Notes from the Ypsi Newspaper Wars

In the time-honored rivalry of Ypsilanti newspapers, the Feb. 15, 1889 Commercial takes a swipe at the Ypsilantian for being slow to the news:


"Enterprise? After T. C. Owen had been manufacturing Toilet Soap from his Mineral Water for over a year, and the Commercial job department had printed over a hundred thousand wrappers for him, the Ypsilantian suddenly, and without giving its readers the least warning, one day announced that Mr. Owen had begun to manufacture soap.

"The September ’88 number of the Normal News, and each of the six succeeding issues, announced in the advertising columns that Mr. Owen had chanced the name of his Mineral water and products to “Atlantis,” instead of “Ypsilanti.” Yesterday, our contemporary tried to palm that fact off on an unsuspecting public as fresh news.

"It is expected that late next fall, or at least early in the winter, the Ypsilantian will state that Mr. Owen has been dealing in ice for the past summer.

"Such enterprise on the part of our brother news-gatherer, is remarkable!"