Special Collections & Archives
Manuscript Group 310
Wallace Press-Times
Records, 1906-1956
2.0 cubic feet
The records of the Wallace Press-Times are part of the records of Day Mines, Inc., donated to the University of Idaho by Henry Day in 1984 and 1985. Initial processing of this manuscript group was done by Judith Nielsen in January 1988, with funds provided by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Processing was completed by Judith Nielsen in September 1992.
COMPANY HISTORY
The Wallace Press-Times came into existence as a daily publication in 1911 following consolidation of two earlier publications, The Wallace Times owned by Harry Day, and The Idaho Press owned by A.J. Dunn, both of which had been published since before the turn of the century. All equipment was purchased from these two companies for $25,000, paid for in shares of the new company. The Day family shares were divided as follows: Eugene, 10,000 shares, Jerome, 1,328 shares, and Harry L. trustee, 5,052 shares.
Present at the first meeting of the incorporators, held June 5, 1912, were John L. Dunn, A.J. Dunn, May C. Kirby, Robert E. Seysler, and Roderick McLeod. The certificate of incorporation for the new company was filed May 27, 1912. At the first meeting of the directors the following officers were elected: Robert E. Seysler, president; Roderick McLeod, vice president; and May C. Kirby, secretary-treasurer. A stock assessment of 100% was also levied. On September 10, 1912, all three officers resigned and were replaced by Eugene Day, Jerome Day, and A.J. Dunn respectively. Harry L. Day also joined the board at this time. In 1917 W.B. Heitfeld replaced Dunn as secretary.
From 1911 until 1928 the Press-Times was a morning daily, then in April 1928 it began publishing both a morning and an evening paper. Financial conditions in 1931 forced the suspension of the morning edition. The paper also published a weekly Mining Review.
By 1926 the Day family was firmly in control of the paper. The Hercules Mining Company was the largest stockholder with 12,849 shares, Harry Day served as president, Henry as vice president, and W.B. Heitfeld as secretary-treasurer. Stock assessments were levied to cover the indebtedness of the paper and money was also borrowed from the Wallace Bank and Trust Company. in 1936 68% of the stock held by each stockholder was returned to the treasury to wipe out the indebtedness of the company and the first dividend of 75 cents per share was declared. in 1937 Henry replaced his father as president and W.B. Heitfeld was elected vice president, a position he held until December when he was replaced by Paul Jessup, and S.F. Heitfeld became secretary-treasurer. Also in December of 1937 John Wourms was elected to the board and became the company attorney.
The early 1940s saw several efforts to buy the Press-Times, but all offers were rejected. In October 1952 the Press-Times was sold to the Coeur d'Alene Press Print Shop, also known as the North Idaho Publishing Company, owned by Burl C. Hagadone, and publisher of the Coeur d'Alene Press, for $65,000. This transaction merged the two largest and oldest daily newspapers in the five northern counties of Idaho, although the Press-Times continued to operate on a politically independent basis. On December 18, 1954, the Board of Directors of the Press-Times passed a motion to declare a liquidating dividend and officially dissolve the company.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The records of the Wallace Press-Times Company span the years 1906 to 1956, with the bulk of the material covering the years 1930 to 1945. Included are a minute book covering the years 1912-1956, several financial journals, and an alphabetical correspondence file.
ARRANGEMENT AND DESCRIPTION
The records of the Wallace Press-Times are divided into two series. The first contains the minute book for the years 1912 to 1956, and several financial journals from the Press-Times predecessor, Wallace Times. The second series is an alphabetical file which contains correspondence, notices of meetings, and financial statements for the years 1915 to 1974.
SERIES LIST
I. Minute Book and Financial Journals, 1906-1956 1 II. General Correspondence and Related Records, 1915-1956 1-2
WALLACE PRESS-TIMES
INVENTORY
Box Folder Description
I. Minute Book and Financial Journals, 1906-1956
1 1 Minute book, 1912-1956 2 Financial journal, 1906-1907 3 Trial balance book, 1906-1909 4 Proprietor's ledger, 1910-1912
II. General Correspondence and Related Records, 1915-1956
5 A Correspondence, 1932-1945 6 Accounts charged off, 1935-1940 7 Accounts receivable, 1936 8 Advertising: Beer; Patent, 1933-1935 9 Alburn Bureau; America First, Inc., 1932-1934 10 Annual meeting of stockholders and directors, notice of, 1935-1936 11 February 5, 1940 12 Association of National Advertisers, 1932 13-14 Associated Press, 1926-1951 15 Ayer & Son, 1931-1932 16 B Correspondence, 1928-1952 17 Bills, Hercules, 1928 18 C Correspondence, 1933-1955 19 Chemical Foundation; Circulation, 1931-1934 20 Clark, Thomas F., Co., Inc.; Code; Coeur d'Alene Mines, 1932-1936 21 Commission, Securities and Exchange; County printing, 1934-1936 22 D Correspondence, 1931-1939 23 Daily Newspaper Publishing Business - Code authority, 1935 24 Data, 1931-1932 25 David, George B., Co., 1932 26 Employing Printers Association of America, Inc.; Erwin Wasey & Co., 1932-1935 27 F Correspondence, 1933-1936 28 G Correspondence, 1933-1944 29 Goss Printing Press Co., 1935-1942 30 H Correspondence, 1930-1953 31 Haywood, D.B., Co.; Hercules Mining Co., 1931-1935 32 I Correspondence, 1934-1952 33 Idaho, State of, 1931-1942 34 Idaho State Editorial Association, 1933-1936 35 Interior, Department of, 1935 36 J; Joint National Code Authority, 1934-1936 37 K; Kohler, 1932-1946 38 L Correspondence, 1935-1949 39 Legislation; Lewiston Tribune; Liquor Advertising, 1932-1947 2 40 M Correspondence, 1932-1945 41 McClure Newspaper Syndicate, 1932-1940 42 Meetings, Stockholders, etc.; Miehle Printing Press & Mfg. Co.; Mining Truth, 1926-1935 43 N Correspondence, 1933-1956 44 NEA Service, 1930-1954 45 Newell-Emmett Company, 1933 46 O Correspondence, 1935-1939 47 P Correspondence, 1932-1947 48 Position seekers, 1933-1940 49 Post Office Department, 1931-1937 50 R; Republican State Central Committee, 1932-1937 51 S Correspondence, 1933-1951 52 Shoshone County; Social Security; Spokesman Review, 1928-1946 53 Statements, Comparison by years, 1915-1935 54-66 Statements, Financial, 1926-1956 67 State printing; Standard Rate & Data Service, 1932 68 Stockholders, Press-Times Publishing Co.; Southern Newspaper Publishers' Association, 1931-1936 69 T; Tax, Income, 1932-1938 70 U; United Press Associations, 1933-1950 71 V, W Correspondence, 1933-1938 72 Wages and salaries, 1934-1952 73 Wallace Bank and Trust Co.; Washington, State College of; Weekly Pictorial Syndicate; XYZ correspondence, 1932-1939
mg310.htm / March 1995
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