Kirkpatrick was born in Walsenburg three months after the Independent was started in 1909. He joined his father's mercantile business after graduating from the University of Colorado, but gave it up to go into the newspaper business.
The World-Independent had an Associated Press wire, and began a newsreel of local people and events that was shown on the local movie screen. The "W-I" initials were used in 1930 by the carrier boys in collecting. The papers warned about paying anyone without the W-I logo.
Unfug--by then better known as Otto--bought an interest in the paper in December 1935. Thought he would be listed as editor of the W-I, Unfug would continue to live in Sterling and act as editor/manager of the Sterling Farm Journal. Unfug installed Chester E. Clark, former editor of the Brush News, as his assistant editor in Walsenburg. Sitting editor Kirkpatrick resigned.
Directors of the new company were Unfug, Clark, Tim Hudson, Mrs. Norman Kastner, Paul Krier, and Sam T. Taylor, an attorney on his way to becoming a longtime and very influential state senator. One of Taylor's favorite legislative projects was a semi-serious proposal that Huerfano County secede from Colorado. He--and he was not alone--felt the state indeed treated Huerfano as an orphan. Taylor was also W-I sports editor.
