[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 28, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E235-E236]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




THE LONG ISLAND ADVANCE'S 125TH ANNIVERSARY--PURCHASED FOR $500 IN 1871

                                 ______


                         HON. MICHAEL P. FORBES

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 28, 1996

  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute and to 
congratulate the Long Island Advance for 125 years of dedicated service 
to the people of Suffolk County.
  ``The Policy of Honesty--The Might of Right and The Expediency of 
Principle,'' were words that appeared in large type across the top of 
the first page of the Advance when it was first published in September 
1871.
  Now, reaching the century and a quarter mark with its 125th 
anniversary edition scheduled for the first issue in September 1996, 
many changes have taken place in printing, personnel, and location, but 
the spirit expressed then continues today.
  The Advance was the third newspaper to be established in Patchogue, 
Long Island, NY. The pioneer weekly was the Suffolk Herald founded by a 
Mr. Van Zandt and discontinued in 1865. In 1870, the Long Island Star 
was brought to Patchogue by John S. Evans from Port Jefferson. After a 
few issues it collapsed.
  Timothy J. Dyson, a former newspaper correspondent and printer from 
Brooklyn, purchased $500 worth of equipment that Auston Roe, a member 
of one of Patchogue's oldest families, had bought from what was left of 
the short-lived Star. Mr. Dyson, with this equipment from the remnants 
of the old Star, founded and renamed the paper the Advance. He set 
about keeping pace with the village of Patchogue, the town of 
Brookhaven, the County of Suffolk, and even Long Island as a whole, 
with bits and pieces of the entire world thrown in.
  Communications then, not being what they are today, often left much 
to be desired. Editors were hard-pressed to get news, and sermons often 
took up a great deal of space on the front pages, because in effect, 
villages in those days revolved around the church.
  Although the Advance suffered many ups and downs, and rapid changes 
of proprietorship in its earliest days, its course was firmly charted 
and for the past 103 years, under the ownership of one family, it has 
weathered many storms to sail a true course, constantly gaining in 
circulation. After 125 years of serving the community at large, it is 
one of Long Island's better known weekly newspapers.
  Thomas S. Heatley purchased the Advance in 1876 but sold it in 1885 
to Rev. S. Fielder 

[[Page E236]]
Palmer, a former pastor of the Patchogue Congregational Church, and H. 
Judson Overton. It was renamed the Patchogue Advance. Reverend Palmer 
stayed for only a few issues and sold out to Mr. Overton, who became 
its sole proprietor and editor.
  On May 18, 1888, he sold out to Martin Van Deusen, who continued its 
policies and increased its circulation to the four-figure mark. He 
operated the paper until June 25, 1892, when James A. Canfield, of 
Hudson, MI, took over the helm. Since then it has remained in his 
family for 103 years. Under his proprietorship, the newspaper grew and 
prospered, playing a larger part in community affairs, and sometimes 
even leading many issues of the town.
  In 1924, John T. Tuthill, Jr., Mr. Canfield's son-in-law, became 
publisher upon the death of Mr. Canfield. He was publisher for 48 
years, except for a stint in the Navy during World War II where he rose 
to the rank of captain. In the post-war years, the Advance was one of 
three of the largest and most influential weekly newspapers in Suffolk 
County. The other two being the News-Review of Riverhead, published by 
Frank C. Forbes, my own uncle, and the Long Islander of Huntington. In 
1972, Captain Tuthill's son, John T. Tuthill III, became publisher upon 
Captain Tuthill's death. Today, he remains the Advance's publisher.
  Congratulations to the Long Island Advance. May it continue to serve 
the community for hundreds of years to come.

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