The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-22


trade.
A Newspaper Success-A newspaper man has
Just been elected to the Massachusetts State
Senate from Charlestown, whom few, except his
own class OF readers, have even yet heard of,
yet with one exception, he is the most success
iul proprietor in New England, This person is
Moses A. Dow, who publishes the WdUerLey
Magazine. Twenty-Five years ago, when the
Millerite excitement began, Mr.. Dow had small
book printing Office in Boston. He secured the
printing of Joshua V. Hines, who was the bust.
ness man OF the sect and as there was great
deal of it, he made pretty little sum by the
arrangement. THIS he lost in real estate invest
ments, and the Mllierite fever being over, had
no opportunity to redeem himself He then
went to work at the case as journeyman printer.
Not being a very good one, he found it hard to
earn more than from six to ten dollars a week
in those days. With family on his hands, this
made him very poor. He then conceived a
unique plan for newspaper 1t was TO be
weekly Literary" periodical, to which every one
should contribute who desired. There was 60
be no standard OF merit for admission of writers
10 its columns. On the contrary, nothing was
to be excluded. 1t was to be comparatively
very expensive in its typography and paper, but
not a cent should be paid to authors, their
compensation being the privilege of appearing
in print with the best type and the best of
paper. The project seemed aswld one. Mr..
Dow had not cent Of capital, and as be un-
folded his plan to .type-founders and paper
men, no one had the least confidence In 1t.
and cash for his first number, but these were at
last obtained, and by working closely himself.
hesucceeded in getting 1t out. 1t TOOK instantly
Its first appearance was very handsome, lor ne
had capital typographical taste. The people
| who wrote for 1t tirst bought, and then their
| friends followed suit There was an enormous
| amount OF reading in it, and contributions
piled in from ambitious folks, who found
new sensation in not having their stores and
| poems rejected. Soon there was handsome
income derived, which Mr.. Dow shrewdly devoted
| toeiving the paper yet better dress. bis clrcu-
| lation increased with each new writer, and he
| was more and more prosperous.
| literary Bohemian from London about this
| time made Mr. Dow's acquaintance, and in an
| evil hour (for Mr.. DoW's poCket) this indi-
vidual was engaged as editor of the paper. He
set about winnoWing the chatf that was sent
in. This did not answer at all. The circula-
tion began to fall off almost as rapidly as 1t had
| risen, and it was soon apparent that the paper
must die or part with its editor. The latter
course was chosen, and prosperity returned
The opening of the war was heavy blow to
| its circulation, but it rallied from this in good
time. The income from il now is fully sixty
| thousand dollars year. The entire edition is
sold to the American News Company. 1t has
few subscribers, no editor, and no exchange
| list 1t just travels right on the nigh road OF
| prosperity by being democratic enough not to
discriminate in what 1t publishes, except on
the ground OF morality, where 1t IS very par
| ticular 1t is not even sensational. Its forte
is harmless love stories, such as young women
| ike to write, and very young women like to
read TOO, il we may judge from the extent o.
| its sales. A class read ii who have not appre
citation for any more, stimulating mental diet
If it does not strengthen, it does not deprave
Probably readers often outgrow it, but plenty
step in TO fill their places.
There seem to be good number of person!
, | in America as elsewhere, who desire only thC
| possession OF books, and who are willing to pal
large prices for privately printed or large-papel
books, larger, of course, as the editions ar
: | smaller. Publishers have found it advantageou
\. to pander to this taste by printing few large
> paper copies OF all their good publications
/ They ind that they get a large enough profit oI
y these to pay for the stereotype plates. In tn
8 auctionroom these prices are again increased
= so that 1t is i'll the end good speculation t.
collect large-paper copies, the issues of tn
S | various printing clubs, TO illustrate books, an
# even to print few copies OF some tract one
- self, with reference to a future sale.
> The famous despatch of Caesar, if we ma
u call it such, Is matched by an entry in the pr
vate journal Of the late Admiral Brooke, tn
hero OF the famous sea-hght between the shan
S. non and the Chesapeake :
"Tuesday, June l, l8l9.-0f Boston. Mod
Of rate. W. W. Wrote Laurence. P. NJ. Too
- Chesapeake"
a. Among the signs of renewed literary act
~ | vity at the South is the announcement OF ne
~ | periodicals. the latest we have seen being tha
of of the Richmond Eclecttc Magazine, a religiol
- aud literary monthly, soon to be published
ct | Richmond under the JOINT editorship of Il
s- Rev. Moses ID. Hoge ana the Rev. William 4
a | Brown. .f.. n.. ..r
sY -.The Felon's Track, a Narrative of l84S - |
the late Col. Michael DOheny, is to be reprints
no by Messrs. Farrell Il Son, NO, lO7 Fulton stree
n for the benefit of the authors widow. As d
ly work throws much light on lrlsh repugnance
act British rule, and costs but one dollar, we col
mend il TO general attention and favor.
GU ---.'The Handbook of Travel" by Edward
ne Han, is now in press and will soon be issue
e complete in one volume, by d. Appleton