 Clarke became sole owner in 1873 and ran the newspaper with William E. Barrett as editor until 1880, when S. B. Pettingill became the editor.Pettingill also obtained control of another paper, "The St. Albans Advertiser", and consolidated their publication as "The Messenger and Advertiser".Subsequent publishers and editors included D. W. Dixon, Warren Gibbs, and George T. Childs.