The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1910-09-03

Iuo L ulllSUlu6 10 L IIIo :
ed-One Of the Most Not
able and Progressive In
stitutions Of America.
Attractively situated in the delightful
village of East Aurora, n. Y, located
about eighteen miles from Buffalo, is
the Roycroft Fraternity, makers Of de
luxe books and things. Their fame IS
worldwide, and the unique history of
the rapid growth and progress OF that
institution makes interesting reading.
The story is told in a little pamphlet
printed at the Roycroft shop, how that,
in 1894, Elbert Herbert had his first
'Little Journeys" printed in booklet
form at local printing office, having
become discouraged in trying to find a
publisher. Before offering it to the pub
Usher, however, he decided to again lay
the matter before New York publishers,
and finally one was induced to issue the
periodical as a venture for a year. The
enterprise met with favor and the sub
scription reached nearly thousand in
six months.
The success of that plan suggested the
printing of pamphlet modelled on 81
milar lines, but giving Mr.. Rubbard's
ideas of thugs in general, and Of pub
fishers and magazine editors in particu-
lar. and so the first number Of the
"Philistine" made its appearance in
June, 1895. There was no intention of
issuing more than one number, but
small subscription list was made up in
order to get it through the mails at mag
azine rates. The printers had now con-
cluded to leave town and offered their
small outfit to Mr.. Hubbard, which he
purchased, and decided to publish the
'FPhilistine" a year, and, to fill in the
time, printed book in a style far diff
ferent from the ordinary and after the
William Morris idea.
small building, similar to an old En-
glish chapel, was erected, having a
basement and one room above. -Four
girls and three boys were working then.
The shop was never locked, and tn e
evenings were spent pleasa ntly together,
books having been brought over from
Mr.. Hubbard's library and also piano
from his home. Subscriptions were
coming in almost every day, and orders
for books were received occasionally.
1t soon became necessary to add wings
to the building in order to gain more
space, but this plan did not long suffice,
for the demand for the books and pu BIZ
cations was ever growing. Stones that
had been considered of little or no val
ue were collected from the fields, and
the farmers were offered a dollar a load
for all they would haul. Large quanti-
ties were gathered, mad these were used
in the construction of several handsome
buildings.
The printing and bindery plants were
greatly increased and other departments
created, work being given to a large
number who wished to become members
of the community. In the printing de
partment at the present time, twelve
John Thompson presses are in use, also
seven cylinders, five of these being OF
the Whitlock manufacture, including
one of the latest Premier style, two Os-
wego power cutters, Brown folders, au-
tomato feeders, and other machinery.
Another Premier cylinder will be in
stalled little later.
The 'FPhilistine now has a circulation
of over one hundred thousand copies
month, and seventy thousand of the
''Little Journeys" and fifty thousand OF
the Fra are printed each issue. Large
numbers OF books, some editions being
in elegant and costly bindings, are also
produced. Mr.. Hubbard's article, writ
ten on the anniversary of Washington's
birthday, 1899, entitled, ga Message to
Garcia,'' attracted attention all over the
world, and has been printed in many
forms and translated into eleven Ian
guages. A total circulation of over
twenty two million copies has been at
tained. This undoubtedly greatly help
ed the circulation of the magazines
printed in the Roycroft shop, although
Mr. Hubbard does not regard it as his
best piece of writing.
The printing department. is under the
able supervision of A. V Ingharn, who
has been connected with the printing
art for about twenty years, the greater
part of that time having been spent in
the middle west States. During the
last few years and previous to takin 6
charge at the Roycroft shop about a
year ago, he occupied executive posi- :
tions with some of the best known es-
Establishments in the West. This exper-
ience, together with his superior ability ,
serve to fit him for the exacting and i'm
portant duties of his present position,
and one can readily understand that it
requires person of more than ordidary