by Laurel | January 2nd, 2014
02 January 1927
The passing of the Holyoke Evening Telegram recalls to older newspaper workers the memories of the founders and to see who have been connected with it since it was fist started in 1898 in distinct violation of the pledge of the late P. J. Kennedy not to start a rival paper. Ostensibly this was done by someone else, but it was Kennedy’s paper at first at least. Kennedy ran the old Holyoke Democrat and sold out to William D. Flagg and Edward B. Sellew, who started the Holyoke Evening Globe on Dwight Street between High and Front Streets. Kennedy was an erratic but very bright genius w had a considerable following and whose caustic wit never failed him. The Telegram, however, fell into evil days and for a time, despite the herculean efforts of Jens J. Madsebn, who was its business manager, nearly perished. Later it was revived and still later it was bought by George F. Jenks and Madsen. They sold out some years later for something like $17,000 apiece, if memory serves right to James J. O’Donnell, who had just then had his scalp as superintendent of schools deftly removed, and wanted an organ to express his feelings. There have been many changes, but the past few years the Telegram has put out the best appearing and most newsy sheet in its existence, having been acquired by the Dillons from James J. O’Donnell. In some ways it is a pity that it is to lose its identity in the Transcript as it is not an unmixed evil to have two rival newspapers in a city. But newspaper costs have reached such a point that combinations seem to be the order of the day.
From The Springfield Republican.
