Talk:Ripsaw (newspaper)

Extraneous information

The following section was removed from the article because its inclusion is completely bizarre. • Freechild'sup? 12:11, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey?

The old saw goes that if you printed everyone's name who lived in your community, you couldn't help but make a pile of money. Well, about seventy?five years age, there existed a paper called The Duluth Rip?Saw which went even one better on that maxim. They printed the names of everyone who offended their moral principles. And boy, were they successful. The copies flew off the newsstands. Not nearly as many subscribers for the high minded folks didn’t want their mail men and paper boys to know that they were readers.

At that time, Duluth, and its sister city across the Bay, Superior, Wisconsin, were real boom towns, with all the problems associated with those types of communities. The immigrant lumberjacks, railroad men, and other working stiffs of the community had great physical and sexual thirsts and there were many entrepreneurs and public officials ready to see that those needs were met. At the same time, businessmen were always seeking to maximize their profits (and prices) and politicians were similarly seeking to maximize their incomes (and taxes).

But Prohibition was just taking effect and John L. Morrison, the publisher, editor and chief investigative reporter for the paper, felt it was his duty to inform the public as to what was going on in their community and so in the Spring of 1917 created the Rip?Saw.

The weekly paper, well edited and quite often written with great wit, at great length detailed the peccadillo's of the great and small. The activities of the then St. Louis County Auditor and the members of the County Board and Duluth and Superior Mayors and City Council drew many inches of detailed stories about their activities. The Police Chief of Duluth, who had received a huge Marmon (look that one up in your Funk & Wagnall's) automobile from mining interests to help him better carry out his official duties, turned a blind eye towards what was happening in his town and spent a great deal of time imbibing illegal drink at many of the area's "blind pigs", soft drink establishments which just might have stronger stuff hidden under the counter for special customers.

The female inhabitants of the First Street and St. Croix Avenue skid row hotels, are named by name and their activities are spelled out in detail rarely seen in papers today. These were the days when Superior had an official "Prostitution Roll."

In order to increase his circulation, no doubt, Morrison also covered the scandals of the Iron Range and of Northern Wisconsin, including the notorious towns of Hurley and Oliver, the latter located just across the border from the thirsty workers of the new Steel Plant at the extreme west end of Duluth.

But from the genealogist's point of view, the Rip?Saw made another contribution: a series of articles entitled "Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey?" which were written in 1918 and 1919. These are names of Duluthians who once worked in the city, but for some reason had left.

One nice feature of the list is that the names are not necessary just of "movers and shakers" of the community. Morrison, had been a reporter in the community for 30 years and knew a lot of people including police, printers, business people, teachers, city hall hangers on and the like.

Perhaps those of you who knew that your relatives at one time were in Duluth but you have lost track of them might find a clue in these columns. The actual column gives not only a location, but what that individual might have done in Duluth and was doing at the last time they had been heard from.

You may not like what you find, but a gander at the Rip?Saw, which is on microfilm at the Minnesota Historical Society and the Duluth Public Library might add a little spice to your Family History. Then again, if you check out the "Bill Bailey" columns, you might find out where that long lost relative got himself or herself off to. Here is a list of the names listed in those columns with the last known location where they were living. Remember, the actual entry will have at least a couple of informative sentences on them:

Charles T. Abbott Cripple Creek, CO T.W. Abel Milwaukee William R. Addison Fargo Robert Bruce Allen Seattle Seward D. Allen Eugene, OR W.J. Allen Lake Worth, FL G.E. Alstead Minneapolis Mrs. Lena Ames Talent, OR Ben Anderson Los Angeles R.W. Anderson San Francisco Worth B. Andrews Hart, CA Harriet K. Avery Kutztown, PA

