New Quarters of the Southern Publishing Association
By I. A. Ford
Two years ago or more, the question of removing the Southern Publishing Association from its quarters in the city to a country location, began to be agitated. Various stock-holders, when visiting the place, expressed it as their best judgment that the change should be made. Many of the reasons which led them to this conclusion have been given by others in previous articles in the REVIEW and the Watchman.
At the stock-holders' meeting in January, 1905, the incoming board of directors was instructed to take immediate steps to dispose of the old property, select a new location, and erect a suitable building for the business. Many locations were visited by the management, but not until September was a place definitely decided upon.
The location selected was a tract of land containing nearly seven acres, on a high elevation just outside the limits of the city of Nashville. Part of this has been subdivided and sold to our em- ployees, the association retaining three acres for its own use. On the lots that have been sold, several new houses are being erected, and some are already completed and occupied by the workers in the institution.
As soon as the land was purchased, plans were laid for the erection of a building for the manufacturing department. After giving the matter careful study, the management decided to erect a one-story building. This has many advantages. No elevator is required, which saves not only the time required in going from one floor to another, but also frees us from the danger of accident so often happening from the use of elevators.
Being all on one floor, each department has easy access to every other department, and the work of all is more easily directed. Although the building is seventy feet wide, yet there are no posts, the large roof being supported by nine large truss-beams. There is only one partition in the building, and that is around the shipping room; this partition forms the back of the bins for books. The absence of partitions enables the workers to go from one department to another more quickly than could be done if each were in a room by itself.
NEW PLANT OF THE SOUTHERN PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION
In planning the location of the various departments, much care was taken to have everything as convenient as possible, realizing that anything which causes extra steps is a loss of time, and consequently a loss financially in the operation of the business. During the last few weeks we have been visited by a number of the leading business men of the city, who have spoken words of the greatest commendation. One gentle- man, who stands at the head of one of the largest firms in the city, stated to the writer a few days ago that he was acquainted with all the leading printing houses in the city, and that he considered ours the best arranged, and upon the whole, the best plant of its size that he had seen. Several of our brethren from abroad have also visited us, and expressed themselves pleased with what they have seen.
Perhaps a more detailed description will be of interest. The main entrance to the building (as seen in the illustration) is near the north end. To the right of this is the desk of the superintendent, who receives all orders, and after entering the same on the record books, passes them on to the various departments. Next comes the composing19department, where the work of nearly all jobs begins. In one corner of it are the proof-readers' desks. Next to the type department, to the west, is the press department, with four cylinder and two job presses. At the side of this is the stock department, near the center of the building, on the west side. A large door in the rear enables us to take stock in or out without inconveniencing any department. Then comes the bindery, which occupies the whole of the south end of the building. The machinery and tables in this department are so located that the sheets coming from the presses are taken by the folding-machine, which stands nearest the pressroom, and from there they go on step by step, until, when they reach the north end of the department, they are finished books, wrapped, ready for the shipping department, which comes next. So by the time a job has gone around the large room, the work is finished, ready to be sent out.
Our machines and tables are close together. We have only eight thousand four hundred feet of floor space, so there is no waste room; yet we have room enough for carrying on our work comfortably. We believe that our work can be done far more economically in this building than in the old one, where we were scattered over three floors, necessitating considerable time in going from one department to another. The business offices are in a frame building which was already on the place.
The outlook before the association is quite encouraging. We are now in position to print large quantities of our books, pamphlets, and papers. And as the canvassing work is rising, we hope that our facilities will be taxed to their utmost to furnish books for the workers.
We are much in need of two experienced printers, and if any reading this article would like to connect with us, we shall be glad to hear from them.
