The Intelligencer

First published June 1, 1849, The Daily Intelligencer was Atlanta’s first successful daily newspaper. During the Civil War, it had trouble finding paper after Union troops burned large paper mills at Sope Creek, in what is now known as East Cobb County, northwest of Atlanta. The ruins are quite impressive. The Intelligencer was purchased by Jared Whitaker, who briefly moved it to Macon before returning to Atlanta. It survived the Civil War. According to the late Franklin Garrett, Atlanta’s famed historian, the editor of the paper was John Steele, from 1860 until his death in January 1871. Evan Howell, who in some accounts is described as “Capt. Evan Howell,” was its city editor starting in 1868. This apparently was long before the phenomenon of multiple layers of editors, sub-editors, woofers and tweeters. The Atlanta History Center has some detailed information on the Intelligencer, which will be posted here as I have the chance to find it. The photo here was supposedly taken just a few days before the city was torched by that swine Sherman. Note the Union soldiers on the tops of train cars in the background, and the tents near what is now, I believe, the area of the state Capitol. More later…