The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-09-20
800 Miles Of Pictures.

Ne"'c"1s~ Ac"S ]V3CoO A>esse|S
ina Day.
Young as America is in art, and few
as are the names she has yet inscribed
upon the roll of genius, it can not be
denied that we are picture-loving peo-
pie, and that our patronage Of the fine
arts is not less liberal than thai of any
other nation on the globe. Many of
our wealthy countrymen possess COL
lections Of paintings which include
some of the choicest works of the mas.
tiers, and which are at once the pride of
the New World and the envy Of the
Old; while we are enabled to accumu-
late at our various expositions such GAL
leries of art as would do no discredit to
the famous exhibitions of Europe.
So rapid has been the progress Of
art in this country, and so successfully
has mechanics been applied to the re-
production Of fine paintings and en-
cravings, that every household in the
land is now beauti6ed by pictures and
made more cheerful by faithful copies
from the productions Of our most tai
ented artists.
Printing, engraving and photography,
it may be truly said, have been re-
duced to fine arts, and ire working
hand in hand with science and religion
for the advancement Of civilization.
Undoubtedly the most remarkable en-
terprise connected with the history of
art in America, having for its object
the dissemination of fine pictures. is
that of the National Art Company, of
Cincinnati. This organization, which,
in cooperation with the newspaper
press Of the country, has already dis
tributed nearly half Il million copies of
the engraving Familiarity known as the
"Three Grsces," sprang into existence
with the beginning Of the Centennial
year, and so extensively was it adver-
tised, and SO readily were inducements
appreciated, that within three months
the business had developed to such IN
extent that It really became one Of the
wonders Of the age.
Arrangements were perfected with
the principal journals in the United
States and the Provinces, whereby SUBJ
scr'bers were supplied with pictures at
nominal price, b .rely covering the ex-
pense of wrapping and mailing; on bet
ter terms, in fact, than the publishers
Of these journals could have possibly
furnished engravings of like quality to
their patrons. In response to the ad-
vertisement inserted under this ar
rangement, letters literally poured in
upon the National Art Company, until
within very brief period their daily
mail assumed the astounding proper
items Of ten thousand letters. Each of
these letters contained certificate en-
titling the sender to a copy Of the
"Three Graces,' and was accom- panied
by the small sum necessary for mailing
expenses. Strictly speaking, these let.
tiers came from everywhere. Travel
stained letters from the Pacific slope,
with their treasures of quaint little
golden coin; red-stamped letters from
Her Majesty's provinces with their en-
closures Of Dominion scrip; foreign
stamped letters from over the sea, and
long-de!ayed letters from the missionary
fields, bearing the fragrance of the
balmy East. Letters daintily written
and neatly folded from misses at board
ing school; letters prim and precise
from suspicious maiden ladies'; letters
scrawled and crumpled and soiled from
the rough hands Of laborers, and let
tiers, professionally illegib]e, from law
yers and NJ. DIS.
TO attend properly to this mass of
correspondence, and to wrap, label, ad-
dress and mail such an enormous guam
tity of pictures, Of course called into
requisition large clerical force; and
the reader can form dim conception
of the magnitude Of this business when
he is informed that it became necessary
to increase the corps of clerks at the
Cincinnati postof6ce in consequence Of
the additional matter furnished BY the
National Art Company. Seven hum
dred d"!Iars' worth Of stamps were daily
cnnsumed for nostape. and ~, avnr...