Ephemera
The Informer (1877)
The Informer (1877)
Title: The Informer
Author: John Ross
Publisher: John Ross, Souris, PE: 1877
Description: This is a single piece of ephemera. It’s an invoice/receipt issued by the PEI publisher John Ross during the brief time he operated in Souris. It appears Ross was attempting to launch a monthly supplement to his newspaper called here The Souris Times, but elsewhere known as The Prince Edward Island Times. The Times is understood to have survived in Souris for one month. That being the case, it seems possible Ross failed to issue a single issue of the supplement, which he planned to call The Informer.
John Ross was a 19th century publisher in PEI. He operated newspapers in Charlottetown, Georgetown, and, briefly, in Souris.
Publication dates: July 20 1859 - July 15 1866; July 4 1877 - Aug. 1877., In 1859, Ross's Weekly began publication primarily as a literary journal, printing fiction, poetry, and anecdotes, as well as a bit of news. During the course of its publication history, the emphasis gradually shifted to include more news, both local and international. Editorials in this paper covered a wide range of topics, including Charlottetown affairs, international affairs, the Land Question and Confederation. Ross's Weekly ceased publication in Charlottetown on July 15, 1866. Its publication was resumed for a month in Souris in 1877, following the demise of John Ross's Souris newspaper, the Prince Edward Island Times. - Heather Boylan
In an effort to cover the whole Island, newspaperman John Ross established the Eastern Advocate in Georgetown in 1870. The paper had short news articles and advertisements, as well as local contributions that appealed to King's County readers. It failed, however, when it made issues about improving mail service and the railroad. Georgetown residents didn't support the railroad, and retaliated for this. The paper ceased during 1872, but with no archived copies on record, an exact date is unavailable. There is also no indication that another Georgetown paper, also announced for publication in 1870 by John Ross, Eastern Enterprise, ever made it to press. In 1876 Ross did resume publication of the Prince Edward Island Times for one month, but this time in Souris, instead of Charlottetown. - Brett Tabor