The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1868-07-03

.appleto,,'s .Tesc Book Factory.

Just behind the beautiful grounds of the
Naval Hospital is portion of Brooklyn
not yet fully built up. It lies about equi-
distant from the centres of Brooklyn pro-
per and old Williamsburgh, and has not
yet suffered an overflow from either. Put
one leg of pair of compasses (on the map
at the corner of Broadway and Wall, and
the other in this saucer-like dell, swing the
latter to the left, and it will cut New York
south of 22d st. Therefore, the spot is
nearer the financial heart of New York
than Madison Square. And for light and
pure air it is as good as Madison Square.
Upon this site, perhaps the best in all re-
spects that could have been chosen, Apple
ton g. Co. have erected their new Printing
House and Bindery. .--- - ...r-
AS the visitor approaches the buildings
from the direction of the Williamsburgh
Ferry-fve minutes ride by horse-cars-
his first impression is of watch factory.
1t is all windows. Having suffered from
the inevitable deficiency of light In New
York, Appleton g. Co. determined that the
SIM should turn his full eye on their bust
ness in Brooklyn. Besides the advantages
of complete solar illumination for the finest
kind of book work, it is good thing for
the health and morals of artisans, and that
was an important point. Sickly people
may write books, but it takes well ones to
print and bind them.
Kent Avenue wide thoroughfare, up
and down which the cars run between the
two divisions of present Brooklyn, fronts
the pile. 1t is goodly facade-the west
ern one. Its general appearance is castel-
lated. There are great tower-like struc-
lures at each end, connected by less eleva-
ted range; and midway Of the latter a
mighty double gate Of oak and iron, at
which one looks to see warder standing
This front is 200 feet. On Penn Street, to
the south, the building is one story high,
and extends 1913 feet; on Hewes Street,
north it is four stories high, and 252 feet
When the contemplated additions are
made, the Appletons will occupy astrong
ly-fortifed quadrilateral, where they can
hold out for an unlimited period against
the severest siege of the book-buyers. The
entire area then enclosed viii be 55, 100
square feet or one and quarter acres. Of
this the buildings with all the projected
improvements, will not occupy more than
o-thirds--thus leaving in the centre an
ample space for the sunlight to rest and the
winds of heaven to play in. Over mil
lion cubic feet of space are included in the
buildings, as they now stand. So says the
the architect, and people generally will
take his word for it, in preference to meas
uring for themselves.
A great factory, in which many different
processes conduct to one conclusion, is a
piece of logic, which, to be understood,
must be followed out from the beginning.
Therefore, the visitor who would examine
the Appletons' establishment intelligently,
should commence with the Printing House
to the right of the central gateway on Kent
Avenue. Here, first, is the "White Stock"
Room, occupying large part of the base
ment. Thousands of reams are piled up,
awaiting their turn, which will soon come,
to be transformed as by magic, into books.
Beyond this department is long stretch
of vaults, as dark and snug, but not as
damp, as the catacombs of Rome. This is
the depository of all the stereotype plates of
of the house. They are packed into 10000
boxes, which are plainly labelled, and
slowed orderly SO that, at a moments no.
tice, whenever the public demand a new
edition of book, the plates may be whisk-
ed out of their sepulchre, and put upon the
presses upstairs. Iron doors and shutters,
and thick brick arches, make these vaults,
with their precious contents, fire-proof
On the first floor of the Printing House,
directly over the Paper-Stock Room, is a
room for pressing paper. This is done by
five hydraulic presses, of immense power,
whose foundations are set in solid ground
beneath. By this process a compact and
glossy surface is impaired to the paper
To the right of this apartment is the Wet
ting Room, where, by machinery, the paper
is dampened to the exact degree necessary |
for fine presswork. Here again, as often
happens, combination of wheels and le-
vers performs task better than living