The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1898-08-24
THREE MILLION DOLLAR BOOK.
ONE OF UNCLE SAM'S MOST EX.
PENSIVE PUBLICATIONS.
Some Facts About the COstliest Book in
the World. OfhoiaI HistorY of
the Civil war.

/ the World. OfHoiaI History of
the Civil war.
The present war with Spain has stirred
up many an otherwise indifferent boy
and girl to read The histories of our ma
val conflicts and military campaigns on
land, and at all the libraries the demand
for such books is uniqus in the history
of the institutions. There is one history,
however, which will not be accessible
to the average reader, but in the pres
ent crisis some facts about this most ex-
pensve book in the world may be Of
| general interest.
The book to which | refer is the of
fetal history of the civil war. Before it
is finally completed l. will have cost our
government about So, 100000. Probably
no other book in the world ever cost
one-tenth OF this enormous sum. Rare
editions of Dickens, ThackeIay or Dante
clnnot touch this history in the matter
OF cost. 1t is true that the history ia
composed of liz volumes of massive pro-
portions, but that does not alter the fact
that it is one continuous story racti-
cally one book.
This latest reminder to us OF the enor-
nous expense of war is probably justified
by circumstances. for its publication
brings out clearly all the details of the
war according to the latest reports from
leading participants on both sides, and it
will tend to settle definitely disputed
points of that great historical dramas
The official history will be complete and
authOritive, and all future writer's must
appeal to it as final resort The atlas
which accompanies the book contains III
plates, illustrating the important facts,
campaigns and battlefelds. These pict-
ures are nearly all taken from photo
graphs, and are not the ideal conceptions
of an artist. Therefore, they have the
value of accuracy.
The printing and binding of this expen-
sive book has cost the government over
million dollars up to date, while more
| than another million has been spent in
salaries, rent and stationary and for pur-
chase of photographs and private papers
of individuals. The wock is not yet fin
ished, but in year or two a copy of the
great undertaking may be looked for in
all of the leading libraries Less than
100000 copies will be printed at first, for
it is not expected that the demnnd for it
will be enor nous. While the book will
be authoritiye, it will contaia much that
is very dry, and uninteresting to the
average reader, and hence will never be
very popular.
In one consecutive history may be
found all the war materia! aud reports of
commanders of armies, corps, brigades
and regiments deposited in both the fed
eral and confederate state archives. AS
both sides of the struggle will have free
representation in the work, the history
cannot be said to be partial. South as
well as North tells its own story. AS the
joint production of the two great sides
in that war, it will make better un-
derstanding between these TWO sections
of our country. 1t will be book that a
whole one and ndivisible-nation can
contemplate with pride and honor. Even
though it cost $3,oO0,O0oit will more
than repay the seemingly enormous out
lay, for it will leave for future genera
tons a complete, impartial account of
our greatest national Struggle, thereby
preventing biased opinions and preiu-
dices from being handed down,