Apalachicola Area Historical Society

THE APALACHICOLA TIMES
Saturday, April 24, 1915

34TH ANNIVERSARY

On Wednesday, the 28th inst., the present publisher of this newspaper got out the first copy of the Apalachicola Tribune. that was 34 years ago. In 1885 The Tribune was merged with the Herald under the name of The Times, an in May 1886, the present publisher returned to Apalachicola after a year’s absence, and assumed ownership of The Times; and he has been on the job since that date, never missing an issue of the paper. The Tribune at first was four pages, two of which were printed on an Army press. The sole compositor was the writer. Bob Pickett was the printer’s devil, and with his other duties Bob delivered the Tribune to the subscribers in town, and his lusty cries extolling the good points of the Tribune were heard every Saturday morning at the crack of day. Bob was not only an enthusiastic printer’s devil who believed implicitly in the shop and the destinies of the Tribune, but he was as bright and sparkling as a 40 carat diamond, and as mischievous as a monkey. When Bob wasn’t playing some prank on Mr. Robert Baker whose office was on the first floor of the building occupied by The Tribune, he was learning to set type. To the discomfort of Mr. Baker, Bob found that a certain knot hole in the office floor was above Mr. Baker’s desk. Mr. Baker couldn’t locate at first where those drops of water came from, but one day when a larger quantity than usual came upon his head, he suspected that Bob was the author of his troubles, and he proceeded to investigate. After he had shut down his windows, barred the back door and securely locked the front, he mounted the rear stairway that led to the Tribune office. There was no one in the office. The sole occupant – Bob had crept softly out of a front window to the wooden awning, secure from observation. Read more....

THE APALACHICOLA TIMES
Saturday, March 23, 1912

31 Years ago in Apalachicola


The 28th of next month – 31 years ago – the editor of this newspaper issued his first newspaper in Apalachicola. During this period the editor has seen many changes in Apalachicola, and many of these are passing in review as he writes this article.

Thirty-one years ago there were fewer than 1,000 residents in Apalachicola, this population being supported by one saw mill – that of Coombs & Emlen – and a very limited sponge, fish and oyster trade, the latter dependent for existence on a bad and uncertain schedule of two steamers per week – sometimes one and often none – to transport the oysters, fish and sponge catch to the markets above us. Read more....

R. L. Polk & Co.’s Florida State Gazetteer and Business Directory. Jacksonville, Florida: R. L. Polk & Co., 1918
page 62

APALACHICOLA

Population 4000. The judicial seat of Franklin county, is located on Apalachicola Bay at the mouth of Apalachicola river and on the Apalachicola Northern Railroad, 79 miles southwest of Tallahassee. It is lighted by electricity, has 2 banks, waterworks and sewers, churches of the leading religious denominations, excellent schools, a weekly newspaper, The Times. Has steamers from Carrabelle, daily; from Pensacola, Mobile and New Orleans, weekly, and from points on the Chattahoochee, Flint and Apalachicola rivers, tri-weekly. Is a port of entry fro ships with large quantities of lumber, oysters, fish and shrimp. Apalachicola now has four shrimp factories for canning and is the largest exporter of shrimp in Florida. A new saw mill and box factory has recently been established and other saw mills that have been closed down will start up immediately. Franklin county has just secured the services of a government farm agent for the purpose of teaching farmers how to farm, and considerable development is expected along these lines. This county is one of the largest producers of stock in the state, and the free ranges offer splendid inducements along these lines. The raising of hogs has been energetically started and will develop considerably. Saw palmetto berries and acorns grow in abundance. Tel., W. U. Telephone connection. Exp., Sou. Crawford I. Henry, postmaster. Read more....