Evening star., 1884-07-26
The Book Trade of Washington O
Fifty Years Ago.

The Book Trade of Washington of
Fifty Years Ago.
THE RECoLLECTIONs OF THREE OF THE OLD
BOOK SELLERS-THE DAYS WHEN STATESMEN
| CONGREGATED AT THE BOOKSTORES - THE
| BOOKS AND PERIODICALS THAT WERE READ
| THEN-HOW THE CONTRACT SYSTEM WAS
| ABUSED-PUBLIC MEN WHO WE'RE GREAT
| READERs-THE PIONEERS OF THE BOOK AND
| PERIODICAL. TRADE.
Messrs. Shlington, Morrison, and Restor
were assembled in Shillington book store the
other day when one of them ehanced to remark
that the group represented the old book trade
which connects modern with what may be
| termed ancient Washington. The STAR man
was also present.
Now l won't have that" said Mr.. Shilling
ton, laughingly. "You would carry the idea
that I'm an old FOSSIL and was here to supervise
the laying out of the city. want you to know
that | am not as old as Methusaeh.'
"Oh that's all right about your age" said Mr.
Morrison, ''but reckon you can remember far
enough back to recall old Tom Benton Webster
Clay, Calhoun, Millard Fillmore, Badger Daw-
son. and the rest OF them, as they used to sit
about here and discuss the topics of the day
over their newspapers. We didn't get papers
the same day they were printed then did we?
| Eh?n
"Well, that amt so long ago." retorted Shil-
| lingtOn. lone doesn't need to be an an
tiquity to remember that but when YOU 90 to
asking me when the first bookstore was estab-
llshed In Washington l protest Bestor, you
can tell US best about that
''Not So said Mr.. Bestor "You don't carry
the idea that I'm as old as you. Then, too, I'm
out Of the business nOw.'
You were Franck Taylors partner" said
| Morrison.
Yes; but Franck Taylor wasn't the first book
! seller In Washington. Why, he was a regular
Ntfnat .II Ipf1l,n
down on the Avenue, near 11th street, before lie
went into business for himself. / know the
store was between 1lth and 18th streets, but l
can't find the house."
THAT was before our time:
"Oh yes; reckon PIshey Thomson kent his
place there as early as 1920. Yes l suppose he
started business earlier than that; for he broke
up during Jackson's administration You know
| 1t was said that Andrew Jackson broke him up
| Thompson. you know. was an old line whir.
and during Adams administration he furnished
all the books and stationery for the govern
| ment. When Jackson came into the presidency
thompson did not change his policy, and the
President, it was said, heard of his denuncia-
| tlonS OF the democratic party and endeavOred
| to deprive him of the government patronage
/ At that time there was man named Sullivan, a
| democrat, who did business on street. and
jackson. it was sad went to him and induced
| him to try and get the government trade away
from Pishey Thompson. He did try, and with
the President behind him, succeeded 1t was
| that, they say, broke Thompson up. But for q
long time before that he had the monopoly of
| the trade"
THAT was before the contract system was
adopted" said Mr.. Shillington. 'Yes, I can
remember when the bidding on the contract
for government supplies was first begun
1t was failure. It's failure now. too,
/ should think, judging from the recent
frauds developed in the departments. Yes it
was failure from the first. There used to be
lots of sharp practice and those who had the in
side track always got the contract in way to
make money out of it. The officials used to work
| in cahOOts with them. They would make out o
list of all the various supplies used in the de-
partments and call for bids. There would al
ways be some things on the list that would not
be required. as there was supply enough on
hand They would keep track of these and let
the favored bidder know what they were so he
| could bid very low on them knowing he would
have none to furnish if he got the contract
Then the official would say to his chief when it
came time to make the award, this man bids so
and So very low (picking out the particular ar
tlcle, } the rest bid so and so, very high: |
reckon his bids are cheaper all the way through
| than the rest. Then hed get the contract and
furnish all the necessary supplies at very
hign price and never be required to furnish any
! OF the cheap ones"
Yes that is the way they did it," said one of
the gentlemen.
"WhOse were the other leading stores here
them? said Mr.. Bestor. Morrison, your father,
/
Gin 1882" replied Mr.. Morrison, che came
here from Alexandria and began business under
| Browns hotel From there he moved farther
down, and now run the business not far from
the old stand. You came in q little later didn't
| you, Shington?"
Yes" said Mr. Shilington, 81 was the first
to sell papers and periodicals. That was nv
business. All the reading people of those days
| USED TO come In my store to buy their papers
and magazines. All the great men OF those
Z al Sn6 70 nTnn in
| the day Were GOdey'S Ladies Book and Ora
hams Magazine Every one used to read these.
Here's GOdeys. | still keep it. 1t is the only
| periodical that has survived the times | used
to have all the state papers and the Reqiste,. and
| Globe. There's the old klngman house over
| there on the corner, and | was sur-
rounded by the fashionable boarding houses
of the day. The Members and Senators. YOU
know, used to have what they called their
'messes,' and they would put up at these houses
Then they'd come over here to get their papers
They would gather about in their cliaues or
messes, and read and discuss the current topics
OF the day. ! tell you there were some able
men here in those days, and it was worth some
thing to hear them talk. Yes I've been here
long time, and when get to talking on the sub
Ject always associate my business with the
men who used to buy of me-"
! Yes, and then there was Coles place" said
Mr.. BestOr thoughtfully. He must have been
one OF the earliest dealers. He died, you know.
and Franck Taylor took his store and stock at a
venture and got rich. Franck Taylor did busi-
ness between ~ and 9th streets. He was in
business before Hudson. Hudson Taylor did
not open his store until some time afterwards
Then there was Kennedy's on street, and Bal
lantyne and Robert Farnham, Gray's and don't
know how many. suppose there were book
stores here by the time the city was laid out"
'Then there was Elot's-JOnathan Elliott's'
said Mr.. Morrison. I'VE must not forget that
He published the first city directory and the first
| official Blue book In 1916 There's been great
change in the character Of reading since those
days" he continued, running his hand over
pile Of periodicals. There weren't SO many
novels read then. And the statesmen of those
days were great readers They used to keen
| themselves well posted. They used to read DO
litcal, scientific, philosophical and historical
works. The southern men were particularly
fine readers. Badger, of North Carolina, was a
| great reader. So was Clay, and so were Dawson
of Georgia, Calhoun, Millard Fillmore and lots
of Others. They were our principal customers
Now, the Members and Senators don't read so
much The habit Of frequenting book stores is
| not kept up"
Yes" said Mr.. Shllington, sfolks say to
| me sometimes, 'Shilllngton, you're an old fogy;
| You think there's nothing like what used to be-
| Well, maybe am, but the men we used to as
sociate with then were men whom one likes to
| remember"