San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1884-01-24
Abeut Moving Printing Ofiices-.-Re.
meniscential.

Al last We arc through with the mucl
dreaded Job Of moving our offiee, though
will be some time yet before We shall ha'
everything In complete order In our ne
quarters Our experience brings forcibl
up the similar trials va have had. nm
prompts some remeniscential observation,
But first We will answer the inquiry FRI
quently made Of us m to why We moved
and especially from our own property int
that Of another We answer that II was I
large extent to secure solid foundation
for our presses, and room admirably we
lighted for our oompositors-both items o
tho first Importance In a printing office
The health, comfort, and best facilities o
work should always DO looked to In the cas-
Of working mon. Then an upstairs location
Is more appropriate for printing and edito
rial rooms. Our late offico was rather 10
conveniont-people of leisure often droppet
in without having any business, and to zen
terrain" the editor, whose presence did no
favor tho best work, nor the utmost menta
complacency on his part.
To return 10 our main subject. DIR. Tobias
Smellett the famous Scottish novelist, poe,
and historian of the last century, wrot,
among many others q story entitled "Tht
Adventures Of Peregrine Pickle. We have
never read II, but the title occurs TO US a'
highly suggestive of the removals of the
country newspaper man. We have ''enjoy'
cd" In our own experience no less than eight
removals of our Office, four before we came
here and four since-not including its remov-
al from Indiana here which vastly over.
shadowed all the rest of the removals com.
bined.
Letting the rest pass, IL may be Of some
interest to recur TO our San Marcos expert
ence. Our first removal was nfter our print
ing material had reached us from the North
via. the Mississippi river and Gulf route
and the port Of Indianola. It was hauled
10 our present place of residence, and when
We resumed business here-having bought
out the small Office of the San Marcos
Times" in order to get the entire feld-we
had II removed into the Times Office in the
bnilding then owned by Leatherwood &
now occupied by the "Favorite
saloon.
Apropos of the Times Office, we were not
! little surprised on first entering it to find
here the largest hand press we had ever
Ieen or heard of-the press we still have in
Use. We have since learned that it has quite
! history. Brought to Austin at an early
lay before steam power was known there,
~ some one who was ambitious of publish
ng large paper, it shared in the many vi
of the business at that period. It
vas used notably to publish paper before
he war devoted to the cause Of the Union
nd the policy Of Gen. Sam Houston, and
dited by Col John s. Ford. How it got
ut here we have heard, but do not now re-
member.
We went into the Leatherwood & Hopkins
uilding in the fall of 1873, and remained
here till the end of IA, when we removed
be Office into the old "San Marcos Hotel"
which stood where the store Of
lreen & Price now stands. The building
icing quite spacious, we also removed our
amily and household goods into it. The
ext spring we found it expedient to send
hree Of the children North, only our little
'laude remaining with us. Here we toiled,
nd lodged, and for the most part lived,
own to the full of 1873. It was in some
aspects forlorn and dreary period, yet
here was one with us who so frightened 1t
y his presence that it now seems to us, in
strospection, the happiest time of our life
or we were together almost constantly,
nd who could DO unhappy with Mm' The
Id hotel building exists no more save in the
lanifold sketches of his cunning pencil;
ut we scarcely ever pass the place without
/ memory summoning up the bright young
,rm and noble spirit whose presence once
Iaddened its humble and time.stained pre-
ncts.
In the fall of rs we purchased the place
Q have just vacated, and removed into it.
his suited our purpose SO much better than
Their of our former locations that we were
UGH gratified with the change, and fondly
,ped We might never be called upon to
AXE another removal. In the fall of 1880
. finished up the front part of our build
g, with reference to small business to
atty the irrepressible mental activity of
Il little boy. But how vain are human
pes and schemes! In a few months God
Ok him, as we trust, into his more immedi-
, household and the bright companionship
angels who waited to welcome kindred
irit. Somehow we always become attach
to places where we have long lived or
id, and hence we part with our late Office
tn regret-but chiefly on his account. 1t
Is with real grief that we had to dismantle {
d desert his place of business, where, {
ice his departure, to our minds eye" he ,
s daily appeared in his accustomed place,
tn earnest, thoughtful face, or winning
Tile, and gentle, manly courtesy towards
We have borne with us to our new Of
Q his little desk and stool O. mementos of
. happy past, thus sadly clouded.
But such are the changes of this earthly v
3. And thus we reach the final moral, :,
It here we have no continuing city, and 4
It the places which now know us will soon v
ow us no more forever.