![]() It was brought on by an explosion of coal dust in the yards of the Rock Island Lumber Company. On October 16, 1908, the "worst fire in city's history" broke out. The Potter family owned and managed the entire family of Rock Island Argus newspapers, including Rock Island Daily Argus (1886-93), the Rock Island Argus (1893-1920), and its successors until the paper was purchased by the Small Newspaper Group in 1985. The Rock Island Argus only had 500 subscribers when John Potter took it over, but, by all accounts, the newspaper thrived under Minnie Potter's leadership. Potter bought the Rock Island Argus, and when he died in 1898, his wife, Minnie, took over its operation. In 1859, Danforth, who was a Democrat, changed its name to the Rock Island Argus, to distinguish it as separate from the Republican Party. Danforth purchased the paper and began publishing a daily edition, along with the weekly. The Rock Island Argus is one of Illinois' oldest newspapers and has been in continuous publication since 1851, when a weekly paper titled Rock Island Republican was founded by F. Rock Island gets its name from the largest island in the Mississippi River, which was formerly called Rock Island and is now called Arsenal Island. Located on the Mississippi River, Rock Island, Illinois, is one of the Quad Cities, along with Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf and is the seat of Rock Island County (Yes, there are five cities included within the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area). Lee Enterprises, headquartered in Davenport, IA, operates 46 daily newspapers and online news sites in 21 states.Available online: 2 January 1889 - 30 June 1915 (8235 issues) "We expect the acquisition to provide immediate value, accretive to both earnings and free cash flow.” “It is adjacent to two of our Iowa enterprises, in Davenport and Muscatine, so this will expand our audiences and create additional synergy opportunities," he stated. Lee President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Mowbray stated in the news release the Dispatch-Argus "is a perfect strategic fit for Lee.” The company owns the Kankakee (IL) Daily Journal, the Rochester (MN) Post-Bulletin and the Times-Press, Streator, IL. Small, president of Small Newspaper Group, stated in the news release that selling the Dispatch-Argus "was a difficult, but necessary move" as the company focuses on its three other daily newspapers and magazines in Illinois and Minnesota. The Quad Cities is one of the few remaining metropolitan areas in the U.S. Tom Biermann, former publisher of Lee's daily newspaper in Casper, WY, will become general manager of the Dispatch-Argus.īoth newspapers trace their roots back to the mid 1800's. Taylor as publisher of the Dispatch-Argus. The Dispatch-Argus publishes seven days a week and has a circulation of 25,000.Īccording to the news release from Lee Enterprises, "the Dispatch-Argus will maintain its editorial independence," and Deb Anselm, publisher of the Quad City Times, will succeed Gerald J. The Daily Dispatch in Moline was purchased by the Small Newspaper Group, based in Kankakee, IL in 1969, and the Dispatch acquired the Rock Island Argus in 1986. ![]() ![]() The $7.15 million acquisition (including an adjustment for working capital) was announced today (6/19) and is expected to close by the end of the month.ĬLICK HERE for observations on the newspaper sale by John Beydler, who recently retired from the Dispatch-Argus after a career of more than 40 years. More than 150 years of newspaper competition in the Quad Cities will draw to an end later this month with purchase of the Dispatch-Argus and its digital portal by Lee Enterprises, Inc., owner of the Quad City Times.
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