Detroit Times

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The Detroit Times has had many versions published in city of Detroit.

[edit] Overview

The first version of the Detroit Times was an antislavery sheet type paper only printed from May - November, 1842 by Warren Isham.

The second version was started November of 1854. Published by G.S. Conklin and E.T. Sherlock, with John N. Ingrersoll as editor. The paper was purchased in November of 1854 by Ingersoll and Tenny, and sold again in December, 1855, to an association of journeyman printers, who published the paper until the spring of 1856.

The third version established in April, 1881 was more than likely discontinued before the end of 1881 after being bought out by "The Sunday Herald".

[edit] Fourth Version

The fourth version a daily and Sunday, was printed from December 4, 1883-February 26, 1885 at 47 West Larned Street and was run by a stock company. The paper's managers were Charles Moore, Charles M. Parker, D. J. McDonald and Frank E. Robinson. A fire on the morning of April 11, 1884 completely destroyed the printing plant. With the assistance of the other Detroit printing establishments, the the edition was printed without interruption. Lloyd Breeze purchased the paper November 22, 1884; the paper was suspended soon after on February 26, 1885.

In 1890 James E. Scripps owner of the Detroit News set out to prove a point. He started the fifth version of the Detroit Times and sold it for a penny a copy. After printing it for 18 months and proving he could make a profit selling a newspaper for a penny, Scripps absorbed the Times into the Detroit News.

The sixth and final version (to date) of the Detroit Times was published as an evening paper from 1900 until November 1960. The Times was brought back to life by James Schermerhorn October 1, 1900 as Detroit Today but quickly changed its name to the Evening Times. The paper was purchased, after the property having been placed in the hands of a receiver, by William Randolph Hearst in the later part of 1921. At the time Hearst purchased the paper it was located at 131 Bagley Street; Hearst wasted no time working out plans for a new state of the art printing plant. After the purchase of the paper by Hearst the Times became the fastest growing paper in the city. Hearst dispathched famed editor Arthur Brisbane to Detroit to kick start the Times. With the backing of the Hearst Newspapers the paper rivaled the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press in the great Detroit newspaper war. The Detroit Times hit its highest circulation in 1951 with an average daily high of 438,757 papers sold. The circulation numbers slipped to and average of about 400,000 papers sold daily in 1960. In November 1960 after losing ground to Detroit's other two dailys Hearst sold the Times to The Evening News Association owner of the rival Detroit News. The last edition of the Detroit Times was printed November 6, 1960. The area where the Detroit Times printing plant was located is now called Times Square.