Page 144 - Cornelius Hedges Story

131 The Cornelius Hedges Story

Newspaper Journalism

Cornelius Hedges was closely associated with two different
newspapers. He owned, and for a time edited and published the
Independent Civilian in Independence, Iowa, from 1856 to 1864.
And he was editorial writer for the Helena Daily Herald for nearly
twenty years, from 1872 to 1891, with some minor interruptions.

Hedges were usually willing to write for a newspaper, but
he did not particularly care for the physical duties of printing and
distributing the newspaper. When he owned the Independent Civilian,
he attempted in March and April of 1863 to lease the paper for the
remainder of the year, continuing the policy followed while Hedges
was teaching in Connecticut between 1860 and 1863. However, he
was unsuccessful. On April 22, he entered in his journal:

“Suppose the paper comes on my hands today, but I shrink
from it with disgust and dread, Have labored long and hard
with the boys, the Barnhart brothers, to get out of it think now
I shall have them to run it and manage it myself.”417

And the next day he closed an agreement with Warren and
Alson Barnhart to run the newspaper for $9 per week.418

In May, he was very concerned and troubled about the
Independent Civilian, and he lamented “it runs me into debt
constantly.”419 However, in June he commented that prospects for
profitable operations were improving because he was getting more
job printing.420

From the tone and content of his journal entries, Hedges had
the only printing establishment in town, and in a sense, was public
printer. Therefore due to fall elections, his business increased. On
October 11, he noted that he had printed township tickets.421 Hedges’
journals do not indicate how the paper was disposed after his move
to Montana. Andrew and Robert Fisk first hired Cornelius Hedges as
a regular editorial writer on July 4, 1872.

He was paid $30 per week for one article per day.422 However,
Hedges had been a contributor to the Herald since August, 1869,
and had written on such topics as Fire Protection, Universities, the
National Park, and Railroads.423