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'.JjesSBSBaBrnd^ * Bage Fourteen THE M'HENRY ANNIVERSARY &!f HARVARD EDITOR REVIEWS DAYS OF JAY VAN SLYKE J?LAINDEAL|!R HISTORY AS STOCK COMPANY > 'V; -M. F. Walsh, founder of the Harvard Herald;'and its managing editor ! fOr about forty-eight years,"was financially interested in th«? IglcHeij^'y rjRaindeaJer' aboiit •thirty-s^v^n years IIFEO.- \;.A\. " lix 1&98 M.r. Walsh became one of ; the members of A stock company *rhich to6k ever the Plaindealer" of 7^hteh his brother, James Walsh, i*W 'j^scame editor for ja short, time. - * While' he has. held important post4 :$& , federal an<{ state departments,, his. ~<3j^wspaper/:has been his first thought •;.4iid the Plaindealer is prt>ad to sublimit to its readers the following iri- ' ieresting history of its sixty years of growth as written by this popular McHenry County politician and editor: A. A y. ^ . Harvard, Illinois, May 10,.. 1985, ; Editor McHenry Plaindealer-- A' In reply to your letter of May 8, in which you ask for letters fron^those Who "were formerly connected with the iPlaindealer, either as editor, or financially interested, as well as provide information relating to-editors of the paper of the past, I am pleased to comply. : • • ' While I was never connected with on the opening with much optimism. Finally the deal was negotiated and James T." Walsh, my brother, became editor of the paper, with Chas. Sehoonmaker as head of the commercial printing part of the enterprise. After a year or so jof two weekly papers in a village, capable of sup- [ porting one, a merger was brought about. Meantime my brother was obliged to relinquish the post he occupied and return to Harvard to take charge of the newspaper (The Harvard Herald) with which I htfve been identified and of which I have been publisher during the almost fortyeight .years of its existence. -My health became impaired and upon the advice of physicians I abstained from v-ork for half a year or more. Sehoonmaker continued as hesid of the newspaper enterprise until opportunity opened to purchase his home town paper at Cenoa, 111., where he later brought about a merger cf the two weekly publications, Which is still a Sehoonmaker property, with His son in charge. The father has been in government service "in -'the'department of internal revenue at Rockford until a short time ag<3. AAA/1". During the time my brother and Sehoonmaker were in charge of the Plaindealer, a boy became printer apprentice and he later came into possession of the property through purchase from the stock company of which I was a member. The boy (Frank Schreiner) achieved unusual success with the property, placing it J on a high plane and demonstrating capabilities of a high Order. My brother has made his home in Chicago for a number of years. He is still financially interested in our paper here at Harvard. For a time he was employed by the Herald and Examiner, later identifying himself p'rise in the columns of the newspaper. ° - ' A„ , - The editorial career of Rupp (I am not sure ythis name is correctly spelled) at McHenry was not extended. First buying the Plaindealer he "was later obliged to return the property to VanSlyke, after which he launched the Journal, which he later sold to the group 'who had acquired the Plaindealer. Rupp was a graduate. of the state university at Urbana. After graduation he entered the newspaper busi From JOHN ADAMS Adams, Minn., May 22, 1935. Dear Editor- Received a letter from yiu so I will answer it. I have had The Plaindealer, a good many years, but I do not know how many years, and I like it because I know so many people at McHenry, Johnsburg and Spring GrqVe. I •tftTs born in McHenry county not very far north of Johnsburg on my the paper; in an editorial capacity, I ---- - - - have had the experience of having had ; with one of the large commercial a financial interest in the publication i printing establishments , of Chicago far a brief time. During the year | He has stated on innumerable occa- 3898 (37 years agoY I was invited ta.l5i.°fls the pleasant memories he become a member of a small group to cherishes of McHenry and its--_fin<2 become financially interested in ths Plaindealer. In the group were three well known residents of McHenry, namely: Mr. people. Of course. McHenry'^ best, known editor was VanSlyke. He was a native of New York; waff a printer when J. B. Perry. Mr. F. K. Granger, and hand-set newspapers were the vogue Mr. W. A. Cristy. 