New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-03
FICTION OF THE DAY.
G. W. DILLINGHAM;, PUBLISHER.


| There is a class Of books which might be caus1
contemporaneous fiction, comprising the novel,
| which appear from day 10 day. The demand 10,
light reading requires that such books should
be published at short notice, and as the pubI,a
taste changes with the swiftness and ease Of a
weather-vane, it has been found that this linz
| Of publications furnishes ample opportunities 10,
the energies and resources OF a house which d.
votes itself chiefly 10 such works. The sales
| Of this kind of books, when they are successful
are exceedingly rapid, and this fact has made thu
| task Of issuing them an extremely difficult ona
and one requiring sharp and decisive action and
a quick and unerring judgment. When there ID
added to these requirements the necessity Of
making handsome and attractive volumes, which
has become a prominent feature of the book bust.
ness in all its phases, it is easily what an
important part the publication Of this con.
temporaneous fiction" plays in the book trade n
to-day
G. w. Dillingham; the successor Of G. ".
Carleton Il Co, at No 33 West Twenty third-st.
is a publisher whose catalogue contains books
which those Of " the tines While the
issuing of well-known standard works has also
received some attention from this house and has
added not little to It's reputation, the house ID
particularly interesting by reason of its record in
what Mr. Dillingham; himself calls the better
class of light fiction.
THE BEGINNING OF THE HOUSE
G. w. Carleton began business in 1857 the
firm name being at that time Rudd & Carleton
The new publishers were not slow to meet with
success In their early history appeared Moth.
ing to Wear" which at once sold rapidly There
followed Nothing to Say induced by Nothing
TO Wear" and this too was instantly successful!
Mr.. Carleton began TO be known as a publishes
of novels by well-known writers and American
humorists, prominent among whom were Josh
Billings and Artemus Ward found in him man
who appreciated their wit and had confidence
enough in the appreciation OF the people to
supply to American readers " funny writings in
abundance. 1t was Mr.. Carleton who introduced
r. Il. Aldrich with his poem So The Course Of True
Love Never Did Run Smooth
A more hazardous undertaking, and one which
met with the success it deserved, was the publ.
cation of the translation of Victor Hugos Les
Miserabes" Since the firms publication OF this
work hundreds of thousands of copies have been
sold, and the profits have been extremely large.
The work of issuing translations of French works
was continued. Among the well-known popular
works appearing were Balzac's, Remains. Niche.
let's and Houssayes. The translation of Niche
let's LiAmour" and La Femme was, perhaps.
Unprecedented. Within one month from the be.
ginning of the translation the book was on the
market .and 20 600 copies had been sold. The firm
WAS among the first publishers TO issue Dickens's
works in America and many thousands OF iu
editions have been scattered over the county
and are found in home Libraries.
ACTIVITY AND GROWTH
G. w. Dillingham; came from Bangor;
Maine, and entered the employ OF Mr..
Carleton in 1865. He got his first experience in
the book business thirty years ago. when ne was
.l.11r Cal
in Boston He had been with Mr.. Carleton only
six gears when he became a partner, the house
being known by the firm name OF y: w. Carleton
~ CD. Mr.. Dillngham's activity and business Split
of progress made him a valuable ally, for says
" The American Bookseller even before he en-:
tered the firm and still more strongly aftrwards
he evinced keenness Of judgment. breadth q
foresight and spirit of enterprise. which gained
for him the instant appreciation and confidence
of Mr. Carleton, whose Judgment found itself
invaluably reinforced by that of this youngeI
head. Mr.. Dillingham;. therefore. IS SO ldentlhed
with the past Of the house. as wen as w,n
lifted to carry it TO successes even beyond those
of its early days, and which those who know the
sterling uprightness and genial cordalty OF the
man win stand ready TO welcome with the same
hearty congratulations OF which ne has had 50
many in the past. =,
two partners the house became more
prosperous and more popular. The firm
Continued to make speciality of the
writer's and gaining the favor Of authors py thef
liberality and skill in putting books on the mar
ket in the most desirable shape. Mr. Carleton
retired in 1886, when he was still compare
lively Young man, and Mr.. Dillingham; IN t1ss
wear purchased the whole publishing business Of
the firm. Since the younger partner became us
sole owner of the house, he has adhered closely
to those principles which gained for the establish
ment an early prosperity, and which gave u hlgn
rank among live, energetic and uourlShing pup
fishing firms
SOME OF THEIR BOOKS.
Among the writer's whose books have appeared
from this house, and whose works have been
especially popular are Augusta j. Evans VIII
son Mary J. Holmes of whose works over
1 OOO. 900 copies have been sold May Agnes flem-
inc Marion Harland Julie Z. Smith. Allan PINK
erton. Bertha Clay, Miriam Coles Harris Cens
F. Gardner. A. s. Roe, Mayne Reid, Annie ia.
wards. NJ NJ Brick POmeroy, Orpheus Y. hen'
r ]. Burdctte, Ella Wheeler Wilcox, T. l. bar
mum. Violet Fame, Frank Lee Bcnedict joaquin
Miller. John Esten Cooke Mansfield I. Walworh
r. B. Kimball Robert Dale Owen, Algernon Chars
Swnburne Albert Ross and MTs ana Snnna a
are suitable for libraries They are soh sing"
and in sets. - ,.-..x 49,, .,o.sct
wear are the two Albaross novels, l5,o,OuV corS
Of these two books having been sold WITHIN .ns
last two months, There is now in p press ne ~
Fnen.p which will appear in January. An ess
ton of 10000 copies has already been oraeSs
in advance. NJ. .rs,,
The monogram OF this house is familiar 70 evu
one who is connected with the publishing ous,nss
and TO thousands of others. II is douDtiul,
ever. if MANY people know what the monos'ss
signifies 1t looks like Chinese character. r va
possibly an Egyptian hieroglyphc. A et.a AIDS
unlike W" is crossed by bow. the ben. a eD a.
turning upward, while between the two enosy The \,
the upper strokes of the W" are two DOS
character is Arabic. and is made up word
| monogram from the letters in the nwI
kateb,' which in plain English is books ..s anl
books is an appropriate motto for so saccs' Ar
publishing house, whether the ch ara. 'rTnsiA
| Chinese Egyptian, Arabic or everyday Ens A.
in which the books of G. w. Dillingham; ''
published.