Fred M. Baker St. Joseph, MO Fred Barber Kalispel, MT Ed. Barnes Portland, OR E.L. Barrett Hibbing A.M. Barsness New York Carroll Bartram Minneapolis William J. "Billy" Bates Caspar, WY Kenneth C. Beaton Seattle Frank G. Beaupre Minneapolis Ellsworth Benham Portland, OR L. N. Benjamin Montreal Fred Beuneman Los Angeles W.G. Bonham Bridgeton, NJ Frank E. Bowers Ellenburg, WA Fred J. Bowman Oakland, CA Charles Boynton Portland, OR E.R. Brace Nampa, ID George Bradford Virginia, MN Isiah H. Bradford Medford, OR A.W. Bradley Denver Samuel Stewart Bradley New York City Judge T.M. Brady St. Paul Henry Breen Hibbing Edward J. Bricker Minneapolis Phil. Gordon Brown St. Louis Orlando G. Bryce Eau Claire, WI David Buchanan New York City Frank L. Buell Spokane Percy Burbank Santiago, CHILE J.N. Bureau Three Rivers, QUE Thomas Burke P.O.W., Germany M.S. Burrows Detroit James Butchart Hibbing Mrs. William Butchart (Josephine) Seattle George Butters Minneapolis

J.C. Callahan Minneapolis J.H. Cameron Ennisfail, Alberta J.B. Campbell Spokane L.D. Campbell Portland, OR Ed Caplis Missoula, MT John Caplis Crookston, MN Joseph E. Capron Olympia, WA Walter N. Case Cloquet Charles Cash Portland, OR A. S. Chase Los Angeles Mrs. George F. Chester Montana Fielder B. Chew Washington, DC Fred J. Chipman New York City Worrell Clarkson St. Paul Charles T. Clement Los Angeles Robert L. Cochrane Nesson, ND Thomas F. Cole Greenwich, CT C.M. Corcoran Des Moines Dave Corcoran St. Paul Richard A. Costello Graceville, MN Frank Cox Charleston, WV Cyrus T. Crandall New York State Charles Culver Seattle Fred Culver Lewiston, ID

Fred Davis Elko, NV George F. Davis Minneapolis Thomas Jones Davis New Market, NH Nicholas Decker Tacoma, WA John Dempster Los Angeles Charles H. DeVault St. Paul Thomas H. Dinham Seattle James E. Donovan Hibbing Charles Douglas Sierra Madre, CA P.E. Dowling St. Paul E.J. Duffies Washington, DC Dan Duggan Crosby, MN Titus Duncan Los Angeles Willis Drummond St. Paul Mrs. Ella M. Durage Los Angeles Al E. Dyer Hibbing, MN

S.W. Eckman Denver John C. Eden Seattle Fred Ehling Washington, DC William D. Evans New York City

Fred Farmer Omaha Thomas Feigh Chicago Harvey Fetter Seattle Charley Fexton Minneapolis George V. Fifer Portland, OR John Finan Pass Christian, MS George A. Flack Cleveland David R. Forgan Chicago Charles F. Frantz Ashland, WI Mrs. Mary M. Frantz St. Paul M.C. French Okmulgee, OK Adolph Freimuth St. Paul W.B. Fuller New York

William Gallie Winnipeg Ben Gaylord Joplin, MO Col. James B. Geggie Minneapolis W. Clarence Getty San Diego William Getty Chula Vista, CA Benjamin Gillett Interlacken, FL Jim Ginder Minneapolis Dr. W.G. Goffe San Francisco Harry E. Gooch Lincoln, NE W.D. Gordon Minneapolis William L. Gorrie Minneapolis Louis Goldnamer Elizabethtown, KY C. Powell Grady Washington, DC Frank Green Cripple Creek, CO Frank Greene Seattle Mrs. Charles T. Greenfield Auburn, CA

Norman Haagerson St. Paul Carl Hagberg Portland, OR Charles R. Haines Pasadena, CA James T. Hale St. Paul M.O. Hall St. Louis S. T. Hamilton Minneapolis Thomas A. Hammond Port Henry, NY Herman E. Hansen Stettler, ALBERTA Charles Hartman Portland, OR Emil Hartman Heidelberg, GER Phil Hasselblad Bakersfield, CA Leonard Hauck Oakland, CA Tom Hayden Seattle William J. Hayes Minneapolis T.H. Helinski Chicago H.C. Helm Lewiston, ID N.C. Hendricks Portland, OR J.C. Hessian Aitkin, MN O.A. Hoffman Dickinson, ND Paddy Hogan Minneapolis Ed. Holdgren Portland, OR A.H. Holgate Pasadena, CA John C. Hollenbeck New York City Theodore Hollister Minneapolis John Home Milwaukee Roy Hoople Minneapolis J.L. Hopkins Brooklyn L.J. Hopkins Wanetka, IL E.P. Houghton Hibbing Ben F. Howard Iceland, MAN Andy Hunter Buffalo, NY Sidney J. Huntley St. Paul W.P. Hurlbut New York

