Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-05-06
BOOK MAKING.
some Astounding Figures by q
Great Publisher.

BOOK MAKING.
some Astounding Figures by q
Great Publisher.
InteroieU soih W II. AppletOn of the N. z.
publishing firm.
My father was a retail dealer and
made quite little fame as an importer
Of foreign books. He opened the store
in exchange place in 1925 and published
his book in 1881. This book was about
three inches square and half an inch
thick, but its publication caused the
firm of d. Appleton & Co. more anxiety
than the American Cyclopedia,' under
taken some thirty years later. The lit
tie book was called Crumbs From the
Masters Table and consisted in selec-
tions from Bible texts. We sold about
q thousand Crumbs and were very well
satisfied, so well indeed that we followed
1t by similar book, which was equally
successful. The third book we publish
ed was called "A Refuge in Time of
Plague and PestileDce,' and it had an en-
OrmOus sale, for it appeared in 1882, the
terrible cholera year, and the public mis-
took it for a treatise on that disease,
whereas it was religious volume,
pointing out Christ as the refuge. Some
twenty-five years ago a paragraph ap-
peared in the paper saying that we
would give copy of the largest book we
published to any one who give us copy
of Crumbs This announcement was
seen by an old lady in Maryland, who
sent us the little book and we sent her
one twenty times its size in return. l
had the old and worn covers taken off,
and paid e35 to have it handsomely
bound, and keep it in velvet lined
silver box at my house. We deal direct
ly with most of our foreign authors, and
pay them the same copyright that we
do American authors. As rule we
publish from the English plates, though
we have published from Spencer's man.
nscript. Heis very peculiar writer,
and almost entirely rewrites his articles
from the proof sheets. Huxley reads
his proofs in the manuscript; that is,
he writes very carefully at first, so that
there is very little correction made in
the proofs. Bancroft is very particu-
lar writer, and it takes him long time
to prepare book for the press. He is
at work now on a new volume of his
history, but it is impossible to say when
it will be ready"
"HOw was Mr.. Bryant as a maker of
manuscript"
mir Bryant did all his laboring over
the first draft OF his poems, and the
manuscript as we received it was like
copper plate"
How do his works sell?"
"They have sold better since his
death than before, for some reason or
other"
what is the best selling book you
publish, if not too impertinent a ques-
ton ?"
1.-THE best selling book we publish is
'Webster's Speller,' and it has the largest
sale of any book in the world except
the Bible. We sell a million copies a
year."
"a million copies a yearr"
"Yes, and have for forty years, making
100000 of 'Webster's Spoilers, that
have issued from our presses The year
following the emancipation of the slaves
we sold 100000, because every negro
in the South thought it necessary to
have 'Webster's Speller' to read. At
million and has never varied. We sell
them in cases of Seventy-two dozen and
they are bought by all the large dry
goods houses and supply stores and fur
nished by them to every crossroads store
in the country"
Gan you always tell whether a book
will be successful?'
NO more than a manager can predict
the success of play. For example,
when Lothair' was written we determin-
ed to publish it. The firm held con-
sultation, and some of the members
were for printing an edition of 1000,
while others thought that was too many
and doubted whether 1000 would sell.
Finally we agreed to venture with 1000.
You may imagine our surprise when l
tell you that we sold $4,000 copies of that
novel"
Another successful novel was Miss
Joseph II, and his Court" "
Mr.. w. w. Appleton, while travelling
down South, came across copy of this
book printed at Atlanta, Ga, during the
war. He bought it as curiosity, for it
was wretchedly printed on wrapping pa
Der. Having an idle hour or so one day
by the elements of popularity in it and
it was published by the firm. Every one
will remember the success of this story
and how it was followed by long series
by the same author. Before the accident
that led to the publication of Joseph
IL" Miss Muhlbach's novels had been Of
fered 10 nearly every publisher in New
York, the Appleton's among the num-
Der, and refused.
Two very successful American books
are Stewards Travels around the World,
and General Sherman'S Memoirs" Gen
eral Sherman, Mr. Appleton says, is as
fast writer as he is talker and he
seldom has to correct his manuscript.
He wrote out all the book himself eX-
cept few pages that were rewritten by
his secretary. Mr. w. w. Appleton has
the manuscript bound and it maks four
large volumes.
aI should like" said Mr.. Appleton,
taking up pencil and sheet of paper,
ito show you the cost of book-making.
1 don't believe that people, when they
buy book for so cents, have an idea of
the capital invested to bring it down at
that price. For example, it cost us
SI3S0OO to publish the Picturesque
America" and that without adding the
cost OF printing. To be sure we made
rood profit on it. Forty thousand copies !
we're sold and 100000 turned in by
cur agents. AN even more profitable |
venture was the American Cyclopedia,
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