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AUGUST 4, 1975 PLAINDEALER CENTENNIAL EDITION-PAGE 3 Plaindealer Reviews Past 100 Years m M PLAINDEALER OFFICE TODAY 3812 W. ELM STREET ^ w: r > . FORMER HOME OF PLAINDEALER - It was sometime back in the 'twenties that the Plaindealer office was moved to this building at 1304 N. Green street which is now located just south of the McHenry post offict building. Operations were transferred at that time from the Plaindealer 's former location at 1257 N. Green street in the rear of the Fox Valley Bank building which is now occupied by McHenry Personal Loan corporation. McHenry boasted only a few hundred people back in 1875 when the Plaindealer was founded as the fourth paper in the county. The others were the Woodstdck Sentinel, founded in 1856, the Harvard Independent in 1865 and the Marengo Republican in 1867. .• In reviewing the pages of earlier editions, it can readily be seen that life in the com­ munity has been clearly por- 'trayed during the years of prosperity and of depression -- years of major events which have now become written in McHenry's history, gala affairs and tragedies that are now forgotten except by a few. Jay Van Slyke was founder of the Plaindealer and remained as its editor for twenty-six years. After fifteen years spent as an employee of the Woodstock Sentinel, Mr. Van Slyke came to McHenry in 1875, where he became editor and publisher of the Plaindealer. One of his greatest dislikes was for Editor AO. Rupp of the Journal, whose editorial career in this community was brief. He was at one time owner of the Plaindealer, having purchased the property from Van Slyke, but later was obliged to return Your complete |v::S car care Cv center. III We feature the largest stock of automotive parts in McHenry County? Serving McHenry Since 11948. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KEEP Y0UR CAR IN TOP RUNNING CONDITION. 5 EXPERIENCED COUNTER MEN WHO UNDERSTAND YOUR AUTOMOTIVE NEEDS. Community Auto Supply 3021 W. RTt 120 385-0778 McHENRY the property to its former owner, whereupon he launched the Journal. It was in the issues of the 'seventies that printing took place in an office and small plant in the Riverside block, over* Smith Bros. & Co. Sub­ scription prices at that time were $1.50, with an added fifty-cent charge if not paid after one month. On June 26, 1878, the paper moved to the- post office building, also on Riverside drive. With advancing years, Mr. Van Slyke wished to return East, but was unwilling to sell to his business competitor. Eventually, several prominent county men became financially interested in the paper--J.B Perry, F.K. Granger and W.A Cristy of McHenry, Judge C.H Donnelly and L.T. Hoy of Woodstock and M.F. Walsh of Harvafrd. For a year the paper operated with the latter's brother, James T. Walsh, as editor and Charles Schoon- maker as head of the com­ mercial department, after which a merger of the two papers took place. After the departure of Mr. Walsh, Schoonmaker continued as head of the paper until an opportunity came to purchase his hometown paper in Chenoa, 111. During the time of Walsh and Schoonmaker, a young McHenry man, Frank Schreiner, joined the paper and in 1906 purchased it. Under his guidance it achieved popularity and «enjoyed considerable growth for the next nineteen years. * Mr. Schreiner's widow, Catherine, assisted him in the operation of the newspaper. She is still living in the McHenry area. In 1925, the paper was sold to Charles F. Renich of Wood­ stock. His career had begun in 1885 when he assisted his father in publishing the McHenry County, Volksblatt, a German paper, in Woodstock. It wa^ in July of 1925 that he purchased the Plaindealer, remaining M its helm until his death in 1947. Mr. Renich was a staunch Republican from his very early days. but nevertheless, welcomed the opinions of his opponents to his views, a policy which made him respected and beloved by those of both political parties. When Editor and Mrs. A H. Mosher printed their first paper in McHenry July 6, 1925, after it came into the possession of Mr. Renich, it was in the rear of the Fox Valley bank building on Green street. The Moshers took over the operation upon retirement of Mr. and Mrs. Schreiner. Soon