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In view of the consolidation of the Beaver Valley News, New Brighton, and the Beaver Falls Tribune, Beaver Falls, a brief history of the papers of New Brighton and Beaver Falls, may be of interest to the readers of the newspaper and I submit herewith a brief sketch of each taken from my "History of the Newspapers of Beaver County".
The first paper started in New Brighton was the New Brighton Record by Dr. D.H.B. Brewer and W. T. Purviance in May 1854. The former a well known resident of the town at that time and Mr. Purviance was a daguerreotype artist of Bridgewater. It lived a weary life until April 26, 1856, and then passed from view.
Dr. D.H.B. Brewer was not satisfied so he started another paper Feb. 7,1855 called "Young American" it was published in the interest of the American Party and was printed in Pittsburgh. The date of its retirement is not known.
The next venture was the "New Brighton Times" started October 21, 1857 by W.H. Johnston of Butler, Pa. It was very short lived, suspending January 1858. It was revived by William R. Lemmon of Butler, Jan. 21, 1858. It was the best of the papers so far in the town and lived until about the close of the Civil War. It was a strong supporter of the Union cause. Mr. Lemmon was held in high esteem by the people of the town, but was unable to continue for lack of business.
The next was a freak by O.P. Wharton called the Beaver Falls New Era. It was printed in Allegheny and appeared in New Brighton, Feb. 28, 1866 and disappeared March 21,1866. The New Brighton Herald was the next to fill a long felt want. It was started July 14, 1869 by Capt. G.S. McKee of Alliance, 0. and Dr. N.M. Wilson of Lancaster, Pa. Capt. McKee retired Oct. 29, 1869 and was succeeded by Thomas J. Morgan of Carrolton, Ohio. He died Jan. 2,1871. The name of the paper was changed to the Beaver Valley Herald in 1870. Dr. Wilson sold his interest in the paper November 1870 to Major J.B. Hays of Meadville, Pa. The office was destroyed by fire Feb. 13, 1871 but resumed publication March 24, 1873 with the best outfit of any paper at that time in the county. The name of the paper was changed to the Beaver County Press by Major Hays. It was a good paper but too big for the town. It went along with varying fortunes until Jan. 14, 1874 when it fell into the hands of the sheriff and was bought by J.C. Hays of Meadville, Pa. father of Major Hays.
Next appeared on the journalistic scene, two Civil War soldiers, Major David Critchlow of the 100th Pa. regiment and F.S. Reader late of the Fifth West Va. Cavalry, who conceived the idea that no newspaper want was so great that they could not fill it and then they plunged. They bought the outfit of the Beaver County Press and established May 22, 1874. "The Beaver Valley News" - The major was the business manager and his partner the editor. The former was a very fine soldier, popular as a citizen, and a good singer and soon scored a good subscription list, though in the midst of the panic of 1873, but sold his interest to his partner in January 1877. The editor was too stubborn to quit even when things were most discouraging and business the worst and so he lived to be an old man at the end of 60 years of telling politicians and people generally how things ought to be run in this great nation. In 1886 his son Willard Reader entered the office as ad apprentice and became the New Brighton reporter in 1889. On his twenty first birthday Sept. 28, 1892 he was taken into the partnership and became the city editor which position he held until May 22, 1924, when he succeeded his father as editor and general manager.
The daily edition was launched Feb. 5, 1883 and was the first daily paper in Beaver County. On the morning of Feb. 16, 1889, the first linotype in Beaver County was installed in the plant in Jan. 1901 and has been in use to the present time. The Beaver Valley News issued its last number Feb. 20, 1928 and consolidated with the Beaver Falls Tribune in this issue March 1, 1928.
BEAVER FALLS PAPERS
In the newspaper calling Beaver Falls came in early and has stayed late and has had more papers and more men starting them than any place in the county except it be Beaver.
