NEWSPAPERS OF CORAL

History of Montcalm County, Michigan its people (etc. Volume I) by John W. Dasef
pages 397-400

The first newspaper published in Coral made its initial appearance in 1875.  It was christened the 'Coral Enterprise' and was edited and owned by John I. Taylor.  Only a few issues were gotten out and only one copy is known to exist at the present time and that hangs in a frame in the office of the 'Coral News'. 

The best history of the Coral News is found in the paper of that name and was published on January 28, 1915.  The occasion for this story was the birthday anniversary of the paper and was written by the editor, Fred U. O'Brien.  The article follows:

"Eighteen years ago the middle of last summer ye editor was dismissed from the services of the 'Morley Tribune' because the publisher of that paper was not making enough money to pay our  wages.  For serveral months following that your humble servant was 'on the hog' and go where we would and try as hard as one may it was impossible to secure a job.  We were not alone in that predicament; there were thousands in the same boat and if misery enjoyed company we had lots of it.  It was the panic of '93-'97.  As a last desperate attempt to make a living we conceived the idea of starting a newspaper in Coral.  A mention of the thought to several met with a hearty response and advertising and subscription contracts sufficient to guarantee the venture were signed up. 

"Being busted and having no friends who were in position to advance us the money to launch it made the wheel in our head go some to raise the necessary cash.  A widow at Shepard had inherited a small printing outfit from her husband's estate, which she offered to sell on very liberal terms.  To get the money to make the first payment of $75 (75 dollars) was what was sticking us.  We went to first one and then another to get them to back our paper for $100 (100 dollars) for ninety days.  The subscription and ad contracts we had were mighty poor collateral but was the only thing we had to offer.  Having been a fairly respectable boy and yong man stood us in hands in this time of need.  The late Hon. L.I. Church had been our Sunday school superintendent and had evidently gotten a favorable impression of us for he backed the note that gave us a boost.  After securing the money we borrowed a wagon from the late Thomas Kain, another horse from W.R. Wright and a wagon from the late Rober Owen.  Putting the three together we drove across country to Shepard where we closed the deal with Mrs. Hurst for the printing outfit.  We got that plant into Coral Friday night.  January 22, 1897, and the next Thursday, January 28, issued the first copy of 'The News'. 

"Everything and everybody was on the hog in these days.  Potatoes were selling for seven to thirteen cents a bushel; corn was ten cents a crate; beans were fifty cents a bushel; good dry beech and maple wood, seventy-five cents and a one dollar a cord; eggs seven cents a dozen and butter ten cents a pound.  We took everything and anything on subscription and managed to get hold of enough money to pay our bills and in seventy-five days payed the note Mr. Church had so kindly endorsed. 

"We will have to relate the interest that good gentleman took in our progress.  He lived on the farm where his son Frank now resides and made Coral his marketing place.  Whenever he came to town he would stop in to see how we were getting along.  We always told him it was going fine but did not tell him that every extra dollar we got hold of went to the Howard City bank to reduce that note.  It was one beautiful day in the first part of April we met Mr. Church in front of where Chapple & Skeoch's office is now located that he took us by the hand and inquired as to how we were getting along.  Proud as a boy with a pair of new boots we took the note he had indorsed out of our pocket and showed it to him.  We will never forget his congratulations.  He said: 'Allow me to congratulate you, Fred. 

This is the first note I have indorsed the past ten years I haven't had to renew from one to ten times, and some I have had to pay.' 

"We took so much wood on subscription one would of thought we were running a wood-yard instead of a newspaper.  Having lots of room in the second story of the house we occupied we filled it with corn on subscription at ten cents a crate.  Frank Johnson brought in two bushels of beans to pay for a year's subscription.  William A. Blanding brought in a sack of flour and flour looked so good to your humble servant then that we find we made an item of it in the first issue.  In thirteen months we handed Mrs. Hurst the balance due on the outfit. 

"The paper has passed through all the trials and tribulations of the average country journal and has had it's part in many questions of the public interest.  One question we are most proud to have entered the 'News' has been that of temerance.  The paper helped blaze the trail for the success of the temerpance cause in this country.  Whether it got credit for that or not is of matter of little concern to us.  It has helped nominate and elect candidates for public favor and assisted in defeating others.  The entrance of the 'News' in the fight for the temperance cause brought the combined efforts of the liquor traffic and its sympathizers to put it out of business.  A boycott was declared but what has happened to the boycotters is a matter of history with which our readers are well acquainted.  Several in other lines of business then selling wet goods discontinued their ads, failed in business to the 'jag' cure and went other ways that too close an association with the cup that cheers (?) takes men. 

"We have damned Grover Cleveland's big panic high and low many times and it never dawned on us until very recently that probably it was the best thing that ever came along for we might still be working as a journeyman printer had conditions not developed as they did.  The little we made during the intervening years we will have to credit to this paper.  The continuing of the 'News' is nowhere near as essentil to our well being now as it was at that time.  Those who have damned it up hill and down, did everything they could to put us in the bone-yard have our profound sympathy.  They could have employed themselves better with a greater degree of success.  To the friends who have ever stood loyally by the paper we owe a debt of gratitude."