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of the isolation of the city. The sources of public news are sometimes cut off for three or four weeks, and very frequently two weeks. San
Francisco, the nearest place where a newspaper is printed, is more than five hundred miles distant, and the mail between that city and Los Angeles takes an uncertain course, sometimes by sea and sometimes by land, occupying in its transmission from two to six weeks, and in one instance, fifty-two days. Therefore, I have had to depend mainly upon local news to make the Star interesting. And yet the more important events of the country have been recorded as fully as the limits of the Star would permit. The printing of a paper one-half in the Spanish language was certainly an experiment hitherto unattempted in the state. Having no exchanges with papers in that language the main reliance has been upon translations and such contributions as several good friends have favored me with. I leave others to judge whether the ‘Estrella’ has been well or ill conducted."
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equally so to his enemies. Truman continued its publication until July 1877, when it was sold to
Paynter & Company. Then it passed to Brown 81 Company. The Rev. Campbell of the Methodist Church South conducted it for a time. In the last year of its existence, it had several different publishers and editors. Its brilliancy steadily diminished until in the early part of 1879 when the sheriff attached it for debt, and its publication was discontinued. The plant and the files were stored in an outbuilding of Mr. Hollenbeck’s, who was one of the principal creditors. His Chinese laborers roomed in the lower part of the building, and after setting fire to the house, destroyed what remained of
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reduced the subscription price of the Star to $ 6 a year, payable in advance, or $ 9 at the end of the year. Fifty percent advance on a deferred payment looks like a high rate of interest, but it was very reasonable in those days. Money, then, commanded five, ten and even as high as fifteen percent a month, compounded monthly; and yet the mines of
California were turning out $ 50,000,000 in gold every year. Here is a problem in the supply and demand of a circulating medium for some of our astute financial theorists to solve.
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used as a printing establishment. The council—taking in consideration the advantages which a printing house offers to the advancement of public enlightenment, and there existing as yet no such establishment in the city: Resolved. That for this once only a lot from amongst those that are marked on the city map be given to Mr. Theodore Foster for the purpose of establishing thereon a printing house; and the donation be made in his favor because he is the first to inaugurate this public benefit."
379:. Nearly four years have elapsed since our last issue. The little ‘onpleasantness,’ which at that time existed in the family, has toned down considerably, and if perfect harmony does not yet pervade the circle, our hope is this brotherly feeling will soon be consummated." The paper was no longer the bitter partisan sheet that it had been during the early 1860s. Hamilton now seldom indulged in political leaders of a column length, and when he did they were of a mild type. The new
271:, I never could see enough either in the Whig or Democratic party to make a newspaper of. I never could muster up fanaticism enough to print a party paper." McMeans went to the States shortly after assuming the management of the paper. William A. Wallace conducted it during his absence. Early in 1854 it was sold to M. D. Brundige. Under Brundige’s proprietorship, Wallace edited the paper. It was still published in the house built by Foster.
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187:). It was a four-page, five column paper; size of page, 12x18 inches. Two pages were printed in English and two in Spanish. The subscription price was US$ 10 a year, payable in advance. Advertisements were inserted at the rate of $ 2 per square for the first insertion and $ 1 for each subsequent insertion. The publishers were
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The first proposition to establish a newspaper in Los
Angeles was made to the city council October 16, 1850. The minutes of the meeting on that date contain this entry: "Theodore Foster petitions for a lot situated at the northerly corner of the jail for the purpose of erecting thereon a house to be
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was reduced to US$ 5 a year. The publisher informed his patrons that he would receive subscriptions "payable in most kinds of produce after harvest—corn, wheat, flour, wood, butter, eggs, etc., will be taken on old subscriptions." In
November 1855, Waite, the sole proprietor, publisher and business
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was established in this city—and in taking leave of my readers, in saying my last say, I may very properly be permitted to look back through this period to see how accounts stand. The establishment of a newspaper in Los
Angeles was considered something of an experiment, more particularly on account
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from
Hamilton. He ran it less than a year, but that was long enough for him to take all the twinkle out of it. It had almost sunk below the horizon when Hamilton resumed its publication. In July 1873, he sold it to Ben C. Truman. Truman put sparkle in it. He made it interesting to his friends, and
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In the issue of
February 2, 1856, he offers the "entire establishment of the Star for sale at US$ 1,000 less than cost." In setting forth its merits, he wrote: "To a young man of energy and ability a rare chance is now offered to spread himself and peradventure to realize a fortune." The young man
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outfit. A prospectus on the
Spanish page informs us that "Imprenta de la Estrella, Calle Principal, Casa de Temple"—that is, the printing office of the Star is on Main street, in the House of Temple, where was added, the finest typographical work will be done in Spanish, French and English. Waite
337:. He was an editor of the old school—the school that dealt out column editorials, and gave scant space to locals. Hamilton’s forte was political editorials. He was a bitter partisan. He was an able writer. He was a Scotch-Irishman. His vigorous partisanship got him into trouble. During the
176:. On the lot granted by the council, Foster built a small two-story frame building. The lower story was occupied by the printing outfit, and the upper story was used as a living room by the printers and proprietors of the paper. Over the door was the Sign "Imprenta" (printing office).
