The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1891-09-26
BACK NUMBER" BUDD.
A. Colored Mans Odd but Profitable
Businest.
Robert Nj. Budd of New York City, Who
Has Complete Files of All News
Papers For Sale. 100000
Copies On Hand

Robert M. Budd, an Alro-American of
New York is the originator of an odd
business. He is dealer in back num-
bers OF newspapers and from the nature
of the business has been dubbed Back
Number Budd"
An APPEAL representative called at his
place of business, corner of Broadway
and Tnirty-thlrd streets, and while look
ing for an ancient paper, Back number"
Budd told something about his queer
business.
About eight years ago, the thought
flashed across my mind one day about
saving all the old papers I could find. I
had grown little careless about my
boot. backing business, and eight years
ago [ started with but eight dollars in
my possession. opened little stand
at the place where Palmer's theatre now
stands. 1t was very hard pulling at first
and got the window-man at the G1lsey
house to save me all bis papers, which 1
pought by the pound. 1t was awful slow
work for I hardly made my bread and
butter out of it. My friends advised me
to sell out but I was obstinate and was
bound to make a complete file, as far
back as l could. As the file kept grow
ing larger and larger, my trade com.
menced to pick up and I resolved to
stick it out at all hazards.
.. AS soon as found out that was like
ly to succeed, made a uniform set of
prices as follows: copy of piper one
week old, 5 cents; copy of any five cent
paper one week old, 8 cents; copy of
any paper 80 days old, 10 cents; for each
month after 80 days add CENTS; a copy
of paper one year old, SO cents; for
each year after that add % cents.
A short time ago, a prominent lawyer
came here and wanted a copy of the
World printed in 1877. I got it and
asked my regular price-$} He was
very indignant and said ought to starve,
but when [ explained that it was my
mode of making living. he paid the
price and left. The lawyers are my
principal customers, az they often win
big cases by getting back numbers of pa
pers for evidence. They are big kickers
but 1 know they must have the papers
and therefore remain firm in my price.
What IS the highest price you were ever
paid for paper?
lawyer paid me $40 for two copies of
a paper published in 1861, and [ have
often received $l5 and SIS for old and
valuable papers. Newspaper men often
come here and give me from 81 to SIS
just to look over very valuable paper.
Gen. Grant came to me shortly after the
Grant and Ward failure and bought
two-month's file of the daily p'pers,
containing an account of the affair.
III show you some curiosities, said
Budd, as he led the reporter to the back
part of the cellar, which is known ais the
curiosity shop. Among the faded and
dusty papers, were Herald of Aag. 20,
Is 0, which contained full account of
the opening Of Central Park; copy of
the Sun of June 20, 1884, with turned
column rules for the death of Lafayette;
Police Gazette of May 20, 1865, with
badly drawn picture of the capture of
jeff Davis on the front page.
The reporter then went to Ravens
wood, L. I. where Budd has 1000, 900
copies of papers stored aw y. He has
system by which he can readily turn to
any paper desired without loss of time.
He is now making money very rapidly
and his back files are increasing in value
every day.