TIIK OMAHA DAILY BKR : SATURDAY , JUNK 4 , Issi.TWKLVK PATH *
fir Improve , ! PrtuUnR h. ic'ncrj
I In- wl.,1 . , , nccinph. . :
'is sketch present the outlines of Uii
< ow and imprcn ed
printing machinery
/ -icli 1ms recently been
placed in tlit
i ess room of TIIK BKE. Mefore we
enter upon the inscription of thesi
machines , a brief history of THE HUE ,
through its various sta es mid growth !
will bo both interesting and instructive.
On Monday Juno Kith , 1871 TIIK
HKK made its advent in the streets of
Omaha. The founder Mr. Kdward
llosowater , launched his enterprise
without a dollar invested in print
ing material without a prospectus , and
with no design to establish a perma
nent news paper. A two page sheet
measuring 12x18 inches , the first num-
her of Tun Br.K had the appearance of
n piny bill , and iw in fact used as a
programme in the Academy or Music
during the first week of its uxisteiico.
' * the end of the lirst two weeks the
et was slightly unlunjod and trans-
med into a four page paper 14.\20.
l'l > to that time thu circulatioi
arying from , ' ! 00 to 800 daily was dis
tnbuted in our business houses fieo of
charge On .Iuly27th,71thopaper was
enlaiged to an 18\JH sheet and do-
liveied to subscribers in the eily foi
12A cents per week , or mailed at Sr
per annum. On August 28th , ' 71 , the
paper was again enlarged to ( ' columns ,
4 pages 20x28 and the subscription
price raised to 15 cents per week and
? 8 per annum.
Since then enlargements were made
in the daily on May ( ith , 1872 , to
7 columns , MxM ; July 22d , 1872 , to
8 columns , 2tx30 ; on March 7th , 1874 ,
to ! ) columns , 27x41 , and again on
May 14th , 1881 , to 28x42.
During the first two months the
typo work and printing of 'TIIK BIK :
was done under contract by Redlleld
Brothers , job printers , corner 12th
and Douglas streets. About the middle -
dlo of September , 1871 , an outfit of
types , coses , imposing stones. c. ,
valued at 81200 , was purchased and
placed in lledfield Bi others building.
In the spring of 1872 the proprietor
of TUB BEE bought out the German
printing ollico of the lieobachicr Am
Missouri , with about § 1,500 worth
of types and printing materials ,
and also purchased a full supply of
types and materials for the Bohemian
paper which he founded during the
previous year.A A large frame building
known as the Cedar Rapids House
adjoining Rcdfield it Brothers build
ing , was rented , fitted up and occupied
by THIS BEK and those foreign publi
cations.
On the llth of Juno , 1872 , the
building was set on fire and the whole
establishment destroyed by an incen
diary , who was subsequently arrested
and convicted. Undaunted by this
calamity , THE BEE was k " * " > > >
halt sheet , never" losing u single issue , .
until the destroyed materials were
again replaced.
In July , 1872 , the now outfit of
printing material , together with its
first printing press and steam engine
were placed in the brick building on
Fiirnhain street , which has over since
been occupied by TIIK BKK.
It is foreign to our purpose in writ
ing this article to dwell at length upon
the causes that have led to the mar
vellous growth of TUB BEE , no : have
wo space to recite the various enter
prises which this paper has set on
foot , and the teforms it has success
fully championed during the p.ist ten
yeais. \ \ hile pointing with just pride
upon the achievements of the post , the
most striking pioof of the prosperity
and widespread intliience of Tin ; Bun
is exhibited in the fast presses and
improved printing machinery which it
has been compelled to purchase in
order to supply the demand of its con
stantly increasing patronage. '
During the first year of its exist
ence TIIK BEE was printed by Kedliold
Brothers , upon a Cincinnati ( hum
cylinder press , ptopolled by the hand
power of a broad-shouldered Ameri
can citizen of African descent. The
speed of this piess varied from 400 to
GOO impressions , or fiom 200 to 300
complete papoin per hour. After the
fiio in Juno , 1872 , Tin : BIJB was print
ed on its own cylinder press , which
was alsi a Cincinnati cylinder with
steam attachment. This piess was
propelled by a six-borne power Baxter
engine , and was capable of turning
out. from 800 to 1,000 impressions per
hour. This speed was , however ,
somewhat risky because this class of
presses are built very light and liable
to go to pieces from jarring when put
to their utmost speed.
