Denver labor bulletin., 1916-05-13
DEATH OF ORVILLE l. SMITH IS
GREAT LOSSTOPRINTINC TRADES
Head Of Denver'S Largest
Publishing House
Former President of Denver Typo
graphical Union and First to
Grant Eieht-Hour Day to Job
Printers in United States

orville L. Smith, president of the
Smith Brooks Printing company, and
one OF the pioneer union printers of
Colorado, died Monday night at his home,
1875 Race street, of pneumonia, after an
illness of one week. Announcement of
his death Tuesday morning came as a
distinct shock to the 200 employees of
the company and a host of friends thru
out the city, few OF whom even knew
of his illness.
the snowstorm and blizzard. contracting
a severe cold. His rugged health caused
him to forego the customary precautions
and pneumonia developed. After being
ordered to bed by his physicians. Mr..
Smith insisted upon being up and about
the house and was little concerned about
his illness until the last.
Founders of Big Industry.
Together with George W. Brooks he
founded the Smith Brooks Printing com
pauy in 1856 with a small Job shop at
1916 Arapahoe street. Later they moved
to the Club building and purchased the
job plant of the Rocky Mountain News.
They were energetic and popular, so that
their business prospered. and in 1890
again moved TO larger quarters at the
present ldCdllOn at lii0-lliI California
street, where the firm now has one of
the largest and best equipped printing
and publishing plants in the West, EN-
ploying between 200 and 800 men and
women.
Orville L. Smith came to Denver in
1882 from New York state and was en-
ployed for a time as a compositor on the
old Denver Republican. In those days
he was known as ''Yank'' Smith. and this
name, designating the section from
whence he came stuck to him thru all
the years. He was president of Denver
Typographical Union No. 40 in the sos.
while his partner, George W. Brooks.
was secretary-treasurer of the union.
Delegate to l. T. U. Sessions
Mr.. Smith was for many years a very
live wire in typographical Union circles.
until his business grew so large as to
to four International typographical
Union conventions as follows: New Or
leans in 1854, Kansas City in lSSS. At
lanta in 1870, and Boston in 1891.
In 1889 he was chairman OF No. 49's
entertainment committee for the conven.
tion which met in Denver that wear. and
all Yet living who attended that famous
gathering of printers will remember
"Hank' Smith as the "warmest mem-
bera they ever met. He spent lavishly
of both time and money in seeing to it
that every delegate and visitor had the
time of their lives. And in this he was
Smith will be regretted by printers in
every part of the United States and
Canada.
Pioneer Colorado Printer
Mr. Smith was one of the founders of
-ha Gn1pras ID p,nraa- D.,
dent of the society up to the time of
his death. One of his chief delights was
to gather party of the old-time print.
ers and hold 4 social session, exchanging
"reminiscences of the pioneer days. He
dispensed large amount of quiet, pri-
vate charity among those less fortunate
in life than himself.
OF late years Mr.. Smith turned over
to younger members of the firm the ac-
tive work of conducting the big printing
plant. He devoted considerable time TO
travel, hunting and fishing, being recos-
nlzed rs one of Colorado's foremost out
door sportsmen.
Mr.. Smith was born in Sandy Hills.
now Hudson Falls, n. Y, in 1850. and
consequently was 66 years old at the
time of his death. He was at on, TINA
president of the New York Society of
Colorado.
First to Grant Eight-Hour Day.
Both founders of the firm of Smith
Brooks having been active members of
the union, they were ever prompt to
recognize the business of union demands.
This firm was the first in the United
States to establish the eight-hour dav
for commercial printers, and extended the
shorter workdsy TO every department of
their big establishment. They believed
IN high wages and Were always the first
to sign new wage scale for the print.
ing crafts. Largely due to their atti
tude in this matter, there has never been
a semblance OF strike in the book and
Job trade of Denver since the Smith
Brooks company began business in 1886
Mr.. Smith is survived by his widow
and one son, orville L. Smith, Jr., and
one daughter, the wife of Dr. Louis
Hough, all residents of Denver young
er brother, Frederick Smith lives in Cali
fornia.
Many Expressions of Regret.
Funeral services were held Wednesday
afternoon at ? o'clock from the family
residence, and interment at Mount Olivet
cemetery. A large concourse of friends.
pioneer printers, employees, members of
printing trades unions and business men
Continued on Page FourJ