In 1875 John F. Porter appeared on the scene and started a paper called the "Courant" which lasted one week in April 1875. Encouraged he started the Beaver Falls Courier April 15, 1875. The paper went strong until 1879 when he sold it to Roberts and Vashorn, two young men from Rochester, N.Y.) They changed its name to "Beaver County Enterprise" and passed from view in about 1 year.
In the year 1880 the enterprise was purchased by John Weyand a veteran in the profession and he changed the name to the "Beaver Falls Tribune" Jan. 1, 1882 Col. Weyand sold the paper to John H. Telforcland W.S. Falkman. Mr. Telford was a printer from Pittsburgh and Mr. Falkman was a printer from Allegheny. Mr. Falkman retired after about 3 months service. The paper was quite successful under Mr. Telford's management and in 1890 the concern took the form of a Company titled the Tribune Printing Company which was incorporated September 26,1902 with Ira F. Mansfield, president, Herman F. Dillon V. Pres. and John H. Telford, Sec'y. and Treasurer and Manager. The Dailey Tribune was started August 1884 the third daily paper in the county. Nothing of interest of this paper could ever be obtained from Mr. Telford, but being a practical printer and intelligent man, he soon built up a good paper. Following his death his son John C. Telford, became the manager, and continued as such until the sale of the plant to John Stewart of Wash., Pa. Feb. 21, 1921. Mr. Stewart is the owner of the Washington, Pa. Reporter and the Observer and the Beaver Times. James H. March was made the Manager of the paper and W. C. Hamilton City Editor.
The Tribune had built up a large subscription list and advertising patronage and is now the top of the list of daily papers in the state. It is a good and safe local paper and has a complete report of local, county and news of the world. The "Lifeboat" was launched on the troubled sea of newspaperdom by L.S. Amberson in 1875 in advocacy of the Greenback party. It was sold to Homes and McDonald in 1876 who changed its name to the "New Era" and in 1877 it was moved to Pittsburgh. In 1882 the "Beaver Falls Independent" was started by W.F. Hanrahan and Frank A. Lewis who were succeeded by W.W. Shields and after a short and fitful life it ceased to exist.
In June 1883 W.S. Falkman who was working in the job printing office of Townsends Co. started the "Evening Pen" the second daily issued in the county. During the month of June it appeared every day and then took a rest until the First of November, when it again appeared and was published until February 18, 1884 when it was retired. The "Globe Advertiser" a monthly paper was published from 1875 to 1879 by the Globe Printing Company. Soon thereafter a morning paper was started by the same company called the "Herald" but was soon discontinued. John Mellon, connected with the firm, secured control of the paper and consolidated it with the "Star" of Beaver.
On August 23, 1887 W.H. Falkman started the "Spray of the Falls" as a monthly paper which was changed to a weekly in Sept. 1888. In the later part of the year it was transferred to the Beaver Falls Tribune. In June 1886 J.E. McClure and J.W. Carson formed a company and started the Evening Journal. During the same year George Washington(Warrington)? began the publication of the "Psalm Singer". In 1889 Mr. Warrington, W.S. Falkman, John W. Carson, and S.S. Carson became owners of the "Journal" and in addition to the daily edition began the publication of a weekly Aug. 15, 1889. Mr. Warrington became the sole owner of the paper in 1890 conducting it until 1892 when it passed into the hands of J.H. Irons and Smith Curtis in 1892-93 - S.S. Carson started the "Daily Record" which soon quit.
In 1894 J.W. Carson and the Broadbent Brothers bought J.H. Irons' interest and the daily issue was discontinued. In 1895 Sam Curtis started the daily "Radical" in the Journal plant and it too soon passed out of existence. In the Spring of 1896 a company of New Castle newspapermen bought the plant and started the ''Daily Republican" which was discontinued in September of the same year. J.W. Carson then bought the good will of the paper and continued the weekly, changing the name to the "Review" in 1897.
Also, the "Western Star" was one of the County's pioneer news sheets.