The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-03-27
NEW YORK HERALD SUNDAY, MARcH ~ 1889

more numerous, and at the roo Of all lies tho
evil, that while every one is compelled to labor
but few are allowed to think; and TO this may,
in great measure, be asoribed the failure In the
construction Of these presses for the London Tmes
When al accident occurred, there could be no
exchange of ideas among the w0rkmen, and the
one or two individuals at the head of the con-
Germ had not intelligence sufficient Of themselves
to comprehend the difficulty. Instead of the
concentrated mind of an hundred men on
single point, as would have been the case in an
American workshop, the difficulty was attempt
ed TO be htbomed by few officials. So little is
known between masters and men in English
workshops, it is probable that none of the opera
tives employed in the construction of these
presses knew what they were doing when they
were building them, and as little when
they were supposed to be complete. No
great development of inventive genius
can be expected under such system
in Great Britain, and English capitalists
requiring machines Of American invention would
do well to have them constructed in this country,
where they can be done 80 much better, and at
less cost ultimately. So perfect is the inteleo
tual mechanical organization of our own vast
establishment that in all tho ramI1caions of
business we have no difficulty of finding, from
the editorial rooms down to the nesvsboys' fold.
in cases Of emergency or accident of any descrip-
ton 1t would be we'll for the London Tines to
follow our example, for by so doing the many
annoyances they are now laboriug under would
be avoided in future, and their business pro
gress profitably and safely under any contingen
cies. Break down all distinctions in your press
room dismiss all the ceremony of rank and
precedence, and set the minds of your operatives
free-consult them in emergencies-and, our
word for it, accidents will be Of as rare occur
renee with you as they are with U.S. We well re-
member the visit to this establishment of the
Russian savant, DR.. Hammel and the surprise he
evinced when viewing the intellectual mechani-
Cal operations of the concern. This distn-
guished gentleman was in search of information
which might be made available in Russia, and he
went away with more correct appreciation Of
American systems of labor than any foreigner
chat the insight ipto the workings of intellectual
mechanical labor in this country obtained by
this gentleman while in our Office have had,
strange as it may appear, paramount influence
in abolishing serfdom in Russia.
As illustrative of these truths, we will NEIL
ton one Of many instances in our establishment,
where this intellectual mechanical knowledge
has been signally available. On one occa-
sion the bell metal eccentric strap attached to
the connecting rod that moves the slide valve
in the steam chest Of our engine broke in the
centre, about the middle of our edition, and at
the dead of night, when it would have been i'm
possible to have had the mishap remedied by ex-
ternal resources. The presses were stopped
and what to do was o matter of consultation
among all hands. At length one of the opera
tives said be thought he could mend it il he had
the proper means, which was a certain amount of
silver metal. Tae pockets of all hands were
immediately emptied of their loose change, the
silver was melted, the strap was soldered, the
engine was again in motion in an hours time,
and the edition saved. Had this accident &C.
CURED in European Office what would have
been the RESULT The edition would have been
lost. The next morning, probably, draftman
would have been sent for to make a drawing;
then a model would have been made, then it
would have been handed to the moulder, then
cast, then finished, then put in its place-all &C.
cupying several days of valuable time
There is no restriction on Intellectual de-
velopement in this country. The inventive
mind is set free, and every man is, more or
less, ACCOMPLISHMENTS for himself or sup
plies the wants Of other. There is scarcely
man in the land who is unable to practi-
cally use mechanical appliances Of some sort,
and even our farmers become so expert in
the use of tools that they handle the axe,
the saw, the plane and the chisel with as much
dexterity as would be evinced by an ordinary
European mechanic. No wonder that invention
should progress so rapidly in this country when
we reflect that machine is hardly patented be-
fore another one is designed to supercede it.
Our Patent Office is overrdn with inventions,
which frequently are first patented in Europe,
and then claimed as European, while, in fact, |
they are due to the intellectual mechanical mind |
of this country, and where their practical value
must first be tested.
In connection with this subject we may as we'll |
trace the history of the printing press in this
country for the last quarter of century, as all |
improvements Of moment have taken place with.
In that period, that is, since the advent Of the
cash newspaper system inaugurated by the New
YORK HERALD, whose wonderful success and
increasing circulation had forced upon
inventors the necessity of devising some more
rapid means Of taking Impressions than had pre-
viously been in use
There is no necessity for our mentioning here
oil the presses which have been invented We
will merely remark, for the information of the
curious, that the first cylinder press was invent