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- Description:
- This 2-page letter was handwritten in black ink on both sides of a slightly yellowed piece of paper by Frank I. Cobb who signed the letter as the "Leading editorial writer, Detroit Free Press." His letter is entitled, "The Newspapers of Detroit," and the text of the letter has been transcribed as follows: "The Newspapers of Detroit. At the beginning of the Twentieth Century there are seven daily newspapers published in Detroit - five in English and two in German. Of the English newspapers the Free Press and the Tribune are printed in the morning, The Evening News, The Evening Journal and Today in the afternoon. The Abend-Post and the Volksblatt, German, are published in the afternoon also. The principal owner of The Free Press is William E. Quinby; of The News and The Tribune, James E. Scripps; of The Journal, William Livingstone; of Today, James Schermerhorn; of the Abend-Post, August Marxhausen; of the Volksblatt, A. Niederpruem. Of these The Free Press, independently Democratic in politics, is the most influential and the worst edited. Little attention is paid to the manner in which news matter is written for it. It is very susceptible to "respectable" influence, and always aims to voice the opinions of so-called better-element. It has no opinions of its own. It is eminently clean - and steeped. The News is the best-edited and most readable, but the least reliable - due largely to its habitual recklessness of statement, and its desire to be "clear" regardless of the facts. The Tribune is a colorless morning edition of The News; but better edited on the whole than The Free Press. It is without editorial influence. The Journal is statistically Republican in politics and is one of the few remaining types of the bigoted partisan newspaper. It is fairly well-edited, and is clean. It, too, is very susceptible to Detroit club influence. Today is a puny monstrosity, printed on cheap paper. It prints news in bulletin form under heaving black head-lines. It has no merit except cheapness. The Abend-Post is the "organ" of the German Republicans and the Volksblatt of the German Democrats. As the old German population dies off, their field is gradually becoming smaller. Detroit newspapers compare favorably with those of other cities of the size. If anything they are above the average. Like all newspapers published at this time, they are unreliable; but seldom maliciously so. Economy explains the maul of accuracy. Good salaries must be paid to good reporters; so as few as possible are hired. All reporters are so overburdened with work that they have little time to verify statements. None of the Detroit newspapers wields great influence editorially; but all more than they deserve. Being expected to prophesy, I venture to predict that the Twentieth Century's chief reform in newspaper making will be in the direction of improving the quality of the news - having it better written, more intelligently written, and more accurately written. If the Twenty-first century has newspapers and those newspapers are reliable - one who will these be dust, would wish to be resurrected long enough to glance over the head lines of one of them. Frank I. Cobb Leading Editorial Writer, Detroit Free Press."
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
- Collection:
- Detroit Anniversaries
- Description:
- This tan paper envelope contained a 4-page letter written by James E. Scripps, President of the Evening News Association. The front of the envelope is entitled in handwritten text, "A Prophecy for Deetroit as a Metropolis by James E. Scripps." A handwritten note in the lower left corner shows "Not to be opened till Dec. 31 AD 2000."
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
- Collection:
- Detroit Anniversaries
- Description:
- This white paper envelope contained a 2-page letter that was written by John S. Foley, Bishop of Detroit. The front of the envelope has a handwritten note that shows "Notes of the Roman Catholic Church in Detroit, Michigan, requested by Hon. William C. Maybury, Mayor of Detroit and prepared by John S. Foley, Bishop of Detroit." The flap on the back side of the envelope is sealed with three red wax seals that have been impressed with a smudged, square design. Probably, the design was the seal of the diocese.
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
- Collection:
- Detroit Anniversaries
- Description:
- Black and white postcard depicting Abend-Post Building on the corner of E Grand River Avenue and Broadway (Miami) Street. Three men stand by the entrance. A sign reads "Detroit Daily Abend Post." Typed message on verso: In the answer to your of recent date.. 1 insertion 60¢ 3 insertions $1.50 7 insertions $3.00
- Date Issued:
- 1911-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
- Collection:
- Postcard
- Description:
- This slightly yellowed paper envelope contained a 5-page letter that was written by James Schermerhorn who was the editor of the TO-DAY newspaper. The front of the envelope is entitled in handwritten text, "Newspapers Now and Then" and is signed and dated by James Schermerhorn.
