Belleville Intelligencer
Encyclopedia
The Intelligencer is the daily (except on Sundays and certain holidays) newspaper of Belleville, Ontario
, Canada
. The paper is regarded mainly as a local paper, stressing local issues over issues of more national or international scope.
Newspapers that predated the Intelligencer in Belleville were many, and all folded quickly. The first recorded paper was The Anglo-Canadian in 1829 which folded within a year. Other attempts included The Phoenix in 1831, The Hastings Times and Farmers' Journal in 1833, and finally The Standard of Moira which lasted only six weeks in 1834. These previous failed newspaper publications dampened the original public opinion of the Intelligencer, although the outlooks eventually lightened.
The Intelligencer originally consisted of only four small pages and was originally only a weekly publication. Later on it would be sold to a young Sir MacKenzie Bowell
(a future Canadian Prime Minister
), who had come to work for George Benjamin at the Intelligencer. It has also been stated that MacKenzie Bowell's political career started at the Intelligencer, with its then firm political views. After obtaining the Intelligencer MacKenzie Bowell would remain its owner until 1917 the year of his death at the age of 94.
Belleville, Ontario
Belleville is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County, but is politically independent of it. and the centre of the Bay of Quinte Region...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The paper is regarded mainly as a local paper, stressing local issues over issues of more national or international scope.
History
The Belleville Intelligencer was founded in 1834 by George Benjamin, who, after just arriving in the city, is said to have stopped in at a hotel and asked to purchase the local newspaper. He was then informed of the young city's lack of a local newspaper, as several attempted newspaper publications turned out to have been short lived and had failed. This innocent question eventually lead to George Benjamin establishing the Intelligencer in 1834, although it was originally regarded as another attempt that was likely destined for failure in the long run.Newspapers that predated the Intelligencer in Belleville were many, and all folded quickly. The first recorded paper was The Anglo-Canadian in 1829 which folded within a year. Other attempts included The Phoenix in 1831, The Hastings Times and Farmers' Journal in 1833, and finally The Standard of Moira which lasted only six weeks in 1834. These previous failed newspaper publications dampened the original public opinion of the Intelligencer, although the outlooks eventually lightened.
The Intelligencer originally consisted of only four small pages and was originally only a weekly publication. Later on it would be sold to a young Sir MacKenzie Bowell
Mackenzie Bowell
Sir Mackenzie Bowell, PC, KCMG was a Canadian politician who served as the fifth Prime Minister of Canada from December 21, 1894 to April 27, 1896.-Early life:Bowell was born in Rickinghall, Suffolk, England to John Bowell and Elizabeth Marshall...
(a future Canadian Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
), who had come to work for George Benjamin at the Intelligencer. It has also been stated that MacKenzie Bowell's political career started at the Intelligencer, with its then firm political views. After obtaining the Intelligencer MacKenzie Bowell would remain its owner until 1917 the year of his death at the age of 94.