Century of community newspapering

 In late January of 1990, I worked as the Ad Manager for a group of weekly newspapers on the West Side of the Central Valley in California, and one of those publications, "The West Side INDEX" of Newman, California, celebrated its first 100 years of publishing that year, having only five different owners during all that time. The place was a fascinating study in century small-town newspaper work and I have always considered it a pleasure and an honor to work there at that time, and afterwards, in the heydays of the craft.

Al Rose Sr. at the INDEX's linotype machine in Newman, California.  

The INDEX celebrates 100 years: 1890 to 1990

 By Rob Carrigan, robcarrigan1@gmail.com

In less than a trip around the sun, I reach what always seemed to be considered "Old Age." Not that concerned about it generally, but it is good enough time as any, to contemplate legacy, and such. Mostly, it has to do with habit and ritual. I have been telling folks for quite some time when they card me for beer, that I am at least a 100 years old. But bear with me, as I evaluate (and re-valuate) my place in time, and the world.

The first INDEX opened for business on the west side of O Street, situated between Treft Brothers Butcher Shop and Skinny Homer's Saloon, and was owned and operated by former house painters Innis Sturgeon and T.C. Duffy after the duo had failed in a previous enterprise as painting contractors.
Prior to his death in 1903, Sturgeon moved the newspaper office to a tiny, wood-framed building on "O" Street where the Giavonnoni building is currently located. Sturgeon, the son of a prominent pioneer rancher Ed Sturgeon, succumbed to pneumonia in July of 1903.

Partner Duffy, continued publishing the newspaper for several months before selling to Alvin Fleharty in November of that year. Fleharty went on to record the longest tenure of any INDEX Publisher published to date, keeping the newspaper for some 33 years. Fleharty's weekly column, "Yesterday and the the day before," became the publisher's personnel trademark, and appeared on the front page of each issue.

It was during 1913 that that long-time resident Al Rose Sr. first went to work for The INDEX as a typesetter, running the old-fashioned linotype machines that cranked out "hot type"for use for the newspaper. When the newspaper was set and approved by Fleharty, Rose would print the issue by hand on the letterpress by hand in the backshop. Rose, whose affiliation continued the era of publisher Bill Mattos, who, with his wife Susan, owned and published the paper at the time of 100-year anniversary in1990, and years later.

Fleharty moved moved the INDEX offices three times during his tenure -- including one change of locale because of a devastating fire. The blaze broke out in the former INDEX office on July 4, 1905, and quickly demolished the office and the newspaper files from early years. Boys playing with firecrackers were believed to have started the Independence Day Blaze.
Rose noted that Fleharty didn't care for the name Alvin, and simply referred to himself as "A. Fleharty." Fleharty moved the paper to its long-time location at 1021 Fresno Street in 1929. That building, he liked to point out was supposedly fireproof. 

Fleharty's son Roland, was also involved in the journalism business, publishing the Patterson Irrigator. Crows Landing businessman Frank McGuinnis, a staunch Repulican, purchased the INDEX in 1936. McGuinnis traded his Coal, Ice and Feed business for a career in newspapering. He, in turn sold the INDEX to his son, William McGuinnis. The younger McGuinnis published the paper for 18 years, finally selling it to Bill Mattos in 1976.

 

When Al Rose Sr. first walked into a pressroom around 1910, things were very different than they are today. Paper was hand-fed into the equipment, there were no photos in the newspaper, and type for advertisements was selected a letter at a time from cases and placed in the proper order. The clock didn't mean a thing to printers in those days.

 

"We didn't ever look at the clock. We worked until the job was done," said Rose, who began his printing career feeding the presses at the Hayward Journal around 1910.

 

Rose's first job in Newman had nothing to do with Newspapers. "I had promised a man I would start a dairy route for him, and so I did. I was collecting a milk bill one day at the paper, and I asked if I could take a look around. I told them I had worked feeding presses as a kid. They were short a printer and they asked if I would like to help them out. I did, and I ran 1,000 straight through."

 

"I was making $2 a day on the milk route, which was pretty good money back then, but they offered me $3 a day to go to work for newspaper, so I went to work there."

 

He worked for the West Side INDEX for nearly 20 years as a printer and linotype operator, before taking a job as press foreman at Colusa in 1939.

 

Rose returned to Newman in 1947 to manage his brother-in-law Manuel D'Avila's general merchandise store after D'Avila's death, and operated the store until 1975. However, he continued to help out at the INDEX, whenever  he was needed until the early 1980s. "I would leave my business, to help with his business," he said of his friend and former INDEX publisher Bill McGinnis. He continued to help out and became friends with another INDEX publisher after Bill Mattos purchased, and began publishing the paper. 

 

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