History of Atlas Publishing and Distributing - Blog #2

 1915-1916 - The Creation of the Atlas Publishing Co (Inc in NY)

I'm presuming (to be verified) that the newly renamed Atlas Publishing Company (Inc. in New York) had a role to play in negotiating UK distribution agreements on Dexter's behalf with New York based publishers. 

A close reading of the statement of ownership of the Waste Trade Journal May 11th 1918 does not reveal any UK ownership, but subsequent information from Walter S Dexter's will written in 1944 supports the notion of a business connection by a common employee. I'll elaborate on this in a later blog entry.

Following renaming to Atlas Publishing Co. Inc. (New York City), the New York company continued to publish the Waste Trade Journal, plus also the annual Standard Iron, Steel, Metal Directory. 

The company was jointly owned by publisher Charles H Lipsett (AKA Charles H Lipschitz), born in Russia, (1884-1978) and Benjamin Morris in 1917. According to a January/February 2002 article by Si Wakesberg, the New York bureau chief for Scrap [ 1]:

Charles Lipsett, president and publisher of Atlas Publishing Co. Inc. (New York City)—my employer for about 15 years— .... was a tall, distinguished-looking gentleman. Domineering, headstrong, and penny-pinching, he managed to build a publishing empire that, at one time, offered more than a dozen magazines and daily trade papers.

   Atlas Publishing’s staples included the Daily Metal Reporter, which competed with the American Metal Market; the Daily Mill Stock Reporter, which published news about waste paper, cotton and woolen rags, burlap, and fibers; and the Waste Trade Journal, a pioneer in reporting on the scrap markets, not to mention the company’s largest moneymaker.

   The company also published weekly magazines like the Federal Purchasing Record, which listed what the U.S. government was purchasing for defense purposes prior to World War II, and later the Federal Sales Guide, which reviewed what the government was selling in the postwar period.

The newly-renamed Atlas Publishing Company (Incorporated in New York) had a small senior staff: Harry B Dembe, previously treasurer of the Waste Trade Publishing Company (NY) carried over to the renamed company in 1916 in the role of President & Treasurer. ; Victor Morris, the previous president, had left, as did the company secretary G Burger. Benjamin Abrams was named new Vice-President, with Benjamin Morris as Secretary.

© The Bayonne Times, Monday Oct 24th, 1949

Harry B Denbe (1885-1949) had been a practicing attorney in civil law since 1912, so was well placed to negotiate new contracts. He was later to become a District Judge, as well as senior partner in law firm Denbe & Denbe. [2] As a fellow Russian emigré himself, he was a good friend of Charles Lipsett, which probably influenced his appointment.[3]

By 1918, Harry B Denbe had moved on to set up the Hudson Mill Supply Company before returning to pursue his general practice as an attorney. Benjamin Morris become President/Treasurer at Atlas Publishing; Benjamin Abrams became the  VP; and William Crawford Hirsch appointed Company Secretary. 

© Ian Baker

[1] https://www.isri.org/scrap-articles/a-portrait-of-a-publisher

[2] Harry B Denbe obituary -  The Bayonne Times, Monday Oct 24th, 1949

[3] The Bayonne Evening Review - Sep 7th 1916 - reported that Mr & Mrs Charles H Lipschitz (alternative spelling) had just returned from a New England tour with Mr & Mrs Harry B Dembe.