One of the most profitable front pages John Saxton printed early in his newspaper’s existence didn’t have any news on it at all.
In 1850, about 35 years after Saxton founded The Ohio Repository, the front page frequently carried advertisements, but never as many as the June 19 edition. All four columns of the publication were ads — more than 50 of them counting the newspaper’s own ads.
One ad asked for the return of horse stolen from its Nimishillen Township stable. Another lengthy advertisement promoted, in poetic terms, the health benefits of Radway’s Ready Relief, a patent medicine. A woolen mill, shoe warehouse, cabinet shop, dry goods store, hardware store, and a paint shop all were promoted.