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Glenn Lee Papers, 1906-1992

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Lee, Glenn
Title
Glenn Lee Papers
Dates
1906-1992 (inclusive)
Quantity
117 containers., (54 linear feet of shelf space.)
Collection Number
Cage 614
Summary
Includes Lee's professional papers and records of various legal actions involving his newspaper. Professional papers include correspondence, memoranda, texts of speeches, and various information files on subjects of special interest, such as irrigation, agriculture, highways and economic diversification. Litigation files are primarily records of dispute with the ITU and legal matters involving the Kennewick School District.
Repository
Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC)
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Terrell Library Suite 12
Pullman, WA
99164-5610
Telephone: 509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Biographical Note

Glenn Lee was born near Eau Claire, Wisconsin on September 7, 1910. In 1933, he married Elaine Greenland. This union produced four children. Shortly after his marriage, he graduated from the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor's degree in business. From 1933 to 1944, Lee worked in the hotel industry, first as a room clerk, later as a manager and sales representative. During these years, he lived, at various times, in New York State, Arizona, Missouri, and Ohio. In 1944, Lee enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served in the Pacific. Following his tour of duty, he settled in Seattle and formed an export firm with Robert Philip, who was also a former naval officer.

In 1947, in conjunction with Hugh Scott, an experienced journalist, Philip and Lee formed the Scott Publishing Company and purchased the weekly Pasco Herald as an investment. Within months, the paper went daily and was re-named the Tri-City Herald in an effort to give a common identity to its Richland, Kennewick, and Pasco coverage area. Following Scott's 1949 departure, Lee became the Herald's publisher. The Herald quickly developed a controversial reputation as a crusading newspaper. The paper's combative nature led to much litigation, including a libel suit from Franklin County Prosecutor William J. Gaffney, and, in 1949, a court order restraining the Herald from publishing articles on faulty construction at a housing development. The order was later lifted. A 1951- 1953 investigation of the Kennewick School District led to three libel suits against the Herald. In the midst of the controversy surrounding the investigation, Lee himself was elected to the Kennewick school board in 1953. During this period, Lee was also embroiled in litigation which resulted from his 1949 purchase of Mid-Columbia Publishers, Inc.

In 1950, contract negotiations with the Herald union printers broke down. This led to a strike/lockout. In 1955, Lee and the Herald filed suit against the International Typographical Union (ITU) and the rival Columbia Basin News, which was subsidized by the ITU. Lee's suit alleged that the ITU and the News had violated the Sherman Anti-Trust Act by attempting to drive the Herald out of business. The suit went to trial in 1959 and was decided against the Herald. In 1961, this decision was affirmed on appeal. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a further appeal.

Following the Herald's legal defeat, Lee devoted his energy and influence as a publisher to promoting economic development of the Tri-Cities and the surrounding region in conjunction with such politicians as U.S. Senators Warren G. Magnuson and Henry M. Jackson. Among Lee's major efforts were the drive for the Hanford steam plant, diversification of the Tri-Cities economy, an unsuccessful drive to bring an atom smasher to Hanford, lobbying to prevent closure of Hanford's nuclear reactors, a successful drive to construct Interstates 82 and 182, and strong advocacy of irrigated farming and hydroelectric projects. Lee was one of the founders of the Tri-City Nuclear Council, which was formed, in 1963, to promote economic growth and development in the Tri-Cities. The Herald was sold to the Mc Clatchy newspaper chain in 1979. Lee retired as publisher, but remained active in Tri-Cities affairs during the remainder of his life. Lee died in Pasco on August 8, 1985.

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Content Description

The Glenn Lee Papers consist of Lee's professional papers and records of several legal actions involving the newspaper he published. The professional papers include correspondence, memoranda, and texts of speeches, along various information files on subjects with which Lee was especially concerned, such as economic diversification, irrigation, agriculture, and highways. The litigation files are chiefly records of Lee's dispute with the International Typographers Union and the rival newspaper operated by this organization. Other records are concerned with legal matters involving the Kennewick School District.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The papers are arranged in twenty-seven series. Series One is Correspondence-Incoming (Boxes 1-6). This series includes mostly professional correspondence sent to Glenn Lee between 1947 and 1981. The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by the surname of each correspondent. When there is more than one letter or telegram from a correspondent, that correspondence is arranged in chronological order. Major correspondents include Frederick A. Bartlett, publisher's representative (1951-60); George N. Dale, Chairman-American Newspaper Publishers Association (1949-59); John Gavin, attorney (1951-57); Henry M. Jackson, U.S. Senator (1949-80); Carl A. Jonson (1955-75); Warren G. Magnuson, U.S. Senator (1950-75); Catherine May, U.S. Congresswoman (1962-70); John E. Rohde, advertising representative (1953-62); Lew Selvidge, Executive Secretary-Allied Daily Newspapers (1949-62); and Herbert G. West, Vice President-Inland Empire Waterways Association (1949-66).