When the circulation of the daily
reached 1,200 , in 1873 , it became
manifest that tins light cylinder would
not meet the demand. An exchange
was therefore effected with the makoiH
of that press , for a small cylinder Hoe
in ess which they had purchased in
trade arid which , in those days , was
not in general demand. This was the
first Hoe press over brought to No
hraska , and for a period of seven yearn
it did excellent service , the only draw-
luck being its tendency to crush tyjie
and the oxtr.vuidinary wear upon the
dross of the paper. The speed of this
| > iess ranged from 1,800 to 2,000
( impio8sionH per hour , but its hi/.e was
oivly adapted to papers of 31x 1(5 ( inches ,
hence both as a matter of necessity in
printing the weekly edition , which is
1)3x47 ) inches , and as a piccaution
against accidents , another and l.uger
press was purchased in the spring of I
18 4 This press was one of the old
\ style , extra heavy Cottrell A Babcot-k
drum cylinders , Its speed was fiom
800 to 1,200 impressions per hour , and
after six years wear wai reduced to
from (500 ( to 800 per hour.
The raiud increase in circulation of
both the daily and weekly editions ,
during the past two years , made this
slow machinery costly and laborious.
It was only possible to print the largo
editions of the weekly by working
them off during the night , and that
kppt the engine constantly in motion
night and day. A complete change of
.machinery became an absolute nocea-
"
i , THE BEE'S NEW 'MACHINERY.
HOE'S PATENT IMPROVED DOUBLE-CYLINDER PRESS.
Capacity : Four Thousand Papers Per Hour.
OOTTEELL & BIBCOCK'S ' TIC-REVOLUTION , AIR SPRIM ,
Capacity : Two Thousand Papers Per Hour.
Olmmliers' ' Patent Folding , Trimming and Pasting Machine , jteytii ! Folding Machine ,
Capacity : Seventy-Five Per Minute. Capacity : 60 Per Minute.
sit1. The fiist step in this diiection
w.is the purchase of a now Maxtor
steam engine of fifteen-hmtio power ,
These engines , manufactured in Colt's
armory at Hartford , Conn. , aie the
most simple compact and ecniininiceii-
ginesmado in the \voild and withal per
fectly safe. Although these engines
cost fully double the price of the oidi-
iinry upright engines , they more than
ull'sot the extra cost by their simplicity
ami durability. TJu- next change
mc.do was the eAchange < > f the did Cot
trell AT Habcock drum cylinder press
for one of Cottrell A I'o.'s imjnoved
patent two-revolution printing presses.
This is ono of the most elegant and
finely finished presses made. The
gieat advantages of this machine are
its speed and the facility with which
it can bo handled for all kinds of work.
It is adapted to the finest book and
color work aa well as newspaper print
ing. One of its special features is the
air spring and governor which enable
the machine to attain much gieater
speed than wire spring machines.
This press is capable of turning out
1,800 to L',000 impressions pur hour.
Ttio most valuable acquisition in
machinery uas made ninety days ago
by the exchange of the small cylinder
Hoe preis for one of Hoe tV Co.'s
latest impiovcd patent double cylinder
presKcti , which we illustrate on this
page. This magnificent piece of ma-
chineiy is the first double-cylinder
press brought to Nebraska , and the
only latest improved machine of this
put turn west of the Mississippi. The
weight of this great press is 22,500
pounds , it covers a space with itsattach-
ments of : Uxl8 feet and cost at the
factory ? ( # XX ) . It is therefore the
largest printing press as well as the
fastest and most costly prcu now in
the state. While the ordinary print
ing presses in use in the news
paper offices in this city are
provided with one largo cylinder ,
fed by one feeder , this piess is pro
vided with two sets of cylinders , fed
siiiiultancouHjy by two feeders , ono of
whom stands at each end of the press ,
and an imprint is made on two papers
at each revolution of the cylinders.
The capacity of this press is there-
foio doubled , and 4,000 impressions
pur hour iuo thrown oil' .
One of the greatest draw
backs in expediting thu largo
circulation of Tim HKH was the
tedious and laborious folding of the
papers. Every afternoon the entire
carrier force of boys were kept busy
in folding the city edition , and from
eight to ten persons had to labor a day
and a half each week in
folding the weeklies. Aa an
effective remedy to this draw
back the proprietors of TIIK Jinn pur
chased ono of the Forsaytho's patent
newspaper folding machines , goon
after , the double cylinder Hoe press
had boon placed in TIIK BEK press
loom. This machine illustrated duo-
wheie is cajiable of folding ( ! ( ) p.ipcis
per minute or HI 100 per hour.
