Beadle's Weekly/Banner Weekly
THE SECOND SERIES of Beadle's weekly story paper began on November 18, 1882,
one week after the ending of the first series. There was no interruption, and
the second series was simply a direct continuation of the first. The name of
the journal was changed; first to Beadle's Weekly (from No. 1 to No.
156, Fig. 161) and later to The Banner Weekly
(No. 157 to No. 758, Fig. 162). The volume number
also was changed, and the paper started anew with Vol. I, No. I. In general
appearance, there was little alteration from the Saturday Journal except
in the name. The size, the number of columns to the page, the style of type,
the number and character of the illustrations, and the various departments remained
the same. There was, however, one change which was actually slight although
it appeared of importance. Stories by women writers were camouflaged by writing
their names with initials only; thus Mrs. Jennie Davis Burton of the old series
became J. D. Burton, Charlotte Cushman became C. Cushman, etc. This change was
probably made to give the paper a more masculine tone, and to indicate that
it was for "he men" and not for the stronger sex. At the same time, stories
by women writers were greatly reduced in number. The type of story, in many
cases, was somewhat different; love stories became less frequent, and there
were a few stories of the Alger type — of workmen advancing from carpenter
to capitalist, etc. The greatest change, perhaps, was a change of policy whereby
the reprinting of stories previously published in the Saturday Journal
was permitted. But not only were the serials reprinted, but short stories as
well, and in some cases even the "Answers to Correspondents."
With the introduction of wood pulp, the quality of the paper deteriorated.
This paper was used even in some numbers of the Saturday Journal, but
not often. It began to some extent in Volume I of Beadle's Weekly, but
became much more marked in Volume IV, and especially in Volume XI and thereafter,
when the paper, even originally, was of poor quality and of a grayish tone.
Another difference between the Saturday Journal and Beadle's Weekly
was the use of zinc etchings in the first numbers of the latter in the place
of woodcuts. Apparently the artist was not used to having his drawings reproduced
directly but had depended largely upon the engraver to make a good cut from
a rough drawing. Later the cuts improved, and in many cases the wood blocks
of the Saturday Journal were re-used, often for different stories than
those for which they were originally made.
The Banner Weekly continued uninterruptedly with weekly issues until
May 22, 1897, when No. 758 appeared; then, after the death of William Adams,
the last surviving partner of the firm, it was suspended by his executors.
The number given before each story in the following list is the number of
the "Weekly" in which the first installment of the serial appeared. Short stories
and informative articles are not listed here.
Fig. 161 Beadle's Weekly,
A continuation of the Saturday Journal,
from November 18, 1882, to November 7, 1885.
REDUCED.
Fig. 162 The Banner Weekly
A continuation of Beadle's Weekly from No. 157,
November 14, 1885, to Nos. 758, May 22, 1897
REDUCED
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