Swain, Abell & Simmons

Swain, Abell & Simmons

From The Chronicles of Baltimore; being a complete history of "Baltimore Town" and Baltimore City from the earliest period to the present time, by John Thomas Scharf

Published: Baltimore, Turnbull Bros., 1874

“…On the 29th of February, 1836, Messrs. William M. Swain, Arunah S. Abell,

and Azariah H. Simmons, then in the city of New York, entered into

partnership as equal partners, both in law

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and equity, under the firm of Swain, Abell & Simmons, for the purpose of

publishing, and in the publication of a daily penny paper, (neutral in

politics,) to be entitled "The Times, in the city of Philadelphia, State

of Pennsylvania." Such was the beginning of the memorable association of

Swain, Abell & Simmons, which lasted for nearly a quarter of a century,

until dissolved by death, and which resulted in the establishment of two

of the most successful, widely circulated and influential journals in the

United States, published in two of its largest cities, the Public Ledger

in Philadelphia, and The Sun in Baltimore. On Friday, March 25th, 1836,

within less than a month after the partnership had been formed, the first

number of the Public Ledger made its appearance, "price one cent, or six

cents a week." It was at first coldly received, and two of the parties

became so much discouraged as to propose a discontinuance of publication.

Mr. Abell, however, urged so strenuously the policy of holding on, at

least until their funds were exhausted, that the confidence felt by his

copartners in the soundness of his judgment led them to defer to his

wishes, and they did "hold on," with what splendid results need not now be

told The business of the paper having been established upon a sound and

paying basis, and having no further misgivings about the future success of

the Ledger, it occurred to Mr. Abell, in the spring of the following year,

to visit Baltimore for the purpose of determining the feasibility of

establishing a penny paper in that city. A suggestion from him to that

effect meeting with the hearty approval of his partners, Mr. Abell, in

April, 1837, visited the Monumental City for the first time. There were

then published in Baltimore a number of respectable and well-conducted

journals, but not a single penny paper. They were all "six pennies." To

the editors of these journals Mr. Abell brought letters of introduction,

and he then formed the acquaintance, among others, of Messrs. Dobbin,

Murphy & Bose of the American, Mr. Gwynn of the Federal Gazette, Mr.

Harker of the Republican, Mr. Poe of the Chronicle, Mr. Monroe of the

Patriot, and Messrs. Streeter & Skinner of the Transcript. It cannot be

said, however, that any of these gentlemen with whom Mr. Abell conferred

in regard to his plans, held out much encouragement as to the success of a

new paper. In fact the times seemed singularly inauspicious for any

enterprise of the kind. The year 1837 was one of unprecedented disaster

and gloom in all commercial and business circles, and all classes shared

the general depression. Mr. Abell, however, felt persuaded that a penny

paper would make its way where other enterprises might fail. He returned

to Philadelphia impressed with this idea, and obtained the approval of his

partners to hazard the experiment, upon condition that he should assume

the immediate responsibility and personal control. This, although he had

just passed through a similar trial of patience and faith incident to the

first establishment of the Ledger, he consented to do. With

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the same rapidity that had characterised their proceedings in regard to

that paper, when once their minds were made up, type and materials were

ordered, one of the best single cylinder presses of that day worked by

hand was purchased from the Messrs. Hoe, an office taken at No. 21 Light

street, and on the 17th of May, 1837, the first copy of The Sun was left

at the door of nearly every house in Baltimore. The Sun was well received.

In less than three months it had a larger circulation than the Ledger had

attained at the end of nine months. Within a year it circulated more than

twice as many copies as the oldest established journal in Baltimore. It is

believed that its success was more immediate and more rapid than has

attended the advent of any similar enterprise in the United States. It was

soon discovered that the original quarters in Light street were entirely

too contracted for the growing business of the paper. Mr. Abell

accordingly purchased the property at the southeast corner of Baltimore

and Gay streets, long familiarly known as the "Old Sun Building," made

such alterations as were necessary to adapt it to its new use, and in 1839

removed the whole establishment to that location. Soon, however, the same

want of increased accommodation to meet the requirements of an increasing

business, was again felt, and it was deemed desirable, that before making

another change, a site should be purchased and a building erected which

should be expressly designed for the purpose of the paper, and at the same

time be an ornament to the city which had so generously fostered and

rewarded the enterprise of the proprietors of The Sun. To Mr. Abell was

confided the task of selecting such a site. After mature consideration,

the lot at the corner of Baltimore and South streets, in the very business

heart of the city, was determined upon, and Mr. Abell effected the

purchase of this valuable property, then occupied by six old brick

buildings, four on Baltimore and two on South street, for a fraction less

than $50,000. It happened that just about this time Mr. James Bogardus, of

New York city, a man of undoubted genius as well as mechanical skill, was

seeking for an opportunity to test in practice his invention for the

construction of iron buildings. His proposal had been but coldly received

in Yew York, and he was almost in despair of finding a man intelligent

enough to comprehend his plans, and liberal enough to aid him in their

realization, when fortunately he submitted his views to the proprietors of

The Sun. They gave to the plans of Mr. Bogardus the most serious and

careful consideration, and were soon convinced of their entire

feasibility. Mr. Abell accordingly determined that the new building should

be of iron, and erected according to the plan of Messrs. Bogardus &

Hoppin, of New York, who were the contractors for the work, and whose

inventive genius, enterprise and perseverance gave the first cast-iron

edifice to the world. The architect whose taste conceived and executed the

original design, was Mr. Hatfield, of New York. The

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carpenter work and general superintendence of the building were confided

to Messrs. H. R. & J. Reynolds. The iron work was done by Messrs. Adam

Denmead & Brother and Mr. Benjamin S. Benson, of this city. When The Sun

was first started, and for some time afterwards, Mr. Abell had the

personal assistance of Mr. Simmons, who at that time resided in Baltimore.

