The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-06-12
THE KANSAS HERD BOOK

X. c. Star.
In the summer of 1888 appear ed a
remarkable work, entirely concerned
with Kansas. 1t was, as far as size
and weight went, one of the largest
books ever printed in the United
States. Sixteen hundred and sixteen
pages of fine type the book made, and
three of the largest printing establish
ments in Chicago divided the type
setting among them. The work is
said TO have cost its designer 800, 900.
More than all the other" Kansas booksn
published by private and individual
enterprise.
The plan of the work apparently
was to tell all about Kansas historic
ally, and then to tell all about the
men and women in the State individ.
ually. The idea was to appeal to in.
dividual and collective patriotism and
sell l., 900 books at SD each. The con-
tract was carried out, each man who
had his "life TAKEN" and paid his SD
was furnished copy of the mammoth
work. The historical material and
the biographical intelligence were col
lected by good and faithful men aud
women. The portraits all had a GER
tain wooden resemblance to the origi-
nails. They were not all pretty, but
'look like" The historical portion
was sufficient to make four or five such
books as Prof. Springs prelude"
But when the book was ready and the
publisher should have gathered in his
sheaves, Kansas suddenly took..a freak
and landed on the great book with
both feet. The risky commonwealth
turned OIL "Andreas's History of Kan
sas," just as she has turned on sever
al "favorite sons" and one occasion OH
favorite political party. The agreed
price of the book-which it was well
worth-was Sl2. a country justice of
the peace decided that it was worth
$, and the decision was heralded all
over the State. But this was not last
nor worst; somebody attached to the
great work the name of "The Kansas
Herd Book" and the joke took"
When anything is made ridiculous in
Kansas its day is done. In Kansas
men have been "pilloried," and mail
ed to the counter" and ventilated"
and all that, but the man who is
laughed at is lost. The State is trifle
wild on the question of fun. 1t is
doubtful if in any other State a bur-
lesque syllabus would have been pre-
served in the supreme court reports.
At any rate 1t was moved and second
ed that that the biggest and most
elaborate book ever published about
Kansas be called the Herd Book"
and the motion carried.
In the laud guffaw that rolled over
Kansas on the adoption of the motion
the sale of the book by any publisher
seems to have ceased. Copies may be
procured from individual owners at
all sorts of prices, and it is TO be found
in most public libraries, aud so here
and there a reader has had all oppor-
tunity to do justice this literary dog
that was killed by the bestowal of a
bad name.
The book would attract attention
anywhere by its size, and its weight
is so great that it needs to be mounted
Oh carriage like cannon, or it will
break its covers. 1t is well printed OH
good paper aud creditable work
geographically. AS the years have
passed by, the immensely of the work
has revealed itself. Here are the BIZ
ographies of not only hundreds, but
thousands of Kansas men, usually |
brief, but occasionally induIging In
fullness of detail, where,
to use the "herd book" simile, the |
pedigree is accompanied by a portrait
of the animal. The accuracy of the de-
tails is wonderful; here are births,
military and civil services !
and promotions, removals, journeyings
oft, perils by land and by sea, the last |