Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Baltimore, Vol. 2: Its History and Its People
Arunah S. Abell was educated in his native town, and when fourteen years of age entered the business world as clerk in a firm dealing in West India commodities. His inclinations, however, turned strongly in literary directions. He resigned his clerkship in 1822, and became an apprentice in the office of the Providence Patriot, a Democratic journal, published by Jones Wheeler, printers to the State and Federal government. When he attained his majority, he obtained employment in Boston, and was soon pro moted to the position of foreman of one of the best offices in that city. He was offered a government position in the Boston post-office under Demo cratic administration, but, having chosen his career as a journalist, refused to consider any other vocation. A little later he removed to New York, bearing ?attering letters of introduction to the foremost newspaper men of the metropolis. His residence in New York quickly resulted in his entering into partnership with two gentlemen, Azariah H. Simmons and William M. Swain, also printers like himself, to establish a daily penny paper. At this time New York already boasted several penny papers, while Philadelphia did not, and it was decided to establish the new enterprise in the latter city. Articles of association were drawn up February 29, 1836. The name first chosen for the new paper was The Times, but an ill fate had overtaken a preceding Philadelphia journal of that name, and the firm of Swain, Abell Simmons abandoned the name first chosen for that of The Public Ledger, under which title the paper entered upon a long and prosperous career, which continues to the present time. The partners contributed an equal amount of money and their united energies to the undertaking, and cast superstition to the wind when the first number of The Public Ledger appeared, Friday, March 25, 1836.
Having seen the success of The Ledger fully established, Mr. Abell, in April, 1837, visited Baltimore, where all the newspapers published were known as sixpennies. The year was not a financially encouraging one, and there were five newspaper competitors already established in the Baltimore field, yet Mr. Abell's business foresight incited him to make the venture of establishing a penny paper in Baltimore, and his partners agreed to support him if he would personally undertake the control of the enterprise. This he agreed to do, and upon May 17, 1837, the first number of The Sun was issued, and the broad and wise policy outlined that has been the paper's inspiration through succeeding years.
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