Pittsburgh Dispatch

The Pittsburgh Dispatch was a leading newspaper in Pittsburgh, operating from 1846 to 1923. After being enlarged by publisher Daniel O'Neill it was reportedly one of the largest and most prosperous newspapers in the United States. From 1880 to 1887 native of nearby Cochran's Mills, Nellie Bly worked for the Dispatch writing investigative articles on female factory workers, and later reported from Mexico as a foreign correspondent. The paper was politically independent and was particularly known for its in-depth court reporting.

Established by Col. J. Heron Foster, the Dispatch made its first appearance on 9 February 1846. It was the first penny paper published in western Pennsylvania, initially comprising only four pages. The paper was almost unique in the industry for being profitable almost from the very beginning despite being started during an economic recession. Foster was a strong opponent to slavery in the United States and, having determined that the local market thought similarly lent an abolitionist tone to the paper. He was also a strong supporter of woman suffrage. His daughter Rachel Foster Avery became a prominent worker in the National American Woman Suffrage Association. He hired a woman to work in the newsroom and invited the protesting men to leave if they did not wish to work alongside her. Initially Foster acted not only as business manager and financier of the paper, but wrote extensively in it as well, even producing the copy on a hand press.

In 1849 Foster brought in a partner, RC Fleeson and the firm changed names to Foster & Fleeson. At the outbreak of the American Civil War Foster joined the Army, but production of the paper continued. The paper had become successful due to its independent approach to the news and in-depth court reporting:

In 1857 the Dispatch was Pittsburgh's leading newspaper with a combined daily and weekly circulation of 14,000, compared with the number two Chronicle's 5,584. Fleeson remained with the paper until his death in 1863.

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