Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-04-12
THE METHODIST BOOK HOUSE.
The Largest Publishing House in the
Southwest.
Editor of the Banner

SIR-You kindly furnished me a
copy of your paper of March 6, con-
tanning your excellent and somewhat
lengthy notice of the Southern
Methodist Publishing House of this
city. And, while its friends can but
be gratifed at so flattering a notice,
one can but be reminded that institu-
tons of this sort though occupying
large place In commerce. seldom find
SO large space in the public prints of
the country.
As requested IN our conversation,
will proceed, very briefly, to notice
what | am sure you will regard an i'm
portant omission in your running his
tory of the house. You are correct in
saying that DIR. McFerrin and myself
served the house, he as General Agent
and as Financial Secretary, until
the fall of Nashville in 1864, and that,
Fin May, 1866, Rev. A. III. Redford, d.
d. was elected Agent" etc. This
gives no account of the house from
February 16, 1862, to May, 1866, four
years and three months In this pc
Rod some of most important and inter-
esting events occurred the house ever
passed through. This history may
some day be skethced if not written.
Its materials are preserved.
Its pecuniary resources we're wholly
cut off at single blow nearly all its
northern creditors pressed their execu-
tons: the Government sued out Ii
bel against the house seeking to con-
fiscate it; the entire property was ju-
Ideally declared forfeited to the Gen
cral Government in default of taxes !;
| It's we'll fitted stores were occupied for
short time as barracks, or winter
quarters for regiment of soldiers; it
was several times shut up by the
United States Marshal, to be sold out
to satisfy executions; the Commanding
General of the army of the Cumber-
land issued an order declaring it the
property of the United States, several
successive commanders of the post of
Nashville told me they came here fully
intending to destroy it utterly, but find
ing their information to be false, desis-
ted; at one time it would have suffer
ed inevitable and complete rnin, but
for the timely and prompt discharge OF
his official duty by r. B. Bonner, Esq,
of st. Louis, who was then the agent OF
the United States Treasury Depart
ment, at this port, which duty his pre-
decessors had utterly refused to do
In some of those instances, and
may similar ones that might be named
the Indebtedness of the institution
which can never be paid, for its pre-
servation, to the Hon. f. B. Fogg, Rus
sci Houston, Esq, Revs. j. w. Hun.
ter and o. o. Knight, and the late j
w. Carter, deceased, is by no means
generally known,
But still, up to December 1863, il
had suffered no serious loss. Per-
haps ten or fifteen thausand dollars
would have covered all At this time
the army needed the property and took
possession of the house and its entire
contents. 1t had then over 300. 00l
; books in store, with good supply o.
stock and machinery of all kinds
Most of this was used by the army
and is not yet paid for. This account,
for the small amount of merchandise
and other property on hand when DR.
Redford took charge in June, 1866.
In this connection it ought at least Il
be suggested, for the commercial stand
{ ing and credit of the house, that it:
available custom and inalienable pat
ronage are absolutely immense. Pro
baby its equal is not in the country
The New York Book Concern would
: be its superior by fifty or a hundred
! per cent. but for its having ten-fold it.
competition. If the Harpers sell fv,
: or eight times as much, it is because
, by half century or more of success
: full enterprise, they have met the de
mands of one-fourth the number o.
customers. A. L. Stewart sells hi,
millions to one-tenth the number O
customers-more likely -fiftieth-
l who stand ready to patrouize the house
in its line, as fast as it shall be ready
to furnish the supply The New Yorl
Bible House has a greater number o
= customers than all the above combined
: but it has fifty large and fifty smaller
competitors to divide with.
The Nashville House is in its in
!. fancy, and has met some rough hand
ling in its cradle. Itrequires time fol
anything of naturally large growth t.
grow large. The house deserves tn,
credit of the extensive patronage upol
| which its business is based. Tha
mainly. or at least largely constitutes
; the wealth ofmany wealthy merchants
This advantage, in respect to Thu
5 house, is the friendship, sympathy an,
e ready patronage of perhaps one-thirC
I OF more of all the millions of familie.
between the Ohio and the two oceans
with thousands beyond these limits
In this immense field it has no general
and not much local competition. NJ
mere mercantile house in Tennessee
has fourth this breadth of mercan
: tile basis. This patronage is sure
: neverfailing, and increasing precisel.
in proportion to the growing ability o
the House to meet 1t.
Just at this moment, and for thes,
: obvious reasons, it needs assistance
D but let these temporary shoals be passed
, and this large Government debt b.
. paid, and none can fail to see before i
a career of prosperity and national use
fulness. not only such as American
philanthropy has not heretofore seen
: but such as no other single enterpris
} promises. Yours truly. etc,
G r. ABBEY.
Proceedings Against the Kuklux Sus
+, pended.