main presses
This press, the first of the Campbells, was introduced in 1861, and powered by a hand crank. Called the "Campbell Country Press" it was designed for the country newspaper field by the Campbell Printing Press and Manufacturing Co. of New York and Chicago. This press was used as the newspaper press by the Soledad Bee until 1951. Prior to that it was used as a newspaper press in San Francisco until the earthquake. The Soledad Bee took possession of it in 1913 and turned out 900 copies of their 8-page newspaper each week. Average running speed of this press is about 875 impressions per hour. This press first reached California by Clipper ship, "around the Horn", and is supposedly the first cylinder press on the Pacific Coast. It was donated by Benjamin Franklin Jacobsen, publisher.