The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-03-02
GEN. GRANTS BolK.
Hls Widow Receives Ia Handsome ROturn
AHd ID PromISud SUI More.

Hls Widow Receives ia Handsome ROturu
AHd ID PFomiSsd sun More.
Charles l., Webster & Co., the pub,
lishers OF Gen, Grants book, sent Mrs,
Grant check yesterday for S2OO,OOO as
her proportion Of the prOcseds 30 far dc.
rived from the sale OF the Generals book,
Tue check is drawn in favor OF Mrs. Julia
D, Grant on the United States National
Bank Of this city, and the receipt signed
by Mrs. Grant specifies that the check Is
ITO apply on account Of profits aCCruing
from sale Of Volume OF Personal Mem
oirs OF u 8. Grant," In letter concern.
Ing the check written To Cyrus w, Field,
Mr.. Webstsr says:
"rhe contract with Gen. Grant for the
publication OF the Memoirs was signed
ust q year ago to-day, sinCs which time
the book has been practically written,
published, aud the great bulk OF money
Tor the first volume collected.
ut seems fitting to me on the anniyer.
saly OF the signing OF that Contractto pay
toMrs. Grant the check which you know
about, and 1t will accordingly be handed
her this morning,
"Slore is due her and she will be paid
as seon as collected.
"We expect 10 collect as much again
Shen the second volume appears, so that
Mrs.. Grants profits within year from
publication will not fall below 100000,
and will probably reach 100000,
Both as regards the time and the
amount involved, this ia the most extrGor,
dlBRry result OF authorship In the history
on hgllsh literature. Nor Is iball, for on
the day the contract was signed, February
81, 1885, Mr.. Webster gave to General
Grant check for $1,000, Mr., Webster
remarked yesterday that this last was
probably the most acceptable check that
Gen. Grant ever received, for 1t went ia
him at a time when he was broken In
health and fortune and was sorely In need
Of money. lie was at that time decidedly
skepiiGai about the success Of his book
and repeatedly said to Mrs. Grant; "Do
not base too much hope, Julia, on what
Mr.. Webster says, because he isaltogetheI
too sanguine." However, although he
nevsr saw q bound copy OF his book he
lived long enough to realize that II would
be a financial sltaess, though he did not
even then dream what splendid venture
IL would prove. He saw the printed
sheets, and Webster 4 90. were hlrrying
up bound copy for him, but he died four
days before II was ready.
Tho largest sum ever received before In
one lump by an author for q book was 0
check for g3000Q, l$l00,000,) given by his
publishers to Lord Macauley as the fret
payment on Ills HHistory Of England
Sir Walter scJtt made shout Sb0O,0 by
bis pen in something like len years, but
100000 In one year and $500, coo In less
than two years Is altogether, unpreCentod
Nor are these all the remarkable facts
connected with the book. The first edl
tiou, 1926, 900 copies ig tbe largest first edi'
ton ever published. OF that gYcst npm'
her only II 900 copies now remain In the
hands Of the publishers.
The second volume 10 in sCtivs prepa
ration and will be issued some tune during
the month Of April. Forty presses arc al
work on II, and the plates are 30 arranged
that every impression Of the presses prints
an entire copy Otths book, The term.
made by Messrs. Webster & Co.,, with
Gen. Grant were liberal, but they have
nevertheless prolited largely themaelves
tthsy agreed 10 give him 70 percent Of the
net prs. a4 derived iraH the sale Of the
home edition, and S5pefcent Of the pr9atf
Of the foreign edition. Sampson Low
Marston, searle 4 Rivington, Of London,
who publish the foreign edition, give
Webster q Go. 90 percent OF the net
profits. This Ia likewise tho largest per
centage ever obtained for an American
hook abroad,