The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-10
OBITUARY.
The Late MIR. George BEuce-sketeh OF
his Life and Funeral.


cortege arrived at the church, where the remains
we're received by large number OF friends. The
body, Enclosed in splendid silver-mounted
rosewood casket, was deposited underneath the
pulpit when the impressive funeral service of
the Episcopal Church was read by the Rev. Mr..
Morgan.
At the conclusion of the ceremonies proces.
sion, which consisted of delegation of the
New York Typographical Society and the friends
of the deceased, wss formed in the church, and
the body taken to the hearse and conveyed to
Greenwood Cemetery. The principal pail
bearers were Mr.. Horace Greeley, Mr.. Thomas
Ewbank Mr.. John NJ. Dodd, Mr.. Peter c. Cor
lelyou, and Mr.. Dalton, of Boston. At a meet.
ing of the Typographical Society. on Saturday
evening last, the President, Mr. G. G. Savage
announced the demise OF Mr.. Bruce, one OF the
honorary members, at the age OF 81, and gave
at the same time the following sketcn of the life
OF this eminent type-founder;-
"On Thursday, July g. an honored member
Of this society passed away from earth at the
advanced age OF fourscore and quarter years.
George Bruce, a man long known among the
printers not only OF this country but of the
world, is dead. Having had a favorable oppor-
tunlty OF kno wing the history OF the deceased,
shall offer II few remarks respecting him. His
life was parallel with the history and develop
ment OF printing in this country, which has
made such immense progress during the last
sixty years. To the advancement OF Typography
he devoted his genius, labor, and means with
untirlng assiduity and received in return not
only liberal reward, but the nobler gratidca-
nifcant, type founding undeveloped, stereo-
tipping unknown, and power presses not con-
ceived, anG retired from life with the press the
m,ghuest power OF the earth. In all this
change he was an active partcipator. and had
his lull share in bringing the art to It's present
perfection.
mir. Bruce was born in Edinburgh, Scotland,
in 1881. He left his native land in his 14th year
arriving in Philadelphia in 1895. Here he
worked as printers apprentice for three or
tour years. The yellow fever appearing, he
came 10 New York, and worked with his brother
David. The state of the trade at the openlCe
OF the present century can be best understood
by few facts
"In 1889, tour type-founders supplied all the
type required for the pruning offices of Great
Britain and the United States, producing abou1
600 lbs of type week, a quantity sufficient TO
print the largest newspapers at that time; as
1000 copies being a large circulation, q font
lasted for several years. The first tvpe foundry
in America was begun in Philadelphia in 1896
about the time MIR. Bruce arrived in that city,
by Archibald Binny and James Ronaldson from
his native city. AC the time there were some
$50 printing and newspaper offices in the coun-
try. They improved vhe English method of
hand casting. which increased their facilities
nearly 80 per cent. In 1906 q small foundry
was started in Baltimore by Samuel Lover ~
Co. In 1911, Elibu White, who had done some
thing at making type in Hartford, came to New
York, and established the hrst foundry in this
city. This foundry has continued to expand
from that time until the present, end is well
known IN the trade.
''But to resume our history Of Mr.. Brace. In
1906 David and George Bruce opened book
printing office in New York. There were less
than three hundred book and newspaper Offices
in the whole Union. They received a fair share
of work, both being practical printers, and able
to set type, make up q iorm beat the balls, or
pun the press. They occasionally printed and
published a work on Their own account, 1t was
not unusual at that and q still later period for
printers to ob,ain work by taking book to the
several booksellers aud getting them 20 order a
certain number OF copies. When the requisite
number were secured, the book was printed,
with each booksellers name on the title page OF
the copies he had ordered.
"In 1912 David Bruce went to England. Lord
Stanhope had recently discovered the art OF
steIeotyping. David purchased the secret and
learned the process. Returning the next year to
New YORK. the brothers made their arrange
ments to introduce the process here. Type mad
heretofore been cast with beyelled shoulder,
al this was so low that 1t inteltered with tn
moulding and weakened the plate To overcome
this they began that wear manufacturing type
for their own use. The first book stereotypei
By them was a New Testament in bourTenis
completed in 1914. They made two sets OF plates
| publishing from one themselves; the other they
| sold to Matthew Carey, OF Philadelphia. Thi-
| was followed the next year by the Bible in non
| pariel. These were the first school editions O
| the Bible and New Testament issued in America
| The following year, 1916, the American Bibl,
| Society was founded, and tEeg stereotyped some
| OF their first issues.
"About 1925 the firm was dissolved. His
brother retiring from the business altogether
| and George reluqulshing the printing and
| stereotyping departments, devoted the energe
| of his subsequent lite to improving, enlargng
| and creating variety and valuable additions to
the supply oil printers wants. AT this time there
are some $4,000 distinct types, ornaments, cuts
| ETC., III his catalogue.
''Soon after Mr.. White opened his foundry, he
! invented machine for casting twenty or thirty
| type at once. But after spending large sums in
| Efforts to perfect It, he was compelled to aban
| don the idea. ooiIdity aud sharpness OF hair
line could not be obtained in that direction
| Mr.. Bruce his nephew, David Lothron, aud Mr.
| johnson, OF Philadelphia, also spent manN
| years ana large amounts in the same effort,
| without satisfactory results. In the meanwhile
| rapid advance had been made in other depart
! ments OF science.
Railroads were spanning the land, the tele
| graph had become an established TACT Ocear
navigation had proved q success, cheap publica
tiOns were called for by the million, newspaper
| editions by the hundred thousand, and power
| presses had been invented tosupply the demand
| The old hand method OF type.casting could moi
satisfy the call for type Just al this emergency
three dstinct patents we're issued for type-cast
| ing machines, and, with subsequent improve
ments, nave effected the long desired object 0
securing rapidity in casting, combined witt
sharpness and soidity of the letters. AT tn
present time about 10000 pounds OF type an
cas- weekly in the United States TO supply Lht
5000 or 1000 newspaper and book offices of th
country. In addition to this home demand, Mr.
| Bruce's foundry has been the source oil suppl
for most OF South America and the West Indi
Islands .r E #f
"He was ever anxious to enhance the interest
| of The trade either mechanical or moral. II
took a warm interest in the welfare OF our So
ciety, and frequently inquired how We wer
| prospecting. He was the first and largest patrol
OF the Printers Library, and offered liberia
subscription towards fund for its permanen
endowment. His own library was rlcn, con