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
- Collection:
- Detroit Anniversaries
- Description:
- This tan paper envelope contained a 4-page letter written by James E. Scripps, President of the Evening News Association. The front of the envelope is entitled in handwritten text, "A Prophecy for Deetroit as a Metropolis by James E. Scripps." A handwritten note in the lower left corner shows "Not to be opened till Dec. 31 AD 2000."
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
- Description:
- Newspaper article, mounted on board, "Batwing 11, Giant Monoplane of the Future: Mysterious New Self-Contained Aircraft With a Single Wing, Expected to Make 200 miles an Hour, to Revolutionize Aviation, and Set the Whole World A-Wing." The article includes a drawing of the "Pictured idea of the new Batwing monoplane - consisting of a single internally braced wing seven feet thick and with a lateral spread of forty feet, in which engines, crew, passengers and all cargo will be placed. It is the invention of William B. Stout, aeronautical engineer, aided by Orville Wright, 'Father of Aviation.'" Text written in black marker on the backing above the article reads "Detroit, Michigan Free Press Sunday, June 13 1920."
- Date Issued:
- 1920-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
- Description:
- This 5-page letter was handwritten in black ink on slightly yellowed paper by James Schermerhorn who was the Editor of the TO-DAY newspaper. The newspaper letterhead is printed in black text at the top and each page and has the watermark, "Persian Bond." The text of the letter has been transcribed as follows: "New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, 1900. The press of 1901 salutes the "fourth estate" of 2001. The newspapers of the present time speak for themselves even as the public prints of that distant day when these words shall be read, will speak for themselves. They must bear their own testimonies of the times through the printed words and the testimonies of their own traits and merits. In the Free Press and the Tribune, of the morning field, the News, Journal and To-Day, of the evening field, and the Abend Post and the Volksblat, of the German evening field, Detroit has better than the average specimens of American daily newspaper making. The Free Press, the pathfinder of Michigan newpaperdom, found glory and distinction formerly through its humorous sketches and other literary features. Late years, like all the once flourishingly journals of light vein, it has been happy to put aside the reputation of being a funny paper and has aspired to the higher rank and influence of the great and serious newspapers of the times. The Tribune - once the pillar of fire by night and the cloud by day to the faithful Republicans of the state - no longer essays political leadership or claims party followers. The decline of partisan newspaper-making is revealed in the situation in Detroit at this writing, one daily paper only being an out-and-out exponent of a political faith. Happily the thick-and-thin party organ appears to be passing away. The German papers have their appreciative constituencies - not very large, but very loyal. The Evening News led the way into the two-cent newspaper field twenty eight years ago and achieved a great success. The Journal has followed it through many vicissitudes to prosperity. "To-Day," the latest comer, has received a welcome in the closing weeks of the nineteenth century that presages permanency and prestige. The last is least in price, selling for one cent and foreshadowing that twentieth century day when the smallest coin will be the universal newspaper price. One hundred years hence will see the newspapers mightily increased in number, but reduced in size. In good time the daily prints must take on more compact and manageable form. There must needs be increasing discrimination in the selection of news as the country grows older, and the business of printing the happenings of the passing day will absorb all of the daily paper's energies and resources. Twentieth century newspapers will be compelled by the necessities of the situation to devote themselves exclusively to the chronicling of the weightier facts of the hour, leaving to other publications the mission of serious discussion of pending problems and the moulding of public opinion. Prophecy: The twentieth century newspaper will be a newspaper and nothing else, and there will not be so much of it. James Schermerhorn, Editor, TO-DAY."
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
- Description:
- This white paper envelope contained a 2-page letter that was written by Frank I. Cobb, leading editorial writer of the Detroit Free Press. The front of the envelope has a handwritten address that shows "The Newspapers of Detroit, Frank I. Cobb." The flap on the back side of the envelope is sealed with black wax that has been impressed with a smudged, circular design.
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
- Description:
- One advertisement post for the Detroit Post and Tribune newspaper. The poster is printed in red, black, and blue text on a white background and advertises various subscription rates for the newspaper. A map of Michigan is also shown along with population statistics for 1840-1880. Text along the bottom of the poster advertises "A $14 Plow Given Away" in exchange for new subscriptions.
- Date Issued:
- 1882-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
