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McHENRY PLAINDEALER SAMPLE OPEN HOUSE EDITION Plaindealer Through The Years i) Staff Of The 'Forties INCORPORATION AS VILLAGE TOOK PLACE IN 1872 McHenry has been incorporated in some way for almost ninety years, for it was on Aug. Items From Old Files Become Humorous Bits To 1961 Readers News and advertising items whieh may seem very routine today, may provide many a 10, 1872, that the community j chuckle in the year9 ahead, officially became a village. At the first election held by the ' wha| we mean. 1875 • Barter and Trade Days Those of.our subscribers who authorised voters of McHen- j ry, eight officers were choie.i. They were R. Bishop, presi- , dent; J. H. Periy, J. M. McOm- ; . . , ... . . . „ .h er. „H. ,C,. S0m ith, . J> o|hn Ki;^ : .w ish to. p' a•v V, heir sub,sc rip' ti.o n andi iFr. iKs . -Gr> ranger.,, .tr ust.e e*. in wood will do us a favov- by Michael Keller was clerk and Henry Colby, treasurer. It was the custom in these early days to have included in the oath of office a sworn statement that the official hat! less and a few of them live in McHenry township. Perhaps these same men would not think of such a thing as beating their horses or overdriving them, but time and again they will drive to the village, hitch their horses to a post and lose no time in getting into a store or saloon to find a red hot stove. In some villages in eases SCHOOLS HAD HUMBLE START 121 YEARS AGO It was only natural that with population growth throughout the community, the founding of schools should become an important matter for leaders of the early days. The first recorded school locally was established in 1840, in the north end of B. B. Brown's log cabin tavern, which became one of the his- Former Plaindealer Building ; bringing-it along at once. The ^ this kind, horses are taken | toric hostelries of' the stale, first time vou come to town!10 the livery stable by the where the Riverside House laplease bear this in mind.. 1878 An Undeniable Truth. You deserve to suffer, and if never taken part in a dual in -V^)U lead a miserable, unsatishis lifetime, with a promise factory lite in this Ijeautiful that he would never do so dttr- ! vvo' ld, it is entirely your own ing his public service. i fault and ,he,:° is only one ex- Fifty-one years | police and cared for, the owner! t,er stood. The first teacher : being compelled to pay the i was Armanda McOmber. costs. An ordinance to that ,jn ^59 a public school was built at a cost of $6,000, which is on the site ol the present St. Mary's parochial school. The after the I cuse you -your unreason- This picture, laken about 1945 in front of the former Plaindealer ^office on North Green street, shows the staff of seven who "put the . paper to bed" each Thursday at that time. From left to right, they are Charles M. "Bud" Adams, linotype operator (now justice ol the peace for the Third district); Adele Froehlich, ^.editor; Milt Peterson of the composing room; Paul Albert, 'foreman; Publisher and Mrs. A. H. Mosher. The hat peeking above Mr. Albert's head belongs to no one else but today's sports editor, Karl R. Walsh, who even then was busy keeping the folks informed on local happenings. VAN SLYKE GIVEN TO SLY HUMOR IN I TYPICAL STYLE ollowim; is one of lhe columns which appeared in an 187K issue of l he Plaiuienlcr, written by the owner and eriiior. J. Van Slvkc. It is typi'ea* of many such columns <vhich lie wrote from time !o lice during those early year^ of I he paper. 1 SPLINTERS The seaMin ol chicking liens rugl bad e<";s has arrived And trfe days are rapidly rolling round when the men who feed their legs into mowing machines will resume operations -- Spring showers are numerous Spring cleaning is almost over, now clean your well The editor of the Harvard Independent is attempting to steal our "Sulinlers" with his "Little Hatchet". Thai's right, at first you don't succeed, t*/ again". The mod fashionable slyle is now Pe-Kin. That's the stv'e of shirt made for the correspondent of Die . Democrat. Kb'.' Almanac for Monday n.oining. The son rose at S o'clock, the daughter hadn't got up at last accounts - W-i-l-l-i-e! Never mind, il ain't Willie, but you can come right up. P-ut don't you look Nfiind the door We found an article the oilier evening, and are in doubt whether il is a< bustle or a base ball corner. It someone will tell us what it js and take it away we should be