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The Newsboy


Carriers' Addresses:
New Year's Greetings


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Other Forms


Issues of Newspapers
| Other Languages | Pamphlet Forms | Carriers Addresses on Silk



Issues of Newspapers

Instead of being printed separately, carriers' addresses were often printed in a January issue of a newspaper, usually on the first or last page. Sometimes poems from other newspapers were reprinted in later issues, with acknowledgments.

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Eastern Argus. Vol. 4, no. 175. Portland, Thursday, January 8, 1807.

Portland, Me.: Nathaniel Willis, 1807.
The poem, entitled New Year, is called "an extract from our news carrier's annual address." It praises the peaceful policies of Thomas Jefferson, the "Sage of Monticello."
Harris Broadsides Collection.

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The Farmer's Weekly Museum: Newhampshire and Vermont Journal. Vol. 5, no. 248. Walpole, Newhampshire, Tuesday, January 2, 1798.: Simon Spunkey's Pepper Pot: or, An Ode for the New Year.

Walpole, N.H.: David Carlisle, 1798.
The poem, which takes up the entire last page, claims to be a local production by a pseudonymous author: The Muses. Native poetry. For the Farmer's Weekly Museum.
Harris Broadsides Collection


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Languages Other Than English


Carriers' addresses in foreign languages were printed in the United States by foreign-language newspapers. The Broadsides Collection has several in German from Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky, and others in French from Canada. Canadian carriers' addresses, if not distributed by a French-language newspaper, were sometimes bilingual. In every case, formats and poems were similar to the ones in English.

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Adresse du porteur aux patrons de l'Aurore des Canadas. 1er Janvier 1845.
[Montreal: Cinq-Mars, 1845]
Harris Broadsides Collection
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Quebec Gazette. 1820.
[Quebec: Quebec Gazette, 1820]
Bilingual, with two different poems. The English one, in the first column, discusses the news; the French is a song and names its tune at the top.
Harris Broadsides Collection

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Aux abonnés du Journal de Quebec. 1er Janvier 1849. Pensées du petit gazettier ....
[Quebec: Journal de Quebec, 1849]
Urges Candians to save their race.
Harris Broadsides Collection

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Der Herumträger des Vaterlandsfreund's und Geist's der Zeit, bei dem Antritt des neuen Jahres 1844, an seine Leser.
[Canton, Ohio: Peter Kaufmann, 1844]
Humorous political poem illustrated with caricature; wall-calendar in center column.
Harris Broadsides Collection

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Neu Jahrs-Wunsch des Herumträgers des Lancaster Adlers, an seiner Kunden, bey dem Antritt des Jahrs 1831.
Lancaster, Pa.: [Baab & Billeci], 1831
Harris Broadsides Collection
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Louisville Anzeiger. Der Träger froher Gruss an die Leser!
Louisville, Ky.: [Doern & Scheefer], 1873
Mourns the death of Horace Greeley, "truest friend of the people."
Harris Broadsides Collection


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Pamphlet Forms

During the second half of the nineteenth century carrier's addresses often became much smaller and were printed as pamphlets of four or more pages, or as greeting cards. Sometimes the newspaper's name was given on the cover or on an envelope, not in the poem. This made it easy for a generic poem to be used by several newspapers in different places. Illustrations might be seasonal, as on a Christmas card, or might show the newsboy at work. Today the newspaper deliverer often leaves a Christmas card with his home address, hinting at a request for a tip.

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The Home News. Season's greetings from your carrier.
[New York: Bronx Home News, between 1930 and 1948?]
A post card, without printing on the back. The date is inferred from the man's clothing.
Harris Broadsides Collection

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Newspaper carrier address
[United States, 18--?]
The card contains two poems, "Carrier's greetings" and "New Year," without naming the newspaper or mentioning any town.
Harris Broadsides Collection

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Carrier boy's address to the patrons of the Buffalo Morning Express for New Year's Day, 1862.
Buffalo, N.Y.: [A.M. Clapp & Co.], 1862.
The poem on the two inside pages deplores the Civil War started in 1861. On the last page is a calendar and the newsdistributor's name: A.J. Buckland, Circulator.
Harris Broadsides Collection

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Carrier's greeting 1911.
Salem, Mass.: A.F. Goldsmith & Co., 1911.
The poem inside is addressed: Dear Patron, and signed:Carrier Boy. It mentions all the newspapers apt to be delivered in Salem, including the Boston Globe and Salem Dispatch. The last page lists newsstands in Salem.
Harris Broadsides Collection

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New Year's greeting of the carriers of the Chattanooga News to their friends and patrons, wishing for each a Happy New Year.
Chattanooga, Tenn.: [Chattanooga News], 1900.
The poem by W.C. Hafley celebrates the recent Spanish American War and mentions the Boer War, the Civil War battlefield park at Chickamauga, and the new electric lights and telephone system. The newsboy's speech is misspelled and ungrammatical.
Harris Broadsides Collection.

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Carriers greeting Jan. 1st, Commercial Advertiser.
[United States: Commercial Advertiser], 1882.
The poem deplores the assassinations of the Czar (Alexander II)and the American president (James A. Garfield).The illustration on its cover shows the newsboy's hardships in winter, so a tip need not be specifically requested.
Harris Broadsides Collection.

