Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-12-28
4 sAaE rows lllsresT.

Bangor Ma Letter In y. Y. Sun.
One Of the most rsmafkable pieces Of
work In the historical Hoe sxtant 10 q
volume issaed not long ago aad sntitIsd
"A History Of Penohsoot County.
Maine.r Ibis literary enterprise oriQi-
mated With . Cleveland 20 publishing
house, which ssnt cops Of agents and
writer's on 10 Bangor for tho purpose Of
eoilectine material for the book. and
Subscriptions, a. well. Ths work vas 10
BE- finely gotten up and sold only by
subscription The agents we're quite
thorough In their canvass, even going
ovsr into Somsrset county for proui.
sent people whose photographs wore
de- tined 70 grace the pages Of the book,
after Ponobscos bad been carefully
ssArched. In the matter Of obtaining
material fof the volume they were also
successful, the iats Hon. John r. God
frey, local historian Of fame, agreeing
10 furnish She counsy's annals. and ON
the strength Of this large number Of
basizess and professional men con-
ssnted 10 pay prices ranging from $50
90 $40 each for the insertion Of their
portraits, accompanied BY biograph
sketches. everything. 90 far a. the
pablo knew. went on swimminQly until
the history was completed and launched
upon the subscribers, who we're indebt-
ed 10 the publishing concern la sums
ranging from tl2. the price of the book
alone, 20 <262 for the book and a first
c.ass puff. The Subscribers generally
paid, and then turned the pages over in
. arch Of their photographs and BIZ
ographies- Then many Of them swore
long end loud.
Tro1bie had arisen before the book
| VAS flushed regarding the compeu "a :
ton Of Jadge Godfrey for his work on
| tho historical part. The Judge, in or
der 10 be perfectly solid on the finaa-
cinl score. sent the manuscript q. q. d.,
the price having been fixed az $500, at
which proceeding the publishers we're
displessed, and threatened TO send the
manuscripts back to lis author unless he
changed bic terms. The author would
| make no change, and, as the book was
then well along In the other depart.
nIents. the publishers we're obliged 10
fork over the cash. Later of1 the proof
sheets were sent to Judge Godfrey, who
read and sent them back, bot the work
was issued for some reason or other be-
fore they reached Cleveland. Here be-
Rsn she woes Of tbs subscribers. There
we're inadverfencies TO suck q member
in the Biographies that 81 columns of
eirata we're necessary.
All Of tho errors were amusing 10 the
pablo, bat some we're hardly funny In
the estimation OF their subjects. For
instance. b. @. Addition. an attorney Of
robust constitution 20 lay, IL announced
as dead In the history. This made him
very angry. for be considered that as
dad men are not given 30 pracsicing Law
Bis business wouid not be improved BY
the repors OF bis demiss. The sketch
OF WIN. Peaks Of Charleston announces
that he vas born In Dedham in I6&3
srttled In Charleslon In 1899, and died
ia 1886. leaving eeven children. At this
MIR. Peaks waxed exceeding wrosh.
There are two Gases, however, which
rather eclipse these already mentioned
IN the magnitude Of their absurdity. II
appears that DE-. Seavey agreed 20 paw
tlOQ or : i50 for the Insertion of his
photograph and biographical sketch
IN the book, and that soon afterward
the agent met DIR. Sanger, who offered
10 pay more than this amount for a like
service. provided the photograph OF DIR.
Scavey was not suffered 20 appear. The
accommodating agent accepted this Of
fer With the utmost eomplseency, the
contradictory natare OF the contracts
nos disturbing him In the least. The
ssquel vas that the firsf named gentle
nan sned shs publishers for dam ages,
aud bad swo OF the agents arrested, al.
lsging IN the writs that the photographs
appeared IN but one copy of the book,
which allegation vas true. The doc
tors photograph appeared In the copy
sans 70 him, between pages 40 and III,
oa leaf Of un9ilded edges while every
other leaf wss radiant With gold leaf.
tx Governor Davis offered ts7 for
The insertion Of his photograph and q
life sketch 10 the work, which was
promised 20 be full. accurate ara
complete history of Pseobseot. a.
Containing portraits Of ails1hs rsn y,
the county who had ban 0overnors ~
she state up 70 se.ss time. win The ex.
ception OF ex<ssosernor Plaistad. sho
~ elected on the Fusion ticket.
ing npoa these promises. Mr., Da.
4 Wis paid his fs7 30 the agent, bat altar
a hasty examination of the work came
10 the conclusion thai II was not a con.
plete history and sued for 1900 70,
non. fulnllment Of contract. Some per.
sags laaghingiy assert that the appear
snee In the book az fine large photo
graph al en- Governor Plaisted. with 4
biography. had more 10 do wifh en-.
Governor DAVIS disgust than anything
else.
several other saits we're begun, The
publishers funds In the second Ma.
tsonal Bank being attached aud a ern-
erai hubbah created. while the whole
town smiled over the funny book. Bal
the saiss have never reached trial. urob-
ably On aceount Of amicahIe settlement,