gratified Thai Perkins takes pictures 1o suit all who call, is proved by the satisfied look as Ihey come oul of his gallery - We shall expect to hear next 1bat Ihe correspondent of the BSTniocrat parts his hair in the middle The matrimonial market for Ihe past month has had a downward tendency, probably owing to the scarcity of hay. Quotations will be low for the next two weeks- Get ready for the Old Settlers' meeting. That means everybody The yield of one potato bug is said lo be 5N,000.00!1,- f^^.001 exactly. We hope wp wxni't get over two original bugs in this section The persons who are looking for owl nesls in Howes barn late in the evening had "better look a litlle out" as there is a trap set that may not catch an owl • - Culture enables a man to grow bald-headed gracefully It is said that "all signs fail in a dry time." When signs fail. ertise - The newest colors are opal, turquoise, silver-grey, lavender and fawn. We hope soon to chronicle the introduction of the new shades of stovepipe, peppermint, wheelbarrow, zinc and petroleum-- Trade that isn't worth asking for is not worth having, and so a good many people think when Ihev fail to see a business man's advertisement in \iw l.ocfll paper "I'lessed are ihe peacemakers for they shall see God". Oh. dear I'll never get another shirt made as long as I live." T wonder if that dog WAS chained up? The Dramatic :-ociolv are rehearsing for "I'ncle Tom" The sail boat "Dove" has been Inns- I erred from the pond to the river Who were thai coupit w^> were trying lo break into able prejudice and skepticism which has killed thousands. Personal knowledge and common sense reasoning will soon show you that Green's August Flower will cure you of Liver Complaint, or Dyspepsia, with all its miserable effects. You can buy a sample bottle ^or lft cents. Three doses will relieve Legend tells us that Tell ! y°u- F°r sale by Colby Bros. Taylor received inspiration for i 1902 his famous song, "Down by the : Shameful Treatment Old Millstream". from McHen- ' There are some men in fhis ry's historic old millstream. world who are indeed thoughtvillage came into being, McHenry became incorporated as a city on May 15, 1923. The board members were present, Dr. D. G. Wells; trustees, Peter Doherty, John R. Knox, Albert Krause, R. I. Overton, Simon Stoffel and Frank Wattles; and clerk. Will Schreiner. effeci in McHenry would lie greatly appreciated by the humane element. 1930 "Aunt Lucia" The great collegiate comedy, "Aunt Lucia", will be the biggest event ever staged in McHenry on Sept. 11 and 12. The all star cast is headed by Paul Patzke as "Aunt Lucia" supported, among others, by Ralph Justen, Alvina Freund, Mildred Kinsala, William Althoff, Mi's. John Stilling, Lowell Nye, and Dorothy Knox. Flappers west side erected a two-story brick building on John street costing $2,000, but this burned down in 1862. More than 3,000 are enrolled in local schools today. ^ytipi ll#il#i 1 siP TWO FORMER MAYORS McHenry still boasts among its residents two former mayors, Peter J. Frett, who served from 1926 to 1928, and George include George Johnson, Tom i P. Freund, who resigned from Bolger, Alex Adams, Ray Mc- j public office last spring after Gee. A1 Barbian, Pete Schae- j twelve years as mayor which fer, A1 Purvey and Walter j followed several terms as al- < s.» ! It was sometime back in' the 'twenties that the* Plaindealer office was moved to this building at 102 NW Green street, with operations transferred from the formjer? location on the same street, in the rear of tbe Fox Valley bank building. - r Carey. derman. FORMER PLAINDEALER 0 Welcome Friends To Open House In New Home Of Plaindealejf New Press Makes Early Delivery By Mail Possible Progress makes for changes, ; n'l while these are almost always for ihe best, s.'inctimes they provide a certain amount of remvl as it become* necessary to give up Ihings which hold pleasant memories. So it was with our transfer to a new location. A new press - the dream of many years-- was now a possibility with additional space. It had been twelve years since we had been able to do the actual printing of the Plaindealer in our own plant in McHenry. Now a new press w-as installed, w hi c h meant that all readers in the McHenry area would be able to receive the paper on Thursday. This was good news, but it has brought about another chanire which we note with some regret, the end of a carrier system which provided