Cool Arizona factoid: the New York Tribune editor who ran an empire from Phoenix

Whitelaw Reid’s Desert Command of the New York Tribune

Whitelaw Reid ran one of America’s most powerful newspapers from a house in Phoenix. In 1895, the New York Tribune editor fled to Arizona seeking relief from his chronic bronchial issues.

He rented the Rosson House from the city’s mayor and turned it into his winter command center.

For two seasons, Reid sent telegraphs and typed letters back east, managing his 60,000-circulation paper while also handling major diplomatic work for President McKinley.

The historic Rosson House at Heritage Square still stands today, where you can see the very dining room where Reid shaped American policy and journalism from his desert retreat.

North African Trip Left Reid Gasping for Relief

Whitelaw Reid spent seven months in North Africa from November 1894 to June 1895 trying to fix his breathing problems.

He traveled through Morocco, Algiers, Egypt, Palestine, Beirut, Marseilles, and Paris with his wife Elisabeth. The warm weather didn’t help his lungs.

His doctors then suggested Arizona’s dry desert air as a last chance. Reid felt hopeless after years of fighting the same lung problems that would later kill him.

The Finest House in Phoenix Became His Winter Office

In late November 1895, Reid arrived in Phoenix with his wife, secretary, and servants. They first thought about staying in Tucson but chose Phoenix for better housing.

Dr. Roland Rosson had just built a fancy new mansion and agreed to rent it out.

The ten-room Rosson House cost $7,525 to build and was the most impressive home in town. Reid brought with him the power of the New York Tribune, a newspaper with 60,000 daily readers.

Running a Major Newspaper from 2,000 Miles Away

Reid kept control of the Tribune through typed letters and telegraph messages from his Arizona desert home. He stayed in charge of what the paper wrote while getting better.

His letters show us what early Phoenix life was like.

The Tribune wasn’t just any newspaper – many thought it was "perhaps the most influential newspaper in the United States" while Reid owned and edited it.

Modern Printing Technology Met Frontier Telegraph Lines

The Tribune owner had bought cutting-edge Hoe rotary presses and linotype machines back in New York. From the Rosson House, Reid wrote to readers, advertisers, and his staff about business and stories.

He managed dozens of workers while sitting in a frontier town 2,000 miles from his office. His letters reveal how hard it was to run a major East Coast newspaper from the Arizona desert.

The First Snowbird Started a Phoenix Tradition

The Reids became the first rich winter visitors to Phoenix, starting what would become the city’s famous snowbird tradition.

Whitelaw wrote articles for papers like the Los Angeles Herald praising Arizona’s health benefits and perfect winter weather.

He left Phoenix in April 1896 before the hot summer hit, showing the pattern winter visitors still follow today. He looked at buying the Churchill House but decided to rent the Rosson House again.

Second Winter Saw More Publishing from the Desert

From December 1896 to mid-March 1897, Reid came back to Phoenix for another health-focused stay. This time he rented an extra house behind the Rosson House for more room and kitchen space.

He kept running the Tribune and handled important diplomatic messages from Arizona. During this second winter, Reid truly believed in Arizona as his health sanctuary and winter workplace.

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Invitation Arrived in Arizona

President McKinley picked Reid as America’s special ambassador to Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebration in June 1897.

While staying in Phoenix, Reid wrote letters and telegrams getting ready for this big diplomatic job.

The presidential appointment came right after his Arizona winter, suggesting his health had improved enough for international travel. His Phoenix letters likely included plans for the royal celebration.

Peace Treaty Work Followed His Desert Recovery

In 1898, McKinley named Reid to the Spanish-American Peace Commission that worked out the Treaty of Paris. During the talks, Reid pushed hard for the United States to keep all of the Philippines.

His Arizona health treatments had made him strong enough to take on this key diplomatic role that helped end the Spanish-American War.

These treaty talks marked the high point of Reid’s diplomatic career after getting better in Phoenix.

His Family Publishing Empire Grew Stronger

After Reid died, Elisabeth took over the Tribune’s controlling interest, with their son Ogden later stepping into leadership. The Arizona winters gave Reid extra years to build up the family newspaper business.

Under Ogden’s direction, the Tribune later joined with the New York Herald to create the New York Herald Tribune.

Reid’s desert health plan worked well enough to extend his career and secure his family’s publishing business.

London Called After His Arizona Recovery

Reid served as Ambassador to Great Britain from 1905 to 1912 under Presidents Roosevelt and Taft. The health benefits he gained in Arizona helped him handle London’s damp climate for seven years.

He lived at Dorchester House where he threw famous Fourth of July parties that thousands attended. His Arizona treatment plan had given him enough stamina to take on his most prestigious diplomatic job.

The Same Breathing Problem Finally Took His Life

Reid died in London on December 15, 1912, from an asthma attack – the very same bronchial condition that first sent him to Phoenix.

King George V personally told President Taft about Reid’s death and arranged for a funeral at Westminster Abbey. The British ship Natal carried his remains back to New York, showing his importance on the world stage.

His Arizona health retreats had added 17 years to his life, letting him complete major diplomatic and publishing work.

Visiting Heritage Square, Arizona

You can explore Whitelaw Reid’s winter publishing empire at Heritage Square’s Rosson House, where the New York Tribune editor ran his influential newspaper from Phoenix during health retreats from 1895-1897.

The house is at 113 North 6th Street with guided tours only, limited to 10 people for 60 minutes. Tours run Wednesday-Saturday 10am-4pm and Sunday 12pm-4pm, starting hourly except noon.

General admission costs $15, kids 6-17 pay $8, under 5 free.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• Arizona’s dumbest criminal mastermind: Wild West Deputy Burt Alvord’s double life
• When America banned polygamy in 1882, these nine Mormon leaders turned Arizona’s worst prison into a gentleman’s club
• The 1908 saguaro census that saved an Arizona icon from extinction