Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-19
A LOOK AROUND.

HOW do the older bookmalers wear in
P1ttsburg and what of the success of the
new ones?" asked OF a man who had sold
books here for many years. at is odd you
should ask that question to-day" said he,
"for was talking of that same subject this
morning with friend. There is an immense
amount OF reading done in Pittsburg to be-
gin with. The publication of the cheap
paper editions of old and new novels has
increased their sale by 100 per cent within a
lew years. Take Dickens, Thackeray, Bull
wer and George Eliot as samples of the
standard novelists, and The Last Days of
foinpen' outsells any single book by those
authors OF all their works there is q steady
and about a uniform sale. which is growing
with the paper editions. The Tale OF Two
Cities Pickwick' and 'Copperfeld' lead
the list for Dickens, 'Esmond and Vanity
FAIR for Thackeray and .Romola' and Mid
dlemarch' for Eliot or the old roman cists
Dumas Three Guardsmen' and its continu-
atfons far outsell all others. Lorna Doone'
sells better than any novel OF Its age. or
the later novels all the finer ones keep up
In sale. Such books as 'Thelma,' The White
Company The Little Minister "A Window
in Thrums' and Tess of the De Erbevilles
are in consequent demand. You would be
surprised at the growth of story reading
among people who are not those whom you
WOuiu suppose feaQ novels at all.
BESIDES the sale of novels" continued
the bookman, "there is heavy demand
here for scientific works. and especially for
those bearing on electricity and mechanics.
There is not much call ior biographies un-
less they are of exceptional interest," like
Walter Scott's Journal or Bourienne's Ma
poleon, 'or like the"Memoirs of Talleyrand,"
although the latter has fallen off surpris-
ingly in sale. As rule, however. people
buy biographies for presents rather than
for their own reading, and it is much the
same with historical works of ordinary in
terest. There has been such q multiplied
tion of class periodicals and books TOR spe-
cial trades or professions that the aggre-
gate sale of publications has grown enor-
mously in every conceivable direction, and
almost everybody buys something to read,
either regular issue or u fugitive publica-
tion."
THE heavy brown English dogskin street
gloves which have been so popular for years
are being replaced by those made of rein
deer skin which are the color of chamois
skin. These gloves are all the go with the
Engli sh swells. They cost 50 so pair in
London as against 81 25 for dogskin, but
they outwear anything else in the way of
leather. This reindeer skin is make up into
every conceivable article where it can be
used to the exclusion of Russian leather in
pocketbooks, bags, purses and that sort Of
thing.
1 WAS exceedingly sorry to hear yester-
day of the death of Captain George P. Ham,
ilton, of Franklin, who was an aid on the
staff o, General Wiley. Captain Hamilton
GERS at Johnstown under General Hastings
and took charge Of the work after the Gem
eral left. He had been i'll for long time,
outliving the time allotted blythe doctors by
q month or two. He was a thoroughly good
all round man and officer.
THE chrysanthemum show has certainly
caught popular fancy and deservedly so for
it is a superb display. Pittsburg has been
notable as producer of flowers for years
and superintendent Hamilton, of Allegheny,
is one of those who deserves credit for
making the town appreciate this queen of
the dismal season.
The first of the trials of those charged
with completely in the riot at Homestead is
probably the most interesting case which
has been in the Criminal Court of this coun-
ty since James Mutt, of Uniontown. was
tried for the killing of Dukes. That case
was heard in the old Court House, and no
one who was present at it is likely to forget
the excitement it caused, the crowds 1t at
tracted or the interest which the public
took in all the details of the testimony and
the personnel of those connected with it.
In one respect the Mutt trial resembled that
which was begun yesterday. Eminent law
services for the defense then as now, and
those who heard the fiery grafton of Sena-
tor Voorhees, in the Mutt case will no doubt
seek to contrast it with the efforts OF the
two other Western attorneys who have
taken the place in public attention then
held by the Tall Sycamore of the Wabash"
There is great difference, however
in the appearance of the courtrooms.
The old building was so besieged that the
police held the outer entrances during the
closing days and business i'll the other de-
partments was practically suspended The
room itself was packed up to the foot Of the
bench with spectators and the reporters
were compelled to throw their copy" for
afternoon papers out of the windows to mes
sengers waiting below. Yesterday there
was large crowd present but it was con-
fined to the public portion of the room to an
extent which left the inclosure within the
bar almost open and unoccupied. Reports
of trials in papers like THE DISPATCH are so
much fuller and better than they used to be
that the public is content to read them and
avoid being caught in the crush.
WHAT is wrong with the electric light
current? For two or three days it has been
very irregular, and downtown districts have
been left in darkness for considerable
,,eriods. WALTER