Mr. Fowler's successor on The Farmer was Henry A. Van Fredenberg, for years editor of the Milling World and the Lumber World, both of Buffalo. Mr. Van Fredenberg was born in Montague, N. J., was educated in the schools of Port Jervis, early became a school teacher, and had charge of the schools at Sussex (then Deckertown), N. J., when he entered the editorial harness on the Sussex Independent, and developed rare talent, which quickly secured his recognition as a writer, a paragrapher, reporter, and editor. When he was called to the editorial chair of the Orange County Farmer he had years of editorial experience, was a botanical scholar, a marvelous linguist, a proficient mathematician, had a rare knowledge of chemistry, geology and pomology, and was a careful student in dairy and agricultural matters generally. That The Farmer has prospered beyond all expectations under his wise and able editorial management is not saying too much. Started as a county agricultural paper, it steadily grew out of its local bounds into State reputation, and then into national and now into international importance, with a circulation now (March, 1908), quoted at 25,000, with subscribers in almost every civilized country in the world, besides going into every State in the Union. It is quoted everywhere, its editorial utterances and contributions are transferred to other tongues, and it is recognized as one of the leading dairy journals of the world. This marvelous growth and influence outside its own county led its managers to change its title in 1897, when it became The New York Farmer, as more expressive of its character and the scope of its work and operations. At this time (March, 1908), Mr. Van Fredenberg is still the editor, and The Farmer is now a seven-column quarto, issued on Wednesday of each week.
In 1882 James J. McNally, the veteran newspaper man of Orange County, started at Monroe a weekly seven-column folio, the Monroe Herald. In 1888 he started at Goshen the Goshen News, and printed both papers at Goshen until the spring of 1892, when he died, and both publications ceased.
In 1883 The News was started in Middletown as a Sunday paper by that veteran journalist, James H. Norton. Associated with him was Charles H. Conkling, a practical printer, and later W. T. Doty, whom Mr. Norton induced to take a hand in the editorial work. The News took an active interest in exploiting the farmer's interests during the famous "milk war" which waged in that year, when milk was spilled copiously in the Middletown streets and elsewhere, when encountered in surreptitious transfer to some unpopular dealer. The News was an eight-column folio, nicely printed, and attained a considerable circulation. Mr. Norton, and later Mr. Doty, retired from the concern, and the material was sold to Mrs. Hasbrouck, later to Lawyer Reid, who issued a few copies of The Jeffersonian, then to Isaac V. Montanye, who issued a few numbers of a labor paper, and finally the material was purchased by James J. McNally, to be merged with the Monroe Herald and the Goshen News.
In 1885 St. John & Salmon issued at Port Jervis The Farm Guide, a monthly of eight, twelve and sixteen pages. It did not live long.
In June, 1885, George F. Ketchum started at Warwick the Warwick Valley Dispatch. It was an eight-column folio at first, and was afterward enlarged to a nine-column folio which it is at present. In 1889 a half interest in the paper was sold to I. W. Litchfield, Mr. Ketchum retaining control of the editorial policy. In 1894 Mr. Litchfield engaged in other business, Mr. Ketchum taking over his interest, which he still retains as sole controller of the paper and its policy. The Dispatch has always been democratic in its politics, and for some years has been the leading—in fact, the main or only—exponent of the aggressive democracy represented by the Bryan forces in that party. Mr. Ketchum has been for several years chairman of the democratic county committee, and that he has proven himself an able editor and sagacious, fearless leader is evidenced by the growth in popularity of his paper, and the endorsement in growing aggressiveness of his course as leader of the democracy of the county and chairman of the county committee.
The Daily News was started in Newburgh as a penny daily, in 1885, by William H. Keefe, who had been for many years the city editor of the Newburgh Daily Journal. The paper had its inception amid modest surroundings, but what its founder lacked in material resources, however, he made up for in aggressiveness, enterprise and versatility. The vigorous style of the newcomer in the journalistic field caught the public fancy at the very start, and the paper soon attained a large circulation and became a financial success.
William H. Keefe died in February, 1901, and the business was carried on by the Newburgh News Printing and Publishing Co., which had been organized several years prior to his death. Mr. F. W. Wilson is its present able editor.
The News soon outgrew the meager mechanical facilities and restricted surroundings amid which it first saw the light, and in 1902 the plant was moved to its present home in the handsome building at 40 and 42 Grand street, which it purchased and remodeled for its own purpose. The installation of a still more modern and up-to-date equipment marked the beginning of a new era in the history of the paper, and successful as it had been up to that time, it has been still more so since.
The Newburgh Daily News of to-day is concededly one of the leading newspapers of the Hudson River valley, not only in circulation, but also in influence. It is splendidly equipped, and is not surpassed by any newspaper in a city of equal size anywhere. Its plant represents a large investment of capital and it carries on its pay-roll upwards of fifty employees.
The handsome building, the modernly equipped plant, the large circulation and volume of advertising all indicate that the News enjoys the support and large patronage of the community in which it is published and to which it is a distinct credit.