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- Creado: 19 Mayo 2024
- Última actualización: 04 Marzo 2026
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Isaac P. KLINE
(Springville, 1852-Chicago, 1914)
Jean-Claude SEGUIN
2
Les origines (1852-1896)
Né à Springville (Michigan), Isaac Kline arrive à Pecatonica à l'âge de huit ans:
He was 63 years old, Mr. Kline was born at Springville, Mich., and moved to Pecatonica when he was 8 years old, where he lived before he came to Rockford.
The Morning Star, jeudi 14 mai 1914, p. 6.
Isaac Kline est toujours recensé en 1870 à Pecatonica où il figure comme employé de commerce ("clerk in store"). Installé peu après à Rockford, il édite le journal local The Rockford Daily Register. Toujours dans le monde de la presse, il devient journaliste au Palladium de la ville voisine, Richmond :
Mr. Isaac Kline for some time local editor of the Register goes to Richmond, Ohio [sic] this week to take a position on the Palladium. He is a promising humorous writer, and "thouches the light guitar" in fine style, so we are I(n) Kline-d to think he will meet with merited success in his new field of labor.
The Rockford Times, Rockford, mercredi 27 octobre 1875, p. 5.
Marié en 1876, il réside désormais à Richmond où lance un hebdomadaire, The Evening Item, dont le premier numéro paraît le 7 avril 1877. Il y utilise l'une de ses inventions en photogravure :
The following from the Chicago Times is concerning a former employe of the Register: Isaac Kline, publisher of a little Saturday advertising sheet at Richmond, called The Item, has invented a system of photo-engraving that promises to equal that in use by The New York Graphic. He has been experimenting with it for five or six years, and now has it in such a state of perfection that he can produce a pic ture of a passing event an hour after it occurs.
Rockford Register Star, Rockford, vendredi 18 avril 1879, p. 1.
Recensé avec sa famille, à Richmond, comme imprimeur ("printer") en 1880, Isaac Kline se lance, en 1881, dans une nouvelle aventure avec le quotidien, The Richmond Item :
Richmond now has three daily papers, the third one being the Evening Item, published by Isaac Kline, it is a lively little sheet, and will succeed.
Hagerstown Exponent, Hagerstown, mercredi 23 mars 1881, p. 3.
Pendant une dizaine d'années Isaac Kline va diriger avec succès The Richmond Item tout en participant à d'autres activités comme celle de secrétaire du Richmond Driving Park Association :
Mr. Isaac Kline, editor of the Rhichmond Daily Item, and Secretary of the Richmond Driving Park Association, attented the races Wednesday. He is a hustler in every walk of life that he enters.
The Rushville Republican, Rushville, jeudi 2 octobre 1890, p. 1.
En 1891, Isaac Kline, officiellement pour des raisons de santé, prend ses distances avec le journal qu'il dirige :
Isaac Kline, former owner of the Item, and who has been doing the local work for the new management since the change, is now taking a vacation-a much needed rest. Mr. Kline has worked steadily on the Item for years, and worked hard, and now that he must either rest or loose his health, he wisely chooses the rest.
The Richmond Item, Richmond, lundi 8 juin 1891, p. 4.
Quelques mois plus tard, il est de nouveau aux affaires :
Mr. Demas Coe, who has been chief reporter on the Item for several months, tendered his resignation a few days ago. He will be succeeded by Isaac Kline. It is thought that Isaac and Sam are to run a circulation-mud-slinging circus this winter for the amusement of the natives. We shall then look for some record breaking. No better team could have entered the list.
The Richmond Sun, Richmond, jeudi 8 octobre 1891, p . 8.
À cette époque, Edwin, le fils d'Isaac, est déjà un photographe remarqué.
Edwin "Edo" Kline, View of Main Street Being Paved in 1892 Show Prominent Business Establishments (Richmond, 1892)
Palladium Item, Richmond, dimanche 11 juillet 1943, p. 3.
Dès la fin de l'année 1892, Isaac Kline renonce à ses activités journalistiques pour se lancer dans le monde du spectacle et des conférences avec ses deux fils Roy et Edwin :
PRAISE AND PROPHESY.
Mr. Isaac Kline, the founder of the Item, and for some time a reporter on that paper, has retired from the newspaper world altogether. He will devote his time entirely to the lecture field and the Sunday school work. Richmond people are familiar with "Ike's" stereopticon shows and illustrated Sunday school lectures. His success has been phenominal in journalism and will no doubt be so in his new field. We should think, as a Sunday school orator, he will certainly draw.-Richmond Sun.
The Richmond Item, Richmond, vendredi 6 janvier 1893, p. 2.