Thursday delivery service for many years to residents of the community who wanted their news "fresh." During the long i-riod of lime in which the carrier system was in use, we at Plaindealer became well quainted with some of nicest boys and girls it been our privilege to meet. Probably our greatest pleasure, however, resulted from the opportunity it gave us to provide Ihese young folks with Iheir first venture into the business world. In at least one family--the 'Hoy Homos of McCullom Lake - - four members have taken turns as they became old enough to assume the responsibility of the task. The advent of the fall season and the start of school made it advisable to make the change before that time. Past experience has shown that the many added duties for young folks after the first bell rings following a summer cf play, makes the job difficult for some of them. After-school activities and deep snow cannot be discounted during the winter months, and those with long routes often found it necessary to make deliveries after dark. The carrier system marked a very special era in the long history of the Plaindealer, While we leave it with regret, we are happy for the added service we will he able to provide for all readers in the area in the future. FRANK SCHREINER CHARLES RENICH tN? nc- <he has PRODUCTS AND PRICES CHANGE WITH THE YEARS In these days of inflation, with prices ever, on the increase advertisements which 1878 Ladies' lined shoes reduced to $1, former price $1.50, at Fitzsimmons & Evanson's. Define News, Advertising Quite often in the newspaper business it is necessary to differentiate between news and advertising. One discerning ^appeared in Plaindealers man in the trade for many • through the years should be of years defined the two in this j special interest. Bear in mind that Ihe salary schedule was in "How does a newspaper sep- accordance with the prices, arate news from advertising" "This question puzzles many people - especially those who seek personal gain through the free use of news space. "However, n e a r ly every newspaper attempts to follow a simple rule in drawing a line between news and advertising. If information concerns the whole public, is fresh and interesting, and does not promote the financial gain of rn individual or firm, it is printed without charge. "Sometimes news helps an individual or firm. An editor does not object to this. In fact. since the newspaper is a part of the local business community, it welcomes real news which aids local trade. "Nearly all advertising is newsworthy and contains fresh information which is vital to consumer and business. However, it can not be printed free lieeause it is designed to pro- A. A. Rice, dentist, has permanently located his office at the Riverside House, McHenry. Full sets of artificial teeth inserted for $8, the price of which has been fifteen and twenty. Gold and silver fillings and no fancy prices. Electropathy -- Dr. Samuel Sherman and wife will be at their residence west of the depot on the Woodstock road three days each week, for the purpose of treating all curable diseases. LUCY RENICH all complete for $50. Warranted for one year. R. Bishop. 1902 Ladies heavy shawls, $4.50 quality, $3.50; and men's 50 cent underwear, .25. W. C. Evanson. Lap robes and horse blankets, $3.50 and $1.50. Barnum's Monkeys "All well all happy lols of fun." That is the regular report from the monkey cage of Barnum's Circus ever since the keepers began dosing thefn with Scott's Emulsion. Consumption in monkeys and in man is the same disease. Scott & Brown, 409 Pearl St. Klfillf PilW A. H. MOSHER The Plaindealer staff is happy to have you with us today as we observe open house for fiiends and readers in our new location at 3812 W. Elm street. postmaster under Preside^ Harrison. After twenty-six years, Mr. Van Slyke wished to returi Last but was unwilling to sel The primary purpose served to h's business competitw by the new structure is im- A. O. Rupp of The proved service to readers, and ' Journa'. whose editorial career a tour of the building has no : in the community was brie#. Thousands Read Advertisements doubt shown you the many ways in which this has been made possible. It also has shown the opportunity for further expansion as McHenry continues to grow. The offices have been so arranged as to expedite all phases of the news ami advertising parts of the business. The eight y-seven-year-old Plaindealer