New-York tribune., 1877-05-30
THE LAST OF THE HARPERS
FLETCHER HARPERs CAREER.


passed away yesterday Fletcher, the youngest OF the
four brothers and the junior member Of the original
hrm has been ying III with gastric fever Or Jour "'eAs
at his residence Ii West TwentysecouGs the nope
OF his being admitted by his physician
and recognized by himself and family. Death was
surprise neither his friends nor himself In TACT the
end mas been than subject Of eonversat n
between patient and friends and more calm ana nap
py lying peaceful dreams with uftorhS tru'S
was probably never Witnessed with the exception OF
James, elder brother, VINO died from I'M 11es re-
ceived accident the long and rreproaenaDe Ives
of Harpers have been ended by most peaceful deathS
looked forward to without fear and ui! OF resignation
The time Of Fletcher Harpcr's death was O'Clock IN
the morning and his wife, children, and grandchildren
and his physician present. lie passed away WIN
out pain struggle. During the earlier hours OF Tue
night Mr. Harper been apparently in much SUFFERING
an and half before has death ne became quiet
His vitality was remarkable. Ills health had not Oeeh
strong for several years -Four weeks ago severe cold
aggravated various Old complaints and induced gastric
He seemed grow better after this but Ten uS'
ago was attacked with coDgestiye chill He never RAJ
lied from prOsirati0n which ensued, nut gtHuHi'
failed From Thursday last he took 10 noutshmenr Oh
Monday noon he began 20 sink rapidly ana was apP-
ent r tie end was very near hand Although muca
OF the time unconscious, for few moments on Mohday
he seemed u recognize those around HIM, bnt M
mediatcly he sank again. The funeral services
viii take place Thursday morning al 10 O'CLOCK az -
". Church, at lOulth-aFe anu I"eh'9 s''''''
ST. The Harper Brothers printing house IN PearI-sI
was closed Yesterday morning as IL was known
that Mr. Harper was dead. ami all business ceased
II Is almost impossible 10 think OF one OF the Hafpers
without rccng 81 the brt theirs, and their Ves were so
blended tat u is impossible 10 tell OF the career Of any
snele uber without dri ng into ais0Fy oi the "ioe
firm More than that IL difficult to tell character
isc story Of the without illustrating the pechiar-
ties OF the others Each a foil to set OF the
Of the Others. James The senior was the
bland and broad humorst Of the concern always good
natured and dgnited his love OF dry JOKE ana
funny story would permit him 10 be- Pressed by per-
sseof visitor 10 tell what his duties the firm consisted
OIL James replied that they were to get rid OF he
inquisiiye bores VINO visited them" Wesley was the
embodiment Of gentleness the well beloved" as he
was called. You wIll have 70 see Wesley, SAID James
once to a solicitor for ~ subscription Tor a
Methodist Church; he attends TO Gods business
John WAS probably the most austero Of the
four and the shre widest in money ventures he was he
fuancer and balance wheel" of the establishments his
single recognized weakness being love OF fine horses
aud fast divug. Almost me only secrets he ever kept
from hs brothers the ne paid or his horse
flesh. lie once usste' ca rs accepting tco checks
for II $50 each FOR - horse order that he might
ho abe tO Say s brother James, who twitted MIN uh-
Incredibly about his in this regard that
be had given hrs check r1.750 for that animal
H. Fletcher rhe youngest, was concentrated IN re OF ne
vicor dash enterprise. and speculative spirit of the
house Clam any of the others or Icrhs all combined
The deyeonment Of Che firm from its origin In lsl7
until about 1850 was wholly By the most legitimate
means of the tgloa The elder brothers began bus
moss by the publication Of 500 copies n LJcte's Human
UDdefstanaug for orders which they had canvassed
the booksellers before setting type for the reprint
For many years they carefully cnnvassed the trade
before ven;uIing 10 print volume; ana bher puo-
ljeations were long confined to standard and
classical works such those OF Charles An
tlion. 20 whose heirs. within few years
past they paid about $4,000 year copyright James
Harper was once talking (and uhlng a. he Away -
about the early srugg o; the frn, when he wac asked
what he Thought the secret OF its success. lie
cyaled The question or time, bu; being pressed e
answered u his pleasant way, Well think IL was
largely owing TO the fact that all followed The golden
business rue Fcar God. pa cash, and keep your bowels
oFo1.'"
candid critic " the immensely successful -
The UaIpers II familiar with the later enterprises ~ The
firm. mast to Fletcher Harper compared witn his
Brothers more than an equal share Of credit for thc
Development Of the -reitest publishing house of the
world I'D at years Ect her became IN flet the c'a-
Tor the bu the L4icst sort OF tyrant that
ever ruled For before their death, She other
brothers practically lei Fletcher have ms own WAY.
They wont daily the aoa-e 10 club, partly from
the busacss lab ITS of years, parity % uuch -cihor
but mailiy CD hear what tha Major the boy,
doing" JamcG c0uit bee seen almost eYcry morning
down 10 the day % hs delth perched high stool be
side his son Pliiip ! A. Harper a1d his gauds0n
James, opening the mal, but it more a. pastme
than otherwise Wesley hlbtullly yiit"t the office
daily 20 si-u bank checks or 10 look over ripts
scnt him fua decision. lie the arh-er h0 d.
ci sd on books when ea -eader- disagreed John
was there also daily until after his brother Jnmess
DEATH but 10 was rather ~ hcr what his John "
a1d Joseph Abner ha 20 say about the accounts than 20
10 any actual MANAGING. That seemed LEFT by common
consent Fletcher aud the detail, were intrusted 70
boys lsoine " wlom bv rho way. ~ This very
time graudfthers After the death OF the Colo
nj" John usrper a 1879, Eetchcr resigned the dcta-
tOrsip. and the boTs" have been running the esiab
lshmcut ever since
Notwithstanding The difference IN dispositions here
indicated. tl, brothers lived tine p ricct harmony
Tnuruw Weed in writing Of t3e'n years ago ahout the
time Of tle first aplearncc OF D'gkens's Nicholas
Niccby o. spoke Of them a7 the Brothers CAoerybe,'
and when. only ew atis ago. another writer found
"Tm LitIa4tr" in their cashier OF so years service
T. ". with bis usual energy forward 10 claim prior
rignts discovery TIE ee,embaucc between the Real
and the iblcd business brothers hId increased greatly
u later ears waslila cresr the second
c0yery the picture drawn bY Dickens not
aeeerition OF the charc %, the famous publishers
They we're as genial and gentle do the imaginary
brothers. They made 10 dnly hadn't To- lunch
together, the senior presiding and saying grace,
and their lunches SAID o. have been the
matter of fuu. The keep mp the custom,
PiD J A.. the senior. presiding: bat who II any
grace ia uuSnOwu Recalling thus habit Of the odd
house, oi the SAID yesterday; d" don't think
have much ian 20 our lunches; somehow We don't
have tine loud, clear, ringing ugh thai they bad
though they must have had trouble than have
ever had"
Fletcher Harper was born in 1sOG, AZ Nevtown. l. l.,
where fact all the Sous had been born. the farm of
their father. Joseph Harper. Tn. family is English on
tie fathers side; Dutch the motnersJ A. each Of
biz brothers had doue and a tle and graud-0ns
are doing, Fletcher served an apprentice