The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-25
arThe noure OF unrncr.n

-.
OF New York and London. $500.
This volume gives the history OF a
century OF publishing in Frapk1iu
Square. New York Its pages. say this
history. are dedicated TO the friends
of the Harrcr brothers. James. John
Joseph Wesley and Fletcher, but
should they fail under Il stranger
eye, II is hoped tho portraltures of the
Brothers Chereryble,' reflected from this
record OF well spent lives. may increase
the number OF those who respect their
memory
The annals of THE House of Harper"
go back 10 the days OF James Harper,
OF Ipswich, SUFFOLK county, England.
who came 10 this country from Eng
land in tho ante Revolutionary period.
removed from Philadelphia to New
town, Long Island. ind from thence to
New York City. After his retirement
from business, James lived In Brook :
Ign.
His eldest son, Joseph, married Eliza
beth kolyer, daughter of a substantial
Dutch burgher. OF Long Island In 1872,
and, OF their sin children, four. James,
John. Wesley and Fletcher, survived
the aCe Of infancy and the reader is
Informed concornng that that; so in
separately were they connected through
life that the history of The ono ie to
II great extent. tho history of the
others"
1t Is a matter of great interest 10
tho American public. who for years
have enjoyed the results of what has
been accomplished by the great Harper
publishing firm. to turn back 10 It's
carly beginnings and learn that when
James Harper, son of Joseph and Eliza
beth kclyer Harper reached the ago
of sixteen, he chose a printers trade,
and was apprenticcd to Mr.. Paul, OF
the firm of Paul & Thomas, New York.
This was in December OF 1910, when
John Jacob Aston lived at 22S Broad
way. and Jacob Barker In n Bcckman
Street mansion.
When James Harper commenced his
apprenticeship, two men were neede,
10 work printing press Thuriow
Weed said long afterward. In speaking
OF his ossocia ton in work with James
Harper, that: James Harper, Tom
Kennedy and l made the largest bills
In tho city. We often earned as much
as STA per wcck--libcraI wages when
you remember tina; good board could
then be obtained Tor $40 "a month";
In March OF 1917. James Harper and
his brother John began in business as
practical printers and publishers. In
q small room and a dingy building ON
Dover street. they started by supervis
ing all of their own work and doing
most of It themselves. The first book
70 appear with the imprint of j. and j.
Harper on its title page was an edi-
lion OF "Seneca's Morals" 1000 copies
Of this work having been ordered by
the elder Dnyckipck. In 1918 the firm
made first independent venture by
cautiously printing 5n0 copies OF
Lcckes Essay Upon the Human IN
derstandiug"
In 1928, it is noted that Wesley Har
Fer bought admission into the concern
Il
Fletcher Harper was admitted. The
name OF the firm vas changed 10 Har-
per 4 Brothers In 1888. 1t is said that
a gentleman once asked James Harper
(Which of you is the Harper and which
and the brothers,"
Either one is the Harper" was the
reply, "the rest are the brothers." DIFF
ferent branches of the business, how
ever, the reader is told were supcrin-
tended by the different brothers. the
mechanical operations, hy James: the
!innncicring and purchasing, by John:
the proofreading and correspondence
by Wesley; the work OF the composing
room and the literary department., by
Fletcher Harper.
The Harpers were the FIRST to publish
the Wavcrley Novels in this country. In
order TO expedite the appearance OF
che books the brothers themselves lent
hand In the work Whenever il seem
I'D necessary. The brothers were ali
married by 1875 and we're then operat-
ing their printing presses by horse
power from the cellar of a dwelling ad-
joining their factory. Eight years from
the time the hrm OF ]. & j. Harper
began business. theirs was the largest
book manufacturing establishment In the
country -
The hietoy., of THE Houpc OF Har-
per does not fail 10 accord due credit
10 the Influence OF The Methodist
Church and It's ministry in the forna
tion OF the splendid characters and mo
thcds OF the men who we're It's found
ers. Special references to Francis IS
bury, the presiding genius for forty.
tlve years. OF American Methud!sm to
Elder Peter Cartwright and Or. Peter
Akers, OF Illinois. TO Or w. II. Mil
burn, DIR. Durbin, DR.. AicCiintock. pr.
Crooks. DR.. Wngany anG many others,
enable the reader to understand how
much such men had 90 do with the
carly training OF tho Harpcr brothers
On April e, 1871 James Harper was
slectc6 Mayor Of New York by c!ti-
zens who desired 10 throw OF the YOKE
OF professional politicians Sew York
then had population Of 3l@.S52 The
Mayor his history SAYS, immediately
inauEurated hts policy N disregardinl,
the popular cry Of "Americaus 10 gov
"rn America OF closing disorderlv
srog shops removing sidewalk, booths
which !mpt ded traffic, Of iruugurutiuc
1tree, CLEANING by contract, introduc.
Ing and passing . bin dividing NV
York into districts with police head
quarters for each district. ana OF con
tiHu'nr his reform administration sue.
cesstuliy until 1915 when he wa. sue
oeeded by William f. Haycrnevar
Contributing largely " tho business