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Daily Light carriers' address.
[United States: Daily Light], 1893.
The newsboy on the cover seems to be fighting his way through a sleet storm. Inside are two comic poems, "Where he failed" and "The walking of the ghost," and a poetic address "To our patrons." This is the image used on the Carriers' Addresses Home Page, and in the detail above.
Harris Broadsides Collection.

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New Years 1886 address. Compliments of the carriers of Evening Minute.
[Indianapolis: Divine & Hammer], 1886.
The newsboy says in the poem "I should like to be as great a man as Garfield or as Grant" and claims his customer will be proud one day to have given him a quarter.
Harris Broadsides Collection.

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A right happy New Year to ye.
Indianapolis: [John H. Holliday], 1887.
The newspaper the girls are reading is the Indianapolis News; the poem inside is in the form of a proclamation signed by The Carrier, surrounded by the signs of the zodiac. A second calendar is printed on the back cover.
Harris Broadsides Collection

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The Indianapolis Sentinel. Carrier's greeting Jan. 1, 1885.
Indianapolis: [Indianapolis Sentinel], 1885.
Elaborate and colorful illustrations for their carriers' addresses were a feature of Indianapolis papers at this time. The back cover shows a newsboy in the snow, with a calendar for 1885; the poem inside mentions politics, sports and strikes.
Harris Broadsides Collection

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New Year's greeting 1886. Compliments of the Daily Sentinel.
Indianapolis: [Indianapolis Sentinel], 1886.
The poem inside puns on the names of states; the back shows a calendar.
Harris Broadsides Collection

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New Year's greeting by the carriers of the Newport Journal, Newport, R.I., Jan. 1st, 1880.
Newport, R.I.: [Davis & Pitman], 1880.
The exotic oriental scene on the cover could be used by any American newspaper, as could the poem inside, which mentions the seasons, God's "benignant hand," and the "new-born year." The Newport Journal is mentioned only in the title on page [1]
Harris Broadsides Collection

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The Saratogian carrier's New Year address. January 1, 1868.

[Saratoga Springs, N.Y.: B.F. Judson], 1868.
The three-page poem inside is printed in green ink and signed: Richard Mingay, Carrier. It makes fun of women's rights.
Harris Broadsides Collection

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The newsboys' greeting, 1912.
[Utica, N.Y.: W.T. and T.F. Baker], 1912.
This contains two poems, "The newsboys" and "Greeting."
Harris Broadsides Collection

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Carrier boys' address. 1890
Salem, [Mass.]: A.N. Webb, Steam Printer, 1890.
The poem by Fred G. Walker is entitled ³New Years greeting." It mentions Boston, Lynn and Salem, but no Salem newspaper is specifically named. It could have been used by any Salem newsboy.
Harris Broadsides Collection


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Carriers Addresses Printed on Silk


An interesting variety of carriers' address was printed on silk, usually white but sometimes colored. Borders were simple or ornamental following the fashion of the time. The Broadsides collection has several made in Salem, Mass., and others from Canada.

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The carrier boys' address to the patrons and subscribers of the Montreal Herald and Daily Commercial Gazette. January 1, 1836.
Montreal: Herald, 1836.
The printer's devil predicts the failure of a competing paper, attacks several politicians, "The hirelings of the vanquished French," and asks for a dollar.
Harris Broadsides Collection

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To the patrons of the Essex Register, the carrier presents the compliments of the season, and the following address.
Salem, [Mass.: W. Palfray & S.C. Blydon], 1819.
This has been hemmed on three sides, hiding much of the border.
Harris Broadsides Collection

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1856. New-Year's address. The carrier of the Prescott Telegraph, to his patrons.
Prescott, [Ont.: S.B. Merrill], 1856.
The poem, in several meters, praises the Franco-British alliance in the Crimean War. "Forth comes Britannia, in her power & pride, And gallant Gaul is marching at her side."
Harris Broadsides Collection

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New-Year's address. The carrier of the Prescott Telegraph, to his patrons. January 1, 1857.
Prescott, [Ont.: S.B. Merrill], 1857.
In the second column the poem attacks the United States, "Where humbug, in its aspect prim, And slavery, fierce, and dark, and grim, Are Opeculiar institutions.'"
Harris Broadsides Collection






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New-Year's address. The carrier of the Prescott Telegraph, to his patrons. January 1, 1858.
Prescott, [Ont.: S.B. Merrill], 1858.
Much of the poem deals with the recent mutiny in India, where "The treach'rous Hindoos raise the knife, OGainst unprotected human life."
Harris Broadsides Collection

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New Years address of the carriers of the Salem Gazette, to its patrons. 1811.
Salem, [Mass.: T.C. Cushing], 1811.
With many good wishes, the "Printer's Boys" request a tip.
Harris Broadsides Collection

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The carrier of the Salem Register presents its patrons with the compliments of the season, and the following address.
Salem, [Mass.:W. Carlton], 1805.
The poem, dated January 1st, 1805, ridicules both French and English for their politics.
Harris Broadsides Collection

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Carriers' address to the patrons of the Salem Register, January 1, 1845.
Salem, [Mass.: J. Chapman & C.W. Palfray], 1845.
Hemmed on three sides. The poem criticizes the religious group (not named, but usually identified as Millerites) that is announcing the imminent end of the world, but especially condemns the recent defeat of Henry Clay. "See, cast aside her Noblest Son! The Country's Boast and Pride!"
Harris Broadsides Collection


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