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98 OUR ISLAND STORY

took advanced ground in respect to the prohibition of intoxicating liquors. But the labor thus imposed upon him proved too great for his strength. He fell into long-continued ill-health and died on the 10th of November, 1896. Mr. I. P. Hood had, meanwhile, succeeded to the position of business manager of The Guardian; and in the interim, its editorial chair had been successively filled

by Mr. W. D. Tanton, by Mr. M. I. McDonald, and by Mr. H. A. Woodworth. In February of the year 1896, Mr. I. E. B. Mc-

‘Cready, an experienced journalist and excellent writer, took edit-.

orial charge of The Guardian, and maintaining an independent course in politics greatly advanced the prosperity of the. third daily newspaper of Charlottetown. In the meantime, Mr. Hood acquired a controlling interest in The Guardian Company. Taking advantage of a favorable opportunity he sold the plant and good- will of The Guardian to a Company of Conservatives; and Mr. I. R. Burnett became its editor and manager. Trained as a journ- alist in Scotland and experienced as a journalist in the New World,

,Mr. Burnett was enabled to bring to The Guardian improved

business methods and to still further strengthen the position of

the paper. With him was associated in the editorship of the paper, Mr. D. K. Currie; and subsequently to the Great War, Mr. W.

Chester S. McLure, M.L.A., became president of the company,

and Lieut.-Colonel D. A. _MacKinnon, D.S.O., the secretary. A fire having destroyed the Guardian office in the year 1923, The Guardian was for some time issued from the premises of Mr. Bur- nett on Kent Street. . Meantime its enterprising owners purchased The Temperance Hall at the corner of Prince and Grafton streets; had the building thoroughly repaired, and obtained plant and equipment of the most modern kind,——-thus giving the paper a first-class standing and position. '

i In the year'1890, June 12th, The Watchman, latest born of Island newspapers, was ushered into. the world by Mr. Peter Mc-

Court. Mr. McCourt had previously been engaged in newspaper work. In the year 1876‘he established The Advertizer at George-

town. Returning to ‘CharlottetOWn in the year 1882 Mr. McCourt was for some time aimember of the staff of The Patriot, but finding his position uncongenial he resigned, and was for several years the