Page:History of the newspapers of Beaver County, Pennsylvania.djvu/23

 THE EARLY PAPERS OF BEAVER. party were met with spirit. The writing as shown in the few copies of the "Minerva" in existence, is of a high character, and evidences ability and candor, with literary excellence. The "Minerva" was a small sheet, the pages about ten by seventeen inches, four columns to the page, and four pages in all. In the issue of the paper December 19, 1808, there appears at the end of the last column the signature : "Beavertown, Pa., printed by Joseph Israel." It is not stated who he was, but probably the practical printer, who assisted John Berry the editor. Number one. Volume one, of the "Minerva" is dated Wednesday November 4, 1807. The head line is evidently a wood cut, near the centre of which is a representation of the goddess whose name ij, it bears, somewhat crude, wearing her plumed helmet on lier head. On the left of the figure is the word "The," and on the right "Minerva," the letters sloping to the left and about one inch in height. Underneath the head line is the motto, taken from Cowper, and reads : — "This folio of four pages life, its fluctuations and its vast concerns." The date line is Volume 1 Number 1, Wednesday November 4, 1807^ One third of the first column is taken up with the terms of subscription and the card, "Printing — pamphlets, hand bills, cards and all kinds of blanks, neatly ."and accurately executed at this office." The re- mainder of the page consists of "European affairs," the latest intelligence of which is given as August 15. The countries of Europe were all noticed in the news thus printed. On the second page were more European news of the date of September 7, and the remainder of this page was filled with news from Philadelphia and other places in America, as late as October 19. On the third page is this paragraph; "In order to lay before the public as soon as possible the first number
 * * * * happy work! what is it but a map of busy