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"With this number we begin the Seventh Volume of The Marietta Times. The writer came here in September 1864, six years ago.
"Friends!, who wish us well, bear one word in perfect seriousness. We want Five Hundred subscribers besides what we have already. Those can be obtained with a little judicious effort, at once. -- Why not make the trial? Say that two hundred and fifty of our subscribers got two hundred additional names, for one year, with the money, -- the thing is done. And this is the best way it can be accomplished. We are overweight now, and it is out of our power to go about the country on a canvassing tour, much as we could wish to do so. The indoor duties of the office absorb ALL our time, mind and bodily strength. Moreover, no man that we ever saw was equal to the task of doing all that is required to keep up a newspaper in the town or the great city. To be a good editor is sufficiently arduous; but to be Editor AND Publisher, is the fair meaning of these words, will tax the sense of any man to the very utmost." Thus began a plea from Walter Hood, first editor and publisher of The Times to get those reading The Times to pay for it.
He was beginning the seventh year of The Times when he wrote that, and it appears he was struggling to pay the bills. Printing a newspaper has never been a cheap or easy task. It was true in 1870, and it is still true today. Printing a newspaper requires a large amount of paper, ink and time to gather news and advertising, print it and distribute it to readers across a large geographic area.
The four-page paper that Hood produced in 1870 contained a large amount of political opinion, as did all newspapers of that era, a little bit of local news, and advertisements that appealed to the needs of the day. Marietta had several newspapers being published at the time, including some that were published in German.
"Mr. Cartwright, our candidate for Congress, was in town last Monday on his way to fill sundry appointments in Monroe County. He said that in the district, as far as he had gone, our prospects were encouraging. The main thing is to secure a full vote on the democratic side. This must be done, not only now but always, when success is rationally hoped for.
"In a little less than three weeks, the October elections will take place. There are nearly or quite four thousand voters, of the democratic faith, in this county. -- If they are at the polls, as they ought to be, on the 11th of October, we shall do well. And matters must be so managed as to secure this result."
Some of the ads provided insight into daily life in Marietta, such as:
-- The partnership heretofore existing between J.J. Smith, C.T. Alcock and M. Gettle in the Boot and Shoe business on Greene Street … Mr. Smith is retiring; the business will continue at the old stand by the remaining members.
-- FOR SALE: Two houses and a lot on Greene Street, between Second and Third, north side. Price $3,000, or exchange for tin and tinned plate. Enquire of L.A. Lammont.
-- Dr. Bean has moved from Washington Street to the residence of James Dutton, on Fifth Street, second door above Putnam, where he hopes to see the kindly faces of his friends very often, whether they need his professional services or not. He makes the treatment of cancer and chronic diseases a specialty.