The ''Stayton Mail'' was a

weekly newspaper Weekly newspaper is a general-news or Current affairs (news format), current affairs publication that is issued once or twice a week in a wide variety broadsheet, magazine, and electronic publishing, digital formats. Similarly, a biweekly newspap ...

published in Stayton in the U.S. state of

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

. The paper originated in 1896 and ceased in 2022. At the time of closure, it was published by the ''

Statesman Journal The ''Statesman Journal'' is the major daily newspaper published in Salem, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1851 as the ''Oregon Statesman'', it later merged with the ''Capital Journal'' to form the current newspaper, the second-oldest in Orego ...

''; along with the nearby ''

Silverton Appeal Tribune The ''Silverton Appeal Tribune'' was a weekly newspaper published in Silverton in the U.S. state of Oregon. The paper originated in 1880 and ceased in 2022. At the time of closure, it was published by the ''Statesman Journal''; along with the n ...

'', and was owned by

Gannett Gannett Co., Inc. ( ) is an American mass media holding company headquartered in New York City. It is the largest U.S. newspaper publisher as measured by total daily circulation. It owns the national newspaper ''USA Today'', as well as several ...

History

E. F. Bennett started the ''Stayton'' ''Mail'' in 1896 after Horace Mann refused to sell him the ''Stayton'' ''Times.'' At the time, ''The Daily Statesman'' in Salem wrote "Stayton now has two newspapers. E. F. Bennett has just started the Mail there and will cross swords with the Times. There is not sufficient business at Stayton for two papers, so of course it will be a case of the survival of the fittest." In 1901, Bennett sold it to H. E. Browne, who later founded the ''Silverton'' ''Tribune''. Later that year Browne sold the paper to E. D. Alexander. Fred G. Conley became editor in 1908. At that time he made a substantial investment in a Mergenthaler typesetting machine and changed the publication schedule from weekly to semi-weekly starting in January 1909. In 1910, C. D. Babcock resigned from his position as Salem correspondent to ''

The Oregonian ''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the West Coast of the United States, U.S. West Coast, founded as a weekly by Tho ...

'' to purchase the ''Stayton Mail''. A year later Babcock was appointed clerk of corporations by

Oregon Secretary of State The secretary of state of Oregon, an elected constitutional officer within the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon, is first in the line of succession to the List of Governors of Oregon, governor. The duties of the offi ...

Ben W. Olcott and he sold the paper to Russell W. Shields. In 1913, W. C. Parry retired and E. M. Olmstead took over the ''Mail'' printing plant. In 1914, former ''Mail'' owner Alexander started a rival paper called the ''Stayton Standard''. In 1917, ''Standard'' owner C. E. Daugherty bought the ''Mail'' and absorbed it into his paper, but kept the ''Mail'' name. In 1918, Charles S. Clark bought the ''Mail'' from Daugherty and Alexander. In 1921, Clark sold the paper to Mrs. Frances Parry. A year later Alexander bought the paper again. A month prior he had worked as a

postmaster A postmaster is the head of an individual post office, responsible for all postal activities in a specific post office. When a postmaster is responsible for an entire mail distribution organization (usually sponsored by a national government), ...

. After the sale he installed a new

linotype machine The Linotype machine ( ) is a "line casting" machine used in printing which is manufactured and sold by the former Mergenthaler Linotype Company and related It was a hot metal typesetting system that cast lines of metal type for one-time use. Li ...

. Alexander leased the paper in 1930 to A. F. Fletcher and then took it over again after a year.'''' In 1934, Ralph Curtis purchased the paper and sold it two years later to Hal Cuffel. Lawrence E. Spraker, former owner of the ''Condon Globe-Times'' and Star theater proprietor, bought the ''Mail'' in 1939 from Cuffel. In 1964, Spraker sold the ''Mail'' to the Santiam Publishing Company, an enterprise owned by Robert W. Chandler, John E. Buchner and Frank T. Crow Jr. Over time Crow became the sole owner and in 1982 he sold the paper to Bill Woodall. Two years later Woodall purchased the ''

'' from Joe and Joan Davis.' In 1989, Woodall sold his business North Santiam Newspapers, Inc. back to Frank Crow. The sale included the ''Mail'', ''Appeal-Tribune'' and ''North Santiam Advertiser.'' A year later the company filed for

Chapter 11 bankruptcy Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code ( Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, w ...

protection and then was sold in December 1990 to the Statesman Journal Co. for $1.1 million. The new owners published the ''

'' and were owned by

. Three decades later Gannett discontinued the ''Mail'' as of Sept. 14, 2022.

References

External links

Official website

Historic Oregon Newspapers page
{{Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association Newspapers published in Oregon Marion County, Oregon 1896 establishments in Oregon Stayton, Oregon Newspapers established in 1896 Newspapers disestablished in 2022 2022 disestablishments in Oregon Defunct newspapers published in Oregon