has grown from a very small circulation in 1875 to 5.200 (todav. and of this weekly circulation, many hun- Eventually, several prominent county men became financially interested in the paper, include ing J. B. Perry, F. K. Granger and W. A. Cristy of McHenry After a year, however, the two local papers merged. It was during this time, when James T. Walsh served as editor an<) Charles Schoonmaker was head of the commercial department, that a young McJ Henry man, Frank Schreinei*, joined the paper, and in 190Q he purchased it. The widows of two of the dreds are sold on twenty-one ! former owneVS~"are still resid? She was sitting up with a sick man, No professional nurse was she. Simply sitting up with her love-sick lover. Giving him Rocky Mountain tea. --B. W. Besley 1930 (A Depression Year) Dollar Day Special Spring 1930 Suits and Top Coats^--$25.00 Two button kid gloves fori Prime beef cuts, sii loin steak, 75 cents, three button for $1 j l*r lb- -28: boef' ,JoneU»s- Bueklin & Stevens. 11^1" lb- Pot roaht- Pei lb- .28. Central Market. per pair. We are now offering one of ; Chevrolet, Roadster or Phaemote the interests of a single jour celebrated lumber wagons j Ion, $495. Harry Townsend, enterprise. ; with top box, steel sprint seat, ! McHenry. "Advertising space is an es- | whiff let rees and stay chains, sential commodity in business i -- -- as real as store rent, equipment, and employees. It is an investment in the same category with power costs and wages. "When a merchant builds a new store, the announcement is of general interest to the vertising." public and may deserve space in the news columns. Specific information on the goods to be sold in the store Is primarily concerned with attracting customers and is regarded as ad- ARRIVAL OF RAILROAD West McHenry, which was for many years known as Gagetown, sprang into existence upon arrival of the railroad in 1854. George Gage owned the site of the town and was instrumental to a great extent in securing the railroad. Tn Ihe early davs, following the first publication of the Plaindealer in 1875, when J. Van Slvkc. founder, was at its helm, advertisers were disulay- i which news of the community their wares in print for a i baK been reaching reader's. The very early issues of the news stands in McHenry and the surrounding area. Recall History McHenry's move to new quarters recalls some of the interesting history of the past e i g h t y - s e v e n y e a r s , d u r i n g in"' subscription list recorded in the low hundreds. 'seventies, when J. Van Slyke „ , . . . ! w a s e d i t o r a n d p u b l i s h e r , s h o w Today, the Plaindealer that j ^at prjnting p|ace jn an carries the advertisers pro- offjce am, sma]] p]ant jn the Riverside block, over Smith Co. Subscription prices ducts total 5,200. and are read Kl..ersIf1 by an estimated 20,000 per- £ sons weekly. The value of soeh advertising thus speaks for itself. A review of papers of former years brings to mind names of some business owners who have been in McHenry for more than thirty years, and Who have been among our advertisers since that time. Included among the store names seen in a brief perusal were McGee's Store for Men. Boleer's Drug Store, Walt Freund Tires, Pries Central Market and Vycital's Hardware. Since moving into our new location, we are able to offer the advertiser considerably greater service than previously possible. A complete twelvemonth mat service is available iri the display advertising department. from which businessmen may select those which pertain to their individual needs. This service is offered free of charge, the mat to be included in the advertisement. Our display advertising manager, Bill Moore, and his assistant, C. Ernest Useman, will be happy to serve you in this department. Subscription Receipt Of 1882 a -"millinery store near the solemn hour of midnight ? Echo answers - A cremation lady writes us a very inquiring letter as follows: "Splinters: What is your opinion concerning the disposition of the dead?" Well, really we had nOt thought much of Ihe matter, but as far an our observation goes, ihe dead appear to be a , very quiet disposition! The Fox River baseball club has iv< rgani/e,t For a fine slock -of mi'linery and cloaks, go to Mrs. Searles' Cool days, consequent I y strawberry short ; cake is scarce She broke the dipper over his head as he was | backing out of the kitchen, and I it is thought that he saw