The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-08-03
No Pen Can Describe
PRINTED BY THE CIIT.
The Valentino Manual Series and Dutc
Tran-Intions that Were Lost.

Trnn-intion- that Were Lost.
81 have often been nskod." said tho veteran
book dealer. as lie laid aside his crutches
FOR copies Of Valentines Manuals which dc
not exist. Librarians seem to think that they
must have been published. and they accord
inRly inquire for them. to complete set.
There were. however. two years In which no
Manual was published They were 1S46 and
1857. The book was begun in 1S41. but 1t was
dated for 1912. 1t was an 1Smo. rs were
the publications for the next two years.
The original one Is valueless OF itself. as
1t contained little. except n register Of the
city officials. The fourth and nth yenrs were
limos. Tho issue for 1916 did not ap-
pear. but Mr.. Valentine twas authorized by
the Common Council to prepare one for 1S40
and 1S47. all the work being done In the latter
year. Those OF 1S47 and 1S4S were also
limos. but in 1S48 the duodecimos began.
which continued nearly till the end.
There Is no illustration In the first number.
excepta map. No. 2 has four Illustrations: No.
3. three and No. 4. five. After this they gradu-
ally increased until 1850 had twenty four and
1856 forty-one. The last volume was for 1870.
Tho city has printed only three works.
apart from lists OF voters and the printing
necessary to carry on the municipal Govern
ment. The first was Valentines Manual: tho
second was translation Of the Dutch records.
and q transcript OF the proceedings Of the
Common Council In early times. and the third
persons read the last. besides the supervisor
the Clerk Of the Common Council. and the con
tractors who feel an interest In laying out
But It is, not known that any one now living
has ed OF
is uninterestinE., copy Of the work, which
extends to ten Volumes. could readily be sold
would very gladly pay this for a copy. and so
would others; The reason why this book has
has not a copy. Is because it has never been
published, although every page was ready.
+ D. 0Gsllashan toilsd for gea as,, on
into English. As fast as a batch OF copy was
made ready the tyne was set, the PROF. read
work was complete. but there was much
owing on It 1t was at about the time OF the
could k not obtain payment for its work. fire
occurred there one night. and when search
Il a was deelared that they had BEEN hurned
up. At any rate: they have A.. never
ee sf Sad ss ' on but Chat int
destroyed In the fire. Many persons. however.
hs m h h s SSs tRSs Se hsa Seea
spirited away before this. and are still in ex-
istenee waiting for favorable time for It the
U'Csl!aehsn and the proof reader,
its illustrations. There were probably more
than q Thousand OF these in all. and most OF
them faithful reproductions OF buildings then
existing. These are very interesting to those
who are concerned in the ant Guities Of New
York. and they have very largely been cut from
the Manual and inserted in other works by
illustrators. New York changes very rapidly.
A collector interested in the Presbyterian
Church hero would need. among other books.
the Manual for 1866 where, on page 594. he
could see how DR.. Springs church. the Brick
Presbyterian. looked In 1910. and in the num-
Der for 1885, page 100. he would have repre-
sanitation Of the same church In 1900. There
are later pictures of the corner now occupied
10y the Times and there are also earlier ones.
Probably an earnest collector could find a
dozen In different books Valentines series Is
g storehouse for collectors on nearly all New
York subjects.
Many persons have thought Mr.. Valentine
was an old bookworm. He was nothing like
one While he WAS fond OF a book. he did not
himself Investigate the sources OF New York
history. The appropriation by the Common
Council each year for the publication Of this
work enabled him to engage EXPERTS to do the
actual labor. Among others DIR. O'Calaghan.
William Kelly. and Henry b. Dawson were
thus employed. In some numbers the writer's
did not read their own proofs. and some very
bad blunders are to be found. several years
age 1t was thought that 1t would be a good
idea to take the historical matter. correct 1t.
and add notes to 1t and then sell it as q sepa-
rate book, but an Investigation as to the ex-
pense which would necessarily be incurred
stopped the Plan"