Page History: Colville Examiner

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Page Revision: 2009/05/06 12:00

Table of Contents [Hide/Show] Title info    History    Essay Draft, brutal short version for LOC    Essay Draft, long version    Essay Notes    Research    Digitization plan    Notes    Evaluation Reel    Evaluation Issues and pages    Evaluation    Totals

Title info¶

• Ayer Annual¹; ²
  • Publish day: Saturday
  • Content: Democratic
  • Established: 1907
  • Pages: 10; 8
  • Size: 9x12 in.; 15x22 in.
  • Editor: J.C. Harrigan
  • Publisher: Stevens County Publishing Co.; J.C. Harrigan
• Frequency: Weekly
• Coverage
  • Region: Northeast ³
  • County: Stevens
• Unique ids
  • LCCN: sn88085318
  • OCLC: 17365658
    

History¶

• Succeeding: Statesman-examiner, Colville (1948)
• Related to: Scimitar and Statesman-index, Colville
• WSL publish history chart: http://www.secstate.wa.gov/library/docs/iii/charts/statesmanexaminer.htm
  

Essay Draft, brutal short version for LOC¶

In 1907 a group of Colville, Washington, democrats formed a corporation to produce a new weekly paper. They hired J. C. Harrigan, a twenty-nine year old newspaperman, to serve as editor. They also financed the purchase of modern printing equipment. Harrigan had learned his trade in the mining towns of Montana and had worked at such prestigious papers as the Seattle Post-Intelligencer[LCCN: sn 83045604] and the Spokane Spokesman Review [LCCN: sn 84024754], but was enchanted by Colville. He purchased the paper in 1909 and continued editing it for forty years.

The early development of Stevens County, Washington and the activities of its residents are well-covered by the Colville Examiner. Kettle Falls, Marcus, Summit Valley, Greenwood, South Basin, Meyers Falls, and other small communities contributed columns regularly. The area is noteworthy for its silver mining, timber, and agricultural industries. News, history, and legends of the nearby Spokane and Colville Indian tribes were included. News related to surveying activities on the Columbia River anticipating the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam appears occasionally. Reports of bootlegging and liquor smuggling were frequently related due to the community's proximity to the Canadian border. Harrigan was a witty and self-effacing writer who commented upon local, state, and national politics from the democratic perspective. He was active in many service organizations and served as president of Inland Empire Press Association.

The introduction of a third newspaper into the small town of Colville resulted in fierce competition for government printing contracts and subscription income. The early editorials of the Colville Examiner and its rivals (the Colville Statesman-Index [LCCN: sn 88085320] and the Stevens County Reveille [LCCN: sn 88085325]) document a lively struggle for survival. The Reveille soon went out of business and the Statesman-Index was bought and sold several times. In 1948 the Examiner was sold to Charles Graham and merged with its old competitor to form the Statesman-Examiner [LCCN: sn 88085317].

The Stevens County Historical Society has indexed this paper for births, deaths, and legal notices. The Society also holds an obituary index for all local papers. The University of Washington Libraries has a subject index for the Colville Examiner covering the dates 1908-1920. This index was completed in 1940 as a WPA project and is available on microfilm.

A detailed history of Colville newspapers, written by J. C. Harrigan, was printed in the Statesman-Examiner on October 21, 1960.

Essay Draft, long version¶

In 1907 a group of Colville men, dissatisfied with the way that the democratic position was represented in other local newspapers, formed a corporation to produce a new weekly paper. They contacted J. C. Harrigan of Spokane to edit the paper and authorized him to purchase a modern newspaper plant.

The early development of Stevens County, Washington and the activities of its residents are well-covered by the Colville Examiner. Kettle Falls, Marcus, Summit Valley, Greenwood, South Basin, Meyers Falls, and other small communities contributed columns regularly. The area is noteworthy for its silver mining, timber, and agricultural industries. News, history, and legends of the nearby Spokane and Colville Indian tribes were included. News related to surveying activities on the Columbia River anticipating the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam appears occasionally. Reports of bootlegging and liquor smuggling were frequently related due to the community's proximity to the Canadian border. Local, state, and national politics were commented upon from the democratic viewpoint.

James Corneal Harrigan, editor of the Colville Examiner for forty years, was born in Toledo, IA in 1878 and had worked in the newspaper industry since he was a child. Upon completing his college degree, Harrigan moved west. His first professional newspaper work took place in the Butte-Anaconda area of Montana. He later moved to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer [LCCN: sn 83045604] and was working for the Spokane Spokesman Review [LCCN: sn 84024754] before accepting the call to run the Colville Examiner.

The new printing equipment (a water-powered Cranston folio press) was not available until 1908, so the first issues of the Examiner were printed on a C&P 10x15 job press and stapled together with a borrowed stapler. In spite of this hardship, the Examiner soon proved to be a strong competitor for not only subscription income, but also lucrative county printing contracts. The introduction of a third newspaper in the small town of Colville was not welcomed by the competing papers (the Colville Statesman-Index [LCCN: sn 88085320] and the Stevens County Reveille [LCCN: sn 88085325]) and a lively banter soon sprung up in the editorial pages, documenting the fierce competition for survival between the papers.

The Statesman-Index was particularly incensed by the upstart paper. The editors began referring to Harrigan as "Red Top" on account of his red hair. They also filed a successful lawsuit during that year, claiming that the Examiner had been unfairly awarded a government printing contract.

Harrigan claims not to have been intimidated by this, and steadily worked to build the Examiner. One day he "woke with the realization that Red Top was a complete name and not a nickname." The May 9, 1908 issue of the Examiner appeared with the paper's name printed in red ink at the top of the front page, with no explanation provided in the text of the paper. Readers were amused by the reference, and Harrigan printed "Red Top" on his business cards. Wittiness and self-effacement are typical characteristics of Harrigan's writing style.