Arthur Inman Coleraine, MN Mrs. B.B. (May) Inman Portland, OR S.D. Ives Portland, OR

Hugo Jacoby Fairmont, MN A.C. Jamison Spokane Dr. Jerns Chicago Arnold Joerns Chicago "Nickel" Johnson Forest Lake, MN Victor Johnson New York City R.B. Keenan Los Angeles E.E. Kelso Portland, OR Frederick R. Kennedy New York City A.C. Kienly Kansas City W.C. Kilgore St. Paul A. King Hibbing, MN N.C. Kingsbury New York Primus Kreitter Ironton, MN Ed. F. Krelwitz Aitkin, MN Theodore Krumsieg Milwaulkee, W

Madame LaFerte Detroit J.S. Lane Spokane John H. Langton New York City George H. Larke New York City Thomas H. Larke Seattle George P. Laybourne San Diego G.R. Lee Osakis, MN Fred Lewis Los Angeles Charles L. Lewis Kingman, AZ Mark W. Lewis Washington, DC J.H. Logie Pasadena, CA John Loman Philadelphia William E. Lucas Chicago E.J. Luther Grand Rapids, MN Thomas "Tige" Lyons Butte, MT

George MacKenzie Grand Rapids, MI C.P. Maginnis Portland, OR Jack Magnan Seattle John A. Magnuson Deming, NM Beriah Magoffin, Sr. McAllister, OK George J. Mallory Minneapolis George Mance S. Pasadena, CA Alexander Marshall Sapulpa, OK Ed. Martin New York City Mrs. C.H. Martz Thief River Falls W.J. Martz Seattle Fred Mason Niagara Falls A.R. McDonald Seattle R.B. McLean Superior Mary M'Lean Seattle Mich. McMahon Virginia, MN S.G. M'Conaughy Brooklyn, NY Clinton P. M'Cormick Seattle Chester M'Cusick Bemidji Donald M'Leod Philadelphia Dennis M'Namara Fargo Lyle Meader Minneapolis Louise Meining New York City Richard Meining Ocean Park, CA Andrus R. Merritt Minneapolis Franklin W. Merritt Minneapolis Fred H. Merritt Enid, OK Ray Merritt Imperial, CA J. Edward Meyers Minneapolis Horace Michaud Calgary, Alberta Mary M'Fadden New York William Mies Spokane Frank R. Millar Indianapolis Ambrose M. Miller New York City Andreas Miller New York City H.S. "Sam" Mills St. Paul D.D. M'Innis Minneapolis Harold E. Mitchell Milwaukee A.J. M'lennan Crosby, MN William P. M'Millan Chicago Johnny M'Nabb St. Paul S.H. Moer New York City Edwin Moers Kingston, ONT. W.A. Montague Kansas City Minnie P. Moore St. Ignace, MI Belle Morrison Kansas City Duane D. Morrison Helena, MT Finley Morrison Portland, OR W.P. Mosher Minneapolis John Murphy Grand Marais, MN S.C. Murphy Grand Marais

O.A. Nafe Minneapolis Porter J. Neff Medford, OR Walter Nelson Sioux City, IA Carl Neuman Minneapolis lBruce Nimmo San Diego W.J. North Forest Lake, MN Joe Nylander Seattle

