Litchfield enquirer., 1846-11-12
THE HARPER'S PUBLISHING
OFFICE

utation, is from the Baptist Re- corder,
leading religious journal. There is no con
Germ Of equal magnitude in the same line
in the Union, and few in Eu.ope. A visi
to the establishment is treat to any one
though We question whether any but prin
tiers can thoroughly enjoy it. The Recor
der's details convey 10 the mind clear &C
count of the operations of The house; ane
the eulogium which he passes on Mr.. Saun
ders, whose business it is TO select works fol
publication, will be assented to by all who
are acquainted with that gentleman.
Of course we allude to that of Messrs
Harper g. Brothers in this city. We Wis
tied il the other day, under the safe conduct
| of a friend connected with the establishment
and surveyed its wonders from ground to
roof. We have been accustomed 10 see its
Issues from week to week, but really We had
| an imperfect idea of its vastneSs till we had
taken this journey through its buildings
Passing from the quiet rooms below where
| the business of the establishment is tranSac-
| ted, and immense piles Of books are stored,
we found ourselves among the presses, OF
which the.e are 10 worked by steam, and 3
Napier presses. With one OF these presses
we were particularly delighted-lhe one on
which the famed Bible was printed. Incur
simplicity we had supposed that work so
nice must certainly be done by the rover of
human muscles, and not BY steam. But, no.
A press of more than ordinary beauty was
before US, working with most Uncomfortable
quietness and regularity, on which young
man was laying the beautiful paper used in
that work. He placed the paper on an in
clined plain, its edge slightly projecting be-
yond the edge of the plane, and here brightly
polished iron fingers received it, and drew il
into the press, from which it came fortE 10
be received bv other iron fingers, and laid
by them carefully ON the pile of printed
sheets.
We never witnessed a more beautiful me-
chanical operation. While passing among
these presses we were Informed that they
threw off 20 reams of paper per day, that is
to say 81, 600 sheets, making 2Ol 600 sheets
per week, and l04 ,483 200 per year, which
is equal to 1000 octave volumes Of over 500
pages each per day, 60OO per week, $4,000
per year. We understand that during the
last year the number of volumes of all ST.
yes thrown off, was not less than 2,5OO,O OO.
800 reams of paper have been used n the
Illuminated Bible. The fixtures in the
Bindery are valued at $4,000. Here So
barrels OF flour are used per year for paste;
of glue, az barrels, $50 packages Of gold
leaf are nsed in the same period for letter
ing. ornamenting, &c. Here likewise are
used annually, 60 Of pasteboard, and $50
pieces of muslin, of 40 square yards each.
And, alas the sheep! l4,4O0 Of these in
nocen, creatures must be slain per annnm 10
Supply skins for this establishment. Mel
ther farmers, butchers, tanners, nor leather
dealers need despair. In immense vaults
beneath the eSta shment, of which we saw
the open doors. 900 pounds Of stereotype
plates. valued al l.2 cents pound. SOO
pounds Of metal are used weekly for casting |;
making Al 600 pounds per annum. In the
composing rooms, there are from 6O,OOO 10
10000 pounds Of type.
The tuild :ngs in which this great bust
ness of manufacturing and selling books
goes on, are owned BY the Messrs. Harper a.
Brothers One Of these buildings is five
stories high, and having five windows in
each story across the front, extends from
Cliff street to Pearl. Two other buildings
join this ON Cliff, and opposite on the same
streets, are two buildings more, In which
the type setting and stereotyping are done.
These likewise are buildings of vast size
| The stock in trade is est. mated al about 81,
100000.
There are employed in this establishment
| 100 persons, little less than one quarter Of
whom are females. About tn rteen hundred
persons are supposed 10 depend on this es
tablishment. The sum paid to persons en-
ployed is about $500, 900. per snnum.
Messrs. Harper u Brothers have paid to
| authors immense sums of money. Stephens
has received from them about $5O,OOO. DIR.
Anthem Too must have received fortune al
their hands.
And who are James, and John, and Wes-
lev, and Fletcher Harper-.he gentlemen
whose genius and industry net only conduct,
but have created this vast establishment
Poor boys they were, who came 10 this city
bringing good principles, energy and tact
and without any other capital achieved a
destiny thus honorable. Every American
owes 20 them q tribute-eyery American
may point 10 them and say, behold an IL
lustra,ion Of our institutions, which open
clear path before every young man, and bid
him under God work out an honorable cesti-
ny-which say to him, be true To God and
man, be industrious, frugal and patient, and
|
pers of coming generations will account il
an higher honor to trace their family lines
to this house. than to princes or kings
May there never be one to dishonor the
name .a.....a
There is one branch of the business Of
this establishment. difficult and response
bic one, which We cannot foTbear TO say has
fallen into hands most worthy to perform 1t
We allude TO the business OF selecting works
both printed and original. This is done in
great part by Mr.. Saunders, who adds tc
q discriminating taste, good scholarship
sound judgement, and long experience in
the business Of publishing. He lis a son o.
Mr.. Saunders, Of London, distinguished
publisher. .... ...
ErRev. Joseph C. Styles of Richmond
= man of great intellectual ability, pastor
Of the United Presbyterian Church, IN. s..
has declined the title of ID. conferred by
the Transylvanian University, considering
it baubls unworthy the dignity of a ser
want Of Christ, and the acceptance of il
countenancing artificial distinctions among
1 4.