred on Saturday at the meeting of the New York Methodist Conference, on a resolution recommending entire abstinence from the use of the weed. The venerable Dr. Richardson made a spirited defense. He said that after arriving at manhood he was attacked by a distemper which all efforts of physicians failed to relieve, but which was cured by smoking. On his subsequently attempting to abandon the practice, a recurrence of the disease took place, which led him to resume the habit. He afterward began the practice of chewing tobacco, using it in a cleanly manner, without expectorating, and he had lived to the age of 83 in excellent health. He felt to bless tobacco every morning of his life. One member of the conference testified that the use of tobacco had aided to prevent a loosening of his teeth, and that the temporary relinquishment of the practice had been attended with disastrous results. Another member recounted the benefit his wife had derived from the occasional use of a cigar, which was the only manner in which she could obtain relief from asthma. Despite these arguments, however, the resolution was passed.