Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-05-20
. THE LEADING BINDERY.
That Of Smith 4 Reid Stands Well at
the Front.
State Reports and Other Work Donc-Some
Of the Methods.

| the Journal presses, before they are
| sent out, all over the State and the
nation. 1t would be quite task 10
| enumerate all the books that pass
| though the machinery of the bindery.
| Augusta is to be congratulated upon
| many things. and one of them is that
| she has the best equipped establish
ment and best workmen. in the way of
binding. of any place in the State. or
| anywhere, so far as that goes. Pos
sibly there may be places where they
do larger business in some of the i'm
mense publishing houses, but nowhere
| is there more substantial work done
than is done here in the Smith & Reid
| bindery. Anyone who does not credit
| this can go to State Librarian Carver
and ask him from what state in the
Union the best bound books come and
from what place the bindings stand the
longest wear. and hold their shape the
longest. He will answer at once that
even the United States bindery does not
do so good work as the Augusta one.
The largest lot of books of any one
| is in the way of the agricultural re-
ports. OF these there are 1000. Then
every department has all the way from
| one to six thousand copies of the re-
ports. BESIDES this there is all the
| stitching that has 10 be done to the
pamphlets that are issued and all the
| local work in the way of making blank
books
The material for the books goes to
the bindery from the Journal press in
great sheets on which are printed all
the way from four to 80 pages. These
are folded by the young ladies employ
ed and are packed away after being
pressed together. These 500 lots take
up but little space and are marked 80
that when a book is ready they open
the different bundles and placing them
on a large table sort, them. and then
gather them, SO that a whole book in
ready TO be joined together in the holy
bonds of binding.
On a bench several upright strings
are placed SO that they go along the
back of the book that is TO be. The
clil1al FIN Of
little piles of signatures as each
section of the book is called, and pass
ing the threaded needles deity through
the center of the back of each, do the
stitching that we all see when opening
to the middle of one of these. sections.
The thread is attached to the Upright
string. leaving two pieces of it pro-
truding on each side of the book
Then the book passes on to the trim
mer which squares the edges. Next
the back is pounded so that it brings
the rounded surface on the binding of
the book and gives the bevelled front.
/ Then there is a backing of paper
pasted upon the back In the books
that are used in the State work where
thousands are used, the covers are
bought all manufactured and printed.
There is a concern in Boston that does
nothing but manufacture these covers.
On the work where leather covers are
put on. there is a different method
used. The heavy cardboard cut in the
proper size for the cover. is placed on
the book and the projecting strings be-
fore mentioned. are placed through
these to assist in holding them in place
until the leather is put on.
These in place and the cover of
leather is put on. All this work re-
qulres skilled help who cannot be
Taught in day or week. In some
classes of work paste is used that is
OF the ordinary sort, while in others is
used a glue that will bearNall ffe wear
ana tear possible and never give way.
as it is very pliable
The finishing is very difficult part
OF the work and. it is, in fact. asdis.
tinctly different trade from the rest.
Dies of the figures seen on the backs of
the finely finished work are used. while
hot. Prior to this the leather cover
has been treated to a sizing coat of the
white of an egg. Over this is laid the
thin gold leaf and thus the work goes
on. every letter and figure being
treated in this manner.
The covering to the best books used
consists of all sorts of leather, from
the cheap English leather to the calf.
This latter is very expensive covering
for large book. The covers that are
bought all made, are of cardboard COW
cred with cloth.
Another Interesting part of this work
is the making of the blank books for
the use of the State. county and town
I nkKlE