Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1886-07-08
First steam PrInsipu Press.


First Steam Printing Press.
When the number bought Of the Lon
don Tines was 1000, it was easy enough
to supply them with press which turned
out between sOO.and 4OOcopies an hour;
but when many thousands were called
for, such press proved wholly made
quate. Mr.. Walter had made several
attempts to effect improvements in the
printing press, He consulted Marc Isirn-
bard Brunei, one the greatestmechanics
Of his day, who gave his best attention to
the matter, and then intimated his ina
biiity toexecute what was required. Mr..
Walter advanced money to Thomas Mar
tyn, who thought he had made an i'm
portant discovery, but his ideas were not
realized in practice.
While engaged in seeking for person
who could give scope and effect to his
wishes, Friedrich Koenig, German
who was born at Eisleben, in Saxonv. in
1774, was laboring to effect improve
ments in the printing press, was conf
dent Of substituting steam for manual
labor in his new press, and was anxi-
ously waiting for an opportunity to give
scopeto his views, and for a patron to
countenance and advance them. He had
visited England in the hope of finding
there the opening and the support which
hecould not obtain in his native country.
He found sympathizer in Thomas Bens-
ley, with whom he entered into an agree
ment in 1907. Two years later, when
working model Of Koenig's improved
press had been completed, Bensley
brought the matter before Mr.. Walter,
who, for the moment, was 50 fully occu-
pied with other engagements that he could
not entertain new scheme.
In 1912 Koenig had finished one of his
new printing presses, and the conductors
Of the principal London journals were in
vited to see it in operation. Mr.. Perry,
OF the Morning Chronicle, very shrewd
man, and the editor Of a most successful
newspaper, would not even accept the in
vitation, declaring that, in his opinion,
no newspaper was worth so many years
purchase as would equal the cost Of the
new machine. Mr.. Walter accepted the
invitation, carefully examined Koenig's
improved press, and at once ordered two
double presses on the same model. Two
years elapsed before these presses were
constructed and at work. Rumors Of the
new invention were circulated, despite
the secrecy to which all concerned had
been pledged, and the Times pressmen,
who believed that their means Of liveli-
hood would be at an end when steam was
applied to printing, vowed vengeance
upon the inventor.
The new presses were erected in rooms
adjoining those wherein the old presses
were in operation. Att o'clock on the
morning Of the 29th of November, 1914,
Mr.. Walter entered the Office with sew
eral damp printed sheets in his hand, and
informed the startled pressmen at work
there that the ''ZSmes was already
printed by steam that if.they attempted
violence there was force ready to sup
press it; but that, if they were peaceable,
their wages should be continued to every
one Of them till similar employment
could be procured" In proof of his
statement he handed to them copies of
the first newspaper which had issued
from steam press. The readers of that
days Times were informed Of the revolu-
ton of which it was visible token.
Trifing though the speed may now seem,
it was then thought astounding that
press could throw of, as Koenigs did,
1,100 copies an hour, and this beginning
is memorable as the first step in a series
of improvements still more remarkable
than that which was pronounced at the
time to be the greatest that had been eff
fected in the art Of printing since the dis
coyery Of the art itself. Niaetesnth Cen
tary.