Series Two is Correspondence-Outgoing (Boxes 7-13). This series consists of mostly professional correspondence sent by Glenn Lee between 1947 and 1984. The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by the surname of each correspondent to whom the letter or telegram is addressed. When there is more than one letter or telegram addressed to an individual, that correspondence is arranged in chronological order. Major correspondents to whom Lee addressed letters and telegrams include Frederick A. Bartlett, publisher's representative (1950-62); George N. Dale, Chairman-American Newspaper Publishers Association (1949-58); John Gavin, attorney (1951-58), Henry M. Jackson, U.S. Senator (1949-77); Carl A. Jonson, attorney (1955-75); Warren G. Magnuson, U.S. Senator (1962-80); Catherine May, U.S. Congresswoman (1962-70); John E. Rohde, advertising representative (1953-58); Lew Selvidge, Executive Secretary-Allied Daily Newspapers (1948-62); and Herbert G. West, Vice President-Inland Empire Waterways Association (1949-66). Series Three is Memos (Boxes 14-16). This series includes inter-office memoranda of the Tri-City Herald, written between 1947 and 1981. The memoranda is arranged alphabetically by topic. Memoranda on a specific topic are arranged in chronological order.

Series Four is Speeches/Testimony (Boxes 17-19). This series includes speeches and testimony of Glenn Lee from 1954 to 1981. The series is arranged in chronological order. Series Five is Photos (Box 20). This series includes photographs of the Tri-Cities region, various activities of Glenn Lee and the Tri-City Herald staff, and Herald news photos from 1948 to 1981. The series is arranged chronologically. Series Six is Business Documents (Box 21). This series consists of business documents, including deeds, loan material, and other legal agreements. These documents, from 1943 to 1959, are related to the Tri-City Herald and its forerunner, the Pasco Herald. The series is arranged chronologically. Series Seven is Circulation Information (Boxes 22-23). This series includes circulation information and statistics on the Tri-City Herald and other Pacific Northwest Newspapers from 1948 to 1979. This series is arranged chronologically.

Series Eight is Info/Statistics-Tri-Cities/Region (Boxes 24-25). This series includes a wide variety of information, statistics, and promotional material on the Tri-Cities and other parts of the Pacific Northwest from 1944 to 1980. The series is arranged chronologically. Series Nine is Miscellany (Boxes 26-27). This series consists of a great variety of material, covering many different topic areas, which did not fit under any other series topic, but were not large enough to be organized in separate series. The material extends from 1946 to 1992. Among the many topics in this series are materials on the Columbia Construction restraining order and libel suit, the Tri-City Nuclear Industrial Council, Boardman Air Force Base, and a taped interview with Glenn Lee's widow, Elaine. This series is arranged alphabetically. The internal contents of each folder are arranged chronologically. Series Ten is Agricultural Development (Boxes 28-30). This series consists of information on the agricultural development of the Tri- Cities/Columbia Basin Region from 1949 to 1977. Sub-topics include irrigation, water rights, Horse Heaven Hills, Wahluke Slope, and corporate farming. This series is arranged alphabetically. The internal contents of each folder are arranged chronologically.

Series Eleven is Columbia River Development (Boxes 31-33). This series includes material on the development of hydroelectric dams and shipping on the Columbia River and its tributaries from 1955 to 1975. The series is arranged alphabetically. The internal contents of each folder are arranged chronologically. Series Twelve is the Gaffney Case (Box 34). This series includes material on a libel suit initiated against the Tri-City Herald by William J. Gaffney, Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney. The material extends from 1947 to 1953. The series is arranged chronologically. Series Thirteen is Hanford (Boxes 35-41). This series includes material related to the Hanford Nuclear Reservation from 1950 to 1980. Among numerous sub-topics are material on the drive for a 200 BEV accelerator at Hanford, Hanford diversification, Columbia River temperature studies, reactor shutdowns, and Hanford as an electrical power generation site. The series is arranged alphabetically. The contents of each folder are arranged chronologically.

