▁Flor ian ▁A . ▁Mann ▁to ▁move ▁his ▁printing ▁press ▁from ▁Ohio ▁to ▁Day ton a ▁and ▁start ▁a ▁new ▁publication . ▁Prior ▁to ▁publication ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁issue , ▁ 8 6 ▁subscri bers ▁were ▁signed ▁up , ▁all ▁paid ▁in ▁advance . ▁Ad vert is ers ▁also ▁paid ▁in ▁advance ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁three ▁months . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁issue ▁was ▁scheduled ▁for ▁release ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 8 8 3 ; ▁however , ▁a ▁sch oon er ▁bringing ▁the ▁blank ▁paper ▁to ▁Florida ▁ship w reck ed ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁the ▁Carol inas , ▁with ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁all ▁hands ▁and ▁cargo . ▁This ▁delayed ▁publication ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁issue ▁until ▁Mann ▁decided ▁to ▁buy ▁a ▁b olt ▁of ▁cot ton ▁cloth ▁from ▁Laur ence ▁Thompson ' s ▁dry ▁goods ▁store ▁to ▁use ▁as ▁a ▁substitute . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁issue ▁of ▁the ▁Hal if ax ▁Journal ▁was ▁printed ▁and ▁published ▁on ▁the ▁cot ton ▁cloth , ▁dated ▁February ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 8 8 3 . ▁The ▁premier ▁issue ▁contained ▁local ▁news , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Mann ' s ▁editor ial ▁of ▁pra ise ▁and ▁hope ▁for ▁the ▁Hal if ax ▁area . ▁The ▁Hal if ax ▁Journal ▁continued ▁as ▁a ▁week ly ▁publication ▁until ▁Mann ▁sold ▁the ▁newspaper ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁to ▁J . M . ▁J ol ley . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 8 , ▁J ol ley ▁died ▁and ▁the ▁newspaper ▁was ▁bought ▁by ▁Gal en