New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-19
LOCAL MISCELLANY.

TIE UARPERs TO STAY DOWN TOWN.
DENIAL OF THE REPORT THAT THEY iNihND -
REMOVE TO BOND-sT.-EFFEcT or ihh 'i']
N THE PRICE OF PAPER ON THE PUBLICATION
BUSINESS
The nubsbing house of Harper & Brothers, so
long landmark IN the eastern part OF the Guy,
has lost somewhat of its conspicuous ornamental
character since the elevated railway filled Franklin
suuare with its tracks Little can now be seen Oh
the handsome iron facade from the sidewalk OF inc
street and the great statne of Franklin over the
portal, holding manuscript in one hand anu
cooked hat in the other, seems to stare in bewil-
dered way at the swiftly passing trains, as II III
doubt whether to step on board one of them or to
retreat through window to the inner recesses OF
the building rumor that the firm intends NOV
ing uptown led to call the other day from rep
resentatve Of The TRIBUNE. j. Abner Harper
sad when inquiry was made as to the truth OF the
report:
1--WE have heard the story often. People are so
kind to specify the street we are going to, ana
some 20 so far as to select building 1of u.s.
presume you heard that BOnd-st. was to be our
new location. There is nothing in the report. we
do not intend to move. We do not that it would
be for our advantage to leave our old place. II we
should ever change our minds it is hardly probable
that should stop at Bond-st when once we
started uptown. We might better go up as hlgn as
MadisOn-square. j used to covet the site OF I'll,
mOre's Garden, and have not yet quite lost my ola
liking forit."
A conversation followed about the effect of the
rise III the price of paper on the book business ME-
Harper was asked whether such remarkably cheap
editions of valuable books as the Franklin Square
Library series could be continued. He replied:
1--WE shall not abandon them, but must confess
that do not feel much interest in their continu-
arce. The sales of these books arc very large put
the profit is almost nothing, and the effect Is bad
upon the interests of authors and upon the market
IA boun1 hooks.
that we cannot afford to pay the foreign authors
much of anything in lieu of copyright. Ihen as
long as the public can buy irst-rate works Oy Ia
nous foreign writer's at 10 or 10 cents apiece there
Is small nducement for them to pay much larger
prices for the works OF Amercan anno a hmS
ship without benefitng the foreign authors Ot
course the nflence of the cheap editions on the de-
mand for the popular library editions must ne
detrimental Why, man can now buy Tor go
reading enough to last him a lifetime"
perhaps these cheap editions of good books VIII
cultivate love for high class OF reading matter
among Dlulttudes of people vino used TO read noth-
ing but trashy literature, and yon will thus get your
compensation in an increased demand for more eX-
THAT may be-" replied Mr., Harper :" 1t would
be pleasant 70 think that we are lnstrumental IN
cultivatIng the public taste. At all events, hope
somebody is being benefited by these cheap lssnes
Certainly the publishers and authors are not, we
went into the business because of the issue OF the
cheap Lakeside and Seaside series Our sales have
been exceedingly large, but when the accounts are
figured up the margin Is luconsldeIaOie"
- Do you look for general advance III the prices
of ali kinds of books and perodlcas as a result OF
the advance in printing paperV
1--WE can't well advance the price Of our period
icals. Indeed, they sell now at the same prlce as
in the times when paper higher than 1t Is now,
hut we spend a great deal more money upon them
than did then Books will, perhaps; 90 up II the
present rates for paper are maintained
=" Is there any truth of a general agreement
among publishers to pat up pricesW
None that have heard. 1t is possible, should
add. that instead of an increase in pnce a reduc-
tion in the discounts allowed 10 the retail trade
NAV be resOrted to. That would be hard upon tue
booksellers, but many Of them are in the habit
now of cutting under prices. and thus giving away
part of their profits to their customers. II the
discounts were smaller they would perhaps, adhere
more closely to the advertised rates"
Another memher of the firm, speaking OF the high
prices demanded by the paper manufacturers, sad
he thought repeal of the duty on wood pulp would
be all the legislation consumers need ask. He did
not desire the introduction of foreign paper. Tax
ing up a package OF samples of English paper, he
said that not Que of them suited him well as the
American paper the firm was using.