Ellen G. White: The Progressive Years: 1862-1876 (vol. 2)

The California Publishing House

Naturally, James and Ellen White were eager to get back to their new home in Oakland and to the publishing house now in operation, stocked with the machinery and supplies purchased by James White in New York City and sent by train to Oakland. In an article published in both the Signs of the Times and the Review and Herald, titled “How We Found Things,” he gave a glowing report: 2BIO 484.4

The appearance of this building from the outside is fine. The arrangement inside from the basement to the attic is admirable. The room in the basement is valuable. The several rooms of the two stories of the building are next to perfection in arrangement and conveniences. And there are four valuable finished rooms in the attic. In the rear of the main building and separated from it the distance of eleven feet is the brick engine house. 2BIO 484.5

And all will cost less than first calculated, and are much better than first expected, owing principally to the ability and faithfulness of Brother O. B. Jones, who took successful charge of our three printing houses, and our college building, at Battle Creek, Michigan.—Ibid. 2BIO 485.1

As soon as the plastering was finished in the publishing house, Jones went to San Francisco to erect the meetinghouse on Laguna Street. It was planned that when he returned to Oakland he would give attention to building tables, desks, shelves, drawers, et cetera. 2BIO 485.2

The publishing plant was managed by the two White sons, Edson and William, assisted by “advisers and helpers who had a lively interest in the work.” Wrote James: 2BIO 485.3

We found the Cottrell and Babcock, first-class, four-roller, air-spring, drum-cylinder printing press, and the Universal job press in the new building in complete running order, driven by the New York safety engine from Babcock and Wilcox. Only six weeks before these were doing good printing on the Pacific Coast they were lying at the freight warehouse across the continent in New York City waiting for shipment.—Ibid. 2BIO 485.4

He reported that friends of the cause in California were meeting their pledges and it was his hope that by New Year's enough would have come in to pay for both the office building and the building site. He added: 2BIO 485.5

Our eastern brethren have come nobly up to the work of raising means to furnish the Oakland office with presses, engine, types, binders’ machinery, et cetera. We have already two presses, engine, paper cutter and book trimmer, standing press, and types and material sufficient to print the Signs. These are all paid for at a cost, including transportation and setting up, of $6,500, and there are eastern funds on hand to purchase more material, and more pledged by our liberal eastern people to make the Signs office a complete book and job printing office where as good work may be done as anywhere on the continent.—Ibid. 2BIO 485.6