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Though Kaufman County was a "late bloomer" in the Newspaper business, the following article from an early Columbia, Texas newspaper describes accurately the plight of most newspapers in 19th Century Kaufman County.
Democrat & Planter - 26 May 1857
" Texas Newspapers "
There are more newspapers in Texas in proportion, than any other State in the Union, and consequently more than any State in the World of the same population. A goodly number of these papers are established on a permanent basis, and a majority of them are conducted with decided ability. But many of them are short lived, and are changing proprietors, editors, name and sometimes locality, once and twice, and even oftener a year. Notwithstanding the great number of newspapers in the State, there seems to be a sad scarcity of names to call them by. In other States we seldom hear of two newspapers with the same name. It creates confusion in a great many ways. One paper frequently receiving mails due the other, &c. - This evil prevails to a great extent in this State.
Thus we have three Gazettes--the State Gazette, at Austin; Liberty Gazette, at Liberty and Eastern Texas Gazette, at Jefferson.
Two Times--State Times, at Austin and Corsicana Times, at Corsicana.
Three Heralds--Jefferson Herald, at Jefferson; San Antonio Herald, San Antonio, and last but by no means least, Dallas Herald, Dallas, besides the Lavacca Herald, just demised, and the Daily Herald, just projected at Galveston.
We have three Democrats--the Democrat & Planter, at Columbia; Upshur Democrat at Gilmer, and Henderson Democrat, Henderson, with perhaps another Democrat in Washington county, if it has not recently died out.
There are two Messengers, one at Clarksville, the other at Woodville.
Two Zeitungs (German), one at San Antonio, the other at New Braunsfel, and possibly a third at Castorville.
Two Enquirer's--the Lamar Enquirer, at Paris, and Texas Enquirer, at Rusk, and a third with "a slight variation"--the Gonzales Inquirer.
Two Flags--American Flag, at Brownsville, and Harrison Flag, at Marshall.
Three Advocates--Trinity Advocate, at Palestine; Texas Christian Advocate at Galveston, and Victoria Advocate, at Victoria.
Until recently we had two Texians, or rather one Texian Texan--the Central Tex(i)an, at Anderson, and the Western Texan, at San Antonio.
And before the "great American party" became defunct we had any number of "Americans"--The Palestine American at Anderson County; the True American, Goliad, and other Americans too numerous to mention.
Among the few Texas papers that glory in the monopoly of a patronymic to themselves, we may mention the News and Civilian, at Galveston; the Telegraph, at Houston; Item, Huntsville; Ranger, Brenham; Intelligencer, Austin; Ledger, San Antonio; Valley, Corpus Christi; Southerner, Waco; Mercury, Seguin; True Issue, La Grange; Advertiser, Bastrop; Watchman, Lockhart; our neighbor of the Express, Birdville; Patriot, at Paris; Standard, Clarksville; Republican, Marshall; Free Press, at Quitman; Sentinel, at Rusk; Star Spangled Banner, at Henderson; Reporter, at Tyler; Pioneer, at Fairfield and Printer, at Crockett, and a few others that do not now occur to us.
The newspaper business is over done in Texas. At least half the country papers are starving. The subscription list of most of them does not reach 500, and unless they are so situated as to command heavy legal advertisements, or job-work, they go down in six or twelve months.-- Dallas Herald.
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