Historic Hood River
Hood River Glacier Pressroom, 1898
12-13-2011
Notes
The Hood River Glacier was an early weekly newspaper. This 1898 image shows Samuel Finley Blythe at the press with his son Edward Nation Blythe, while Mr. Dallas is reading a copy. We’re told the arm to the right of the frame belongs to Mr. Eastman.
The Glacier started publication in 1889. Mr. Blythe purchased it in 1894, and worked to grow the newspaper significantly. He replaced the hand press we see here with a power press in 1901. Mr. Blythe sold the newspaper in 1904.
The Glacier had to compete with the Hood River News after 1909. It finally succumbed in 1933, but not before the writers of the Glacier left us a wealth of firsthand reporting on Hood River’s early days.
spinsur
happy new year (and new home?) on the wall, and a bucket of ink (?) on the open wood stove!
l.e.
It must be summer time. There is no fire in the wood stove.
The Glacier is a wealth of historical information.
Arthur
Yes, I think the Glacier had just moved into this new space. We have a photo of an earlier facility which is about the size of an outhouse.
Esther Smith
The Hood River News began in October 1905 (but maybe it wasn’t considered competition until 1909?!). Just to get the dates straight —
Arthur
Thanks Esther. I got the 1909 date from the "A-Z" history of HR County, but I’m sure your source is correct.
Esther Smith
I can promise you it’s 1905 — we have the bound copies right here! Thanks —
Esther Smith
Perhaps the confusion on date can be explained by the fact that the HR News was called the "Hood River News-Letter" until a new owner changed its name to the Hood River News in 1909. Seems likely!