[The following report of the ninth annual meeting of the Pacific Press Publishing Association, held at Mountain View, Cal., Jan. 20, 1913, is epitomized from the report of the manager of the institution and from reports published on the Pacific Coast.—Ed.]
MAIN OFFICE PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION, MOUNTAIN VIEW, CAL.
THE attendance at this meeting was larger than that of any previous annual meeting in the history of the association. Elders A. G. Daniells, W. T. Knox, and W. A. Spicer, of the General Conference, were present. Twelve union conferences in the United States and Canada were represented by their presidents; also seventy general agents and tract society secretaries, representing Pacific Press territory, together with about two hundred members of the constituency, attended.
The meeting was called to order in the new Assembly Hall of the institution. By a few well-chosen words, C. H. Jones, president and general manager of the association, extended a cordial greeting to all. His “welcome to California, the land of sunshine, fruit, and flowers; to Mountain View, its garden spot; and to the Pacific Press, one of the largest denominational publishing houses,” meant much to many of the delegates, several of them having been delayed from two to five days en route by snowslides, blizzards, and floods.
After the usual preliminaries the report of the treasurer, H. G. Childs, was presented. The total retail value of the sales of the association, including its three branch offices, during 1912, showed a volume of business amounting to $459,349.07, an increase of $33,488 over the record for 1911. From its earnings of $33,343.78 the home office was able to apply $17,000 on notes and accounts payable. The net gain for the year, including the branch offices, amounted to $37,304.22. The association has a net worth of more than $182,000.
During 1912 machinery and printing equipment amounting to $4,104.51 were donated to foreign mission fields. The struggling little printing-offices in Japan, India, China, and Korea were thus materially helped in the prosecution of their work. Since its reorganization the Pacific Press has given a grand total of $30,076.39 for missionary purposes. The institution has not only given machinery and money, but has sent out well-trained, consecrated workers who are now laboring in South America, Mexico, China, Japan, Korea, India, and the islands of the sea.
Gratitude to our gracious Heavenly Father for the unprecedented degree of prosperity which has attended the work of the association was expressed by several of the visiting brethren present, among whom was Elder J. N. Loughborough, the first president of the Pacific Press.
The report of the general manager, C. H. Jones, emphasized the fact that the year just closed was the best in the history of the institution. The Kansas City Branch of the association, located at Euclid Avenue and Thirteenth Street, Kansas City, Mo., dedicated its new office building and warehouse on Oct. 9, 1912. The manager, S. N. Curtiss, reported sales amounting to $89,086.70 for the past twelve months, showing a net gain of $726.58. The workers at the branch office in Portland, Oregon, dedicated their new office building July 21, 1912. This office showed a net gain of $1,908.44,231the sales for the year totaling $48,202.96.
For several years after its establishment the Canadian Branch, now located in its new substantial quarters at Calgary, Alberta, was not a self-supporting enterprise, but during 1912 it made a gain of $1,138.71, showing total sales for that time amounting to $29,803.80. The manager also called the attention of the constituency to some necessary improvements made at the home office since the last annual meeting, stating that much of the work was done by employees, at a cost of about three thousand dollars.
The year 1912 was a banner one for the book work in Pacific Press territory. The total sales amounted to $322,000, a gain of about $35,000 over the previous year; and the foreign business showed a healthy growth, its sales amounting to $55,555.59. Those in charge of this work attribute this splendid gain largely to more thorough organization in the office and in the field, a better corps of trained workers, and a higher standard of attainment. Most grateful tribute was paid to the devoted canvassers who so faithfully carry the printed page from door to door, making possible the existence of the institution.
One million one hundred ninety-seven thousand copies of the Signs of the Times weekly were circulated during 1912. The subscription list stands at about 13,000. That the Signs of the Times Magazine is still growing in favor is evidenced by the increased circulation, the average being 35,250 copies a month, exclusive of the missions number. Of this particular number 490,000 copies were printed this year. Our Little Friend has a subscription list of nearly 15,000. During 1912 the periodical department carried forward a volume of business amounting to $137,339.
