- Canned Milk and The Lone Star Printer
- "That Texans are a reading people is manifested by the fact that here are now twelve newspapers published in the Republic. . . . In a population so small, and with such imperfect post routes, to sustain so many papers must be admitted to be and astonishing circumstance."
- "That Texans are a reading people is manifested by the fact that here are now twelve newspapers published in the Republic. . . . In a population so small, and with such imperfect post routes, to sustain so many papers must be admitted to be and astonishing circumstance."
- -Texas emigrant during the time of the Republic
-
- The man who gave us canned condensed milk also printed Texas' most important newspaper during the revolt over Mexican rule. The Telegraph and Texas Register was first printed at San Felice on October 10, 1835, by Gail Borden with the help of Thomas Borden and Joseph Baker.
- It was the official newspaper of the Provincial Government and the leading proponent of the revolution. It was published in Austin until March 24, 1836, when an advance guard of General Santa Anna forced the newspaper men to pack type and press and flee to Harrisburgh. There they reestablished shop and attempted to print another edition of The Telegraph . The forms had just been made and six broadside sheets were pulled from the press when Mexican troops entered and seized the press and some of the pressmen. The type and press were thrown into the Buffalo Bayou. After the Mexicans left, the type and press were salvaged and used in Houston to print The Morning Star in 1839. This was the first daily newspaper in the Texas Republic.
- Borden had managed to escape Santa Anna's troops and went to Cincinnati to purchase another complete print shop. In 1836, he reestablished The Telegraph at Columbia on the Brazos, the temporary seat of government. On April 11, 1837, the newspaper was again moved, this time to Houston. Dr. Francis Moore became the editor and Borden sold his interest to Jacob W. Cruger. Cruger and Moor became the Public Printers. They continued to print the The Telegraph in Houston and established The Texas Sentinel in Austin.
- Gail Borden returned to his native New York and perfected his milk canning business. He made a success of supplying the U.S. Army during the Civil War.
- Thanks to Cy Stapleton, The House of Gutenberg, Lufkin, Texas for the suggestion for this column.
- The man who gave us canned condensed milk also printed Texas' most important newspaper during the revolt over Mexican rule. The Telegraph and Texas Register was first printed at San Felice on October 10, 1835, by Gail Borden with the help of Thomas Borden and Joseph Baker.
Copyright (C) 1997 by Frank Granger
Table of Contents
