The country has seen a lot of changes in the past 140 years.
The Meadville Tribune is no exception.
As the paper celebrates its 140th birthday today with special events, its history is traced back to Aug. 11, 1884, when W. R. Andrews established a new paper, The Meadville Tribune.
It was located at 906-908 Water St. It published daily, weekly and Sunday editions.
In 1885, the two daily papers— the Daily Tribune and the Daily Republican — one a morning edition and one an afternoon edition, were consolidated. A weekly paper, Meadville Saturday, was also owned by Andrews.
Nearly 15 years later on March 20, 1899, a fire in the plant destroyed the building, ending the ability to publish.
That fire ultimately led to new owners — Maj. Walter Irving Bates and his brother, Arthur Bates, who bought the papers on May 24, 1899.
Shortly after that, Walter Irving Bates bought out his brother’s share and became sole proprietor.
Between the time of the fire and the change of ownership, however, the papers were printed in the office of the Crawford Journal — with papers being published every day as scheduled.
The plant was moved to 283 Chestnut St.
A HISTORY OF NEWSPAPERS
A recap shows the following names and years of publications:
• Meadville Daily Tribune, 1884-1885.
• Meadville Evening Republican,1884-1885.
• Daily Tribune Republican, 1886-1909.
• The Tribune Publishing Co. was created and the Evening Republican was published from 1887 to 1955.
• The Tribune Republican was published from 1911 to 1955.
• In 1955, the two papers were consolidated from a morning and afternoon edition to a morning paper — The Meadville Tribune.
The paper is still published under that name, The Meadville Tribune, today.
8 HOURS TO PRINT 30,000 COPIES IN 1904
In 1904, the company purchased a Mickle job and newspaper press, which could print eight pages at a time. It took seven to eight hours to print 30,000 copies.
New equipment purchased later shortened that time to 20,000 copies in one hour.
In 1906, the Tribune Publishing Co. was formed and printed the newspaper. It also had a printing business with Walter Irving Bates as president and general manager.
Although a local newspaper, the company also was printing other news.
A few years prior to 1909, the company was receiving national news from the New York Sun Co. — 1,000 words per day.
But the news was quickly transmitted. Records show in 1909 within five minutes is a sensational kidnapping of a well-known baby, the news was listed on a board at The Meadville Tribune.
Messages also were announced from the Academy of Music.
In 1908, the paper included a list of stock market prices.
The company also used Western Union for news messages.
Among equipment purchased in 1909 was a power gas engine and power cutter and 200 fonts of type.
NEW HOME ON FEDERAL COURT
In 1914, the company built a new two-story brick building at 947 Federal Court — one block off Chestnut Street behind the post office that was located on Chestnut Street at the time.
The morning paper became a member of the Associated Press in 1914 and in 1921, the Evening Republican became a member of the AP.
A few years later, the company expanded its building with an addition, which housed the printing press as well as the printing company’s offices.
A new first rotary press was purchased, allowing 12 pages to be printed at once.
In 1920, the paper had expanded to 16 pages and printed 12,000 pages an hour.
In 1921, the paper received 18 hours of service daily from the AP.
That expanded to 24 pages at 20,000 pages printed at once.
A LOOK BACK AT SOME OF THE NAMES THROUGH THE YEARS
In 1932, Kenneth P. Williams was named new editor of the morning edition and Chace Mennold was editor and reporter of the Evening Republic.
Walter Irving Bates’ brother, Robert S. Bates joined the staff in 1932 after graduation from Allegheny College.
Walter Irving Bates died in 1934 and Robert S. Bates, his other son, became editor and Edward Bates, another son, was publisher and general manager.
In 1963, the company did extensive renovations on the interior of the building.
The two Bates brothers served in their respective positions until they sold The Meadville Tribune to the Thomson Newspaper Co. in 1976.
Although that meant the “local owners” were no longer there, Robert Bates said at one point that had they not sold, they probably would have been out of business because of the paper shortage that year. He said small newspapers would not have been able to get the needed paper for publication.
The print company was sold and moved to another location.
GETTING PHOTOS, STORIES FROM THE AP
At one time, the Associated Press submitted monthly sheets of pictures of people who may be in the news periodically, which included government officials as well as sports and entertainers.
News was received via the AP “wire,” with the steady sound of a typewriter being heard as news was being received.
If it were a “breaking” story of significance, a bell would sound to alert editors of a major story.
Reporters who had regular “beats” gathered information by person or telephone.
Reporters typed their stories on manual typewriters, using carbon paper to make duplicates — one went to the editor to edit and send to the composing room. The second went into a daily basket.
Obituaries were either brought to the office by the funeral director or phoned in to reporters to take over the phone. The same was true of local news items whether it was meeting notices or other types of news.
CHANGING WITH THE TIMES
As equipment changed through the years, so did the process of receiving news and information.
The fax machine was invented and the newsroom soon started receiving faxes for many things — eliminating the need to take information over a telephone.
In 1978, the manual typewriters and carbon paper made way for computers.
Staff no longer used manual typewriters but sent reports to the editor via computers.
Editors sent the copy to the composing room which then placed them on a paper — and there was no longer a need to set the type by hand.
The Meadville Tribune entered the new electronic age in 1996 by publishing its paper online as well as a print edition.
1909 A BIG YEAR FOR NEWSPAPERS IN MEADVILLE
Records show other papers were purchased and numerous names changed in 1909.
The Tribune Publishing Co. purchased on April 15 the Daily Morning Star and the weekly Crawford Journal and the weekly Tribune-Republican and the Crawford Journal from E.A.Hempstead and E.H. Shartle.
The Star was consolidated with the Tribune-Republican and the Crawford Journal with the semi-weekly Tribune-Republican. For a short time, it was known as the Weekly Tribune-Republican and the Crawford Journal.
However, by Aug. 5 of that year, the Tribune-Republican name was omitted and the name Crawford Journal resumed.
BROOKS PRESENTS STATE SENATE CITATION TO TRIBUNE
In recognition of the Tribune’s 140th anniversary, state Sen. Michele Brooks presented a citation to the newspaper. It read, in part:
“Fourteen decades of news, from the massive influx of European immigrants through Ellis Island and great inventions, such as the telegraph and telephone, to the expansion of the transcontinental rail system, World Wars I and II, the Great Depression, the advent of radio and later television, the first computers, the Korean War, and the first man on the moon, the Tribune has captured it all since its inception.”
OPEN HOUSE TODAY FROM 3 TO 6 P.M.
In observance of The Meadville Tribune’s 140th anniversary, The Tribune is hosting an open house today from 3 to 6 p.m.
There will be food trucks, live music and an opportunity to watch the presses run.
It is open to the public, free of charge.
140 YEARS LATER, SAME MISSION
The paper’s mission remains the same — to cover as much local news as possible.
The paper has a lot of history and a lot of changes over the last 140 years and hope are that it will be still going strong for another 140 years.
Today’s publisher is Devon Stout and editor is Rick Green.
