The Lowell Souvenir

1901 Souvenir cover

OUR INTRODUCTORY GREETING

The LOWELL, INDIANA, SOUVENIR knocks at the doors of the homes of our neighbors and friends in Lake county: Can you for a keepsake let the little visitor in? He awaits from you your expected invitation "Come in! there is always room for clean interesting company at our firesides."

Our SOUVENIR is born in the newspaper field among the interesting daily and weekly publications of our county and Northern Indiana, which have given this sheet an inspiration of life and the association with which works an impetus that within a reasonable time will place our paper in the ranks of its fellows. We trust we may be a helpmate instead of a hindrance to our worthy neighbors in the exchange of local news, and that we may all strive for the prosperity of home interests in Lake county.

We are happy indeed to take our first toddling steps on the platform of the Republican party, and at a time too when the Good Old Party is in power and happiness and prosperity reigns in the land. The platform as a foundation will support and strengthen us, and in the halo of the glorious environment of that party's service -- shedding radiance upon every work of man in this county, prosperity will be ours, as it is that of every enterprise under its benign influence which says "I can, I will succeed."

The idea and style of a newspaper in the makeup of this publication is a comparatively new one: numerous advantages connected with this form are simply to be known to be appreciated. One leading feature being our space is never exhausted: we will always have room for your contributions. Another beneficial feature to the subscriber is you will not have to look over all the papers in the rack or on the shelf to find the SOUVENIR: the engraved front shows itself at once among them all. To be attractive to our patrons our Cover page will for a time at least run in colors alternating monthly.

In this weekly journal we propose to insert local editorials, reminiscences, transactions in business matters of interest in the county courts, social events, church and society news, hums from the school room, chimes from the children, wisdom from the old folks, incidents in the rural community, municipal doings and improvements, compliments and criticisms in the administration of public affairs, voices for the promotion of morality and good order and a swarm of other good clean things that we intend for the growth of better conditions at home. With the hearty cooperation of the citizens of Lake county these matters will be published.

Our advertising space will be kept prominently before the public eye in an arrangement that will not prove a dam to the flow of pure reading matter. Our continual study and anxious endeavor will be to so classify the contents of our publication that a moments time only will be required in catching the mention of anything wanted. If you watch the SOUVENIR you will be on time at church or train: you will know when and where the societies meet and the names of the head officers of each: you can run over the real estate transfers of the week: we will keep you advised of death and taxes, and the certainty thereof. The births and christenings we will register and count it welcome news if you will but furnish us a statement of same.

In the interest of our Job Printing department, we assure and guarantee to our patrons just as good work as can be obtained anywhere in the county at low prices. Our expenses are light and so accordingly can be our profits. An inquiry will convince you we mean just what we say. Our aim is to give and we guarantee absolute satisfaction in every department. Our regular subscription price is $1.00 per annum, but until further notice we fix the price at seventy-five cents -- preferred in advance. In so doing we make the proffer "with malice toward none but charity for all."

The publisher of the paper, Schuyler Colfax Dwyer, and Managing Editor Elmer E. Ragon believe the enterprising town and community is worthy of two local papers. Then let us all work diligently and faithfully to garner in not "a part of the news all the time, nor all the news a part of the time, but all the news all the time," and give our patrons their money's worth. Our progressive citizens are the builders of the home paper, the newspaper itself is but the structure composed of the material you contribute, the editor simply fashions it. Then let us all together build a massive lasting monument at Lowell in the interests of Southern Lake County, to which all may point with pride and say "This is a tablet of what we are doing."

We extend a special and urgent invitation to all old residents who are now living in other parts of the world to favor us with letters narrating their doings and a description of their respective locations, etc. Also let us hear from our absent townspeople.

Our purpose is to establish such an efficient corps of correspondents that we will have a wide awake representative at every post office in the county. All can appreciate the desirability of this, and we will use our every effort to get the news in from these points in ample time for publication, so there will be no hold-overs.

Our editorial and printing rooms are in the K. of P. block over the Post Office, where "the latch string is always "out" to everybody. In event you haven't time to call just address your contributions, or subscriptions, or advertising, or job printing or anything in our line to the LOWELL INDIANA SOUVENIR. You will find us attending strictly to business with a sincere desire to please you. Then all together we herewith plant our corner stone.