Michael and Charles deYoung
In 1865, the teenage brothers Michael and Charles de Young entered the publishing business by borrowing a $20 gold piece from their landlord. They used the money to buy an old desk, several fonts of used type, some newsprint, and then tucked themselves away in the corner of their landlord's Clay Street print shop.
The de Young brothers started with a free theater program sheet they called The Daily Dramatic Chronicle, which debuted on January 16, 1865. The four-page Daily Dramatic purported itself to be "a daily record of affairs--local, critical, and theatrical," but represented little more than a gossip sheet. The two teenagers handed out the Daily Dramatic at hotels, theaters, restaurants, and saloons, and by the end of their first week were able to pay their landlord back.
By the end of their first month, the de Young's had increased the circulation of their fledgling effort to 2,000. It was an encouraging start, to be sure, but that successful first month would be soon forgotten when the de Youngs broke free from their role as upstarts and scored an even more remarkable coup.
In April--three months after the inexperienced brothers had printed the first copy of the Daily Dramatic--Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, and the first newspaper to report the news to San Franciscans was the Daily Dramatic. Word of the president's death appeared in the de Youngs' first "extra" edition, hitting the streets several hours before the city's other daily journals reported on the national tragedy. The scoop represented a significant coup for the de Youngs and quickly legitimized their position as news reporters, marking the first pivotal step in their bid to become aggressive, competitive journalists.
Daly Alta California, July 4, 1871
An Outraged Citizen.
In Sunday's Chronicle appeared another of those descriptions of a private party which have been condemned by all right thinking and intelligent people. Among the ladies who were mentioned in a most disgraceful manner, was Mrs. McKinstrey, the estimable wife of Judge McKinstry. About a quarter past three o'clock yesterday afternoon, Charles DeYoung was standing, engaged in conversation with ex-Mayor McCoppin, near the corner of Clay and Montgomery street, when Judge McKinstry happened to come along. His Honor spoke a few words to Mr. McCoppin, during which he enquired of him who was the man to whom he was talking. He was informed that it was DeYoung. The Judge, who is known to be of an even temperament, became very naturally excited. The mean and low attack on his wife had disgusted him as it had all right thinking people. Raising his walking cane, the Judge struck at DeYoung, the blow being warded off. Mr. McCoppin then interfered, and caught Judge McKinstry's arms. As soon as the latter released himself, he again raised his cane and struck several times at DeYoung, who by this time managed to get into the doorway of Hixon's carpet store. DeYoung was then told to leave by Mr. McCoppin, who subsequently spoke a few words to Judge McKinstry, and the affair was thus ended.
Woodland Daily Democrat, June 24, 1890
Woodland, California
The Republican nominee for Governor is at yet, a myth. Boruck does not intend running his horse--Waterman, and Morrow and McKenna, both of whom have an eye on the official char, have done little or no fighting as yet. Mr. DeYoung, proprietor of the Chronicle, would take it if it were offered him--so would many others.
Mountain Democrat, December 10, 1989
Placerville, California
Republican Wrangle Summarized.
To keep the Southern Pacific Company out of politics, for all purposes except their own, the saints of the Call and Chronicle have bunched their temporalities. Prior to their reconciliation, they had each and severally held sundry interviews with Wm. F. Herrin, chief counsel of the corporation whose influence they coveted. He says and they admit that in all these conferences, he disclaimed the power to commit his company to any Senatorial aspirant. He says and it is tacitly admitted, that when threatened with the implacable hostility of the Chronicle, he frankly told DeYoung that the S. P. Company would not support him. He also told him that Spreckles would not support him. Such being the situation, the most that he could do, was to give him a personal option on the toga, couplet with the suggestion that he might develop a candidate satisfactory to all concerned. This the irate editor of the Chronicle flatly refused to do.
Thus matters ended and remained until about two weeks ago, when Herrin was summoned by telephone to the Spreckles building, where he found the two editors in conference. Having failed in his previous efforts to reconcile them to each other, or to the neutrality of his company, the meeting was a surprise to him. The manifest emergency was explained by Spreckles to be that he and DeYoung had pooled their individual options and were ready to name the next Senator from California In the colloquy which followed Herrin expressed a personal preference for CoL D. M. Burns, but again disclaimed any right to speak for his company, or to forestall the people in their choice of a Senator. To this DeYoung replied that he and his fellow editor, with the "leading republican papers," did represent the people" and were "entitled to a controlling voice in the matter. While expressly asserting the same editorial primacy, Spreckles is said to have "complained of the fact that the Southern Pacific Company had no authorized representative in political matters,' and "no one could ever find what the company really wanted, or who represented it."
Hence it was agreed that Herrin should sound his company for its official preference among Senatorial aspirants and report to the confiding-editors the following Tuesday. At the time appointed he presented to them the final decision of his company, written by George Crocker, as follows:
"We do not think the Company should undertake to make any one United States Senator or to assist in the fight of any candidate for that place. When it shall appear that any fit person is the choice of a majority of the people, the company may then use its legitimate influence In behalf of such person. In no event will the company use its funds to make any one United States Senator. We have no doubt a Senator can easily be selected who will ably represent the people of the State, and at the same time not antagonize our interests."
This was the anticlimax of all previous conferences and only confirmed the disclaimers so often reiterated by Herrin on behalf of his company. But the tall towers of the Call and Chronicle are still swaying with the shock of disappointment to the Warricks who claim to "represent the people." Their overtures to the Southern Pacific Company for that purpose, sound like Sheridan's satire on himself and fellow courtiers, addressed to George IV. The conditions of homage are the same, as follows:
"In all humility we crave,
Our Regent may become our slave,
And, being so, we trust that he
Will thank us for our loyalty."
June 25, 1892, Mountain Democrat
Placerville, California
Birds of Prey.
If the good old gentlemen who hypnotize the Call and Bulletin, had more Hind and speed in them, they would republish the pedigree of Mike DeYoung, by his Stockton eulogist, the gushing drove L. .Johnson. Old files of the Bulletin and Chronicle will furnish some bad-smelling reminiscences of Mike and Grove, when they were probably telling the truth about each other. But they will keep and be interesting reading during the coming campaign, when these two birds of prey will try to nat in the upper and lower houses of Congress.
Ukiah Dispatch Democrat, February 16, 1900
Ukiah, California
President McKinley has appoited M.H. DeYoung to be a United States Commissioner to the Paris Exposition.
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The Annals of San Francisco
Frank Soule, John H. Gihon
1855. Written by three journalists who were witnesses to and participants in the extraordinary events they describe. The Annals of San Francisco is both an essential record for historians and a fascinating narrative for general readers. Over 100 historical engravings are included. Partial Contents: Expeditions of Viscaino; Conduct of the Fathers towards the natives; Pious Fund of California; Colonel John C. Fremont; Insurrection of the Californians; Description of the Golden Gate; The Mission and Presidio of San Francisco; Removal of the Hudson's Bay Company; Resolutions concerning gambling; General Effects of the Gold Discoveries; Third Great Fire; Immigration diminished; The Chinese in California; Clipper Ships; Increase of population; and Commercial depression.