'The others were j He served in the Civil war. His first Judge C. H. Donnelly and L..T. Hoy | employment at his trade in McHenof Woodstock. J. VanSlyke was own- j ry county was on the Woodstock Sener and editor of the newspaper. Mc- - tinel, which he left to found the Plain- Henry had another weekly publication dealer in 1875. . Of course, I have no in the McHenry Journal, which was j recollection of his ihitial years in tha published by A. O. Roup, Tfrhp had pre-1 business, but of his career during a T^riously purchased the Plaindealer later period T am familiar to a markfrom VanSlyke, VanSlyke was advancing in years; iiis wife had passed away and he was ed degree. My recollections reach back approximately half a century.. As a boy I Anxious to return to his boyhood homeremember VanSlyke very vividly. He •in New York. While he desired to ,was the country editor of the old «ell the enterprise he was not willing school; with him he found, positive grandfather's farm. His name was ness at Chenoa, Illi later going to j Nicholas Adams, who came from Ger- Lena 111, and thence to McHenry. many in 1847. My father's and moth- Upon departure from McHenry he re- er's names were Castor and Anna turned to Chenoa and later to Grid- (Huemann Adams. ' ley. 111., where he supplied news-from I In 1859 they moved to this county that community for,the weekly paper in a covered wagon ,and between a at Chenoa which was his first purr half-of one, year we moved back to chase after leaving the university.; ' | illinois,: In 1875 I came back to this Six'^ years ago" last winter*' I haet county aiid worked for farmers until Rupp in the railroad station/ at Che- 1887. When I married. / roa. "We had >iot seen each other ip fand my wife came to Illinois ir>, twenty-four years; we had a delight- Jamiarjr * artd in "Match of April we ful half-hour visit, .duHng which he ' intended to go back to Wisconsin,'but asked about many of the citizenry of; there was ao much snow the train Mctfenry, speaking kindly 6f them - not go so we htid to stay longer and ieminising as people do when and after we got home found that they come together after the lapse of the Johnsburg bridge had gone out. years. Witkin the last two years he After I started to write this letter passed away at Gridley. 750 popula- j looked over your letter again and tion village in central Illinois. saw that you would like to know In the foregoing narrative I have what I have been doing. As long as omitted purchase of the Plaindealer I was in McHenry I was working by Mr. Renich, who acquired the prop- for John Huemann, who was mother's erty from Mr. Schreiner about ten brother. " years ago. Of the gentleman whom In the summer and every fall 'I went he.placed in charge I desire to say a.* with the threshing machine on which word expressive of my fine regard for my father had a half share. My work him because he was in my employ for was driving five teams on the horse a brief time. tower. I and Frank Smith, who died A. H. Mosher, editor of the Plain- in 1934 in McHenry, thrashed togethdealer, was in the service of my news- er four or five years. . . paper a sufficient length of time to The last two years it was too dry demonstrate his capabilities in a var- here, so we had the shortest crops we iety of ways. One rarely ,finds a -ever had last year. This spring we printing office employe who can mak3 had rain about very week and cool good in different places in the news- weather, So everything looks good, paper organization; Mosher can fill My wife died in 1893. I was born each place creditably. It was with a October 8, 1856, so I am between 78 feeling, of sincere regret on the part and 79 years old and I am with my of employes and employers that he children on my farm. Have lived on left our office. "" His services on the the same? farm, from -1883. There Plaindealer have been equally credit- was twelve of us. I was the oldest able, if I am permitted to evaluate and William Adams at Pistakee Bay them. ' " " youngest brother, the only two If this narrative is too long, per- living mission is given to omit such"parts 'is may seem advisable. I have depended upon my memory entirely in compiling this reminiscent story of McHenry's newspaper owners, so il there are mistakes in the way of. omissions that should be included, please excuse me for want of necessary files of the McHenry home town newspaper. Very sincerely, to dispose of it to his business com petitor. Messrs. Perry, Granger and Cristy were hopeful that a merger of the two properties could be made and the result was that the two Woodstock jfentlemen whom I have named became interested and I became interpleasure in quarrels with his brethern of the press with whom he did not agree politically; his chief editorial foe was G. S. Southworth, editor of the Woodstock Sentinel. Later he entertained a like dislike for Editor Rupp, except he would not menested because my brother looked up- tion the latter's name or his enter- M. F. WALSH. Tha (.ion's Track A lion's track consists of a large circular mark made by the main part of the lion's paw called the pad, with four or five smaller and narrower marks at one side of it made by the sheathed claws. • •' •' "VA -'AT" Best regards to all, from JOHN ADAMS' ^ Adams, Minnesota. . 