Series Fourteen is Highways (Boxes 42-43). This series includes material related to highway development in the Tri-Cities/Columbia Basin region from 1950 to 1981. Sub-topics include the drive for the completion on Interstates 82 and 182, as well as material on other projects, such as the Vernita Bridge. The series is arranged alphabetically. The internal contents of each folder are arranged chronologically. Series Fifteen is Kennewick School District-General (Boxes 44-47). This series includes material, from 1936 to 1957, related to the Tri-City Herald's investigation of the Kennewick School District and the libel suits that resulted. The series includes school district records, notes from the Herald's investigation, and information on various individuals and organizations involved with the district and the investigation. The series is arranged alphabetically. The internal contents of each folder are arranged chronologically. Series Sixteen is Kennewick School District-Black vs. Scott Publishing Co. (Box 48). This series, from 1944 to 1954, includes documents and other material related to the libel suit on filed against the Tri-City Herald by Erwin S. Black, Superintendent of the Kennewick School District. The series is arranged chronologically. Series Seventeen is Kennewick School District-Lamanna vs. Scott Publishing Co. (Box 49). This series, from 1954 to 1956, includes documents and other material related to a libel suit filed against the Tri-City Herald by Samuel Lamanna, Kennewick School District business manager. The series is arranged chronologically.

Series Eighteen is Kennewick School District-Owens vs. Scott Publishing Co. (Boxes 50-52). This series, from 1952 to 1957, includes documents related to the libel suit filed against the Tri-City Herald by Harvey Owens, Kennewick School District board member. The series is arranged chronologically. Series Nineteen is Mid-Columbia Publishers-General (Box 53). This series, from 1945 to 1956, includes material related to the bankruptcy of Mid-Columbia Publishers and the lawsuits that resulted. The series is arranged chronologically. Series Twenty is Mid-Columbia Publishers-Crutcher vs. Scott Publishing Co. (Box 54). This series, from 1946 to 1955, includes documents and other materials related to the lawsuit brought against Glenn Lee and the Tri-City Herald by Eugene Crutcher, trustee of Mid-Columbia Publishers. The series is arranged chronologically.

Series Twenty-One is Mid-Columbia Publishers-Kennewick Courier-Reporter (Box 55 ). Series Twenty-Two is Mid-Columbia Publishers-Malott vs. Scott Publishing Co. (Box 56). This series, from 1951 to 1955, includes documents and other material related to the lawsuit brought against Glenn Lee and the Tri-City Herald by Thomas Malott, bankruptcy attorney. The series is arranged chronologically. This series, from 1906 to 1949, includes original copies of the weekly Kennewick Courier and the Kennewick Courier-Reporter. The series, which is simultaneously a single box and folder, is arranged chronologically. Series Twenty-Three is Scott Publishing Co. vs. Columbia Basin Publishers, Inc.-Depositions (Boxes 57-63). This series, from 1956 to 1959, consists of depositions taken for the lawsuit brought against the Columbia Basin News and the International Typographical Union by the Tri-City Herald. The series is arranged chronologically.

Series Twenty-Four is Scott Publishing Co. vs. Columbia Basin Publishers, Inc.-Transcripts (Boxes 64-70). This series, from 1958 to 1959, consists of transcripts of pre-trial and trial proceedings of the lawsuit brought against the Columbia Basin News and the International Typographical Union by the Tri-City Herald. The series is arranged chronologically. Series Twenty-Five is Scott Publishing Co. vs. Columbia Basin Publishers, Inc.-Trial Exhibits (Boxes 71-91). This series, from 1946 to 1959, consists of exhibits from the trial that resulted from the lawsuit brought against the Columbia Basin News and the International Typographical Union by the Tri-City Herald. The arrangement of this series follows the original, numerical order of the exhibits, as established during the lawsuit. Series Twenty-Six is Scott Publishing Co. vs. Columbia Basin Publishers, Inc.-Appeal Exhibits (Boxes 92-95). This series, from 1946 to 1959, consists of exhibits from the Tri-City Herald. appeal of the civil judgment in favor of the Columbia Basin News and the International Typographical Union. The arrangement of this series follows the original, numerical order of the exhibits, as established during the appeal. Series Twenty-Seven is Scott Publishing Co. vs. Columbia Basin Publishers, Inc.-General (Boxes 96-117). This series, from 1940 to 1963, consists of material related to the Tri-City Herald. lawsuit against the Columbia Basin News and the International Typographical Union. The series is arranged alphabetically by topics related to the lawsuit. The contents of each folder are arranged chronologically.

Acquisition Information

The Washington State University Libraries received the papers of Glenn Lee from Mr. Lee in January 1984. Subsequently, a taped interview with Lee's widow, Elaine, was added in 1992.

Bibliography

The story of the Tri-Cities Herald is presented in Frances Pugnetti, Tiger by the Tail, 1975.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Finding aid prepared by Paul Schlienz
2012

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