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The Tribune is the continuation of newspapers published continuously since October 15, 1908.
The Very Beginning: The Greenbush JournalHarold
J. Sanders began publishing The Greenbush Journal in 1901 in Old
Greenbush. With the coming of the railroad, Sanders moved his print
shop to West Greenbush. The print shop, located on the back part of the
lot behind the Farmers and Merchants Bank, faced north. The old
firehall was across the alley. The bank owned the print shop property,
now Remedies parking lot. Sanders never held title to the property
described as the west 50 feet of lot 11 and 12 of block 11.
In 1908 the newspaper was sold to C. B. Goodrich.
The Greenbush TribuneC.
B. Goodrich changed the name of The Journal to the Greenbush Tribune,
publishing the first issue on October 15,1908. The print shop remained
in the same building. He sold his farm at auction on November 7, 1908.
After only three months of publishing, Mr. Goodrich sold the newspaper
in January of 1909 and moved to Iowa for a short time. When he returned
he was very active in many farm-related organizations.
On January
15, 1909, the Greenbush Tribune was sold to E.R. Umpleby. He told how,
after coming on the train from Renville, Minnesota, he waded in over
two miles of knee-deep snow to Mr. Goodrich’s farm in Section 7,
Barnett Township, to make the deal. The print shop equipment consisted
of an Army one-page press, a small job press, a couple of stones and a
few cases of type, housed in an 11’ x 18’ room in the building behind
the bank.
In January of 1913 he ordered a new job press, power
fixtures for the newspaper press, an improving stone, type cabinet, and
a large quantity of type. Needing more room, he moved in two buildings,
one to house the print shop and the other for living quarters. Both
buildings were attached to the original print shop, which became a
bedroom.
In April, a gasoline engine to run the newspaper and job
presses was installed. He cited, ... “machinery was cheaper than hired
help,” as one reason for the change. (In 1912 a year’s subscription was
$1.00.) Another reason was good advertising business. In Umpleby’s
words, “Our business men are a live bunch and are not afraid to use a
liberal supply of printer’s ink.”
Also in 1913, the title to the
west 50 feet of the two lots with the print shop were deeded to Mr.
Umpleby. He retained the title until 1945.
An acute paper shortage
occurred in 1920. Subscription rates jumped to $1.50 a year payable in
advance and $0.15 a month for all arrears.
In July 1927 Mr. Umpleby purchased the present day Tribune building, built in 1908 by the State Bank of Greenbush.
The former occupants, People’s State Bank of Greenbush, failed two months earlier. A second floor was added for living quarters.
The
early Tribune papers make interesting reading. Besides the history, E.
R. showed dry humor, community spirit, and upright ideals. Today he
would have been sued many times over. E. R. married Minnie Hildahl in
1910 and didn’t miss an issue. Minnie was the newsgatherer for the
locals. Don Wicklund recalled her standing on the steps of the Tribune
building, stopping passersby for news. Minnie died in 1950. Stanley
Evans, E. R.’s son-in-law worked with him in the later years. Shortly
after E. R.’s death in 1951, his daughter Phyllis Evans became editor
and Stanley was publisher and
manager.
In the late 1940s Phyllis
taught a variety of subjects at Greenbush High School, including
commercial (bookkeeping), speech, world history, chorus and drama. As
editor, Phyllis carried a notebook and pencil everywhere, always on the
lookout for news and, like her mother, the locals.
After Stanley’s death, son Stephen Evans assisted his mother with running the paper.
—Submitted by Myrna Sovde with information from Greenbush
Tribune and remembrances by Hazel Wahlberg.
Tribune in Later YearsRex
and Barb Clay purchased the paper in 1980. A few years later the
interior was remodeled. The old bank vault was left intact and used as
the darkroom.
In February of 1986, A. J. Pulczinski took over as publisher and Lisa Bratland was editor.
Karen Janousek purchased the paper in August of 1989.
While Karen owned the paper, she purchased the Badger Enterprise and combined the two. She changed the name to The Tribune.
In
1995 The Tribune was sold the Tribune to Rollin Bergman and Julie
Nordine as Page 1 Publications with sister papers in Karlstad, Baudette
and Greenbush. They own the business today and have done extensive
remodeling to the office.
The newspaper production is completely
electronic now, utilizing the internet to transfer pages directly to
the press in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where it is printed.
In the
year 2007 the two entry archways were opened up, back to their natural
state of years ago. Two new front windows were installed and the office
interior received new paint and decorating in
2008.
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