Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-11-17
Book naI.lng D. lhe Unltea stales.


There is no people under the sun that
read as much IS the Americans. We are
getting to be nation of book and newspa-
per readers. We read in the morning on
getting up. We read at breakfast, at din
ner and at tea. We read on the cars and
on the steamboats,. The man who does no
readsnd has not at least one 1aily newspaper
in his family, is behind the times. The
plodding reader of weekly newspaper be-
longs to past ages. But if we read much
we make many boOks and papers. The
following statement by Mr.. G. P. Putnam
at the entertainment given to Goodwin
Smith, shows the extent of the book and
pamphlet trade:
The number of persons or firms engaged
in the manufacture or sale of books in the
United States is now 1000, of whom about
four-hfths are in the Northern or loyal
States. Of these, 1000 are booksellers
exclusively, and about 200 are publishers Of
books.
To give an outline of the progress Of the
demand for books within thirty years, it
may be mentioned that in 1884 the whole
number of different books published in the
United States wss 449, of which 25I were
original and 1913 we're reprinted from for
eign works. In 1855 the number was
2,I62, of which 649 were reprints. In
1851 there were 4, ,44S, including 746 re-
prints In 1864 Ito this dste) there have
been 1880 works, of which 400 were re-
prints. All these exclusive of pamphlets
and periodicals.
Of the pamphlet literature of the pres
ent contest alone, one gentleman in this
city has actually collected 5000 different
publications, and he estimates that the
whole number published is not far short Of
5000. Our pamphlet literature, in fact, un-
like that Of England and France, has never
been ehronicled. The presses from Maine
to Virginia are constantly throwing of
enormos masses Of pamphlets Of more or less
value indicating the activity of the popu-
lar mind.
Thirty-fve years ago the largest part of
cur publications consisted of reprints Of
English books. Now our original Amer
icsn books average nearly four times the
number we copy from abroad. The figures
given above indicate the number of differ
ent works annually published. When
the aggregate number OF each work is con-
sidered, the elastic character of our book
market and the extent Of our reading
circles are exhibited in 8 striking light.
Even of the present War-nOt vet finished
already some twenty different Ehistor-
les" are in progress of preparation; and
of two or three of them from $4,000 to
10000 copies are actually in the hands Of
Al.
three large and extensive volumes.
One Of our publishing houses In this city
runs fOrty-three steam presses Of the
largest size, and uses an average of 4,375
resIHs of printing paper per snnum, equi-
vslent to 1900, 900 duodecimo volumes of
24O pages each, OF 1, ,950OOO volumes of
48o volumes each. Another house in
Philadelphia sells books annually to the
amount Of 81, 100000 and the number Of
packages which they send out Of the city
yearly is between IA, 900 and $4,000.
It is also interesting to know, as proof
that the war has not extinguished the
book trade, that the house last referred to,
which formerly supplied large portion
of the Southern booksellers sold books in
1853, to the amount of over 5000, 900 more
than in any other former year when il had
the Southern trade. ..-.
Details and suggestions of this kind
might be multiplied indefinitely. One
other fact may be mentioned While the
Appletons have been placing more than
1000 sets Of their Nel0 Arl0riean OyeLo-
Dedtd, in sixteen volumes, in the hands Of
our people, no less than 800 sets Of that
great work, the Encyclopedia BritdRsea, at
u large cost have been imported and sold
in this country. aaE