Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-04-23


Some idea of the magnitude of the operations
of the great book publishing house of Messrs.
HARPER, Of New York, may be formed from the
details which are stated in the annexed extracts.
copied from letter in the Boston Courier:
The establishment of the Harpers gives Elm.
pIoyment to 400 persons, including 90 Girls: supa
ports directly or indirectly Independent of aiA
thors) about 1000 persons, and occupies an ima
mense area, equal to 7 or large fve-story houses.
one building, five windows wide, and five
stories high, extends from Cliff to Pearl streets,
the depth OF four ordinary houses) two other
buildings join this on Cliff street, and there are
still two more on the opposite side Of the street.
There are 10 double medium presses worked by
steam, and 3 Napier presses. From 60 to 70
ieams OF paper are consumed per diem. The celeA
brated Bible absorbed 5000 reams.
The fixtures. machinery, and tools in tile bind.
cry are valued at $4,000. SO barrels of -four
are used per annum, for paste, and 42 Of glue.
is tons of shavings are sold per annum to the pa.
per maker, which he uses in re-manufacture 100
packages gold leaf; 1900 doz. of sheep skins,
$50 pieces Of muslin, of 40 yards square each
and 10 tons of pasteboard are used annually.
From 5000 to 1000 volumes, 300 pages I2mo.
are printed daily. Nearly two and a half mil.
lions were thrown off during the last year. 500
pounds OF metal are used weekly for casting.
giving $1,000 pounds per annum. 100000 lbs.
OF stereotype, worth II cents per h., the product
oil ten years, are slowed away in vaults, which
extend. ot coutse, under ground from Pearl street
to Cliff street. The whole quantity of stereotyps
deposited In these mental catacombs must BIZ pro.
digious. There are from 90 to 10000 pounds of
type In the composing rooms. About 5000, 900
are paid TO clerks and hands per annum. A very
onerous duty of the establishment consists in Sc.
iectlng works, both printed and MSS, for publ.
cation. his department is in part filled by Mr..
Saunders "a son of one of the largest and most
Intelligent London publishers.) Mr.. Saunders
unites to natural abilities of high order, great
experience and erudition
The whole buildings owned by the Hafpers.
and the stock in trade is certainly " orth about
$l,5OO,0O0. Some authors may well bless the
house-it has paid to Stephens about $50, 900, TO
prescott half that sum, and to other writer's; ma.
tive and foreign, (among the latter may mention
buiwer( magnificent amounts. A large number
OF the Harpers' employees have been in their ser.
vice twenty years-that, since the commencement
AN undeniable proof this, Of the Brothers,
promPttude in business and kindIiness of heart.
Such is brief, bnt a correct account of this
tremendous establishment, whose iron hands are
daily hurting thousands of truths over our land.
What mighty responsibility rests on these pub
fishers But they hate planted confidence, with
their own strong arms, in the bosoms of ALL.
May they 60 on prospecting and to prosper in one
OF the noblest works to which human intelli.
gence can direct its energies the promugation
OF science, literature, and religion.