New-York tribune., 1876-12-15
THE PUBLISHERS OF FRANKLIN-SoUARE.

In.
the brothers 2" "we you see" said the Major, as he
was familiarlv called "either one is Harper and
all the others are the brothers. Now, there is COL
Johnnie looks after the finances; that Is wesley
sitting therehe attends Gods business aliudng 10
the fact that all applications for charity and all the Deg
gars who entered the building were referred 10 in'
then there is Fletcher who edits the magazine anu
papers; and then myself-Pm chief usher how' nnu
show our friends building. But one Just S
good as another II you have any business with the
house" This years ago. and the cheeriu Senoi VI
the House, although then in his 72d year. was srons
and active enough frequently make the rouhu vi '
two six or sevenstory buildings which form tue esao
lishment, in the guse of Its GUIDE. he useu ~
take great delight in this sefmposed duty, particularly
when his COMPANIONS we're Methodist ministers land all
Methodists who come to New York 60 there with who
he could exchange anecdotes and cry say'uss-o'o"
wise saws and modern instances"-of which ne hho an
endless supply and variety. He was walking Editors
Dnwer~ Were he living and athletic as ever the taA
would be too great for him now, for In the las' sN
seven wears there has been great increase ih 'ho
number of visitors to this curious and wonderful ahu
factory-the largest Of its kind In the Woriu anu o
not enly with the most magical OF machneiy ou'
aupeestiye to most readers OF charming recOHecuous
Of dead authors and artists No successor 10 the Sell
constituted chief usher has ever been appointed
conodate visitors system has been devised py "hch
zach person or group Of persons calling as sghteerss
furnished in the countng-room with prihteu P"s''
which is an introduction 10 the foreman OF eac
nen and these cheerfully explain to visitors the "oh
ders of their work Visitors with dim rec0lectonS oi
the four Cheerybe brothers Of Franknquare need not
exnect 10 see any of there Three are dead ana
the survivor Fletcher, Major Harper lhoW ~ YEARS
old but still tall erect unbrOkcn, with race meoWeu
and beautifed by time and thought, Is more HeluenS
to be seen walking broadway or nding III
Central Park than at the Office. But thcr sons are
there 10 the number of o dozen more and Tim Llnkn-
he seen
first one TO the right as ascends the stairway leading
from Pcarl-st smiling in spite OF indigestion anu rheu
lnasm The principle OF the succession OF the SONS elu
in the countingroom is maintained as Tar rs possoe
throughout the building. Visitors to the composing
room will be shown through it by gru but goodnatured
Marsh who has served the Harpers quarter OF cen
ury az successor TO his father Henry Marsh who had
seen so wears OF service with them when he died In the
Bndery the ROsenquests father and son. successlVey
filed the place Of foreman for 60 years harrington
supervised the Dryngoom for 80 years. and there are
over so other persons who have been above 20 years
constantly at work in the Harpers' buildings
The establishment is tour for fun day but VIII well
repay the time occupied for may there not only
the most extensive bOOkproducing manuiactoly III the
world but all the and most curious Inventions Tor
saving and facilitating labor. pay roll OF Slooo dhy
or about half million dollars year; manufactures
aggregatng $5,OO0,000, on which there Is proDaOy
clear profit of 20 per cent more; catalogue emorac
ing nearly 1000 standard yolumes monthly magazine
circulating 10000 numbers OF 16O pages each ana w
paners with an aggregate weekly circulation OF 2OOOOO
or 100 900 900 single pages year. han OF them ihus
trated consumption Of 500 Of white paper, aud
10000 pounds Of printers ink annually; constant
working force Of about 500 and women; consunp
ton in the dav time alone Of $50 worth OF gas; 80
Adams presses for book work, and eight large seyhn
der Hoe presses for the printing OF the maezihe anu
are afew items which VIII suggest 10 the
reader the magnitude Of business Ofthis establishments
II s an interesting fact TO be mentioned IN the same
connection and illustrating the same point, that the
Library of Select Novels" all of them perfectly
clean-not an impure suggestion to he found any
wbere-las an average circulation OF about l2'ooo
Abou 400 have thus far been printed and the series mas
won reputation which gives 1t standard sale~o that
the best and sell almost equally we'll AS indicating
the many curious inventions and machines alluded to
above which visitors may II is sufficient To mention
Knights improvements in eectrOtyping, whereby what
formerly occupied hours now requires only as many
minutes TO perform Dicks mailing machine, direet
ing 900 papers hour mechanical contrlVances Ior
"stabbing" shaving" stitching" and stamping or
codleanng" the sheets and their covers There is
machine into one end Of which stitched magazine is
nut its cover placed in the other and one may stand
by and see them in pressing forward meet each other
take I'D certain amount Of paste or glue and come out
in the most orderly and unsoiled manner firmly united
And all day long magazines thus being covered follow
each other through this machine 30 fast that the wonder
grows they do tread on each others hees ANY
description OF absurdy simple but unique process OF
"marbng" this edges OF a volume would appear 80 in
credible to the reader that II is passed over and all arc
recommended 10 go and the magical process Tor them
selves. II the visitor is a bOOkworm with aDookworms
persona affection for his authors the Stockroom, with
its various named after favorite authors VIII
couture up many pleasant memories
1t has often been asked why Harper Brothers nave
not established themselves Broadway and in the busy
heating heart OF the city Possibly good reply might
he found in the suggestion that they would be so overrun
with visitors that work would be impossible iheIr
building located in district difficult OF access ana OF
low surroundings-the figure Of Franklin over the front
door can almost detected in the act OF casting SIDE
long and reproachful glance down dirty dismal de-
Graded and ignorant Cberry-st Nevertheless, the visit
ors TO Frankin-square numerous, and chiefly from
ont of the city. Denizens Of the CITY VIII
ind it fully attractive, and not only
now with its Christmas decorations but at all times as
the foregoing will indicate And no place upon Broad
way presents attractive display upon its counters
about the holiday times than may be at Harpers
This season their exhibition OF and fine books Is par
tcuarly handsome The most beautiful OF their produc
tons is undoubtedly Coerdges "Ancient Mariner with
illustrations by Gustave Dore, magnificent ana sunp
tuous folio volume published at $1O-a marvel OF cheap
mesa The Poets of the Nineteenth Century," In one
richly iIlustrated volume, and "The Poets and
Poetry of Scotland" in two Volumes are coinpan-
ion gifts which ought not TO be separated.
Among new works OF scientific character Is Wallaces
Typographical Distribution Of Animals" in two volumes,
with maps and numerous illustrations. IL is the most
important Of all late contributions to the literature OF
natural history and, handsomely bound, forms most
valuable and acceptable gittboOk Esee Recluss Two
Volumes "The Earth" and The Ocean," both superbly
| illustrated and "The Atmosphere" by Camille Flam-
MARION illustrated with beautifully printed chrome
Autographs and nearly 100 woodcus, are as enticng
"The Life and Habits OF Wild Animals is another Gle
CANT volume 1t is illustrated from designs by Joseph
! Wolf the well.knOMn German animal painter. whose