16T 



6. The Salem Ghrontcle and Essex Advertiser. The 

 short interim succeeding Mr. Hall's second series, was followed, 

 March 30, 1786, by the commencement of a weekly paper, 

 with the foregoing title, by George Roulstone. It continued 

 less than a year, and possessed no special interest. It was 

 printed on Paved st., on a crown sheet, at 9 shillings. 



7. The Salem Gazette. The present Salem Gazette 

 was commenced Oct. 14, 1786, when John Dabney and Thomas 

 C. Gushing issued the first number of " The Salem Mercury," 

 which in 1790, Jan. 5, assumed the name of " The Salem 

 Gazette," and has so continued ever since. Mr. Gushing was a 

 native of Hingham. He had served his apprenticeship with 

 Mr. Hail, and had afterwards, in 1785, been connected with 

 John W. Allen, in the publication of the American Recor- 

 der and Gharlestown Advertiser, in Charlestown. He was 22 

 years of age when he came to Salem, and from his intercourse 

 with so excellent a master as Mr. Hall, had doubtless been 

 strengthened in the liberal principles and correct habits which 

 he brought to his new undertaking. 



The Mercury was printed weekly, on Tuesday, on a demy 

 sheet, four columns to a page, and chiefly on long primer type. 

 The price was 9 shillings a year. The contents of the paper 

 gave evidence of care in the selection, and the original commu- 

 nications were from competent writers. Party lines had not 

 been drawn at that early period, and the political character of 

 the paper was simply that of an ardent advocate of the new 

 federal constitution, the adoption of which, in our own state, and 

 in other states, successively, was recorded in terms of exulta- 

 tion. 



Mr. Dabney withdrew from the paper at the close of the 

 third volume, Oct. 6, 1789, and opened a book-store, leaving 

 Mr. Gushing sole proprietor of the business. He continued 

 thus until Oct. 14, 1794, a period of five years, and then 

 transferred the publication to Wm. Garlton, his partner in the 

 Bible and Heart Book-store.* In making the change Mr, 



* The Bible and Heart book-store was in the lower story of the build- 

 ing occupied by the printing office, the same which is now kept by D. B. 

 Brooks and Brother. There were formerly wooden figures of a bible 

 and a heart suspended over the door, which during the last war were 

 torn down in the night, by some mischievous persons, and thrown into 

 the harbor. It was upon the occasion of a list of privateers, in our 

 harbor, being published in the Gazette by the foreman of the office, 



