The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-01-11
A Gorgeous Estnblishme mt.

A Gorgeous Establishment.
We acknowledge with thanks tho receipt
from our esteemed contemporary, the Phila-
delphia Record. OF a copy OF its pictorial al
manac for tho year 1885, The recent success
of the Record in a field where Mr.. G. WASH
INGTON CHILDss Ledger formerly held al
most exclusive possession has been phe-
nomenal. yet the Record is totally unlike the
Ledger. 1t does not make q speciality OF
obituary verse. it refrains from climbing
the golden stair in philosophic prose,
1t prints tho news In readable shape, 1t
has positive convictions, Its editorial re-
marks are generally sensible and always to
the point, and it tells the truth about it's cir
culation. We congratulate the Record upon
all these excellent qualities on
the last mentioned, practice that Is as vir-
tuous as it Is rare. The Record Is able to an
nounce on the first page OF its almanac that
its daily circulation is larger than that OF
any othcr newspaper In the United States,
with tho exception OF The Sun and tho Ne,r
York Herald"
What interests us most in our esteemed
contemporaries almanac Is tho illustrated
description which VIC got OF the most eX-
traordlnary newspaper Office In the United
States. The tastes Of the Philadelphia editors
differ rs widely in regard to their personal
furniture and equipment as In regard to
other more important matters. Mr.. CHARLES
EMORY SMITH, rs we understand, makes
the Press amid surroundings that arc
Spartan In their severe simplicity; and
he makes u very good newspaper too.
Col. ALEXANDER KAISER MCCLURE, while
caring little for gingerbread decoration, likes
& pf 10 IA ia
is Elizabethan. He would be happest in
writing and would perhaps write most i'm
pressively, when seated at a ponderous table
in the middle OF some lofty and mulioned
hall, where his eye could rest here and there
on old tapestry and branching antlers and n
leopards skin or two; but he wants no GIN
cracks. Major HANDY, the presiding spirit
of the lively new Nc,rs, would he content with
thrcc-lcGgcd stool and big bottle OF very
black ink. So long as the ink held out and
tho stool held up he would care little whether
he occupied sub-collar or garnet. The
appearance OF tho luxurious apartment wherc
the foremost obtuarlan of the age performs
his daily task Is already familiar to
everybody through CHTLDs's own dcscrip-
tive pamphlets Tho visitors fee. sink into
the soft soclusion of bright rugs with pile rs
.
wig. Carved cabinets nre loaded with dozens
and dozens of teacups and saucers OF tho
daintiest ware. The monogram G. w. G. is
everywhere, sparkling In crystal, blazing In
red gilt, ingeniously wrought into the tex
ture of the upholstery. Forty-nnc different
clocks, all going, mark with distinct voices,
but with reasonable unanimity OF action,
the lapse OF tino into eternity. tho steady
% ri,I ,,1 10 al,
II the tomb. CHlLDs himself winds them
up with religious care before he waddlcs off
to his home in the afternoon.
The sanctum OF Mr.. CHILps In tho Ledger
building, corner OF Sixth and Chestnut
streets, was undoubtedly tho gorgeouscst
editorial room In Philadelphia until the new
Record Office appeared. The almanac con-
tans pictures OF this establishment, both
outsldc and Inside. Tho magniflcence cul-
inmates in tho apartments occupied by Mr..
WILLIAM Nj. SINGERLY. Here IL the alma
nnc's descriptions
"Itis beautifully finished IN French walnut cherry
and white holly and Is wainscoted from the
hoor. The stiles and panels are delicat.y carved. one
OF the 0orners at the south end, is embolshed with
msntel AMI the other by n wsshstand both forming
magnificent decorations Beysllei mirrors extend
above tho lavatory and sun further up Is cabinet OF
carved cherry aud French walnut with clear beveed
plate glass. On tho walls hang interesting studies of
handsome faces while grouped around the with
charming taste pieces Of stataary and
Tho ceiling ID frescoed and the walls decorated In copper
bronze. with n relief OF greenish silver"
This is interesting, but still moro interesting
is the illustration which represents pictorlally
tho aggregated gorgeousness-mlnus only
It's color-that surrounds Brother SINCERELY
during business hours. Here Is everything,
in n vista reaching through three rooms, and
carrying the astonishcd eye from splendor
to splendor quite to the vanishing point.
Hero is tho decorative lavatory, oven to tho
stopcocks that turn on tho water, hot or
cold. Here Is tho delcately carved cabinet
of cherry AMI French walnut, with bcvclIed
plateglass, where, as we infer from It's situa-
tion, Brother SINGERLY keeps his towels and
soap. Here Is the delightful fireplace and
tho charming Daghestan fabric whercon the
office cat reposes Here are the LOUIS
Quinze tables. the Market street divans, and
all tho vast variety Of decorative de-