The Pelham Republican: Official Newspaper of The Villages of Pelham and North Pelham in 1902

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One complete and one partial copy of The Pelham Republican are the only known copies of the newspaper published in 1901 and 1902 known to survive. Lockwood Barr, in his popular History of the Ancient Town of Pelham published in 1946, listed a newspaper published in Pelham known as The Republican, but says it was published in 1903. The newspaper seems to have been founded in 1901 and was published at least as late as November, 1902.

The newspaper was published each Monday and was distributed in the Villages of Pelham, North Pelham and Pelham Manor. For $2.00 a year, subscribers received a weekly publication that was about eight pages long and focused on local news. The editor and publisher of the paper was W. F. C. Tichborne. On Friday, November 14, the Board of Trustees of the Village of North Pelham voted to designate the publication as the "official newspaper" of that village. An editorial that appeared in the publication three days later on November 17 suggests that the Village of Pelham previously had conferred the same designation on the paper as that village's official newspaper. Today's Blog posting will transcribe an editorial that appeared in the November 17, 1902 issue of The Pelham Republican.

"We wish to express our gratitude to the Board of Trustees of North Pelham for the honor they conferred upon us Friday evening - that of designating THE REPUBLICAN the official newspaper of that village. Perhaps the honor is to be more appreciated after having put us to a test for about a year. In that time the Board and our readers have been convinced that this paper was not a fly-by-night affair but has endeavored to hold on in spite of difficulties and dissapointments [sic], and we hope, has given satisfaction. It has been our intention and always will be, to help whenever we can, to make the town of Pelham an ideal community. We believe that a newspaper can do much good as well as much harm. It will do the most good when those who read it will encourage it by taking a personal interest in it and believing that it is for the public good, use it as a medium for exchanging ideas.

What the gentlemen of the Board in North Pelham have done as well as those of the Pelham Board, puts a stamp of recognition upon this paper which is to be appreciated. We have no reason to believe that these men have made this for the purpose of using us as a political tool, but rather have give us the appointment for having used our whole endeavor for the good of the village.

We therefore wish to thank this Board who, since their first meeting, have given the village of North Pelham the cleanest administration it has ever had. They have always had the interests of the village at heart, and have worked diligently, leaving politics aside, to give every citizen his rights and an opportunity to redress his wrongs. Therefore we feel honored in receiving the appointment from a Board of Trustees of this character."

Source: The Pelham Republican, Nov. 17, 1902, p. 4, col. 1.

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Located at http://www.historicpelham.com/.
Please Click Here for Index to All Blog Postings.