In closing his report to the constituency, the manager said:—
“During the last thirty-three years, in which I have been connected with the Pacific Press, never have we had a more earnest, consecrated, devoted, reliable company of workers in all departments of the office than at the present time. All, or nearly all, are members of the church and earnest Christian workers. They are here because they believe this to be the work of the Lord, and they want to be engaged in it. Some could earn more wages elsewhere, but that is no inducement for them to leave.
“The week of prayer was a season of great refreshing. Every morning special meetings were held in the chapel or in the various departments of the office, and there was a general forward movement. Following the meetings, three of our number went forward in baptism and united with the church.
“The office was closed, as usual, one day during the Harvest Ingathering campaign, and nearly all the employees went out to distribute the Signs and solicit funds for missions. Many reported rich experiences.
“As we look back over the past, and see how graciously the Lord has led us, and the wonderful prosperity that has attended this work, we are led to exclaim with the psalmist of old, ‘This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes;’ and to him we would ascribe all the praise and the glory.”
The following-named persons were unanimously chosen as a board of directors: C. H. Jones, H. G. Childs, M. C. Wilcox, H. H. Hall, E. E. Andross, B. M. Shull, James Cochran.
An advisory board was appointed, consisting of one representative from each of the following union and local conferences: Pacific Union Conference, Northern Union Conference, Central Union Conference, North Pacific Union Conference, Western Canadian Union Conference, California Conference, Central California Conference, Northern California-Nevada Conference, and the Southern California Conference.
The board chose the following-named persons as officers and assistants in effecting its organization:—
OFFICERS.—President and general manager, C. H. Jones; vice-president, H. H. Hall; secretary and treasurer, H. G. Childs; auditor, J. J. Ireland.
DEPARTMENT MANAGERS, ETC.—Manager book department, H. H. Hall; assistant manager book department, James Cochran; manager periodical department, G. C. Hoskin; art director and foreman photoengraving department, F. H. Gage; cashier, T. F. Culhane; manager Kansas City Branch, S. N. Curtiss; manager Portland Branch, J. F. Beatty; manager Canadian Branch, J. M. Rowse.
EDITORS.—Weekly Signs, editor, M. C. Wilcox; associate editors, A. O. Tait and L. A. Reed. Signs Magazine, editor, L. A. Reed; associate editor, A. O. Tait. Our Little Friend, editor, Miss K. B. Wilcox; associate editor, Mrs. V. J. Farnsworth.
PUBLISHING COMMITTEE.—H. H. Hall, M. C. Wilcox, E. E. Andross, E. W. Farnsworth, A. O. Tait, L. A. Reed, C. H. Jones, J. O. Corliss, J. R. Ferren, F. H. Gage, G. C. Hoskin, James Cochran, H. G. Childs.
PURCHASING COMMITTEE.—Manager and treasurer.
One feature of the day particularly enjoyable from a social standpoint was the dinner served in the folding-room of the Pacific Press. Five long tables were tastefully decorated, and spread with appetizing food. At these were seated one hundred fifty persons at a time. The music furnished by the Mountain View orchestra added much to the pleasure of all throughout the meal. Many leading business and professional men from the city were present, and three hundred forty were served. All pronounced this feature of the program a complete success.
The reports rendered by both the home and branch officers, gave evidence that the year 1912 had been the most prosperous in the history of the association. The entire Pacific Press family and visitors present united in expressing praise and gratitude to our Heavenly Father in the adoption of the following resolution:—
“For the goodness of our God in the temporal prosperity of the past year, for the preservation of life and health among our workers within and without the factory, for the spiritual blessings which have been poured upon us from on high, for the privilege of laboring with our blessed Lord and gracious Master in his ever-expanding and fast-closing message, we here record our heartfelt thanks and rededicate our lives to him in glad, whole-hearted service.”