226:(as it is always called in the early records) was the printing of one hundred white ribbon badges for the city police. The inscription on the badge, which was printed both in English and Spanish, read "City Police, organized by the
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was a seven column blanket sheet, and was devoted to promoting the welfare of the county. It was ably conducted, and was a model newspaper for a town of 5,000 inhabitants. June 1, 1870, the first number of the
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was sold to J. S. Waite & Co. The site donated to Foster by the council in 1850, on which to establish a printing house for the advancement of public enlightenment, seems not to have been a part of the
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Under Lewis’ management the Star was nonpartisan in politics. He says, "I professed all along to print an independent newspaper, and although my own preferences were with the
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bought an interest in the paper and the firm became Lewis, McElroy & Rand. In
November, McElroy sold his interest to Lewis & Rand. Lewis edited the English pages and
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and other officers of the government, and his outspoken sympathy for the Confederates, he was arrested. He took the oath of allegiance, and was released, but the
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195:. Foster had dropped out of the establishment before the publication of the first issue. Two years later he committed suicide by drowning himself in the
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A History of California and an Extended History of Los Angeles and Environs: Also Containing Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present
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A History of California and an Extended History of Los Angeles and Environs: Also Containing Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present
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in 1854. He was the first principal of the school-house No. 1, which stood on the northwest corner of Spring and Second streets, where the
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is an old favorite of mine, and I have always wished to be its proprietor." Two months later, Wallace became laid up.
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with expansive qualities was found two months later in the person of William A. Wallace, who had been editor of the
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222:, a journey of six or seven months. Its circulation did not exceed 250 copies. The first job of city work done by
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went into an eclipse. The last number, a single page, appeared October 1, 1864. The press and type were sold to
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emerged from obscurity. "Today," wrote Hamilton, "we resume the publication of the
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The Los Angeles Star, 1851-64: Beginnings of Journalism in Southern California.
151:. The publication ran from 1851 to 1879, written in both English and Spanish.
296:, was appointed postmaster of Los Angeles. He found it difficult to keep the
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246:. The obstacles to be overcome in the publication of a pioneer newspaper in
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The first number of the pioneer paper was issued May 17, 1851. It was named
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office burned down in 1877, the old press perished in the flames.
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
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to his partner Lewis. On August 1, 1853, Lewis sold the paper to
230:, July 12, 1851." La Estrella’; the bill for the job was US$ 25.
504:(Public domain ed.). Historic Record Company. pp.
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shining, the mails moving and his produce exchange running.
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Defunct Spanish-language newspapers published in California
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subsequently was located. In his salutatory, he says: "The
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for some time after its founding. The press was an old
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The location of the printing house was on what is now
406:—and again the old press became a pioneer. When the
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250:were described by Lewis in his final issue of the
555:Daily newspapers published in Greater Los Angeles
258:"It is now two years and three months since the
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287:In July 1855, the subscription price of the
565:Defunct newspapers published in California
398:. He bought the old press and type of the
357:, and were used in the publication of the
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590:American companies disestablished in 1879
210:was editor of the Spanish columns of the
40:300 block of North Main, Los Angeles, Ca
473:"californiahistoricallandmarks.com 789"
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143:, was the first newspaper published in
585:American companies established in 1851
447:"Cal. Parks 789 Los Angeles Star site"
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600:1879 disestablishments in California
541:Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1969.
479:from the original on August 24, 2019
453:from the original on August 24, 2019
580:Publications disestablished in 1879
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595:1851 establishments in California
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345:. For some severe criticisms on
274:In the latter part of 1854, the
371:On Saturday, May 16, 1868, the
341:, he espoused the cause of the
575:Newspapers established in 1851
331:he had been proprietor of the
96:California Historical Landmark
16:First newspaper in Los Angeles
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343:Confederate States of America
228:Common Council of Los Angeles
498:Guinn, James Miller (1915).
160:Early history and background
605:19th century in Los Angeles
394:, the pioneer newspaper of
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181:La Estrella de Los Angeles
140:La Estrella de Los Ángeles
396:Orange County, California
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402:—the first press of the
421:in 1872, he leased the
149:Los Angeles, California
31:Estrella de Los Ángeles
570:History of Los Angeles
66:34.05444°N 118.24111°W
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218:. It came around the
524:: J. M. Guinn's
208:Manuel Clemente Rojo
71:34.05444; -118.24111
367:Last years: 1868–79
334:Calaveras Chronicle
254:on July 30, 1853:
248:Southern California
145:Southern California
62: /
400:Wilmington Journal
360:Wilmington Journal
339:American Civil War
170:Los Angeles Street
111:Reference no.
537:William B. Rice,
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189:John Allen Lewis
185:Los Angeles Star
130:Los Angeles Star
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224:La Estrella
133:, known in
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57:118°14′28″W
45:Coordinates
549:Categories
483:August 24,
457:August 24,
423:Daily Star
386:Daily Star
269:Whig party
174:Bell Block
103:Designated
54:34°03′16″N
434:Footnotes
477:Archived
451:Archived
428:The Star
37:Location
528:(1915)
304:1856–64
234:1853–55
155:History
135:Spanish
27:Spanish
413:After
147:, in
82:Built
485:2019
459:2019
404:Star
381:Star
373:Star
351:Star
329:Star
319:Star
311:Star
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