'Whe>* Bee* Get Nectar In the United States the greater part of the honey produced is alfalfa honey from the western^ states, where several million dollars' worth is sold every year. Sweet-clover, white sage and other mountain flowers also contribute to the Western supply. In the central states It Is white clover, sweet clover, Spanish needle and heartsease hotiey. In the 'southern states, cotton, mesqulte, horsemint and sweet clover, and In the eastern states, northern states and Canada, buckwheat and white clover are the leading honey flowers. Orange blossoms, cleome, aster and basswood complete the list - REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN-- A Gilbert McOmber had a paper route in West McHenry? ) A HARDWARE BUSINESS WITH A HISTORY Our history and growth in the Hardware Craft, serving the people of McHenry andjCommunity, dates bacH to 1883, at which time a Mr. Tip Smith started in the hardware and tin shop business in McHenry, on the site how occupied by the P. J. Sthaefer Grocery and Market on Main street. The building occupied by this business was a 20x40 frame building, and the business was run by Mr. Mead for a period of three years. He sold the business to a Mr. Stevens, who conducted a general hardware and tin shop for a short time, and then sold the business to F. L. McOmber, who conducted the business and duririg' his occupancy a new and larger store was* built of blocks. This •building' was 24x72, with a general hardware st<>ck on the main . floor, together with a tin shop in the rear end of the building. v , , , . . M r - M c O m b e r w i l l b e r e m e m b e r e d b y m o s t o f o u r r e a d e r s a s o n e O f M c H e n r y ' s citizens and progressive fnerchaht6.. In September, 1915, Hir. McOmber; M'd the. business of Donovan & Reihahsperger, two aggressive young men from West Chicago, who added another link in the chain of added lines of merchandise and put til' a complete stock of plumbing arid conducted a general hardware, tin shop arid • plumbing shop, until January 1, 1923, lit which time Messrs. Donovan & Reihansperger ^parated and Mr. Donovan moved his plumbing shop across the street in the joe Frfeund Building on Main street and Mf. Reihansperger cdndtfcted the ti,n shqp and hardware store. This was done because of lack of spiice to carry on the business efficiently and along practical lines. „ . Jn 1924 the present owner bought oiit Mr. Reihansperger, who then went into the insurance business with the firm now known as Stoffel & Reihansperger, and the business was carried on by the present owner until April 11, 1926, at Which time' a fire destroyed the entire building and contents, together with the Justen .furniture store, postoffice and contents therein. All of the business houses 'in the block suffered some loss by the fire, and it looked for a while as though the entire block would be wiped out. However the volunteer fire department and workers worked desperately, and managed to check the fire, arid save the rest of the business houses on the street. j Immediately after the fire a new building was put up on the same site and during the building construction the business occupied temporary quarters with the W.^J. , Donovan plumbing shop in the Freund building. , A Grand Opening of the new store was held in August, with the slogan, "Come • arid See McHenry's New 1926 Hardware Store." with the^atest hardware fixtures and modem hardware merchandising methods. The store endowed the privilege of recording the largest crowd of registrants of any business openTfig iriHhe city of McHenry, and gave away tickets entitling the holder 'who registered for the same ; to'a number on a door prize which was given away at 9:30 o'clock p. m. In 1930 the proprietor bought the present location, which was then vacant, and had formerly been occupied as a pool hall and barber shop. The building was com pletely remodled and enlarged and occupies a floor space of 24x98, with general hardware on the main floor, sheet metal and heating in the basement and a stock room on , the Tsecr#id floox, 24x30, together with living quarters. In 1932 the present owner bought the entire plumbing stock of W. J. Donovan and moved it into the basement of the present building, and added a complete plumbing • service to the business and also a lawn mower sharpening machine, which will handle ' any,sized mower from the little hand mower to the