The Reveille went out of business and the Statesman-Index changed hands many times, but Harrigan stayed with the Examiner (taking full ownership of the paper in 1909) until 1948. It was sold to Charles Graham and merged with its old competitor to form the Statesman-Examiner [LCCN: sn 88085317].

The Stevens County Historical Society has indexed this paper for births, deaths, and legal notices. The Society also holds an obituary index for all local papers. The University of Washington Libraries has a subject index for the Colville Examiner covering the dates 1908-1920. This index was completed in 1940 as a WPA project and is available on microfilm.

A detailed history of Colville newspapers, written by J. C. Harrigan, was printed in the Statesman-Examiner on October 21, 1960.

Essay Notes¶

• New printing equipment was used to print the newspaper on March 21, 1908
• 75 Years of Colville Newspapers, By J.C. Harrigan, The Statesman Examiner 1960-10-21
  • Colville took shape as a town in 1882, dedicated on Feb 28 1883
  • 1885 rich silver strike at Old Dominion Mountain
  • Competition for county printing contracts/ 1910 ballot mixup scandal
  • Stateman Index refers to Harrigan as "Red Top". Original cartoon appears in June 12, 1908 Statesman Index depicting "Red Top" raiding the county treasury. Harrigan "woke up one day with the realization that Red Top was a complete name and not a nickname." May 9, 1908 issue of Colville Examiner: Newspaper's name appears in red ink at top of first page with no internal comment in paper. Harrigan beings printing the name "Red Top" on his business cards and signs editorials with the nickname.
  • First press was a "C&P 10x15 job press". Replaced in 1910 by Cranston folio newspaper press run by water power. in 1912 Examiner expandes, buys press used for Kettle Falls Scimitar.
  • Main street vs back alley offices
  • Alonzo Melville Doty buys Statesman Index in 1910. Starts Colville News Bureau. Sold paper in 1926
  • In 1912 Colville Examiner produces Colville Daily Bulletin, a free advertising sheet for motion picture houses, published 3 times per week.
    

• From Tales of the Pioneers, p. 82-83
  • James Corneal Harrigan, editor of Colville Examiner for 40 years, born in Toledo, IA July 18, 1878. Ph B(?) from Coe College, Cedar Rapids, at age 23. Moved west, worked for Montana papers, Seattle P-I, and Spokane Spokesman Review. Worked in newspaper industry from childhood through high school and college.
  • "In1907 a group of Colville men, dissatisfied with the way in which the two Colville newspapers were presenting the democratic cause, contacted Mr. Harrigan in Spokane and asked him to become the editor of the third paper in Colville...He agreed to accept the offer and boarded the SF&N for the 4 hour trip to Colville, arriving at the Colville depot on a hot, dusty July day."
  • Directors of the new democratic newspaper corporation were: EM Heifner, JA Rockford, John B Slater, LC Jesseph, CA Ledgerwood, JG Luzer of Valley, JW Dunlap of Loon Lake. These men named the paper and gave authority to Mr. Harrigan to order a modern newspaper plant.
  • First papers were produced on a small job press with pages stapled witha stapler "borrowed from Attorney H. Wade Bailey" in the basement of a building owned by Rusch and Allen on what is now "King Cole's Corner."
  • Newspaper not greeted cordially by competitors. "One editorial challenged the new paper and its backers to a scrap which would not be terminated until 'hell became a frozen lake'."
  • March 1908. Examiner moves to brick structure owned by Stenger and Thomas. New press run by water power was installed. The new paper prospered even at the "exorbitant price" of $1.50 per year. "The word went around that the newspaper cost 50% more than the older papers because it contained 50% more news."
  • Paper sold to Charles Graham in 1947
  • Harrigan was a member of several service organizations: President of Inland Empire Press Association, VP of Colville Chamber of Commerce, Asst. Exe. Clerk US Senate (1933-35), County Food Administrator in WWI, State delegate to democratic convention (1920), member of Modern Woodmen, Knights of Pythias, Royal Arch Mason, Royal and Select Master, Shriner, and Philatelic Society.
• "JC Harrigan took ownership and full control of Colville Examiner April 3, 1909" | From the Colville Examiner 76, April 10, 1909.
• Books by J.C. Harrigan:
  • Little Journeys Around Town
  • Recollections of Toledo 60 to 80 years ago (?)
    

Indexes

• The UW has an subject index of the Colville Examiner on Microfilm. This was originally a WPA project completed in 1940. It covers the Colville Examiner from 1908-1920. Some place names are also indexed. A1128
• The Stevens County Historical Society has also indexed this paper. They typically indexed for births, deaths, and legals. They also have an obituary file which covers these years.
  

Research¶

1. N.W. Ayer & Son's American newspaper annual-- 1909 -- 910
2. N.W. Ayer & Son's American newspaper annual and directory -- 1912 -- 965
3. NDNP Candidate Title List (Appendix A1.2)
4. Chronicling America record (LOC) - Colville Examiner
5. WorldCat record - Colville Examiner
6. WSL record - Colville Examiner
7. UW record - Colville Examiner
   

Digitization plan¶

2008-2009 grant

• WSL ordered duplication and testing of 1907-1922 (5 reels) from Proquest
• Received order 2008-12-01
  

Notes¶

Evaluation¶

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Reel¶

• Filmed by: Bell and Howell for WSU
• Positives held by: WSL
• Negatives held by: Proquest
• Holdings:
  • Location: WSL
  • Call Number: NEWSPAPER 44/468
  • Lib. has Oct. 31, 1907 - April 30, 1948
    

Evaluation¶

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Issues and pages¶

Evaluation¶

Totals¶

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