Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-03
PICKING UP AUTOGRAPHS
PROMINENT NAMES FROM OLD
HOTEL REGISTERS.

Signatures that S~Il fOr Big Money and
lto,v they are Obtsined-B Bringing out
a New Rage" for the Benefit OF Auto-
srrnuh Hunters-Names Filled Away
tim their Owners Become Famous.
"What do you suppose that man
wanud2' asked a Pulaski house clerk
yesterday Of News reporter.
A neatly dressed and shrewd looking
Young man had just TUNED away and
was lighting cigar. lie had been talk
ing earnestly in an uuder.one for some
minutes, and the NEWS man thought per-
haps the stranger wanted TO borrow a
few dollars.
''No. be does not want 70 borrow, but
had rather buy" replied be Of the spark
ling koh-i-uoor And You might guess
your teeth loose before guessing What ne
wants to buy" continued the aotei clerk.
"He has Just made me an offer for the old
register 90 this house,
"WLat would he do with them, keep a
directory "' inquired the reporter.
'So much. Re claims 10 be travelling
tor Northern firm that IS collecting ho-
tel registers. The older they are the
more they are worth. Hotel registers arr
tDe greatest autograph albums In the
world. There is not man who travels
whose autograph is not seat cred ali over
this country. All prominent men travel.
The signatures of hundreds Of these have
a commercial value, even when not at
tached 10 "a note or check The auto
graphs Of statesmen generally sell the
highest. those OF eX-Presidcnts bringing
the most. A few days ago a rare coliec-
ti0n Of curious manuscripts, letters aud
autographs, were under the hammer IA
New York. A dozen autographs were
knocked down at from So to so piece.
"That would-be purchaser MAS telling
me that IN a few months it viii be the
proper thing to mount the autographs OF
ex-Presidents, literary men, Generals,
aud all men of note in some unique style
and give them a place beside the plaque.
This firm is now buying up all the regis
ters il can get hold Of. Some bright men
20 over each page carefully, and cut out
the signatures OF all the most prominent
men. They have quite long list, and
whenever ono OF the names Is found
it is clipped out and attached to
little slip on which are noted the date and
city. The register, OF course. indicates
each. II says that right now Grants
signatures are in demsnd. He never
stopped az hotels much, however. There
were generally people IN all Of the cities
through which he passed who wanted 10
entertain him, and ! never knew him 70
decline.
This enterprising firm, you see, are first
getting a supply on hand. and will then
Introduce the rage and Ill the demand"
"'Thrift is a blessing -Shakespear,"
gasped the reporter, dazed by the won
deriul display OF enterprise.
s'The registers are really no use 70 US,
and most hotel men, / believe, are willing
10 dispose Of them at a low figure" re.
sumed the clerk. zone Of this size, which
is the standard, will hold 5000 names.
II is seldom that register in the large
hotels CT big cities does not contain half
dozen good names. i know that from
personal observation In some seasons
there are one hundred good names. A
great many Of the signatures, 10 be sure,
were written before the owner came into
prominence. When the autographs come
10 be sold, however, ] half suspect they
are dated up, though they may not be.
The residence, which IS written opposite
the name, is also cut out. Ia mounting,
which is generally on cardboard, Bristol,
or some such kind. the residence is placed
below the name, thus: