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

A Dedicated Working Force in the Oakland Office

James White had started to publish the Signs of the Times in June, 1874, under forbidding circumstances. He wrote of it: 2BIO 486.3

Our small office was in little, dingy, rented rooms, and the press work was done on the press of another, at quite a distance, at high prices, demanding considerable cash, patience, and hard work in moving heavy forms and paper on a wheelbarrow. Under these circumstances we looked forward with no small degree of interest to the time when we should have a good building and office complete at our command.—The Signs of the Times, October 21, 1875. 2BIO 486.4

It was only by sacrifice and hard effort that the program was now coming to success. Those who labored in the new, pleasant quarters did so with the same spirit of dedication and sacrifice as marked the publishing work in the beginning days. White wrote of this in November: 2BIO 487.1

While common laborers and common carpenters of our brethren in California have received from 20 to 35 cents an hour for their labors on and about the building, our friends, competent to edit the Signs, and keep the books of the association, have labored for half of one year for the mere sums of from 7 to 11 cents an hour.... 2BIO 487.2

We have sent for Mrs. White's niece [Mary Clough] to come from the East to assist in this work. We pay her fare to California, and a salary besides, to do the very work these would do [in assisting Ellen White in her preparation of books] could they be released from the office. 2BIO 487.3

A brother wrote to this office that he would like Sister Driscall's place. But could he live on a salary of 9 cents an hour? Our California friends generally are ignorant of how matters stand.—Ibid., November 11, 1875 2BIO 487.4