Paper A Window Into City's Past

Not many copies of the Peninsular Courier and Family Visitant, an early Arm Arbor weekly newspaper, have survived through the years. But a Friday, November 22, 1872 copy was found by Mrs. I.W. Groomes of 1209 S. State, in the bottom of her mother's trunk, a bit faded but very well preserved. 'Tve had it for years and years," expláined Mrs. Groomes, "My mother knew that I was interested in history and gave it to me." The news aper hadn't deteriorated b e c a u s e the trunk had been tightly sealed for years. Single copies of the weekly newspaper cost five cents in 1872. Yearly rates were $1.50 in advance, and $2 if payment was delayed. "Cheaper than any other house in the West," proclaims the newspaper, for in those days, the individual who usually put out the newspaper also handled book and job ; nrinting of every description. R.A. Beal was the publisher and prbprietor of the Peninsular Courier and Family Visitant, which was published every Friday. It boasted a large circulation among merchants, mechanics, manufacturers, farmers and families. lts first edition was published on June 18, 1861 in Ann Arbor by C.G. Clark and W.D. Wiltsie. In later years, the name was changed to the Ann Arbor Courier. A large newspaper, it was 20 inches in width and 27 inches in length, compared to newspapers today, which are usually around 15 inches in width and 23 inches in length. It contained no photographs but did have a lot of advertising on its four pages. Busin e s s cards of individuals were located on the far left hand side of the front page. "C.C. Jenkins, dentist (corner Main and Washington) read an advertisement, "All operations performed in the most thorough and scientific matter. Nitrious oxide gas constantly on hand and administered with perfect safety." Erastus Thatcher, an attorney and counselor, stated that his office was located at 5 E. Huron St, in another ad. Cebel Krause, a house and carriage painter, challenged anyone to show that he used any other paiht by J.H. Morley and Co., w h i c h, he said, was pure white lead and French zinc. "Our hearse is second to none in the state," declared an undertaking firm. "Orders in the city or country promptly attended to on short notice." It added that metalic and cloth covered caskets were available, along with rosewood and walnut coffins of every description and quality. Deshler's Fever and Ague Pilis, an "infallible cure for chills and fever," and , tion Bitters, a "vegetable j torative for the feeble and debilitated" were advertised. Other medicines included: Mexican Mustang Liniment (for man and beast) and Simmons Liver Regulator, also for chills and fever. H. Cohén, a general store listed prices of 75 cents and one dollar for corsets, 50 rents for hooD skïrts. $1 for two-button k i d gloves and flannels were from 25 cents up. A family newspaper, the Peninsular Courier and Family Visitant had something in it for everyone to read. Community notices, help wanted ads, marriage and death notices, church bulletins, election results, and the complete minutes of the Washtenaw County Board of Supervisors all belonged in the weekly. Time tables for the Michigan Central Railroad, the Great Western Railway, and the Fort Wayne, Jackson, and Saginaw Railroad were located on page two. For the farmer, there were several columns of agricultural notes which included information on how to raise turkeys and how to h a n d 1 e horses. For women, there were social event notices and a short story entitled, "The Attic Lodger" with the predictable happy ending. Current events for the I newspaper was an essay 1 tled The Inharmonic Geogra-B phy; or Peculiarities of theB Pacific States (California, 1 vada, and Alaska) and was I reprinted in full on page one. J The essay had been read on I April 19, 1872 during a concert I of the Geography Schools of I Indian VaUey, Calif., by J. G. I Lemmon of Sierra Valley. The article poked fun at I cretar of State Seward's I chase of the 'Iceburg State," I explained how the inhabitants I of O r e g o n got nicknamed I "Webfeet" and stated that I quartz mining and drinking I were the principal industry of I the "Silver State." Also in the newspaper was I the notice that the HUI Opera I House's closing performance of "Leah, Tye Fbrsaken," I starring -Miss Susan Denin and the J a c k s o n Theater C o m p a n y , would be that weekend. Admission for the norfnr. - umuce, which jncluded a brass band and orchestraj was 50 cents, and 75 cents if ;l person wanted a reserved] seat. President Grant had a Thanksgiving Proclamation i reprinted in the weekly, declaring that November 28th would be Thanksgiving Day when "people in their respective places of worship would take their acknowledgments to God for his kindness and bounty." 1 What does Mrs. Groomes plan to do with the historie 100-year-old newspaper? "I plan to give it to the Michigan Historical Collections at Rackham," said Mrs. Groomes. As life-long resident of Ann Arbor, 'Mrs. Groomes was secretary-treasurer of the Washtenaw Historical Society for 21 years and is presently a historian for her chapter of thp O V. S