In order to meet the iojuirmnonts
of a motiojmlitan daily a font i act was
made with Clmmhcis \ ' Hrothois ,
Philadelphia , in February last forono
of their patent improved fold nig
machines which was nmnufactuiod by
thorn expiensly for Tun HKK and de
livered at our pi oas looms last week.
Tins is ono of thu most ingenious
pieces of mechanism that has yet been
devised in this ago of marvellous in
ventions. The machine made for TIIK
BKK ( see illustration ) is ono of the
Chamber's most improved five fold
fast rotary news folding machine ,
making three folds at right angles
and two folds parallel and working
sheets varying in sue from a ( juartor
shoot of our enlarged daily edition tea
a sheet measuring 3752 iiichea. The
machine is also provided with
pasting and trimming attachments
which enable us to fold 7f > papoiH pur
minute , paste ouch paper in the mid
dle after it is folded to a quarto , and
trim oil the edges HO that each of the
eight pages of the paper aio access-
nblit to the lender without turning the
sheet over. Mr. Hdward Pfeiller , the
mechanic who came to Omaha to erect
this machine for TIIK HKK , has made
Hoviual trips across the ocean on simi
lar crrandx. Lost year ho put up one of
these machines in ( loriimnv and anoth
er in England. Although somewhat
complicated the folder is not very
huge , occupying n space 5x7ft. , and itu
height above the base is less than 4 ft.
With this Hiiperb Hot of machinery
TIIK HKK is capable of printing 0,000
impressions or 3,000 complete papers
every hour , and wo have the means to
fold , trim and paste these papers eini-
ultaneouily while they are being print
ed. Jnuiaeaofeniorgenoyfrom5,000to
6,000 copies of the daily' and vreokly
editions can bo printed , folded and
, T |
made rendy for delivery or mailing in
one hour. Taking an average of ton
hours per day , including incidental
delays , will wo i-ould piint , fold and
deliver 40,0K ) papers in one day.
As yet. Tin : Men is the only paper
in Nebraska , and for that matter in
Iowa , Nebraska and Kansas , that uses
machinery for folding its circulation.
That such machinery has become in-
diftpcnsihlo is evidenced by the follow
ing exhibit of the marvellous growth
of this paper :
ciwr.T.ATroN or DAUT BKK.
. . : - - 4th , , . . 2,736
PecrmlxT 8th , 2.S32
IWfi .lainmry 3nl 2.H03
June 3nl 2,028
' ' ' ' ' " ' '
AiiRUftt 4th . . . . . . . . . 2 Y > ( I
1877 Inly 20th 2,520
Dcct'inlxT 30th 2,856
1878 - Kelinmry ISM 2 712
iSNuoniluT 7th .2,0 ( > l
-ilnnuniy 20th 2f , > { i8
SopU'iiilxTllth 2,118
1SSO Mixrch'JOth 2,80S
Pwinlvor 8n1 ! tRIO
IHS1 .liuumry 3rd. , . , 3,5112
I'llU'CLATlON OK TIIK WKKKI.V PFR.
1H7Octolxr Dili 1,512
IH75 .laiumry 7th . ' , ' . " ! i oH (
" 1 ) ci'cinbcr 12th U , 132
IS7i ( fnnuarv 1W 3ri , ( > l
" NiiM-imicr intli.t 2I28 !
1.S77.Imitmiy Ith 2,7 t
" DiwiuliiT 14th i L',7HJ
IS 7 8 Uth i,78l !
I fith
t 7l ! Inim.iiy 21th
I Of Q
' ' '
.liunurylHli . . . . . . . . . Ujn-JO
MrctmlH-r 10th 11,010
HS1 .Innimry 7th
13,400 s
A DESPERATE STRUGGLE' . '
*
Encounter ofu Union Soltllor with' ' -
n Conroilorato.