afterward, the location was changed to the building on north Green street where the Barbian tobacco factory had been in operation for a number of years. % Upon the death of Mr. Renich, Lucy F. Renich assumed responsibility of publication of the Plaindealer and also of the Woodstock Sentinel. AH. Mosher remained as editor, iind in January of 1948, after twenty- three years in this post, pur­ chased the Plaindealer. In becoming publisher, he named Adele Froehlich as editor. Mr. Mosher chose to carry on many of the policies of past years, policies which meant growth, progress and popularity. It was his an­ nounced intention to keep abreast of modern trends in the way of improvements. Ad­ ditions included a second linotype machine and other machinery to keep pace with improvements of a city whose (Continued on page 6) (Continued from page 2) 1875 COMMENT: NOT SO ' Someone says: There once lived a man in Boston who wrote for a paper three months and never made for himself an enemy. We don't believe it, a word of it. No man ever wrote for the press three months without making enemies. We know Boston is a smart town but it can't produce a man like that. We don't care if he confined his writings wholly to advertisements, some ice dealer would be sure to get mad and accuse him of intimating that another man's ice is colder than his. 'There's no use of talking, the thing can't be done. IT WAS EVER SO Editing a paper is a nice business. If we publish jokes, people say we are rattle headed. If we omit jokes, they say we are an old fossil. If we publish original matter, they "cuss" us for not giving selections. If we publish selections, folks say we are lazy for not writing something they have rfot read in some other paper. If we give a man a complimentary notice, we are censured for being partial. If we do not give complimentary notices, folks say we are a hog. If we do not cater to the wishes of the ladies, the paper is not fit to make a bustle. If we remain in our office and attend to our business, folks say we are too proud to mingle with our fellows. If we go out, they say we never attend to our business. If we do not pay our , bills promptly, folks say we are not to be trusted. If we pay promptly, folks say we stole the money. If we wear poor clothes, folks say business is bad. If we wear good ones, they say we never paid for them. Now what are we to do? Hr Get in . . the spirit* of McHENRY SAVINGS brings you this FREEDOM COLLECTION... free or at a small additional cost when you save $250 or more! It's not too early to begin celebrating our nation's Bicentennial. And McHENRY SAVINGS helps you with these handsome pieces of double-wall insulated table­ ware by Thermo-Serv. We're also offering THE FREEDOM COLLECTION, a colorful brochure of all the documents important to our history. See our lobby display now... you'll agree each item is worth saving for! celebrate oi|r freedom while you save! HERE'S HOW YOU GET IN THE SPIRIT DEPOSIT TO A NEW OR EXISTING McHENRY SAVINGS ACCOUNT FOR YOUR FREE GIFT OR AT SPECIAL PRICE:* WITH EACH ADDITIONAL $100 DEPOSIT $250 or more $1000 or more $2500 or more $5000 or more PAY FREEDOM COLLECTION brochure FREE FREE FREE FREE $1.00 Set of 4 10 oz. Mugs FREE FREE FREE FREE 4.00 Set of 4 12 oz> Tumblers FREE FREE FREE FREE 4.00 Hostess Serving Tray FREE FREE FREE FREE 4.00 4 pc. Relish Tray FREE FREE FREE FREE 4.00 7 pc. Salad Set S5.95 FREE FREE FREE 7 00 8 pc. Snack Set 5.95 FREE FREE FREE 7.00 55 oz. Beverage Server with 4 Mugs 10 95 55.95 S3 95 FREE 13.00 Set of 6 16 oz. Tankards 10.95 5 95 3 95 FREE 13.00 4 qt Ice Bucket and 4 12 oz. Tumblers 10.95 5.95 3 95 FREE 13.00 'L imit one gi f t or special purchase pt McHENRY S A V I N G S « L O A N A S S O C I A T I O N STOP IN TODAY OR REAL SOON...QUANTITIES ARE LIMITED! McHenry Savings V AND LOAN ASSOCIATION^^ 1209 Nor th Green Street 10520 Main;Street • » McHenry. I l l ino is Richmond I l l ino is 385-3000 678-2061 SAVERS HOURS 9 00 a m to 4 30 p m Monday Tuesday Thursday and Saturday. 9 00 a m to 8 00 p.m. Friday McHenry Drive-In Windowopen"Wednesday 9 00a m to2 00pm Closed Wednesday in Richmond McHENRY MONEY MACHINE OPEN 24 HRS A DAY EVERY DAY' Df-pos'ts insured to J40 000 t>y the Federal Savrngs and Loan insurance Corp T V