Russell's "Union" adds a hyphenated "Tribune"

The days are long past when Russell had its own newspaper --- The Union-Tribune, edited and published by Leonard and Dolly Dickinson back when I was a kid.

Before "The Union-Tribune," there was just "The Russell Union," --- combined on the 5th of February, 1925, with "The Melrose Tribune" and published as Issue 1, Volume 1, of the Union-Tribune.

Here's a little story from The Chariton Herald-Patriot of Jan. 8, 1925, that explains how this all came about. The players include Dr. Ernest Ralph Wilson (1872-1958) and his son, Harry Auburn Wilson (1900-1962). Harry Wilson edited and published the newspaper until 1948.

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An agreement was reached yesterday and the deal will probably be closed this evening whereby the Russell Union and Melrose Tribune will pass from the ownership of L.E. Robison, the present publisher,  to Dr. R.E. Wilson, of Chariton,  and his son, H.A. Wilson, of Melrose. The Union will continue to be published at Russell and it is not improbable that the Melrose Tribune will be merged with the Union, making one paper of the two. That arrangement is said to be probable but not definitely decided upon as yet.

The management of the paper will in the future be in the hands of H.A. Wilson, who has been connected with the Melrose Tribune for the past nine months. Mr. Wilson came to Iowa from Smith Center, Kansas, last year where he had been employed by the Smith Center Pioneer, and where he learned the art of printing. He located at Melrose and assumed the managing end of the Melrose Tribune, a paper started by Mr. Robison at Melrose last year. Under the new ownership it will be necessary for Mr. Wilson to leave Melrose and establish himself at Russell. Dr. Wilson's connection with the paper will be in the capacity of stockholder and advisor and will in no way interfere with his practice.

Mr. Robison, we understand, contemplates entering Chautauqua work in the summer. He and Mrs.. Robison are accomplished musicians and the field of music holds a strong attraction for them. They will be missed from the Russell business field and social circles, where they have been actively prominent for the past four years.