The Patriot was an afternoon daily paper, and always stanchly Democratic in politics, and for many years was a successful journalistic enterprise. This paper continued to be published either as a weekly or a daily until about October 12, 1895. It was in a precarious condition many years before that date, and had a number of different editors, among them F. M. Stambaugh and W. J. Montgomery. The Atchison Morning Star and Daily Patriot was built upon the wreck of the original Patriot, its first issue being dated October 13, 1895, and running until February 23, 1896.
The Atchison Union was a Democratic paper, established by Gideon O. Chase, about 1858. It had an office in a frame building at the southwest corner of Fifth and Commercial streets, subsequently occupied by the Champion. Mr. Chase came from Waverly. N. V., and his paper, while Democratic, was for the Union and against slavery. Mr. Chase did not remain in charge of the paper very long, and turned it over to W. H. Addoms and G. I. Stebbins. Shortly thereafter Stebbins retired, and Addoms went to Leavenworth, where he started a paper, turning his interest over to A. P. Cochrane, who was an employe in the office. Cochrane did not run the paper but a short time, when a Mr. Leland, Francis J. Marion and Franklin G. Adams assumed control and ran it a short time, when Marion took the plant of Plattsburg, Mo., and junked it, and for many years what was left of the paper was piled up in the court house at that place.
The Atchison Church Visitor was established in 1906, and was published by the pastors of the following churches: English Lutheran, Methodist, Christian, Congregational, Presbyterian, Baptist.
On January 14, 1911, Paul Tonsing became its editor and publisher. The paper is printed by Mr. Tonsing in the office over 500 Commercial street, so long occupied as the editorial room of John A. Martin, of whom Mr. Tonsing is a son-in-law. Mr. Tonsing is a Lutheran minister by profession, and for a number of years after his graduation from Midland College, he did pastoral work in a number of Lutheran churches in Nebraska and Kansas. Mr. Tonsing is a reformer, and a man not without courage and ability. His views are looked upon as too extreme by the conservative liberal element of Atchison, but all give him credit for being conscientious and honest. He is a hard-working, industrious citizen, and, while he has made inane active enemies in his reform work, he enjoys the personal satisfaction of seeing many of the reforms he has advocated come to pass. He is an avowed foe of the liquor traffic, and has perhaps done more than any other individual in the community to make his views on that question effective. In connection with the publication of the Church Visitor, Mr. Tonsing also prints and edits the Western Chief, a monthly publication devoted to the Improved Order of Redmen.
E. W. Howe’s Monthly was started by Mr. Howe in March, 1911. It is published monthly and contains practically all of the present literary efforts of its editor. Mr. Howe has adopted the use of pink paper for this publication, which is composed of four pages. It contains no advertising matter, but has a large circulation among friends and admirers of Mr. Howe’s peculiar literary type. Mr. Howe has popularized this monthly by making the price so low that no subscriber can afford not to take it, and when he has reached a circulation large enough, he plans to put it on a profitable basis as an advertising medium.
The Effingham New Leaf was started about April 12, 1894, with M. C. Klingman, editor, and his wife, Mrs. Ima L. Klingman, as associate editor. The New Leaf was the successor of the Effingham Times, founded in 1887, and the Effingham Graphic, founded in 1891, and the Effingham World, founded in 1893. After the death of M. C. Klingman, at the Missouri Baptist sanitarium, at St. Louis, Mo., May 5, 1899, Mrs. Klingman took charge as editor and publisher, and employed W. W. Cahoon, associate editor. January 4, 1901, J. W. Coleman became the editor and publisher, and W. W. Cahoon, associate editor. In December, 1903, W. W. Cahoon purchased a one-half interest and the firm became Coleman & Cahoon. Mr. Coleman re-purchased the paper October 16, 1903, and continued its publication until September 8, 1903, when Mr. Cahoon and C. E. Sells became the editors and publishers. May 4 of the following year Mr. Cahoon sold his interest to W. H. Sells, and August 31, 1906, C. E. and A. J. Sells took charge of the paper, and in 1915 were still its publishers.
The Effingham New Leaf is a successful country newspaper, serving its readers faithfully and satisfactorily.
The Muscotah Record was founded about October 1, 1884, by F. M. Bonham, who ran the paper until about 1886, when on August 18 of that year the Miller brothers became its editors and publishers. They sold it to Claud Martin and Coleman Martin December 4, 1889, who subsequently sold the plan to M. C. Klingman, editor of the Effingham New Leaf, May, 1890. Mr. Klingman turned the property over to Fred W. Badger July 18, 1890, who continued the paper until December 8, 1893, when he disposed of it to John Ford. Ford published the paper until November 1, 1894, when he sold it to James S. Martin and Guy L. Stotter, the latter assuming entire control March 6, 1896. Mr. Stotter sold the Record to J. W. Campbell August 17, 1905, but assumed control of it again November 23, 1905, and remained in control until June 6, 1907, when J. A. Shoemaker, who afterwards became county superintendent of Atchison county, appeared as its editor and publisher. When Mr. Shoemaker was elected county superintendent, he turned the property over to A. W. Huntis, who on February 3, 1910, sold it to P. J. Cortelyon, and March 7, 1912, the property was purchased by R. M. Dunlap, who is now (1915) its editor and publisher.
The Huron Herald started January 7, 1892, with Frank I. White as editor and publisher. On May 16, 1895, Messrs. Priest & Priest took charge and were in control October 18, 1896, when the office was destroyed by fire. The paper was suspended for a few weeks and the next issue was dated November 6, 1896, with W. E. Johnson, editor and publisher. The Herald suspended publication in February, 1897, and was again resurrected by W. A. Huff by the issue of April 9, 1897. Mr. Huff discontinued the paper in 1900, and went to Brown county, where he was active in newspaper work in that county. The Huron Herald was revived again April 12, 1907, by J. E. Smith, who published it until March 12, 1914, and March 19 of that year. J. M. Delaney announced that through no fault of his, he was forced to take control of the paper, and had employed Herman Van. On August 19, 1915, T. A. Cur became editor, and on November 11, 1915, Orvil L. Pancake was in charge.
The Potter Kansan was originally known as the Potter Leaf, which started November 22, 1900, by Eppie L. Barber and Norene Barber, his wife. Mr. Barber surrendered control of the paper September 17, 1903, turning it over to his wife, who became its publisher. Shortly thereafter, Charles B. Remsburg, who for many years was a well known newspaper reporter in northeastern Kansas, appeared as its editor and publisher, and remained in charge until May 11, 1905, when he turned it over to J. W. Thompson and his wife, Mrs. J. W. Thompson. On August 17, 1905, the Thompsons leased the paper to R. J. Wilson, but in the following December Mr. Thompson resumed control again and placed Howard C. King in charge as local editor and business manager. On March 22, 1906, W. A. Remsburg became proprietor and in the following September, J. E. Remsburg purchased the plant, and is now its editor.