Hastings Tribune
Encyclopedia
The Hastings Tribune is a newspaper published in Hastings, Nebraska
. The newspaper is put out six days a week, excluding Sundays. It serves ten counties in south central Nebraska and north central Kansas.
It has a circulation of 11,145.
party. At about the same time, A. P. Brown and Dick Thompson founded the weekly Tribune. The two newspapers were purchased and merged by A. H. Brown, who published the combined paper under the name Hastings Independent-Tribune.
In 1894, the newspaper was purchased by Adam Breede, who changed its name to the Hastings Tribune. In 1905, it began daily publication under the name Hastings Daily Tribune; the weekly Tribune continued to be published. A Linotype
was acquired in 1907, and a press in 1910; prior to those dates the type had been hand-set and the newspaper printed by the rival Adams County Democrat.
Breede was an active promoter of municipal improvements. He also supported the political career of Hastings resident Charles Henry Dietrich
. A lifelong bachelor, Breede left the Tribune in other hands while he acted as a war correspondent during World War I
; after the war, he embarked on a big-game hunting expedition to Africa. There, he contracted blackwater fever
; the aftereffects of this led to his death in 1928.
Henry G. Smith, who had served as managing editor since 1905, took over as editor and publisher upon Breede's death. In 1937, he retired and the newspaper was sold to the Seaton family.
Fay Seaton had owned and published the Manhattan, Kansas
Mercury since 1915;
later, he had acquired the Manhattan Chronicle.
In 1937, he and his sons Fred and Richard bought the Tribune, and Fred was dispatched to Hastings to operate the newspaper.
Fred Seaton
had worked on the two Manhattan newspapers since his youth, rising to the position of associate editor of Seaton Publications.
He edited and published the Tribune from 1937 until his death in 1974. His residence in Hastings was interrupted by a decade in Washington, DC, as a U.S. Senator
and in a variety of positions in the Eisenhower
administration.
During his term as editor and publisher, the Tribune became the first Nebraska newspaper outside of the Lincoln-Omaha area to use wirephoto
, and the only one to use three wire services
. Near the end of his life, he converted the newspaper from letterpress
to offset
printing.
After Fred Seaton's death in 1974, his son Don Seaton became the publisher of the Tribune. He held the position until his retirement in 2010.
and at the Lincoln Journal-Star
, and immediately prior to his appointment at the Tribune had served as director of student publications at Nicholls State University
in Thibodaux, Louisiana
.
The Tribune is published six days a week: Monday through Friday afternoons, and Saturday mornings.
The newspaper serves eight counties in south central Nebraska and two in north central Kansas: Adams County, Nebraska
, where Hastings is located; Clay
, Fillmore
, Franklin
, Kearney
, Nuckolls
, Thayer
, and Webster
counties in Nebraska; and Jewell
and Smith
counties in Kansas. It also covers small portions of Hall
, Hamilton
, and Harlan
counties in Nebraska.
Hastings, Nebraska
Hastings is a city in and the county seat of Adams County, Nebraska, United States. It is the principal city of the Hastings, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Adams and Clay counties. The population was 24,907 at the 2010 census...
. The newspaper is put out six days a week, excluding Sundays. It serves ten counties in south central Nebraska and north central Kansas.
It has a circulation of 11,145.
History
In 1886, Frank D. Taggart founded the Independent, a weekly paper intended to promote the RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
party. At about the same time, A. P. Brown and Dick Thompson founded the weekly Tribune. The two newspapers were purchased and merged by A. H. Brown, who published the combined paper under the name Hastings Independent-Tribune.
In 1894, the newspaper was purchased by Adam Breede, who changed its name to the Hastings Tribune. In 1905, it began daily publication under the name Hastings Daily Tribune; the weekly Tribune continued to be published. A Linotype
Linotype machine
The Linotype typesetting machine is a "line casting" machine used in printing. The name of the machine comes from the fact that it produces an entire line of metal type at once, hence a line-o'-type, a significant improvement over manual typesetting....
was acquired in 1907, and a press in 1910; prior to those dates the type had been hand-set and the newspaper printed by the rival Adams County Democrat.
Breede was an active promoter of municipal improvements. He also supported the political career of Hastings resident Charles Henry Dietrich
Charles Henry Dietrich
Charles Henry Dietrich was the 11th Governor of Nebraska.-Biography:Dietrich was born in Aurora, Illinois November 26, 1853. He was employed as a clerk in a hardware store in St. Joseph, Missouri. He moved to Chicago, Illinois and engaged in the hardware business...
. A lifelong bachelor, Breede left the Tribune in other hands while he acted as a war correspondent during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
; after the war, he embarked on a big-game hunting expedition to Africa. There, he contracted blackwater fever
Blackwater fever
Blackwater fever is a complication of malaria in which red blood cells burst in the bloodstream , releasing hemoglobin directly into the blood vessels and into the urine, frequently leading to kidney failure...
; the aftereffects of this led to his death in 1928.
Henry G. Smith, who had served as managing editor since 1905, took over as editor and publisher upon Breede's death. In 1937, he retired and the newspaper was sold to the Seaton family.
Fay Seaton had owned and published the Manhattan, Kansas
Manhattan, Kansas
Manhattan is a city located in the northeastern part of the state of Kansas in the United States, at the junction of the Kansas River and Big Blue River. It is the county seat of Riley County and the city extends into Pottawatomie County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 52,281...
Mercury since 1915;
later, he had acquired the Manhattan Chronicle.
In 1937, he and his sons Fred and Richard bought the Tribune, and Fred was dispatched to Hastings to operate the newspaper.
Fred Seaton
Fred Andrew Seaton
Frederick Andrew Seaton was United States Secretary of the Interior during Dwight Eisenhower's administration.-Biography:Seaton was born in Washington, D.C., but grew up and attended high school in Manhattan, Kansas...
had worked on the two Manhattan newspapers since his youth, rising to the position of associate editor of Seaton Publications.
