| Show COLORFUL PUBLISHERS -THEN AND NOW the stoutly professed Democratic ideology of the Broad Ax Julius referred tonewspaper as the Plain Double-Dealer and their sparring gradually degenerated into such paragraphs as an onslaught by Julius which so titillated the Wasatch Wave that it reprinted it Run home and tell your dear little wife that the editor of the Broad Ax has called her sweet little sugar lump an ex-crapshooter an ex-gambler liar coward scoundrel anddishonest man in every sense of the word Another competitor was Gordon McPherson of the Democratic Head Light retired Army infantryman whobeen stationed in Utah he conceived the paper but was more or lessnon-resident publisher McPherson chose to abandon the Utah market in early June 1899 almost simultaneously with the departure of the Ax Without fanfare after producing the June 1899 edition Broad Ax closed its doors On July 15 1899 it resurfaced in Chicago and Beehive state subscribers continued to receive it from the Windy City for some time thereafter The paper was often praised by other Utah journalists The Brigham Bugler for example commented in 1897 The Broad Ax has hewn its way into the third year Brother Taylor keeps his paper always sharp and bright The Wasatch Waveassessment of Taylor himself was He isbright intelligent young man credit to his race Newspapermen throughout Utah had an opportunity to meet the publisher of the Ax for he travelled to virtually every community of any size in the state in search of subscribers and advertising support Since Salt Lake Cityblack populace was very limited his paper probably hadpreponderance of white readers and some of that dayprincipal merchants advertised their wares in his columns His minority status was onlyminor hindrance to relations with Utah citizenry fact evidenced by Taylorelection as Historian of Utah State Press Association at its January 19 1899 convention His further involvement was curbed of course by the abrupt move to Chicago Interestingly the Plain Dealer continued to serve Utah181 Digital image 2005 Marriott Library University of Utah Al rights reserved |