"Halt ! Who goes there ? " nhouted
long , lank confederate soldier , sil
ting upon a sorrel horse , toying with
i tloublu-hai ruled shotgun , the fnvorita
M-aponof the western bushwhacker in
ho early war time. Ho was the I- *
nckot guarding the wimp of Diofc Me- : j' v
Cann , oim of Uio most daring of the
confederate cavalry. The ) ) ivouao
rested in the security of his vigilance ,
n a piece of woods u mile or so to Uio
eft of the turnpike lending from Gal-
atin to Nashville , Tumi. The picket
stood where the country road which
ed past MeCann's camp madoits junc-
-ion with the turnpike. Ho evidently
ihaUonged the cavalry approaching
from the direction of Galfatin as a
matter of form , for as the otlicor an-
> reached him in response to his com-
niuid. "Advance and give the counter
sign , ' his shotgun lay upon his Ian ,
icross thu pommel of his saddle , while
10 was paying more attention to his
comrade , who was coming up the
vagon road with two chickens in one
land , the plunder of an unofficial for-
igo , and an unruly horse in the other ,
linn ho did in the otlicor responding to
its ehalloni'o. The Federal ao'dior ' got
vithin a few feet of him before ho
Boomed to recognize the possibility of
an onoiny being nearer than Nashville.
Fho dross first attracted his attention ,
or Jio saw that it , was not , hat of a
3onfoderato , and hurriedly bringing
lis shotgun to bear upon the officer , ho
commanded : . , , '
' A
-TUinio JHiUrth' Michigan cavalry " .
eplicd the ofiicer. " ,
Covering the olliour with his shot ?
jun IIH ko passed around to surrender
limseJf , the Confederate again com-
nanded , ' 'Give mo your arum ! "
The ollicor , who were a heavy overcoat -
coat with a long cape , dropped the
mim upon his horse's nock , pushed ,
lis hand under his overcoat to uu-
nicklo his sabre and comply with the
lemmul.
The , Federal soldier's horse being
1ms left at liberty crowded against the
Jonfodenito , and , believing his game
\n already in hand , ho laid his shot-
'iin dinvii ncioss his saddle to receive
ho arm j of his captive. Hardly had ho
ono thu before the Federal soldier
iaw his oppoitunity , and , throwing his
eft hand quickly under the cover of
lis cape , struck the niUK/lu of his shot
mi and knocked it to the ground and
nth the same movement caught the
'onfodorato by his long , flowing hair
mlled his head upon his breast , whip-
md his lovolver fiom its pouchplaced
t against his body and fired. The
mnmier of the revolver caught in
10 fold of the long capo which
mug from the Confederato'H
lolllcleiH and did not explode. Ho
row it back , raised the hammer
gam , and made another attempt to
oeure the confederate. This time it
; ot between his body and arm , and .
Ithough it did not miss fire , the con-
odurate was uninjiiii'd and in the
iiBslo escaped , All this wan the work
f a minute , for the ollicor hud shouted
his command "Forward" ' the
0 , ino-
lent he had grappled with one of
tlcCaim'H private noldiers. But by
! io timu it arrived the soldier was go
ng down the road at break-neck
need , while his comrade with the twit
micken's for the morning's breakfast
uul mounted his horse and was fol-
owing him hurriedly , The little .
omnmnd passed on to Nashrillo us
apidly ou possible. wiChout stopping
, o do more than to pick up the eol-
.ier'u shotgun to Head homo as a
ouvenir of the escapade.
A Novel Shipment of Carp ,
' 'oreit nml Mruini ,
Last Saturday the Pacific mail
teamer Colon took out 30 carp for
Ecuador , in charge of Mr , Aguirre.
'hoy wore sent by Prof. Baird ,
hrough Mr. Blackford , of the Now-
rork Fish Commission , and as after
heir arrival in Ecuador they will have
1 ten days journey to the plantation of
signor Jijon * near the city of Quito ,
ipon the backs of Indian carriersthey
equiied special cans for tjiuir trans-
101 tation. These- cans are made of
trong tin , flattened on ono side to fit
uuan'ti luck , with places for thestr.ip ,
which | i.iuHes across the Indian's fore-
icad , from which they dojiend. They
no covered with felt and have porfor-
ited wooden covers to protect them
mm the tropical heat , and , when fill-
id with water , will weigh 100 pounda ,
The water will not bo changed from
the time of leaving New Yoik , but
will bo aerated by dippers. Sir.
Aguinu acciiiiip.inying them to the end
of their joumoy , Messrs , Hoadloy &
Co. , the New York agents , having
given them o very facility on shipboard.
This is the greatest feat yet attempted
in fish transportation , and we will
watch for reports of the reault with
great interest. Ton day1 joumpy on
the backs of men , in a tropical climate
is enough to break down the endurance
of oven a carp.