He edited and published the Tribune from 1937 until his death in 1974. His residence in Hastings was interrupted by a decade in Washington, DC, as a U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and in a variety of positions in the Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
administration.
During his term as editor and publisher, the Tribune became the first Nebraska newspaper outside of the Lincoln-Omaha area to use wirephoto
Wirephoto
Wirephoto or telephotography is the sending of pictures by telegraph or telephone.Western Union transmitted its first halftone photograph in 1921. AT&T followed in 1924, and RCA sent a Radiophoto in 1926. The Associated Press began its Wirephoto service in 1935, and held a trademark on the term AP...
, and the only one to use three wire services
News agency
A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to news organizations: newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. Such an agency may also be referred to as a wire service, newswire or news service.-History:The oldest news agency is Agence...
. Near the end of his life, he converted the newspaper from letterpress
Letterpress printing
Letterpress printing is relief printing of text and image using a press with a "type-high bed" printing press and movable type, in which a reversed, raised surface is inked and then pressed into a sheet of paper to obtain a positive right-reading image...
to offset
Offset printing
Offset printing is a commonly used printing technique in which the inked image is transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface...
printing.
After Fred Seaton's death in 1974, his son Don Seaton became the publisher of the Tribune. He held the position until his retirement in 2010.
The Tribune today
The current publisher of the Tribune is Darran Fowler, who was appointed to replace the retiring Don Seaton. Fowler had earlier served as associate publisher and as managing editor of the newspaper. The current managing editor is Stephen Hermann, who was named to replace Fowler; he had previously worked at the Omaha World-HeraldOmaha World-Herald
The Omaha World-Herald, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is the primary daily newspaper of Nebraska, as well as portions of southwest Iowa. For decades it circulated daily throughout Nebraska, and in parts of Kansas, South Dakota, Missouri, Colorado and Wyoming. In 2008, distribution was reduced to the...
and at the Lincoln Journal-Star
Lincoln Journal Star
The Lincoln Journal Star is Lincoln, Nebraska's major daily newspaper. Owned by Lee Enterprises, the Journal Star was created by the 1995 merger of Lincoln's morning newspaper and its evening newspaper The Lincoln Journal Star is Lincoln, Nebraska's major daily newspaper. Owned by Lee...
, and immediately prior to his appointment at the Tribune had served as director of student publications at Nicholls State University
Nicholls State University
Nicholls State University, founded in 1948, is a public university located in Thibodaux, Louisiana, USA. Nicholls is part of the University of Louisiana System of universities. Originally called Francis T. Nicholls Junior College, the institution split from the Louisiana State University System in...
in Thibodaux, Louisiana
Thibodaux, Louisiana
Thibodaux is a small city in and the parish seat of Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, United States, along the banks of Bayou Lafourche in the northwestern part of the parish. The population was 14,431 at the 2000 census. Thibodaux is a principal city of the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux...
.
The Tribune is published six days a week: Monday through Friday afternoons, and Saturday mornings.
The newspaper serves eight counties in south central Nebraska and two in north central Kansas: Adams County, Nebraska
Adams County, Nebraska
Adams County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of July 1, 2006, the population estimate was 33,185. Its name is in honor of the second President of the United States, John Adams...
, where Hastings is located; Clay
Clay County, Nebraska
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,039 people, 2,756 households, and 1,981 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile . There were 3,066 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile...
, Fillmore
Fillmore County, Nebraska
-Hunting:Fillmore is popular with hunters of pheasant, deer, Canada goose and other popular game animals.-Organizations:Fillmore County is home to a nonprofit organization which promotes education and the development of habitat for butterflies in Nebraska....
, Franklin
Franklin County, Nebraska
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 3,574 people, 1,485 households, and 1,021 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile . There were 1,746 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile...
, Kearney
Kearney County, Nebraska
-History:Kearney County was formed in 1860. It was named after Fort Kearny, which in turn was named after Brigade General Stephen W. Kearny.-Demographics:...
, Nuckolls
Nuckolls County, Nebraska
Nuckolls County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 4,500. Its county seat is Nelson....
, Thayer
Thayer County, Nebraska
-History:Thayer County was formed in 1872. It was named after the General and Governor John Milton Thayer.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,055 people, 2,541 households, and 1,689 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were...
, and Webster
Webster County, Nebraska
-History:Webster County was formed in 1871. It was named after the statesman Daniel Webster.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 4,061 people, 1,708 households, and 1,118 families residing in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile . There were 1,972 housing...
counties in Nebraska; and Jewell
Jewell County, Kansas
Jewell County is a county located in North Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 3,077. Its county seat and most populous city is Mankato.-19th century:...
and Smith
Smith County, Kansas
Smith County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. The county's population was 3,853 for the 2010 census. Its county seat is Smith Center. It is named in memory of Maj. J. Nelson Smith, who was part of the 2nd Colorado Cavalry, killed in action at the Battle of Westport on October 21,...
counties in Kansas. It also covers small portions of Hall
Hall County, Nebraska
-History:Hall County was formed in 1858. It was named after Augustus Hall, an early judge of this territory.- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 53,534 people, 20,356 households, and 14,086 families residing in the county. The population density was 98 people per square mile...
, Hamilton
Hamilton County, Nebraska
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 9,403 people, 3,503 households, and 2,676 families residing in the county. The population density was 17 people per square mile . There were 3,850 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile...
, and Harlan
Harlan County, Nebraska
-History:Prior to 1870, the portion of the Republican valley that now includes Harlan County was a prized hunting ground for the Native Americans; and the threat of attack deterred white settlement in the area...
counties in Nebraska.