The New York herald., 1875-12-25
LITERATURE IN THE WEST.

MILLER" AZ LITERARY CURIOSITY OF
WESTERN PRODUCT AND FOREIGN POLISH.
CHICAGO Dec. 2l 1873
i - because it will probably be revelation TO New
York readers that Chicago has any claims As publish
ine centre ihai have been At pains 90 collect some
facts IL regard tO the The publishing business
presume ike other manufacturing, depends manly
npon the advantages city presents for making the
article well and cheaply, and the facilities for dis
tributing il after made The authors, compers,
translators editors and those engaged in the
literary part Of the work pretty sure
40 respond 70 demand for their
services al : proper compensation, Chicago has the
awe requisites for the manufacturing part Of the bus
ness 10 an extent fully equal IL population and far
IN advance Of ts age. English printing i must be re-
membered, has drifted away from London into the
large towns of the kingdom and especially Of Scotland
New York scarcely hope to retain so large
proportion of il IN the future in the past The Inn
provement in Chicago book work within the past few
years almost marvellous Before The fire or lS7l-ail
local matters you dated before and after that
nre lust as Christian nations reckon time from the
birth of the saviour-it almost impossible to get
any handsome book work done. The printers art had
mot progressed much beyond the illuminated circular,
the Garne poster and the ordinary pamphlet An
nttompt hne printing would usually reveal crudities
81 serious detects, and only made at exorbi-
tant prices Now, however, it doubtful whether
any handsomer work is done in type setting, press
work and binding than by couple Of the leading
printers Of Chicago In engraving alone We are still
deficient far the mechanical work Of ane book
making goes.
DISTRIBUTING cENTEE
Chicago has the advantages in literature rom
commercial point OF view, as ~ dry goods groceries,
pork packing, NC, &c The same conditions which
have enabled the leading dry goods house in Chicago to
attain the second position among all the dry goods firms
Of the country have bu UP the business OF literature
TO annual trade second only 70 that OF New York
In d talk had to-day with Mr John r. Walsh the
manager Of the Western News Company and OF the
best informed men il the commercial values Of lera-
sure, this view was fully confirmed. You know that
she distribution Of the periodical literature OF the
country under the control Of organization, with
the American News Company at it's head,
and independent branches such as the
Boston News Company, the Western News
Company, located here the ST Louis News Company
and 80 oL ! betray saying that the busi.
OF the Chicago branch exceeds that Of any other
(even boston, which has contiguous and densely
populated territory except New York Some idea OF
It's extent may be gathered from Mr.. Wash's state
Ynent that the literary commerce Of Chicago exceeds
OF New York in 1860, only fifteen years ago The
proportion Of The Chicago trade 70 that OF New York al
present may be inferred IRON the fact that while the
New York company supplies GOO customers daily, the
Chicago company supplies 99l. II were at liberty 10
give The ngures OF this periodical trade would aston
ths Chicago has two OF the largest lobeing
houses and most elegant retail book stores
the Continent each Of which has annual
trade Of about 100000 The other booksellers
OF The city, excluding the Western News Company,
aggregate as much more and the news company does
= book trade of about S450, 900 year The trade
literature centred IN Chicago be fairly estimated
then IN round Numbers, at So 600 900 annually Nor
have any doubt after careful examination, that
very much larger number Of a popular book is sold
from Chicago IL proportion 10 the population supplied,
than from any other CITY in the country have given
fart
and partly because they represent the basis upon which
The expectation OF great publishing business IA the
future may be reasonably founded.
FOUNDATIONS
AS have said, the publishing business OF Chicago
dates from the Of 1871, which gave singular
pulse 10 al new and metropolitan enterprises Before
that time there we're occasional books printed at home
ny ambitious authors bat they rarely attained more
than local name They were mostly either OF some
special or local nature or made up OF fngi-
as rule, rather costly qualifications or per-
sonal vanity and not suggested by business
enterprise There was a lack OF proper facilities,
Btl greater lack OF confidence and az even more pro-
lack Of authors. At the time Bret Harte went
10 the East be stopped at Chicago and arrange
almost concluded for retain lng him here and
placing him tie head OF monthly magazine, which
was 10 be started with ample capital This project
would have accelerated The literary progress Of the
city wonderfully and would have been carried but
for socia hitch Bret Harie, for some reason
Dther failed % make an appearance at social gather
ing OF gentlemen who furnish the capital,
though the reunion called on hs account and Tor
The purpose oi discussing the general plan Has volun
abandoned with some md gnaton and IN day two
Mr.. Harte went TO Boston There has not yet been
credtaDle and seli-sustalnng magazine established
which seems 20 he necessary tender 70 The publishing
business-probably because Of the lack Of confidence
pnd lack OF literary men oi national reputation 70 winch
] have ALREADY referred. Both viii come however IN
compliance with the demand sure 20 follow the condi-
lion outlined above with reference 10 the literary
of ti8e city.
The principal publishing business OF the city is IN
lhe hands 81 : g 6riggs \ Co, VINO confne them
selves " publishing and Jansen, hcCiurg CO. VINO
nj Ouc uf hp
b & Grlggs a bookseller before the IRE, bet has
acvoted himself exclusively ~ publishing since then
He already three lines Of books which have
attained noticeable reputation among them Professor
Boiscs text books BENJAMIN y. Iaylor's books Of
sketches and poetry and Professor Matthews Essays.
One Of the nrst books published by Nit 1riggs Dr.
Fosters "Prehistoro Races of tie United States, p
which large crown octave Of 5l5 pages, and recog
n'zed As one of the most valuable contributions to
American scientific erature-'one Of the best accounts
have seen, the London Saturday Reriae said of
Ghose grand monuments Of forgotten race" Benja-
v Taylor IL product Of The West, He a
writer Chicago evening paper twenty years ago,
and now lives comfortably on the copyrights oi the
shree four Gggs has published and annual
eCture tour. HIS "W0rld on Wheels . q book OF
sketches has reached III ninth edition and Whittier
has made q his charRcterstcaly honest hearty
Acknowledgements q the rare merits OF Tayors
Professor Matthews hooks have achieved unexcep
ponaI SUCCESS HIS ''6eung on ~ tie World q book
Df essays some u which rsi appeared III the Chicago
TvlJaaHs has reached s twenty sixth thousand, which
altests more than local Or western constituency
Jansen, Mcllurg 70 are also accumulatne re- I
Rpectable list of their own publications. They the
publishers of Professor SWfNES Truths Of To Day,
volume Of nis sermons and might and should follow
II with annual collection from the pulpit
One Of the handsomest little books ever
published IL this country, is entitled Memories A
Story Of German Love which bcautifuih trans.
lated BY Mr. George Upton and s generally accred-
tied 70 Max Muller II successful thai Jansen,
McClurg \ 90. have just issued companion, - story
Of Italian Love IN the style for the approaching
holidays This hrm also published recently "A sum
Norway, in exquisite style, by The Hon j. u.
Cation, formerly Chef Justice Of the State Of Illinois,
man Of great wealth aud literary ambition unique
little book IN their list is THE Primer o. Political Econ
omy, BY Messrs. A. Mason and j y Ialor who are \
deyout students in TINS service who have fur
nished The FIRST really elementary text book il has
evolved Another volume Ia their hst--'.loems 4
of the Farm and Fires ae.N by Eugene j. Hall
u your readers think this too much IN
Catalogue Wiz only remind them that
] am but giving hem samples Of what assume 20 he
entirely new u them-vz, that Chicago is large
growing publishing centre. There have been mfuy
other notable publications by Chicago arms Among