The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-17
The Concern Found to Comprise Three Chairs
aType- Writer, a Pretty Girl and Stout
Irishman with Very Short Beard.
Indications that Prize-Fighting Will
Soon Be Banished from the Clubs.
Failure of Mayor Grace's Effort to Make the
New York Board of Education POliti-
cal Machine-New York Gossip.
A TRAP FOR AUTHORS.

A TRAP FOR AUTHORS.
The "Tribune Bureau Of Literature" and
How Its Business Is Transacted.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
New YORK, Jan. ia new trap is set for un
wary authors. The Tribune Bureau of Lftera-
ture" is on the first foor-from the roof, at 231
Broadway. It issues prospectus referring to
the sensitiveness and timidity Of young authors.
and intimating that benevolent regard for the
species induced the founding Of the concern. in
order to relieve them of the embarrassment Of
taking their manuscript around to the magazines
and newspapers to SELL The advertisement
gracefully suggests: "It may not be uninterest-
ing to state to our readers how the workings Of
the bureau are conducted When manuscript is
received it is at once classified. e., placed in
cabinet under its appropriate heading, such as
Scientific Historical Descriptive ETC.. as
the case may be- In due time the critic
who has in charge this particular field of litera
ture carefully reads it, making such corrections
as he deems necessary or expedient Then the
manuscript is ready for submission to che pub
Usher" distant reader of the advertisement
might get the idea that the Tribune Bureau Of
Literature occupies an entire building; but the
correspondent found cheap restaurant in the
basement Of 231, and no gold letters indicating
the position of the bureau upon the outside Of
the house. He asked tho japitor where the bu-
reau was, and the expert gave it up. Then he
was on the point Of going to 331 to see il the ad
vertisement had not been figure wrong when
he found legend in the corridor reading: 1.-THE
Tribune Bureau Of Literature up three fights
Room in the rear. H B. Hail. manager" He
toiled up three flights to Room in the rear
looking fors the bureau, which proved to be much
less extensive than its name 1t was pine bu-
reau with no mirror on the top, and though he
looked for the elaborate cabinets marked His
torica Scientific and Descriptive" he failed
20 discover them. The critics who had in charge
the various fields of literature were out to lunch
con, evidently but he wondered If they all occu-
pied the one empty chair in the room when they
performed their duties. =.
But there yere three chairs in the room One
was occupied by pretty girl, who was operat
ing typewriter, and the other by stout Irish-
man, with short beard, who bore striking
resemblance to John Kelly. He was engaged in
cutting advertisements of the Tribune Bureau of
Literature from several country papers, and
pasting them in a book. The cabinets marked
Historical" Scientific" and Descriptive. !"
were before him in the shape of pasteboard
boxes. They were empty, and, possibly, the
critics having in charge those particular
branches of literature had already got in their
fine work. When the caller said, "Mr. Hall7'
the stout Irishman turned and gave him quick
O1o hofo ho al hat
Hall. He said however, that he represented
Mr.. Hall, and would be glad to perform any
business anybody might have with that gentle
man. The visitor intimated that he would like
to know something about the bureau. He said
he would get a circular, but he held 1t in his
hand, and asked what was desired. 81 should
like to see Mr.. Hail." was the answer, land in
quire whether the bureau is responsible" The
stout man was vastly indignant and requested
to know what was meant. II should like
to know, for instance" said the inquirer,
whether there is any certainty
that person would get either his
money or his manuscript from the Tribune
Bureau of Literature in case he submitted it."
The stout man was first grieved and then angry
that any one should doubt the honesty of the
bureau. but he could not give the names of any
publishers as guarantees of Mr.. Halls character
He finally put the circular in a drawer, and in
dignantly returned to his desk. What it con-
tanned was an explanation that the bureau
charged nothing for selling the manuscripts
received, but would take commission of 10 per
cent on the sums received from the publishers,
who, presumably, were eagerly purchasing copy.
Investigation proves that on receipt of matter
from novices letters are sent back to the writer's
saying that certain work of editing and revision
seems requisite before submitting the work to
possible accepters, and price is always named
for this overhauling. It cannot be learned that
an actual sale of manuscript has ever been
effected by the bureau, can any clear idea be
gained as to how much money has been sent on
by ambitious amateur authors, but it is believed
to be very large.