About East Providence eagle. (East Providence, R.I.) 1882-191?
East Providence, R.I. (1882-191?)

East Providence Eagle

The East Providence Eagle appeared on June 14, 1882, with Edwin A. Corbett as editor and proprietor. It was a six-column folio, but another column was added in December of that year and published every Wednesday morning at No. 11 First Street, East Providence. Corbett lived in East Providence and saw an opportunity to reach this town unserved by a local newspaper.

He made this clear by running a banner on every issue reading: "The Eagle is the only Local Newspaper published in the Town of East Providence." In the first issue, he also explains, "It doubtless has been a source of wonder among many of our citizens and others, that East Providence with its five or six thousand inhabitants and all its culture and enterprise, has not possessed at least one local newspaper."

The content was dynamic and humorous. There were world and national news sections, "Town and Suburb Screamings" for the local gossip, and travel stories such as "An Alpine Adventure." There were also plenty of advertisements for goods and services. From corsets to magnetic healers, watches to dentists, businesses reached out to this newly engaged market of the East Providence area. Railroad and steamboat schedules were listed, and the newspaper had a dedicated "Scientific & Industrial" column.

The first three years included some pricing experiments. In the beginning, a single copy was three cents and a yearly subscription for one dollar. By early 1883, the price was raised to five cents a copy and two dollars per year. In 1884, it dropped again to two cents a copy and one dollar per year before finally settling on five cents a copy or one dollar a year in 1885.

The publishers were Corbett & Sawin (Arthur D. Sawin) after 1886. While Corbett lived in East Providence, the Corbett & Sawin office was across the river in downtown Providence at the Brownwell Building. In February 1887, Sawin assumed the whole business.

By 1905, the East Providence Eagle was issued every Saturday by the East Providence Eagle Enterprise Co., main office Providence, Branch Office, Broadway, Six Corners in East Providence. The newspaper had tailored more of its content to women readers with illustrated fashions, recipes, and a dedicated "Of Interest to Women" column. It also claimed the most accurate weather predictions of any newspaper in town, running the weather in the second column on the front page.

It featured columns such as "Uncle Elder" by Roy Rolfe Gibson and "Two Prisoners" by Minerva Spencer Handy in 1907. Columns for women were expanded, including a "What Women are Wearing" column with more illustrations of the latest fashions. Poetry appeared more often and even a few comics. The address was then listed for the main office at 395 Westminster Street, Room 15. Control of the paper was eventually passed to George L. Fritz, of Providence. The last known issue was February 26, 1910.

Provided by: Rhode Island Digital Newspaper Project