Page:History of Oregon Newspapers.pdf/428

Rh news items, one of them a 5½-inch item under a one-line six-point head on a fatal accident, a reader ad for nursery stock and another for Hall's Catarrh Cure filled the double column. The third column was half taken up by a P.P.P. patent-medicine ad informing the reader of a cure for "all skin and blood diseases, rheumatism, malaria, dyspepsia"; filled out by a 3-inch ad for Munn & Co., patent lawyers, and the Scientific American, and a four-inch ad for Coventry Cross bicycles. In the fourth and fifth columns were two big double-column ads, one for the O. C. Co. (not spelled out), which solicited trade from ranchers, cattlemen, horsemen, sheepmen, and cowboys and reminded the reader that "last year we sold 157½ carloads," and the other for King's Mill, Harney, "Cheap Lumber."

Page two was occupied half by editorial and miscellany, and half by advertising. One little item read:

"The Portland Telegram has been reduced to a folio on account of hard times."

And another:

"The Burns Items, under the Newell et al. regime, has reduced to two pages of home print, having adopted a patent outside. If the man of steel-trap fame remains at the helm that little leaflet will have to pass the hat again."

Mr. Roberts believed in pictures, and he even illustrated his editorials; for example, on page 2:

"Newell (the little editorial reads) raises his voice in praise of his deeds and extols Commissioner Gowan. The people turn away in disgust from his nauseating noise."

On page 3—Two columns of local items sized from one line to 16 lines long. Then more than half a column devoted to a case brought by Charles Newe, editor of the Items (of which, by the way, Mr. Roberts became editor after a year or so) against John E. Roberts of the Times. The nature of the case is not stated, but very likely it was libel, if we may judge by the type of comment contained in this particular issue. One example:

In the absence of the county school superintendent (Newell) Dave Claypool conducted the local instituate at Pine Creek the 20th. It is said to have been a great improvement on those held by the man of steel trap notoriety. Dave will