The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-04-08
The London Times.
The Finest Newspaper Establishment in
the World.

Square, which sounds SO from across the
seas, is in London so modest place
that one can readily pass it by unwit-
tingly, as l did, after having fixed its
general locality from the map and
started out to find it. This, however, is
because of the magnitude of London,
which is so immense that one only comes
to a conception of it slowly and by expe-
rience such as this.
The Times building is really a massive
pile of solid brick of fair architectural
effect, which in New York or Philadel-
phia might be one of the features of the
city. In London it is simply lost
crowded away among square miles of
similar structures densely packed and
pressed together!
THE BUTrREssEs OF THE BUSINESS.
Solidly established for years, founded
on the strong bases Of the university
and the governing classes of England,
conducted by men every one of whom is
an expert and veteran in the business,
the Times enjoys an income that now
comes in of itself, and stretching out
like some of our great railway compa-
MES, it now employs a portion of its
surplus revenues every year in butttress-
ing itself, by extending its works out to
the permanent manufacture of its own
supplies. These things are permanent
investments, not expenses, and although
costly in the start, in the long course of
years save money.
Let me enumerate some of the most
important as illustrative of the scope of
the plant. The Times
l. Manufactures its own presses.
II. Pounds its own type.
III. Provides its own light-electric.
". Feeds its employees on the spot.
V. Has its own electrotyping shop.
VI. Has its own telegraph service
and wires-ln the main and
VII. Repair shops for all these differ
ent machineries.
All the great shops and Offices are
under one roof, and the cluster of
them, with the ordinary departments of
newspaper ofice-editorial composing,
proof, stereotyping, making-up, press,
business, advertising, and distribution
rooms-form the Times building
THE PRESSES.
The Walter presses are made here for
the market as well as for the proprie-
tors own paper, and in these shops |
found the workmen in busy clatter of
turning out great machines, as in any
great factory or foundry.
In the press room of the paper, stand
eight; six so every night, and two
stand as a reserve brigade. Each press
prints whole copy of the times, both
sides-l6 pages-and at the rate of
$4,000 an hour. The edition therefore
goes off at the rate Of 10000 an hour.
These presses are ranged in three col
umns in an immense room on the first
floor of the building, the enormous
weight supported by arches. The pa
per room, another large space, is Just
below the press room, the paper being
hoisted up by lift american elevator)
into the center Of the press room. In
the spacious paper rooms below you
wander through long avenues Of huge
rolls of paper, each roll four miles long.
[ watched at one of the presses the four
mile run of one of these rolls, and
was striking to see how quickly it was
done
THE TYPE.
Much of the mechanical interest of
the Times centres in it's type depart
ment. I brought with me some type
made under my eve in the founding
room. But that is only the beginning
of the wonder. Following this type
into another department, you see it set
by machinery. All publishers are IA
miliar with the history of the long effort
of Mr.. Walter in this direction. Here
is the result.
One half of the Times every night is
set by machinery. One machine does
the work Of six to eight skilled compost
tors 1t cannot correct, however, and
here is its weak point, or the whole
paper would be set with it. AS it is
the work is about divided Doubtful
copy and all revsions are done By hand;
the steady, regular work by machinery.
A young man sits before what looks
like a piano board, with four or FIVE
banks of keys, all lettered. He plays
on these keys with the fore finger OF
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