Subsequently Mr. Simmons returned to Philadelphia, leaving The Sun in sole

charge of Mr. Abell, the two other partners devoting their attention to

the Ledger. This arrangement continued until the death of Mr. Simmons,

which occurred December 9th, 1855, and which dissolved the original

copartnership of Swain, Abell & Simmons. The two surviving partners

immediately formed a new association, under the style of Swain & Abell,

and continued as before the publication of their two papers, and the

business of the printing offices connected with them. Although equally

interested in each paper, it naturally happened that as Mr. Swain lived in

Philadelphia, and Mr. Abell in Baltimore, the management of the Ledger and

its concerns fell to the charge of the former, and that of The Sun

continued in the hands of the latter, an arrangement which was found

productive of entire harmony, and which removed all occasion for

interference or collision. Gradually, however, Mr. Swain's health began to

decline, until he was unable to give to the Ledger his active personal

supervision. The war too broke out, and Mr. Abell's duties in Baltimore

became exceedingly difficult and onerous. His own position and that of The

Sun were not free from danger, when public journals were suppressed and

their editors incarcerated at the mere will of a military commander; and

to add to his other perplexities, his partner in Philadelphia took the

extreme Northern view in the conflict between the sections. Under these

circumstances, Mr. Abell notified Mr. Swain of his willingness to dispose

of his interest in the Ledger, and finally, after considerable

negotiations and many delays, on the 3d of December, 1864, the Ledger was

sold to Mr. George W. Childs, the publisher, and the Messrs. Drexel & Co.,

bankers, of Philadelphia. After the sale of the Ledger, The Sun was

conducted by Mr. Abell alone, as agreed upon between his partner and

himself, until February 16th, 1868, when Mr. Swain departed this life in

the sixtieth year of his age. Since the death of Mr. Swain, Mr. Abell has

sold his interest in the Ledger Building and other real estate in the city

of Philadelphia, which he held in common with his late partner, to Mrs.

Swain and her two sons, and they in turn have sold to Mr. Abell all their

interest in the Sun Iron Building and other real and personal estate in

the city of Baltimore, thus completely severing the interests which were

formerly joint. In 1852 the founders and proprietors commenced using two

Hoe type revolving cylinder presses, each rated at 10,000 copies per hour,

and which were the first type-revolving presses successfully used in the

world. Their use has since spread throughout the world and into all great

printing offices

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of this country and Europe. Prior to the introduction of the magnetic

telegraph, in a spirit of sagacious enterprise Mr. Abell organized, in

connection with Mr. Craig, afterwards agent of the Associated Press of New

York, a carrier pigeon express for the transmission of news between the

cities of New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. The pigeons

for this service, about four or five hundred in number, were kept in a

house on Hampstead Hill, near the Maryland Hospital for the Insane, and

were carefully trained. Foreign steamer news was frequently obtained in

this way, and on more than one occasion a synopsis of the President's

message was brought by the pigeons to Baltimore immediately after the

delivery to Congress, and published in extras to the great surprise of the

public. This was the first pigeon express organized in this country, and

was regularly continued until superseded by the telegraph. The first

(President's) message of any considerable length which was ever

transmitted by the electric telegraph, at once demonstrating and

illustrating the success and the utility of Morse's great invention, was

sent across the wires, then newly laid from Washington to Baltimore,

addressed to The Baltimore Sun, and published in an extra Sun. It may be

stated that Mr. Abell was the first to introduce into Baltimore the

"carrier system" for the distribution of newspapers, which has since been

found so convenient both to publishers and subscribers, as well as

remunerative to the carriers themselves, who own their own routes and make

their own collections, that it has been adopted by all the papers of the

city. There are few subjects, too, of vital concern to the community in

which The Sun has not led the way, and it may now be said to have acquired

an individual character of its own; it has traditions from which it never

departs, grooves which it rarely leaves, a certain tone by which it is

almost invariably distinguished. Here it may be remarked, and it is an

illustration of what has just been said, that many of the persons employed

about The Sun office have been there for years. For a long period the

chief editor was the late Thomas J. Beach, a writer of much force. Mr.

John T. Crow, who was an associate with Mr. Beach, and who formerly edited

and published a paper in Georgetown, D. C., where his youth was spent, is

editor-in-chief, and the editorials are distinguished for clearness and

directness. He is evidently a close observer and thinker, and does not

permit the superficial treatment of any subject of moment. The Sun

continues to increase in business and prosperity, and Mr. Abell has

brought to his aid in its conduct latterly Mr. George W. Abell and one or

two others of his sons, who, having the advantage of his teachings and

example and association with others long connected with the conduct of the

journal, it may he confidently assumed that the paper will be kept in the

judicious path it has always pursued so advantageously to the community…”

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