Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-08-22
vICKERY.s NEW ESTABLISHMENT.
Description OF the building. and Interest,"
Ing Facts regarding the business.


handsome structure now rises. there stood Il
few months ago batch of dilapidated old
buildings, and the locality was unsightly with
guile, and irregular ground Now, there
stands here a large handsome block, and the
grounds about it have been graded and put in
the ncatcst trim. The building is made OF
wood. is two stories high, has hip roof.
and is adorned with a cresting, while above
I'll there towers Il graceful staff from which
loats the stars and stripes. The architect
vas George G. Stevens of Augusta, and it re-
iccts credit upon him: the builders were
Foster 4 Son Of Watervillc.
Within the structure we find every part of
il utilized by Mr.. Vichrry's extensive pub
fishing business. Everything shines. Every
portion of the establishment is specially
.dapted for the purpose for which it j.
Used. Going in at the north entrance, the
irst door opens into Mr.. Nickcrv'S private
,fiice. a neat little sanctum, where the
genial proprietor can take his comfort
While maturing his business plans. One
very attractive feature of this room is the
Dado paper, something new, and just the
ding for halls and offices, which was put on
" g. Beale 4 Co Next to this private office
is the composing room, a large. airy place,
With plenty of light, and supplied with every
appliance Tor the work carried on here. Be
sond this is the press ROOM the noisy but in
ercsting branch of the Establishment. This
room, like the others, is II feet high and sup
Jlicd with abundance of light. thing which
IS very much appreciated hv thc men en-
pioyed in this room is the fact that the engine
md boiler, which supply the power, are To-
,ated in an addition of brick, 80 that no heat
rom them get where the presses are. The
)oilrr fire is the only one about the premises,
he entire building being heated throughout
Sith steam from the engine. Overhead the
Dress room is very handsomely finished in
,helac but the rest of the ceilings in the
,tructure are plastercd The steam heating
apparatus was put in by pennel 4 Go. Of
Portland. while Williamson, Ward 4 Cogan
lid the plumbing
There are three presses in this department,
.wo Taylors, and Cottrell and Babcock,
which has just been put in by Mr. Nickery.
This new press is a very large one, the larg-
est in the State. and the largest cylinder press
made The bed is IT By 80 inches the cyin-
Ter weighs q tons, while its whole weight is
10 tons. 1t was purchased especially for
printing a new magazine which Mr.. Vickery
Is soon to issue. Though this press is so
heavy. it runs very easily and prettily, and
,lrns off twenty-one impressions a minute.
Nr. Vickery is to add another press to his
'>taDil>HIfftnI next Wcck, Il new tottrcll COM
lination, IL by So inches. and one which will
un off 1900 impressions an hour. This also
will be used in printing the new magazine.
One of the TAYLOR presses has been run by
Mr.. Nickery three years, averaging twelve
l0urs a day seven months in the year. and
the other five months making twenty-four
hours per day. Yet. during this time but six
hours have been taken in which to put it
n repair. For taking rolls of papers from
he press room to the mailing room above,
they usesaycry handsome working friction
brake elevator. by a simple device it can he
made to stop at any point either in rising or
coming down. This elevator was ny made
Mr.. lIartnett, of the firm Of llartnctt 4 Solo
mon. Boston.
The second floor is devoted to the mailing
department., where the papers are received
from the press room. and then folded, enclos-
n in wrappers and got ready for the post Of
Ace. Some men are employed here. but the
greater part of the work is done by girls.
Above this floor are nice quarters for storing
purposes. In the basement there is a splen-
lid cemented cellar ten feet high. Here is
stored the great quantity of paper which
Mr. Nickery has on hand at times. and here
i, the store room for his coal. The first of
next week he is expecting cargo of 100 tons
If this article. which has been ordered ship
ped for him ty John DuLon.
Mr.. Nicker,'s Publishing business is very
extensive, and ha' been of great benefit to
Augusta. 1t as brought money here. and
has given stca employment to many Of our
people During the present dull season he
has 81 hands in his service, but when bust
ness is brisk he keeps force of from 60 to -
persons His bills are enormous, as NAV be
Judged by the fact that his regular advertis-
~
besides this one item. and the expenses
for help, there are paper bills. clcctrotypng
bills. money paid to writers for his different
publications, and many othcrwavs for money
to go, so that the sum total scars very high
among the thousands. The united circula-
ton of Mr. Vickery's "Firesidc Visitor" and
illustrated Monthly is 225.000, and these
papers find readers in every nook and corner
IF this broad land. The great amount of
electrotyping in Mr.. Vickerv's business is
done by the Boston Stereotyping Company.
The entire business and editorial manage
ment of this great establishment is conduct
ed in dc,aii by Nj. TieAc1y personally. ar,!
it certainly does not leave him many spare
hours. Geo. W. Nickery an efficient bus-
ness man. his brother. has charge of the mail
ing department, Ben amin j. Cutter. manag-
es the press room. and Alex. McDayid is the
foreman Of the composing room.
The new magazine which Mr.. Nickery is
to get out in the course of ten days. will be
Alrstencd the "Illustrated Family Maya
zine" and will he devoted to literature, farm
ing intelligence, fashion news. Sunday read
ing and general miscellany. He intends to
place it on high level and to maintain its
standard of excellence. regardless of expense.
both in point of matter and engraving. The
title page for the new publication is a very
excellent and artistic piece of work, and was
got up for him by Boston and New York ar
fists at an expense of 500. The magazine
will contain A. pages, with no adver-
ti,ements, will be thoroughly illustrated,
and this will be the first time that any
one in this country has attempted to produce
so fine magazine at the low cost of sl.5o.
But Mr.. Nickery thinks that with his %
wears experience in the printing and pub
fishing business, he can make this new enter
prise a success. Mr.. Vickery says that he
does not intend to increase his business be-
yond the capacity of his new building, that he
might enlarge the business that he would
require six just as large establishments as his
present one, but that such an undertaking
would not contain dollar of profit to him or
any one else who should aucmpt it,
Messrs. John .. Cnrtis. Frank :. Sever