New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-29
HARPER & BROS. ASSIGN.
Continued from irst page.

could continue under the sole direction Of Mr.
III result IN a saving OF more than slOo0O9 year
We therefore recognize that you should proceed
secured by the collateral OF our mortgage bonds.
the state Hs toT 9sa9 as w6rs be
,tjed 10 enter upon and to take possession OF the
nie PROCEEDINGS for the appointment OF the trustee
.s receiver Of the corporation, ana or MI, hatNey
as agent i Sq e se which shall promote primarily
the Interests OF our creditors, ana Nn.Sn we lVte
S S1 S Of Harper G Bros and enable il to enter
mon fresh career of usefulness ano prospeIIty.
wants. JO5NN HARPFR
JAMES THoRNE HARPER,
HENRY S. HARPER
JAMES HARPER.
New-York. November o. 1899.
Messrs John ". Harper ct al, ,ho rooo,r,
Gentlemen: we bes 70 ackn99wledge the RECEIPT
our Communication Of the spirit which animates , H.
The d0wnlaS 0tf,o5 5af casmity everything that
~oui b done Iawfuy to prevent II should be done;
Under the S rs baye been the best for ali your
creditors and II Will receive our nearly co-ope'a-
u9 Tbs,nr YOU for your very gracious expressions.
we are very respectfully yours ,,opcAD aCo
COLONEL HARvEY's STATEMENT.
Accompanying these letters. in further ex-
.,a,at,on Of what had been done. was the fol-
,ov,ne statement by Colonel Harvey:
The letters which have passed between Harper
E proe and J p Morgan & Co. offer sufficient
i.Gfes'o is only just and right however, that
should assume my fun share OF responslDiiity lGf
taken PsGy At N ny fRs SIe 'os the the
consent ana appsoNSS ~ "a rrircnai creGitors The
I1aIIa tact is that myself or any body else VINO
ventured assume the personal TespGnso''ES r e
NJ
eooting a thorough readjustment OF It's hnanCes
would have been confronted 10y a hercuie stIea
w.. ~ irnpossibe task. After a thorough lnNesti,sa
~ ~ The condition OF affairs and the surrouhuIe
circumstances became satisfied that n 0rufi We
MANS occupied in the publishing world and to
AIRY on and enlarge its business IN 70
e,,h modern IDEAS 1t absolutely essenudi1 ~
Begin at the bottom and first OF AL 10 An
It's finances upon SOUND an1 qu his task while
steggering under so heavy burden OF inoeooeot
ness would have been from eusiness and
Asiiberation each member Of the Harper talrr''I
concerned and all OF the larger his judgment and
recognized the fact that the only p SeoWed
h ns ne ~ add thet In these deliberations me
attitude Of every member Of the Harper so5 5sm G
nneSTeoral honor and the highest regard TOT me me
GOOD name OF the greatest publishing hoUse esnon5
%Ollu' mat The large creditors. and notably j. r.
Morgan & CO. were and are actuateu oy ''e W
generous aTe es, ~ 6f the action which has been
taken is TO make il possible for me aha on our
enfire energies to the actual work oetore W. M a
stead Of giving half our time at !east 10 thaf The
e., hest endeavors could only result IN u,llnaIe
failure Every publication issned II IRON ayerv POSSIBLE
Way without hindrance ano s1 1Tus' ~ friends
hearty pSnnse whose honor dignity and pros
peritv il has become our duty TO maintain.
APPROVED BY HARPER FAMILY.
When seAn subsequently, by Tribune re-
norter Colonel Harvey said that practcally
everything he could say was contained IN MS
,oreeo,ng statement which, with the CORE
snondence. described the position Of the com
,env and the conditions which rendered II ad-
1isable that the State Trust Company shoulo
take over the assets Of the company. lie salo
that the step had been resolved upon with the
entire approval OF the Harper family VINO
agreed that II was the best thing 70 he done 10
conserve the interests Of the firm and creditors
alike. The total unsecured debts OF the cor
poration. he explained, amounted TO ABOUT
100000
When asked II he was prepared 70 give out
schedule OF the creditors. Colonel Harvey sa1o
q VAS not possible to make UP such list, be-
cause the obligations were mostly IN the shape
OF paper. which had been dealt in by brokers
None Of the publications Of the COMP any, he
added. would be discontinued and he expressed
his hope that with reorganization would come
renewed success and prosperity.
" and H. r, Harper were also seen. and
said that they had nothing TO say beyond what
had been given out except 10 repeat that they
and the other members Of the Harper family
were in entire harmony with Colonel Harvey
end had entirely acquiesced in the step that
had been taken.
HISTORY OF THE HOUSE.
The great publishing house of Harper &
Bros found its beginning in the little print
ing Office in Dover-st. Of James and John
Harper. who placed on their books the imprint
~ 81 Harper" James and John Harper were
born in 1875 and 1897. respectively. in New
town. Long Island. where they spent their boy
hood They came TO New-York and served as
printers apprentices until 1917, when they set
10 shop for themselves. Their first work con-
sisted Of the delivery OF two thousand copies or
seneca's Morals" and from this small begin
ming the growth Of the business was STEADY
They gained their reputation by the pubhcauon
Of their celebrated series known as Harpers
Family Library collection made up or stand
ard works Of general interest. which was
favorite both in private and public libraries
The placing of Joseph Wesley and Fletcher
Harper, the TWO younger pIoIhels vi 'oi4ieS anu
John Harper. as apprentices TO the firm was IN
due time followed by their admission as part
ners and the Arm was then changed 70
Harper & Bros. In the arrangement which
grew up naturally James Harper superintendent
the mechanical operations Of the establishment,
John made most Of the purchases and became
the financial manager of the firm Wesley read
the final proofs of the most important works,
while conducting the correspondence OF the
house, and Fletcher, after being for time fore
man Of the composing room, grew into the
charge Of the publishing departments. II was
% his suggestion that the publication OF Harp
ers Weekly" and "Harper's Bazar' was due,
while t,e idea Of "Uarper's Magazine origi-