The Washington herald., 1916-04-24
SOON
TO MOVE UPTOWN
Publishing Firm, Nearing Gen.
tury Mark, Will Abandon
Old Landmark.
HOME ONCE SHOW PLACE
Greatest Writers of Country Have Won
Laurels at Desks in Franklin
Park Building.
Close $50 P. M.

New York, April 22-The old ironclad
landmark in Franklin Square, shrine
iof literature in the present unliterary
city Of New York, where the famous
publishing house of Harper & Brothers
has been located since ls5S-is to be
given up within a few months, and the
firm will take more extensive quarters
at location still to be determined.
Next March the firm will celebrate its
centenary. 1t was in March, 1917, that
1t was organized by James and John
Harper under the name OF J. e J. Har-
per. They had been farmer boys at
Newtown, Long Island. but had come to
the city to learn the printing trade and
become famous. Two other brothers
Joined them later at their plant in Dover
street In 1893 the firm name was
changed to Harper & Brothers. In 1926
the firm was forced to secure more COM
mOdious quarters, and chose the site on
Cliff street. which it has occupied ever
since, though the original two buildings
later were added to by twelve more.
This publishing house grew to be the
largest in this country within eight years
after its founding. and by 1858 1t was con-
sidered the largest in the world. It is
still growing, which fact makes the COM
ing removal to new quarters necessary.
Kept Common Purse Many Years.
One peculiar fact about the members
of this firm was that for forty-two years
they pooled their financial interests, each
taking from a common fund any money
he needed, and it was 1859 before any OF
them opened an individual bank account
Although the oldest firm of American
publishers. who introduced Dickens
Thackeray, and George Eliot to American
readers, it is as vigorous and progress
sive as ever, says the New York Times,
and the constant uptown trend of bust
ness has made its home less a literary
mecca than it was in the days of George
William Curtis and Charles Dudley War
ner.
There was a time when the Harper
Building was one Of the citys most popu-
lar show places. There were guides post
ed at the head of the steep iron stairs
that lead from Franklin Square to the
main offices on the first floor. They would
show visitors the factory, the printing
presses, the mailing rooms, and perhaps
give them a glimpse of the tiny room
where Henry Mills Alden sat, editing the
magazine that has done so much for the
development of American letters-where
he still sits, after forty years of distin-
guished editorial service.
Also they would be shown the artists
rooms, which are east of Mr.. Alden S
office and on the same floor. Here Thomas
Mast. the relentless foe of Tammany Hall
and Boss Tweed, made his savage carl
catlres, and here once laughed and la
bored many a man destined to win undy-
ing laurels.
Mark Twain's Literary Home.
Perhaps the three literary names most
closely associated with Harper's are
those of Henry Mills Alden, William
Dean Howells and Mark Twain.
The house has passed through many
changes in the course of its century of
life, but its vitality is in no way dimin-
ished. The board Of directors of Harper
& Brothers is at present as follows:
Frederic A. Duneka, vice president and
general manager: Clinton T. Brainard,
treasurer; T. B. Wells, secretary; ]. B.
Latour, Henry Hoyns, Ripley Hitchcock,
and A. D. Chandler.
1t is a haunted house-if ever there
were such a thing-a house haunted by
the radiant spirits of the men and women
who have made the literature of our
land.