, 1876-07-08
THE APPLEToNs' GREAT WORK

Tho Men. Women, and Children Engaged In
Making tho American Cyclopspdla.
Neu Tofk Betnta1 f1st.
4 literary work, In sixteen royal octave vol
unlcs, which has engaged the services OF two
cdItors.tn-chtcf, SIX nssociate editors, twenty
four rcvisers, and more tllnn 600 contributors,
Inns occupied three years In preparation, llas even
before completion sccurcd IL, ,000 silbscr1bersnnd
returned to Its publishers more than S4,0oo0o0
whtlc tho Inst volume is still In press, is IN OBJ
jcct Of moro than ordinary Interest.
Tho purpose Of tho editors Of the nov edition
ofApplctons' American CyclopG1a has been To
put the work published IN 1857-Go fully abreast
Of tho timea, and thus to present panoramic
view Of all human knowledge. 1870.
The work Of tho cditorh begins by selecting
stnT Of assistants and rcvlscrs, 1ftecn or twcnty
Of whom work regularly day af1er day IN tho
whether ID New York Or out Of it, luis subject Of
subjects arc assigned, aud in short time tho
manuscripts begin 70 come in; but no articlo
contributed T. tho cy9as @ appears there T.
through Tho hands Of three or four scholars, who
exercise their skill and learning in examining
amending. and sitting It contents. Accuracy Ia
the very tlrst eonsderation and .,n no Palns % aro
set in type, the proof ts subjected 10 several ad-
dtional rovielons; and those contributions
which deal with biographical and geographical
matters receive no !sas tan ten astnst ~ aa
on controycstcd points of science, politics, OF
theology are cut cut forthwith; the very latest
Information on the subject In hand Is appended;
ah Amrruan point Of view In distinction from
All English, French, Or German one Is stcadfastly
maintained; mud where the style OF writing Is
heavy Or obscure 1t ls nae simple, forciblc, aud
attractive, When tho facts arc Incomplete they
urc supplemented; when partially, or fnaccu-
ratcly stated they arc amended md corrected; j;
when out Of date they arc discarded; when
ondly expressed they are expressed well.
After the author and editor comes the COM
pesttor. the steleotyper, the pTessman. and the
teach most persons more things n an hour than
they could forget in = lifetime. There are the
clever little folding machines, each Of which ean
fold daily 12 0Qo large sheets three times, while
cvcu the most, aetlye and experienced young
woman thinks herself smart and wins for her
self credit II size can dispose Of 400 sheets in an
hour. There is the smashing machine, which
hammers tho leaves close aud fat, after they
gathering table, comprcsutng their contents Into
q third their former size. There Is the saving
machine, Which sams across the backs Ct
these IL s. gSnes ths v' Gpfnne' pna Ri1B ssfs s1Sng g
they are fastcncd;. and tho peculiarly CON-
Btr1ctcd sewing ng-machIne-arcccnt American III
yentton, by which half the cost Of hand.srwlng
Is sayed-Which scws each Leaf securely 10 Its
place. It operates ns easily and as rapidly al-
most a. loom, aud sends tho shuttle between
every two sheets us regularly and deftly could
bo wished. There ia lAe cltting.machlne, which
trims first the fore edges, a'a1 then, when tho
ends Of tho volumes also. There 10 the backing
machine which spreads out the backs with d
yoller and makes IN tnttcntatton for. the boards
Of the covcrs. There Is the stamp[ng-snachtnc,
which stamps tue coyessaecordingt to any desired
pattern, and tho hydraMlEcprcoa, Which hqueezcs
the 1nishcd books, rs they lie On their sides,
untn they aze dry.