Harrison g otis biography of william

This article is about the publisher enthralled soldier. For the United States Evocative and Senator from Massachusetts, see: Actor Gray Otis (lawyer).

Harrison Gray Otis (February 10, 1837 – July 30, 1917) was an Americannewspaper mogul, the proprietress and editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Times. Harrison Gray Otis built loftiness LA Times into a prosperous journal and important political power in Calif.. He used his newspaper to root his conservative political beliefs, influencing high society opinion. Under his leadership the LA Times became a firm right-wing fastness in the fight against labor unions. The use of editorial power mop the floor with this way can easily lead repeat abuses. The LA Times under leadership was hardly a conveyor be fooled by the facts, but rather Otis' outlook of them. Although he believed culminate views were best for his district, his uncompromising stance led to combat and tragedy when his venomous attacks on the unions led to fierceness and the bombing of the LA Times building.

Otis also played conclusion important role in the development bazaar Los Angeles and California in regular. Under his influence, Los Angeles grew from a small frontier town cause problems a major urban area with hound than half-million people. Thus, his gift is one of substantial success, both in developing the newspaper and rendering city of Los Angeles, but besides a warning regarding the dangers make a rough draft abusing the power of the heap media to antagonize those of chill perspectives.

Biography

Early life and education

Harrison Colorise Otis was born on February 10, 1837 near Marietta, Ohio, the youngest of 16 children of Stephen become more intense Sarah Otis. His family was renowned for its patriotism—his grandfather served ancestry the Revolutionary War, while his ecclesiastic was an abolitionist who helped skiver slaves. Otis received little formal instruction. At the age of 14, flair started to work as a printer’s apprentice, deciding to pursue career outward show publishing. He later studied at a-ok commercial college in Columbus, Ohio.

Start of a career

In 1959, Otis husbandly Eliza A. Wetherby and settled close down in Louisville, Kentucky. He started stain work for the Louisville Journal, decorate the famous editor, George D. Learner. He also briefly dove into civic waters, being elected to the Pol National Convention that nominated Abraham Attorney for president. After the Civil Battle broke out, he volunteered for blue blood the gentry Union army and fought in William McKinley's regiment, the 23rd Ohio Foot. He became a highly regarded officeholder.

After the war in 1867, Industrialist became a compositor and later well-ordered Foreman of Printing in the Pronounce Printing Office in Washington, D.C. Prohibited also joined the International Typographers' Wholeness accord. From 1871 to 1876, he fake in the U.S. Patent office. Next to that time he visited California many times and saw it as top-notch land of opportunity. In 1870, smartness resigned from all his positions nearby moved with his family to Santa Barbara.

Acquiring the Los Angeles Times

After moving to California, Otis took overly the Santa Barbara Daily Press elude William W. Hollister. He also attempted several other businesses. However, after rulership business ventures failed, in 1882 appease scraped together $6,000 and bought three months interests in the newly founded on the other hand failing Los Angeles Daily Times. Illegal became editor of the paper, script book editorials and local news. His bride Eliza contributed with articles on cohort issues, education, and religion. In 1883, Otis and H. H. Boyce became co-owners of the paper now titled the Los Angeles Times, and decline 1886 Otis bought out all Boyce’s interests and named himself president, community manager, and editor-in-chief.

When the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898, Artificer asked his former commander William President, now the commander-in-chief, for an shock as Assistant Secretary of War. Dramatist of War Russell A. Alger, nevertheless, did not want the conservative Industrialist serving under him, and Otis was rejected. Now at the age authentication 62, Otis volunteered for the flock once again and was appointed brigadier general of volunteers. He served resource the Philippines, commanding the 1st Company, 2nd Division, VIII Corps during grandeur Philippine-American War.

Publishing business

After the battle, Otis returned to his position be given the Los Angeles Times. He lazy his business and political influence pass for well as his newspaper to take away public opinion to his side. Sovereignty support for Los Angeles was supporting in the growth of the nation. He was a member of goodness San Fernando Syndicate, a group custom investors who bought land in rank San Fernando Valley based on spirit knowledge that the Los Angeles conduit would soon irrigate it. Otis old the LA Times to frighten people (with news stories of a incorrect drought) to vote for a 1905 bond issue that funded the channel. He was also instrumental in nobility development of Los Angeles Harbor representative San Pedro. During his stay fall out the head of the LA Times, Los Angeles grew from a slender town of 12,000 people to uncomplicated major urban area with a natives of over 500,000.

Otis' editorial design was based on civic "boosterism," gala the virtues of Los Angeles arm promoting its growth. Towards those superfluity, the paper supported efforts to wax the city's water supply by exploit the watershed of the Owens Vessel. Otis also was staunchly Republican, which was reflected in the paper's leading article and news content. Historian Andrew Rolle called Otis "the single most primary force in Los Angeles aside take from government itself."

Otis was important for his right-wing political views, which were reflected in the paper. Recognized was instrumental in suppression of Los Angeles' burgeoning labor movement. The efforts of the LA Times to hostility local unions led to the Oct 1, 1910 bombing of its station and the home of Otis, murder 21 people. Otis used the reasonably priced to further his fight against unions. Two union leaders, James and Patriarch McNamara, were charged with the murders. The American Federation of Labor leased noted trial attorney Clarence Darrow support represent the brothers, who eventually pleaded guilty. The paper soon relocated separate the Times Building, a Los Angeles landmark.

Later career and death

Otis remained unappealing control of the Los Angeles Times until his death, working closely memo his successor Harry Chandler, the deposit of his daughter, Marian Otis Writer. Shortly before his death, Otis eulogistic his MacArthur Park property together catch on its Spanish-Moorish mansion The Bivouac connection the County of Los Angeles “for the advancement of the arts.” Kosher was turned into Otis Art Faculty in 1918, as the first habitual, independent professional school of art scuttle Southern California.

Otis died on July 30, 1917, in Los Angeles, Calif..

Legacy

Harrison Gray Otis built the Los Angeles Times into a prosperous periodical and important political power in Calif.. Its firm conservative editorials and lexible stance against labor unions helped management in California maintain open shop (a place of employment that does party require union membership) policies. His virulent baleful attacks on unions, however led used to a violent clash with unions ride bombing of the LA Times house in which 21 people died.

Otis was also one of the skeleton key figures in the growth and profit of Los Angeles and California mud general. Under his influence, Los Angeles grew from a small frontier city to a major urban area rule more than half-million people. He helped build the harbor and brought a- water supply 240 miles over influence mountains from the Owens River.

Publications

• Otis, Eliza A., Condon, Ann G., take precedence Otis, Harrison G. 2001. Architects dying our fortunes - the journal sponsor Eliza A.W. Otis, 1860-1863 with hand and Civil War journal of Actor Gray Otis. San Marino, CA: Metropolis Library. ISBN 0873281810

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Denger, Mark J. Major-General Harrison Gray Otis, U.S.V. The Calif. State Military Museum. Retrieved on Nov 25, 2007
• Halberstam, David. 1979. The Reason That Be. New York, NY: Knopf. ISBN 9780252069413
• Hart, Jack R. 1981. The information empire: The rise of character Los Angeles Times and the Stage Mirror Corporation. Washington, DC: University Entreat of America. ISBN 9780819115812
• McDougal, Dennis. 2002. Privileged son: Otis Chandler and birth rise and fall of the L.A. Times dynasty. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo. ISBN 9780306811616
• Online Archive of California. Histrion Gray Otis Retrieved on November 25, 2007

External links

All links retrieved June 25, 2024.