Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-18
THE 21st. MAINE.
Continued From Page Seven.)
ept10dSvnns


The badge on the side of the books
which cost for cutting $500. 1t must
be made of brass to stand the heat re-
quired to make the impression ana tas-
ten the cold leaf but is subject to very
slight wear, yet must be made TO secure
d single impression and the committee
be lieve that it's use would make each
book worth more than five cents more
than If both sides We're perfectly plain.
With it the actual cost of each book
stamped more than if plain would be
1 As cents.
There is ;tlst, left in perfect condition
the 1G half tone plates of 60 pictures
any one Of which is good TO use by the
association or other persons Interested
in any person whose picture is in the
hook. The only cost of producing half
tone pictures from these plates being
the press work and paper. They .Lcre-
fore have money value and age tine
property OF the comrades who paid for
the issues of the record.
When the printing and binding was
contemplated it was thought possible
to bind and sell portion of the edition
leaving the remainder in sheets to be
bound as required for sale. but it was
found that the adjustment of the ma
chnery for binding was so great q part
Of the cost that it would cause Il con-
siderable loss to SO divide the work and
also that the printed sheets unbound
were much more liable to damage
than the hound volumes, so it was de-
cided to have the whole edition bound
at one Job.
Il. l,n ,I>n,s of
volumes was made in consideration of
the fact that more than eight hundred
men were members of the regiment
and about three hundred and fifty
were then alive.
1t was thought that among these $50,
three hundred would be required as
nearly all these had a considerable
pension and some would want an eX-
ira copy. allowing so for such as lacked
means CT for other reasons would not
purchase.
1t was also believed that of the fani-
lies of tn, four hundred and fifty not liv-
ing at least two hundred would require
the history of their deceased friend and
certain librarians and collectors OF war
literature would make up for any lack
of customers among our own comrades
and their families.
Besides this the great cost of the ed
ition is in the composition and the
plates after which the paper and nress
work are the only cost at the printers
AMI at the binders, a much smaller
edition would increase the cost Of bind
ing about thirty per cent, so that to
meet expenses smaller edition must
be set at 50 large price per volume as
to seem eAhorbltant, and unreasonable.
In the matter of the book the commit
tee believe that a simple statement of
facts as t. the service of the regiment
was better than high sounding words,
and in the biography of its members a
similar rule was most fit. That a rec
ORD of honorable service and discharge
with a brief and accurate subsequent
record of what each comrade was and
| is as citizen would not be improved
by words of praise though we'll Ge-
served.
Moreover it was well understood
| that the regiment did not in general
desire a large and expensive work and
hence it must be concisely written.
The paper selected was of medium
price and good quality and the press
| work and binding so executed that Tor
| the price the committee not only re-
celved good value but some special con-
cession as the work was done to pre-
serve the record of soldiers instead OF
for profit as a speculation.
| As soon as the first volumes were
bound $50 were boxed and shipped to
the reunion in Waterville in Septem-
Der 1907 and soon after all orders Tor
the work on file were filed. Circulars
were provided and sent to each of the
comrades and comrades in various sec
tions were urged to see such OF the
families of our deceased comrades as
were in their vicinity and dispose OF
such copies as they might wish for and
with the reunion notices of the present
wear. Circulars and blank orders foi
| the record have been supplied each
cop,radc who has not already made
n purchase of book. A large number
| ,f letters have been written reaching
all the comrades outside the State Al
the writing of this report at the close OF
the reunion year one hundred ana Tor
tv volumes have been disposed or
amounting to s2S3.36 as per list IN de-
| tail herewith submitted.
| 1t is 10 be regretted that our com
rades and friends who doubtless intend
T., supply themselves with copies of the
record do not act with greater prompt
ness So that no expense of printing
hostage. etc. is required to call tneir
attention to the matter. all of which Is
| a loss to lis ana q cause of delay
AS tho first plan was for plain BOOK
only so per cent of the guaranty fund
s,on was called for. and when with the
| increased cost of the half tones and
man of rcrt Hudson 1t was found that
the cost would outrun the cash In hano
if was seen that another call on the
| ouarantors must be made or the hrst
Gates of the book must be used to pay
tho increase in cost of the half tone
illustrations and the binding of the
.,,umes which it was at first proposed
to leave in sheets till called for by pur'
\ nbasers Several Of the guarantors pur-
chased from two to six volumes eacf
and all books sold were paid for IT
cash so that the committee mad sum
c;ent funds to pay all the expenses OF
publication without any further cal
mon the guarantors. Besides paying