large~fairway mowers used oli golf courses. The business further has the distinction of offering1 the first Bottled Gas Systems in this community and has pioneered that line from its infancy to its present growth, AaB0 is now recognized by the industry as"one of the largest individual distributors the company has. The first Bottled Gas system sold by us was installed in the home of Walter H. Brandenburg, Ingleside, 111., and comparing the system of today with that of 1925 you can not help but marvel at the progressive strides the industry has made since that time. Dry Gas or Bottled Gas is a service offered to those living btyond the gas mains, and the country housewife who has a bottled gas system in her home can now have the same conveniences that her city neighbors enjoy. A!fhe public i^;iftvited:to^;yisit^modem hai^iwate -;V LtA, % Wm. H. Althoff Hdwe. Cor. Main St. and U. S. 12 McHenry, 111. </ REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN-- Stoffel's Insurance Office was in the basement 6f Erickson's store? One ol McHenry^s Oldest Stores Established more than fifty years ago was the groc ery and drj- goods storp taken oyer, by L. A. Erickson, the originator being Sijnon Stoffel. TTffCi'gh a consistent use of the Plaindealer's advertising columns during the passing years, success has crowned the several owners of the business and results have been gratifying. L. A. Krrckson, who has been in the business in McHenry for sixteen years, extends congratulations to the Plaindealer upon its sixty years of service to the community. V •. From the merchants of sixty years ago, some of whom were Perr\- & Martin, Howard & Son, E. M. Owen, J. Story and many others, to the L. A. Erickson store of today, has elapsed more than a half century of changing modes resulting in the present modern world where this store continues to hold its position of trust and sei - vice fo thTpuMicr ;-- Nearly foMy the present store building was erected by Simon^Stoffel, who later rented it to F. A. Bohlander. After sixteen years in/business, Bohlander sold out. in Augiist, li»18. A"A^ In April 1919, L. A. Erickson rented the store and for sixteen years has maintained a record of good mer chandise and prompt service. Only three changes in ownership during half a cen tury of continuous service is the record of this store which stands for stability and> reliability. REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN-- 'V •' A: You had to get out and help push your automobile up Doherty's hill? . : v "The best ^uipp^ garftge is at your service. r We can repair all cars. Give us a trial. Also have a large assortment of ATLAS TIRES ANP TUBES 22V2-.pe-r-^ei Toowing Day or Night. Brake Service, Welding, Etc. Phone 311 Oli U. S 12 REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN-- Lots on the west bank of Fox River could be purchased for $100, which later sold for $5,000 each? • j:y.^ ; IN FURNITURE AND UNDERTAKING BUSINESS FOR 53. YEARS ^ ^ DEPARTMENT STORE A' VA"' ' 'A Main Street ' - "West McHenry REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN-- The old cheese factory served McHenry for a quarter of a century or more as a municipal building? (Under New Management) Is now prepared to serve both old-time residents and the younger generation with the best of dairy products. * Jf you want pasteurized milk or cream, butter, cottage cheesy, eggs or buttermilk, we will deliver to your house, or you can call at our depot) just east^of the state river bridge on Rout^ 20 A trial is all we ask. PHONE M'HENRY 657-W-l aI The firm of Jacob Justen & Sons, undertakers and furniture deal- <^rs, established in 1883, extends eongratu/Lations to The McH^nrv* 'Plaindealer on the completion of its sixtieth year. ; As one f 1 Old Timer" to another, we are pleased to extend a greeting and a well wish to The. Plaindealer and those responsible for its success.;. A' A^A .'."'-A./:' For fifty-two years Jacob Justen, the founder of the firpi, has been one of the local business men, his business growing.and improving with the town. Taking over, the John Blake business -in McHenry soon after he took up undertaking, Mr. Justen has occupied the same building on Green street, which he has improved and modernized. A~ . In l925 his^son:, George, entered tiifi business and a few years later his other son, Albert, was taken into the business. All are licensed embalmers. A JEor the past eight years they have used modern funeral coaches, which is a, vast, improvement over the horse-drawn hearses of fifty years ago. .: ^.A-'T ;""':A « , --i J • A'.V The firm sells refrigerators and a full line of beautiful rugs and .modern furniture. • . ^ Jacob Justen & Sons Oor. wid Eka Streets ^Henry; m 'tcffFtrik**SiV