My Genealogy Hound

THE EYE, H. R. Persinger, editor, Bloomington. The Bloomington Sunday Morning Eye was started on Jan. 20, 1878; it was the second attempt at Sunday journalism in Bloomington; the Sunday Herald, the first venture, commenced in July, 1877, and, after a painful struggle of three months, died out; great doubts, therefore, were entertained as to the success of The Eye and the publisher, although confident, was discouraged and distrusted on every hand; the office was located in the second room, upstairs, over Livingston’s clothing house, corner Main and Washington streets; when the paper went to press about midnight on the 19th of January, the press-room was thronged with a crowd eager to see the infant; fears were whispered of its reception, and its early demise was predicted as certain; in the face of the unlimited amount of distrust exhibited, the editor sometimes looks back and wonders how he ever had the courage to pursue his adventure; but his confidence never once flagged; a discouraging accident happened at the very outset; owing to utter carelessness on the part of the pressman, who had been drinking, two of the forms shifted out of place on the press, and several columns of bright, new type were mashed and ruined in spots; although late and everybody worn out, the matter had to be almost wholly reset, which occupied the whole night, and the papers were not all printed until 4 o’clock A. M.; Sunday dawned dark, and threatening rain; but a small army of excited news boys were soon scampering over the city, yelling — “Here’s yer Sunday Morning Eye” and their enthusiasm was enhanced by the ready sales they met with. The Eye was looked upon with favor, and from that time to the present one — one and a half years — has constantly increased in favor and circulation; it, today, circulates in almost every home in the city; has been twice enlarged and improved; enjoys an envied advertising patronage, and is in a condition of gratifying prosperity; in material and influence, it has trebled itself in value, and is not encumbered by a single debt. In October, 1878, it was removed to elegant rooms over the People’s Bank, corner of Center and Washington streets, where it now has the finest location and most cheerful office in the city; its subscription price is $2 a year, postage paid, or 5 cents a copy; the city circulation is far in excess of that of any other Bloomington local paper. Its editor, Holland R. Persinger, was born at Xenia, Ohio, June 9, 1852; he began his career as a journalist or printer in the office of the Sidney (Ohio) Democrat, a weekly paper, in February, 1869, finishing his apprenticeship in the office of the La Fayette Daily Courier; he was employed as city reporter and editor of the La Fayette Sunday Leader, nearly five years previous to his advent in Bloomington. In 1877, thinking he could manage a paper of his own, he traveled over Illinois in search of a location, landing at Bloomington, and, in January, 1878, produced The Eye, of which he is still editor and proprietor.