About The press. (Belleville, N.J.) 1890-1898
Belleville, N.J. (1890-1898)

The Press

The Press was a weekly newspaper that served the residents of Belleville and Nutley, Essex County, from 1890 to 1898; its original banner read "A Weekly Newspaper in the Interest of Belleville and Nutley," but changed in 1891 to "Devoted to the Interests of Belleville township, Franklin Township and North Newark." The banner changed again in 1892 to read "A Weekly in the Interest of Belleville and Franklin" before dropping the banner statement in 1893. Available each Saturday, the Press was a politically independent paper of four pages and eight columns in 1890 and then changed in 1891 to eight pages and six columns before reverting back to the original layout early in 1892. The subscription price was originally $1.25 per year, jumping to $2.00 per year in May 1891, before falling back to $1.25 in August 1891. By 1897, the paper had a circulation of 800 as reported by the paper.

Belleville, NJ is a small town located in Essex County on the west bank of the Passaic River. It was established officially in 1874, separating from then Franklin, now known as Nutley. The history of Belleville dates back over 300 years, when English settlers founded the town of Newark in 1666. Eventually, the area where Belleville is located became known as Bloomfield; in 1839, Belleville, known as North Belleville and Franklinville, separated from Bloomfield. At the time of the Press, Belleville's population was about 3,500, and it had several wire cloth factories, a rubber factory, a large chemical works, a copper rolling mill, and a machine works. The Belleville Publishing Company was located at 189 Main Street.

The original editors were Elmer H. Cutts and David J. Klein, who founded the Belleville Press Publishing Company; eventually F.R. Miller became the main editor and John D. DeWitt became an interested party in the publishing company. In 1891, notable Belleville businessman and eventual New Jersey Congressman John Nevin Klein became business manager of the Belleville Press Publishing Company. By 1897, the paper was edited and published by W. Wylie and John W. Maynard, who would go on to become managing editor of the Newark Evening News.

While not much is known about editors Elmer H. Cutts, David J. Klein, F. R. Miller, or W. Wylie, John D. DeWitt developed a suitable background in journalism. Born in New York City in 1869, John's father Gasherie was a wire manufacturer in Belleville. Living a childhood of luxury and travel, he eventually made his way throughout the country, settling near the Missouri and Arkansas border, known as the "Bald Knob" country. He eventually became involved with the Harrison Times in Harrison, Arkansas where he spent three years as an editor. He departed the South in 1890 and made his way back to Belleville and became involved in the Press and Belleville Press Publishing Company with Elmer H. Cutts.

While the paper disappeared after 1898, the citizens of Belleville were afforded with a special edition from the Essex County News (originally located in Nutley before moving to Newark in 1902) called Press into the early years of the twentieth century.

Provided by: Rutgers University Libraries