stars. ; At least he saw the constellaj tion of the Little Dipper -- j Some of our citizens are still courting at Woodstock -- Lots of Red Horse on the bridge -- And we haven't got another word to say. NMHM w jam 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 postoffice building, also on Riverside Drive. When Editor and Mrs. A. H. Mosher printed their first paper in McHenry on July 6, 1925, after the Plaindealer came into possession of Charles Renich of Woodstock, it was in the rear of the Fox Valley bank building on Green street, where the Pink Lady Shoppe has recently been located. The Moshers took over the operation upon <he retirement of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Schreiner, former owners. Soon afterward, the location was changed to the building on north Green street, where the Barbian tobacco factoxy had been in operation for a number of years. Later, the Moshers purchased the newspaper from Mr. Renich's widow, Lucy Renich, and remained until retirement and the Plaindealer came into possession of the McHenry Publishing Co. McHenry boasted only a few hundred people back in 1875 when the paper was founded. It was the fourth paper in the county, following the Woodstock Sentinel, the Harvard Independent and the Marengo Republican. It was a peculiar looking sheet in the early days, with the trant page filled with advertisements and all local ing in McHenry--Mrs. Schreim er and Mrs. Mosher. J The story of the Plaindeal' er is not only long, but it i?{ also the only complete account of the happenings which will keep McHenry history alive foi; generations to come. NOTE CHANGES IN LOCAL INDUSTRY SINCE EARLY DAYS - * c:. ... ccm/J, m 4cm 4--- -- With McHenry's efforts to encourage industry to settle ir( its midst, it is interesting to re-» call some of the early business enterprises which flourished 1st the early days. In view of th® small population at that time* the amount of industry in the community was outstanding. From the first saw millwhich existed in 1837 on the! site of the old mill dam, otherbusinesses came and went" through the years. One of the owners, James Salisbury, was killed in the^milR in 1884, after he and his part-' ner, H. N. Owen, had added a carding factory. Some years later E. M. Owen joined his brother in building a grist mill and using the same water power as the saw mill. Other early businesses illeluded a wagon factory started, by Richard Bishop in 1841, which in addition made sleds and plows. Mr. Bishop also built a pickle factory in 1882. A butter and; cheese plant; was erected in 1881 by Oatmanand Sons in West McHenry*' near Hanley's mill. A brick yard was operated in 1852 by Smith Covey, near the present"* site of the high schooL One of the biggest industries: for many years was the brew«v ery, built in 1868 by George- Gribbler and purchased in 1880' by Gottlieb Boley. The first banking business ~ came into being in 1888, located. in the rear of the Perry and Owens store. A fateful day still vivid in news appearing in the center. , the memory of some McHenry This was a period of personal i residents occurred' during the journalism, when editors quar- t latter portion of the first dere led through their columns ('ade of ^ 1x11 *lhen in language which long ago , canning factory exploded. Th? disappeared from the press. factory, which canned peas and A review of past issues beans, was located near the inlife in Mc'Henry por- . tersection of Mam street and ol Plain anil .OraaiNtfi^ort SNwt Xofiee «rh«l at fiate*. The above receipt for payment of a subscription to the Plaindealer is a treasured item. It was signed by the paper's founder, J. Van Slyke. on Nov. 27, 1884 after P&y~ ment of $1.50 by Peter Miller for a year's subscription which extended from Nov. 18, 1882, to Nov. 18, 1883. shows trayed through the years of prosperity and depression, and including the many events now regarded merely as history. Under Van Slyke, the paper became one of the leading newspapers in the county. The owner was both ambitious and versatile, and during his residence here, he held several city offices and also served as the Crystal Lake blacktop. lathe late fall of the year, when workers were in the process of laying a foundation, it became necessary because of the frozen" ground to use dynamite. As work progressed, the dynamite exploded, resulting in the death of Ray Lamphere and critical injuries which hospit nH'Mil many more.