Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-12-21
Special CORES spondence of the Boston Post
The Harpers.

GREAT PUBLISHING uoCsE-rHE DE-
TAILS AND EXTENT OF LITERARY
BUSINESS, ETC.
New YORK, Nov. 20.-One who en-
tcrs this maclstrom of commerce called
New York, bv any OF the ferries immc-
diatrly 10 the right of the Battery, will
scarcely fail to perceive, as he threads
his way through the busy. crowded and
somewhat musty quarter living between
them and the City Hall, high. impos-
ing, white troutel iron building. rear
ing itself above those which surround it,
upon whose side appears, in enormous
letters, Harper & Brothers The read
Ing man. when he espies that sign, will
iall into meditations OF many a pleasant
evening beguled, manv weary hour
by rail or steamer cut short, and many
requirements of interesting facts aud
current lore By the productions Of this
c-tabli, ,hmcut. lie will think Of the IL
tie red bound Abbott Histories. which
he peru,ed in his youth, and the sue
ceeding volumes of which he NAV still
peru,e in his manhood; Of the 'Rollo'
book, and Jonas books and Peter Par
lev books ;ot histories BY many practis-
cd hands, novel. by Walter Scott, Will
kic Collins, Charles Reade, Miss Mulock
and nunbcrlcss others, whose task it
ha, been to make the aggregate lite the
more CHEEKY, of the familiar magazine,
with il, whitc-yeIlow cover and it, bur
j. ucru5 a-tride the globe bubble-Jlow-
ing, and it, teeming contents OF travel.
adventure, gossip, science, fiction, and
ll-t and hest its la4r niI EEaa,- fTIu,i,.-
and 'Drawer;' of the Weekly, with it,
political knighterrantry and its pictor-
al -atlreS and of the Bazaar, the familiar
/ otthe boudoir and the kindly mentor OF
fashion, Like most of our great houses,
the Earper- have grown with a graduAl
growth, vet in an, country but America
That growth would seem magical. Tile
urr-everimg brothers who founded it
were all living up TO within few wears
now but one, | believe, remains, Fetch
cr Harper. But as the son. and grand
sons have grown up, thev have one bY
one cntefed the firm, aud have thus add
ci new blood and energy which has been
continually manifested in Il steady adj
vance and an active sympathy with the
demands ot each succeeding generation
The house was founded about fifty four
/ Years ago by the brothers Jane, aud
/ John Harper. who began win, - modest
/ book and job printing uficc, which they
/ lr.,tcd nn D,V.r .tr... .rL.;,. a.,
4 venture In book priutlI. wa, .>.ne,..,.
\ Morals. which tie, performed t.,r
4 Duyckinck, one ot the Ir1.lit,o uubli.i,
! cr~ OF that time; he also ciupin,rtl th.rn
/ To print Mir, Iutrodu .tl,u I, I.t,,
I and .Lockc's Essay ON the I'nu,,-t,tI
4 ug The two ,olllger b.nih h.r. L..
rul ANA Fletcher he.niu. nam,
ls25 and ls26. IL, which, .I,tt,.,' MIA ,I,;.
rising .lothrrhnod had become the TIL.
| ,sr-. printer. IN \-v N,rt ri, ,.,,.
bean 4, uuhli-hrr, and IA ls3n Lsl
got 10 ,tcrcolyping tleir urin,IpaI :,nb-
| EcAtisn,. From ILal lime ON th,ir bi.-
/ tory wa, a history Of constant inr,ea..
OF business and reputation. the demand,
upon them often Ilece,sitatiuy laroe AL
| dI4ons ot labor and machine 4. Ii i
also. IN a manner. the history OF tie
advancement OF American education and
Intelligence, tor q house like theirs !,
most sensitive tosthis progress, and if,
| book, are AN iutalible testimony 10 the
I proportions vi our intellectual growth
The imposing front. seen by one cro.s-
inc t.,t uuarter of the CITY. i that nf
the publishing house. where IN. boot.
are ranged, sept and backed. the ed;,n-
rial and engraving rooms and the otBrcs
are situated.
The mamulactorv is situated directly
behind the publishing house. with which
it communicates by iron palleric, ),
spiral iron staircase going 10 in cir
cuIar tower between them. Thelb build
ing which SO prominently stares YOU in
the face is the publishing house. situated
on Franklin square. The lot occupied
by the whole establishment extend :
from Franklin square irregularly thropvh
to Cliff street, whereon the mannfactory
fronts. A wonderful place it is for on
this square OF l20 feet bv 10, the whole
process OF man ulactu turing book. whetl-
er illustrated or not, is accomplished.
while the completed books are here sold
packed and shipped off to their destina-
ton. Given the mauuscrints the tvna
the chemical appliances. the leather AMI
the paper, and Harpers. with these ma.
tcrials, will do ALI else bv the aid of th..
army OF editors. artists artisans Yhn
gather dai.y beneath their canac;on,
| rooI. To wander tbrouob the Inno al