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The Press
from Prosser Our Town
No story about the early history of any community is complete without due consideration of the press.
Following closely on the heels of the schools, the churches and the fraternal orders comes the newspaper man.
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Of all the forces which figure in the building of a new community none are more potential than the weekly newspaper.
The people look to the press, and rightly, to keep them informed upon the possibilities and probabilities of their home town community.
At one time, to the writer's own knowledge, Prosser had three newspapers. They were The Prosser Record, with admitted socialistic tendencies; The Republican Bulletin, a Republican press, and The Benton Independent, so-called because of its non-partisan claims.
The first known newspaper in Prosser, The American; was established in 1893, but ceased publication in 1896.
The first owner of The Record, established on December 2.9, 1893, was A. W. Maxwell, who sold out after a year to August & Brownlow. The next owner of The Record was George E. Boomer, who took over about 1900.
On June 26, 1902, The Prosser Falls Bulletin made its bow to the public with H. G. Guild, a newcomer from Salem, Oregon as editor. It is presumed that this paper became The Republican Bulletin about 1903, when E. L. Boardman was publisher.
Other editors passing in review were Allison, Brownlow & Guiles, Halsey R. Watson, and in 1910 this paper was leased and later purchased by W. R. Sproull, a newcomer from Kansas.
The Benton Independent was organized in November, 1909, by H. A. Wells and L. L. Lynn. This venture was not too successful. The Record venture too failed in 1915, and in 1916 the plant was purchased by W. R. Sproull, then publishing The Republican Bulletin.
Soon after that date the Republican Bulletin shop was operated by W. E. Tyler and L. A. Ryno for several months until Mr. Ryno went into service in World War I.
Shortly after his return from service The Republican Bulletin consolidated with the Independent-Record. This consolidation gave the people of Prosser the Record-Bulletin under the publishers' names of Sproull, Tyler and Ryno.
In 1920 Sproull became the sole owner and publisher until 1928, when Robert E. Gay purchased the plant. Mr. Gay was editor of the RecordBulletin for 21 years until his demise on December 9, 1949.
Mrs. Olga Todd Gay, the former associate editor, was then the sole owner and publisher of the paper and with her son, Richard W. Gay, as editor and manager.
The Prosser Record-Bulletin continues to be one of the best weekly newspapers in the state.
The paper has a wide circulation, a fine coverage of valley news, and enjoys an enviable patronage.
SUN TERRACE PROSSER
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