Zurich Citizens News, 1980-09-04, Page 5Citizens News, September 4, 1980
Page S
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It's 80 years for Zurich newspapers
Continued from front page
even mentioning it, till the other day one of our
good subscribers of St. Joseph mailed us a clipping
of the Exeter Times -Advocate of August 17th, 1950,
under the heading of "50 Years Ago' the following
paragraph.
"The intitial number of the Zurich Herald
published by Mr. D. Dyer has been received and it
presents a creditable appearance for the first
number."
,This however, started us thinking and we began
to look into our back filing copies, which were so
nicely arranged for us by Mr. Joseph Cantin also of
St. Joseph, during thepastyear,who by -the -way is a
brother of J.N. Cantin who sent us the above clip-
ping. reminder.
On opening the first bundle of thesecopies, here it
was, The Herald was established and first
printed on August 3rd, 1900. Practically all these
copies are intact, but the first two issues are miss-
ing, these we remember giving to an old subscriber
of the Western Provinces, and we hope he still has
them and when he is through with them, return
same to us and we will. include this iu.our much
valued collection. :+,?r?4.; s $ --
"The Herald" as it was first known, was publish=
ed by Mr. D. Dyer, who we think came to Zurich
from Exeter. But he did not stay long, as at the end
of 1900, the late Edmund Zeller took over the
publication. Much speculation was apparently
entertained by the surrounding community as to'
whether it were possible to keep a paper going in a
village the size of Zurich, and from this early copy
dated August 17. 1900 we notice the following com-
ments:
"The Herald is the name of a new paper publish-
ed in the Village of Zurich, by D. Dyer. The first
number is a creditable issue, and gives evidence of
receiving fair support. The project, however,
seems to us to De very speculative; the field
already being overcrowded, and the village small,
without railroad or steamboat communication, its
career will certainly be checkered. We wish the
publisher success. - Exeter Times.
"Zurich now boasts of a newspaper called The
Herald, launched upon the journalistic realm, by D.
Dyer as editor. Aug. 3, 1900, A.D.; it is an eight
page, six column issue, is a newsy, bright sheet
ahead of many of our exchanges, but we will be sur-
prised if Zurich can support such a luxury as a
newspaper; we hope however, success may crown
brother Dyer's venture" - Clinton News Era.
"The Herald" as it was then called, consisted
about the same size of 8 pages as it now is, with six
of the 8 pages ready -print, and two pages were done
at the local plant. in the same building we now
operate in. All the type was set by hand, no type-
setting machine work in those days.
The only advertiser of that time now remaining in
Zurich is Mr. Charles Fritz, who conducted a boot
and shoe business, and can well recall when The
Herald was first printed in Zurich. There were also
ads. of the Hess Jewellery, Hess Carriage Works
and repairs. Other businessmen who ran ads. were
P. Bender, boots and shoes; D. S. Faust; J. Preeter,
D. Steinbach. merchants; C. Hartleib, hardware;
H. Well, T. & M. Johnson, Furniture; Hoffman the
tailor, etc., which is all very interesting to look
over. The local churches were represented by: St.
Boniface, R.C., Rev. Father Valentine; St. Peter's
Lutheran, Rev. Schuelke, and Emmanuel
Evangelical, Rev. C. H. Finkbeiner.
As stated above on January lst, 1901, Mr. E.
Zeller took over The Herald as publisher, and
gradually built up the paper till at times he printed
four of the eight pages, but they were smaller than
at the present time. Then in October 1914 the late
Andrew F. Hess, who had been employed by Mr.
Zeller for some time, and who did much towards
the paper's progress, purchased the same, and fin-
ding this responsibility rather heavy. and on
December 1st of the same year, he took in as a
partner the present publisher, and on January lst,
1920 Mr. Hess' interests were taken over by yours
truly. During this period of time a typesetting
machine was installed, which was replaced by a
more modern one in 1928, which is now still doing
the work each week. This improved machine with
modern methods of setting the type has made it
possible for us to run the plant on a one-man basis.
Otherwise there would not be a paper published in
Zurich for some considerable time, as there just
isn't enough work here to employ people.
We have often thought that had we closed down
twenty-five or thirty years ago and went to the city,
like so many others have, we would have made
more money. had shorter.hours, etc. But there is -a
very sentimental side to it all, to have our many
faithful subscribers come in all these years, pay
their subscription and sit down for that social chat,
just something beyond words. We have enjoyed ser-
ving you now for nearly 36 years, and thank you one
and all for the considerate.patronage accorded us.
And now we are in the second half of a century of
publication, and Providence alone knows what the
next 50 years will bring.
During these past 50 years many things have
taken place, many changes made, we have come
through two world wars, and probably the most
paramount thing in our minds today, is the worry of
high prices, a thing not so prevalent in those days as
we quote some of the markets in the issue of August
1900 and cannot help but think it must havebeen
great to live after all with the following prices to.
buy your living: Wheat 61¢; flour 12 cwt; oats, 24;
barley 35; butter 17¢; eggs 13¢; chickens lb. 41 t,
potatoes 20¢. Etc. And whoever will be here in
another 50 years can look back and say "truly, they
were golden days of the past."
J
Riding says thanks, Bob
Continued from front page
kept to the fun theme of the
evening when he quoted
former MP Elston Cardiff :
"I've seen a lot more people
talk themselves out of
parliament than into the
house."
The oil royalities which the
province of Alberta are
taking are above what any
other province has taken
since confederation and
there is a need for an
agreement limiting
royalities on petroleum.
McKinley told the
gathering that a more
hospital economic climate
would encourage oil ex-
ploration in Canada with
McKinley saying oil ex-
ploration rigs are heading
for the United Stated
because they can achieve a
better return on their dollar.
On another issue which
concerned the Zurich area
resident, McKinley said the
west's complaints over the
alleged differences in
freight rates were com-
pletely unfounded.
McKinley said the freight
rate issue has been cham-
pioned by western MPPs and
MPs of all major political
parties. "I wish they would
take another look at what
they are doing and start to
tell the truth."
He concluded his address
by thanking those present for
their support through five
elections in fourteen years.
Visit Our Store
FOR A COMPLETE LINE OF
* Groceries
* Confectionery
* Novelties
Dairy Store
MAIN ST - ZURICH
PHONE 236-4930
raountry Corners now has 7
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a complete line of:
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POWER PRODUCTS
BACK TO SCHOOL — Area school children headed back to the hallowed hulls of learning
Tuesday morning. In the above picture students attending Ecole St. Marie embark from the
first bus since June while at Zurich Public school teacher Larry Weido was giving instructions
to his grade six and seven class. Staff photo
ON THE SPOT FINANCING AT BANK RATES
COUNTRY
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PHONE
237-3456
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