Le succès ne semble pourtant pas au rendez-vous puisque Isaac Kline va tenter de retrouver une place dans la presse régionale :
Ike Kline must get buck into the newspaper business, he thinks, and the is now looking for a favorable place to locate. An item sent out from Elwood says: "Isaac Kline, of Richmond, the founder of the Richmond Item, is here to purchase th defunct Daily Workman and start an independent morning paper." If Ike locates in Elwood he will show the boys a thing or two about how newspapers are run.
The Richmond Item, Richmond, samedi 13 octobre 1894, p. 4.
En 1896, il est très impliqué dans la foire de Richmond :
The second annual fair given under the management of Isaac Kline began to-day and the weather could not have been more favorable for the occasion.
The Richmond Item, Richmond, mardi 8 septembre 1896, p. 8.
Dans la foulée de cet événement, Isaac Kline lance un nouveau journal, The Day Betwixt. Sur ses activités dans le monde du journalisme, voici ce qu'écrit, en 1928, l'un de ses anciens amis:
"With a good business manager to work with him Kline would have attained great success as a publisher, but he preferred always to play alone hand," sais a former newspaper editor recently. "Kline was his own business manager, editor advertising soliitor, reporter and pressman. He had to be a mechanical genius to operate the old Item press. No other man in the world could have made it go. He was a human dynamo, but he knew little of and cared less about the value of the dollar."
Kline's mechanical talent is indicated by the fact he originated the process of making a newspaper engraving grom a photograph. Later his process was perfected by others. His invention brought him no financial reward, however.
and the first typesetting machine used west of the Allegheny mountains was set up in the old Item office. It was regarded more as a mechanical freak than a practical device. The machine was made in Germany. Kline saw it at the Philadelphia centennial exposition and purchased it. Five or six people were required to operate it, and one of the members of the machine's first "crew," Louis A. Knopf, 807 South Eighth street, a retired business man but once an expert printer, still laughs over the difficulty experienced in operating the cumbersome device. The time were hand fed, but the fact remains it was the forerunner of that modern mechanical wonder, the linotype.The Richmond Item, Richmond, dimanche 1er juillet 1928, p. 95.
Le cinématographe (1896-1904)
C'est à la fin de l'année 1896 qu'Isaac Kline fait l'acquisition d'un cinématographe qu'il présente le 26 novembre 1896 (Phillips Opera House) à Richmond :
SOMETHING NEW
Isaac Kline has secured a cinemotograph [sic]-a machine that throws objects in motion on a screen-and will give an exhibition with it at the Phillips opera house Thanksgiving afternoon and evening.
The Evening Item, Richmond, samedi 21 novembre 1896, p. 5.
Dans la presse, le nom de l'appareil varie selon les journaux. Il est également question d'un "Cineomotographe" ou d'un Cinemotograph :
Isaac Kline returned from Cincinnati this morning with a great amount of supplies for the wonderful Cineomotographe.
The Daily Sun, samedi 28 novembre 1896, p. 1.
Après le succès des séances à Richmond, Isaac Kline envisage de se procurer un nouvel appareil afin d'organiser ses projections dans la région :
ISAAC KLINE,
He is Figuring on Getting a Cinemetographe Machine for the Season.
The cinemetographe, the wonderful machine that was exhibited here last week and which is now interesting the people of Indianapolis, is a money maker and no doubt. Isaac Kline who was interested in procuring the attraction for Richmond, went to Cincinnati this morning to see the company which handles the machines and he will try to lease one of them for the season. If he can accomplish his purpose he may start out on a tour, but this has not been fully determined as yet.
The Richmond Item, Richmond, mardi 1er décembre 1896, p. 5.
Finalement, dès le mois de janvier 1897, il se lance dans une tournée dans les états de l'Indiana et de l'Ohio avec ses fils Edwin et Roy :
Isaac Kline and sons, Roy and Ed. went to Elwood this morning, where they open the season with their cinematograph. They will tour the east this season.
The Richmond Item, Richmond, jeudi 26 août 1897, p. 8.
La tournée s'étend également à l'Iowa, le Kansas et New York:
Roy Kline left Sunday night for Kansas. Isaac Kline left today with the Cinematograph. They will be gone until the first of August and during that time they will visit Kansas and Iowa, the New York and Ohio and then back into Indiana. They are booked until the first of May, 1898.
The Richmond Item, Richmond, lundi 14 juin 1897, p. 8.