M.J. O'Brien Chicago Martin Olmem Los Angeles J.R. Osmun Jerome, ID

Ed. Page Oklahoma Walter Palmer Pasadena, CA John Panton Bellingham, WA Herbert H. Parkhouse St. Paul Henry R. Patterson Barnum, MN Henry B. Pauli New York City E.W.A. Peake Portland, OR David Grant Penny Spokane Curt K. Persons San Diego Charles Peterson Spokane Cal Pew Minneapolis John A. Pierce Fargo, ND Elbert L. Preston Minneapolis George W. Preston Omaha C.C. Prindle Minneapolis Edward W. Prophet Philadelphia George H. Prudden St. Paul Florence Rackle Currie Wedler Cleveland Victor Rakowsky Joplin, MO William Randall Cleveland Scott Rex Grand Forks, ND James Richardson Minneapolis Dr. Adam W. Ringland McAllister, OK A.M. Robertson Mine Center, ONT Louis Rouchleau Minneapolis Louis Roos Milwaukee Bob Ross Philadelphia Sam H. Rothermal Portland, ORj Ben Rude Albany, NY John Rustgard Sitka, AK James Ryan Sault Ste. Marie Robert Porter St. John Brooklyn

J.H. Schulenberg St. Paul Fred A. Scoville Los Angeles George H. Shackel Minneapolis Joseph H. Sharp Lander, WY E.P. Shurick Twin Cities, MN Joseph H. Sharp Lander, WY U..S.G. Sharp Ft. Benton, MT Reuben D. Silliman Orange, NJ A.G. Simonds Los Angeles Area Charles M. Simpson New York Henry L. Sissler Seattle John J. Skuse Spokane Chan Smith Monrovia, CA Ed. Smith Los Angeles Mark Smith Havana, CUBA P.A. Smith Marquette, MI Rod Smith Minneapolis George Spangler White Bear, MN William Spencer America, OK Nicholas Spicer Kankakee, IL John Spicer St. Paul (deceased Joel J. Squires New York James Staples Los Angeles James Stetson Deerwood, MN W.J. Stevenson Minneapolis Harry Stewart Los Angeles Mose Stewart Los Angeles William Stewart Virginia, MN L.B. Stinchfield Crandon, WI Col. W.H.H. Stowell Amherst, MA orNY "Bob" Strong Minneapolis Peter Sturf Mobile, AL

A.J. "Andy" Taylor San Diego A.T. Thoits Grand Rapids, MI Kirby Thomas New York City Charles H. Thornton Winnipeg Albert Lee Thurman Washington, D.C. Frank P. Tims Palisade, MN Harry Totman Denver O.G. Traphagen San Francisco W.R. Triggs Watsonville, CA Henry Truelson Zenith, ND

C. Uncapher Minneapolis Major J.H. Upham San Francisco

William "Billy" Vail Cedar Lake, MN George Vincent Anncortes, WA R.C. Vincent Seattle H.E. Voight Detroit

A.J. Wasgatt Virginia, MN Frank G. Walker (Rachel St. Clair) Los Angeles Walter A. Washburne Chicago James T. Watson Mason City, IA? John Watt Manganese, MN Gus Weinberg Minneapolis John R. Weston Hemet, CA Duane Wheeler Minneapolis John J. Wheeler Kirkland, WA Martyn Wheeler Washington, DC John K. Wightman Newark, NJ Clifford Wilkinson Minneapolis Ray Wirtz Detroit Conrad Wolfe Hibbing, MN John Wolvin Port Arthur, ONT

Frank L. Young Salerno, FL O.L. Young CANADA

This Article first appeared in an issue of the Minnesota Genealogist, Journal of the Minnesota Genealogical Society

submitted by : Ray Marshall 721?7593

(First Draft of the above Article):

Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey?

"Literally thousands have resided and done business in Duluth since the City was born, only to leave for other cities and climes. Some of them are living and some are dead. Many of those who have gone away are most fondly remembered by many who remain. But all knowledge of the exiles has been lost. The editor of the Rip?saw always has believed that a special effort should be made by every citizen, no matter in what walk of life, to induce our "Bill Baileys" to 'come home'."

This series of articles was written in 1918 and 1919. These are names of Duluthians who once worked in the city, but for some reason had left. Remember, at that time, the city was still a boom town, its population having increased from 30,000 to 100,000 in 30 years.