L'entreprise "Kline's Lumiere Cinematographe Company" se lance dans de multiples tournées au cours des années qui suivent. Elle va parcourir tout d'abord l'état de l'Indiana, puis l'Ohio, le Michigan, le Kansas, le Nebraska... Il s'agit d'une diffusion intense dans de très nombreuses villes. Le programme des séances est essentiellement constitué de vues animées relatives à la guerre hispano-américaine. Les annonces publiées dans la presse sont très répétitives et font très souvent référence aux soldats des états traversés :
The party worked up interest by advertising to show the Jackson troops at Island Lake, etc., but nothing of the sort was seen. Again. a picture was shown of a ship loaded with troops, labeled "Michigan boys going to Cuba." For a matter of fact it was a picture of the transport, Australia, leaving San Francisco for the Philippines, and worst of all the ship was sailing backward. A picture of a stone fort at San Juan, Porto Rico, was labeled "Michigan boys died, here," but they didn't, for the reason the Michigan men were in Cuba, not Porto Rico. There were other "fake" pictures shown, all of them being an insult to the intelligence the audience.
However, the curse wag removed a degree or two by fine pictures of Admiral Dewey, the only "Teddy" Roosevelt, uncle Sam, the Goddess of Liberty, and several of tho the battle ships and cruisers. One of the best views was the bombardment of the forts at San Juan, Porto Rico, by the New York and Terror.
As a whole the entertainment was a grievous di appointment.
Jackson Citizen Patriot, Jackson, samedi 4 mars 1899, p. 6.
Le répertoire fort limité explique probablement que l'entreprise ne reste souvent qu'un seul jour dans ces différentes communes. Il semble par ailleurs que la référence au cinématographe "Lumière" soit de nature publicitaire, car il est probable que l'appareil soit d'origine américaine.
Au cours de la période d'exploitation des vues animées, entre 1896 et 1904, Isaac Kline réside à Richmond dans l'Indiana d'où il rayonne dans les états voisins (recensement 1900). Sinon de façon continue, il fait équipe à plusieurs reprises avec ses fils :
IN AUGUST.
Isaac Kline and son, Roy, are now preparing for an extensive tour with their cinematograph entertainment. They will leave about the first of August and have a long trip planned. They have met with good success each season.
The Richmond Item, Richmond, mardi 3 juillet 1900, p. 1.
Sa dernière tournée semble avoir lieu à l'été et l'automne 1904 comme le révèle un article du Richmond Palladium :
ISAAC KLINE
Isaac Kline is now making the final preparations for the summer and fall season on the road with his cinematographe. He has been keeping it in running order by displaying on the corner of ninth and Main. He will show this year at Chautauquas in the northern part of the state and at other gatherings of a like nature. Mr. Kline has made quiate a reputation with his machine and he has many offers.
Richmond Palladium, Richmond, 7 juillet 1904, p. 4.
Au-delà, il met un terme à ses activités cinématographiques.
Et après (1905-1914)
Grâce à l'une de ses connaissances, D. N. Reid, riche propriétaire de chemin de fer, il rejoint la Rock Island Railroad :
WILL MOVE TO CHICAGO SOON
Isaac Kline, who has been with the passenger department of the Rock Island Railroad company at Chicago for some time past, is arranging to move his family to that city.
The Richmond Item, Richmond, jeudi 2 mars 1905, p. 3.
Il décède en mai 1914. La presse lui consacre quelques lignes :
FORMER ROCKFORD CITY EDITOR IS DEAD IN CHICAGO
Isaac Kline, Brother of Charles Kline, Succumbs to Injuries.
Charles Kline, 107 Lawn place, was notified by telegraph yesterday of the death of his brother, Isaac Kline, in Chicago. The deceased had been in ill health for sometime following an injury resulting from a fall. He underwent three surgical operations in hope of relief, though tubercular conditions developed which prevented his recovery.
He was for years an active newspaper man, being the first city editor of the Rockford Register after it was changed from a weekly to a daily paper. He served in this capacity from 1873 to 1875 and then went to Richmond, Ind., with Mr. Colleton, one of the owners of the Register. Later he founded the Daily Item. After successfully conducting the paper for fifteen years he sold it on account of ill health and engaged in the exhibition of the first cinematographs, giving entertainments for lyceums and chautauquas.
While in Richmond he made the acquaintance of D. N. Reid, who later became a millionaire railroad owner. Mr. Reid offered him a position as immigration commissioner of the Rock Island railroad with offices in Chicago. In this capacity he made a conspicuous success.
He was 63 years old, Mr. Kline was born at Springville, Mich., and moved to Pecatonica when he was 8 years old, where he lived before he came to Rockford. He is survived by his wife and five children. Mr. Kline was active socially while in Rockford was gifted musically and will be remembered by many Rockford friends.
Mr. and Mrs Charles Kline will go to Chicago today to attend the funeral, which will be held tomorrow.
The Morning Star, Rockord, jeudi 14 mai 1914, p. 6.
Sources
"Kline, Real Master of Newspaper Game", The Richmond Palladium and Sun-Telegram, Richmond, jeudi 14 mai 1914, p. 10.
"Former Editor of Item Dies", The Richmond Item, Richmond, mercredi 13 mai 1914, p. 20.