One nice feature of the list is that the names are not necessary of only "movers and shakers" of the community. The publisher of the Rip?Saw, John L. Morrison, had been a reporter in the community for those 30 years and new a lot of people including cops, printers, city hall hangers on and the like.

Perhaps those of you who knew that your relatives at one time were in Duluth but you have lost track of them might find a clue in these columns. The actual column gives not only a location, but what that individual might have done in Duluth and was doing at the last time they had been heard from.

Incidentally, the Rip?Saw makes for a lively and delightful read. The publisher vigorously opposed public corruption , drunkeness and prostitution and took his politics very seriously. And he had the ability to write with uncommon wit. Names are named. You may not like it, but a gander at the Rip?Saw, which is on microfilm at the Minnesota Historical Society and the Duluth Public Library might add a little spice to your Family History.

????????????????????????????????

[Sidebar written by the Editor of the Minnesota Genealogist, who must have done some research into Morrison in school.]

John L. Morrison, born and educated in Iowa, served as a school teacher principal, construction worker, and country newspaper reporter before he started his first "Rip?Saw" in Nebraska. Having sold that, he worked for a time as a daily newspaper reporter in Omaha and Kansas City before coming to Duluth 1893 where he took a job as a labor reporter for the Duluth Herald. He later assumed the role of City Hall editor on the Duluth News Tribune. Fired, he worked on a campaign for a successful mayoral candidate of the city and then founded a small paper called the Hustler, sold that to Mrs. Sabrie G. Akin, publisher and editor of the Labor World (therein lies another story), taught night school, worked as a publicist and realtor and prospector for companies selling mining properties. Placer gold mining in California broke him and he returned to Duluth to create the Rip?Saw in 1917 as a means of "recreation and diversion."

The Rip?Saw was popular, its issues nearly always sold out. But Morrison ran risks and was arrested several times by irate public officials before his final arrest in 1924 for accusing a Judge of having a venereal disease and thus being unfit to deal with juveniles. This charge and others resulted in the Minnesota Legislature enacting a "gag" law aimed at papers like the Rip?Saw, of which there were many in those days.

In 1926, the Mayor of Minneapolis, who was running for Governor had a gag order issued to stop publication of the Rip?Saw which had been attacking him. The successful appeal of this charge resulted in the United States Supreme Court decision in the case of Near v. Minnesota, which is the first and most important Freedom of the Press decision by the Court. Morrison never lived to see his victory for he had died of a blood clot on the brain just a few days after the gag order. The paper had lived almost ten years (only a few years of which survive).

Ray Marshall, Minneapolis ray.marshall@gmail.com

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DeWitt & Crete, Nebraska 1890's City Hall Editor of Duluth Herald

There were further issues of which no copies are available. Morrison died on May 18, 1926.

???????????. Copyright Ray Marshall 1999 Ray.marshall@gmail.com

Requested move 5 February 2022

The following is a closed discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review after discussing it on the closer's talk page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

The result of the move request was: Moved. WP:SNOW move as uncontroversial and highly unlikely to fail. (non-admin closure) ᴢxᴄᴠʙɴᴍ (ᴛ) 15:55, 6 February 2022 (UTC)

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Ripsaw → Ripsaw (newspaper) – No primary topic. Ripsaw (vehicle), Ripsaw (Alton Towers), Ripsaw music and rip saw all get more page views. "Ripsaw" should be replaced with a disambiguation page. The Ripsaw might also be acceptable. Schierbecker (talk) 23:15, 5 February 2022 (UTC)

• Support. There is no primary topic. Rreagan007 (talk) 01:15, 6 February 2022 (UTC)
• Support per nomination and Rreagan007 and also support creation of a Ripsaw disambiguation page that would list Ripsaw (vehicle), Ripsaw (Alton Towers), Ripsaw music and rip saw along with the newspaper. —Roman Spinner (talk • contribs) 05:39, 6 February 2022 (UTC)
• Strong support others have more views and long-term significance. Crouch, Swale (talk) 09:50, 6 February 2022 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.