The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-09
SEEKERS FOR RARE BOOKS.
WASHING TON THE HOME OF MANY
COLLECTORS WITH FADS.
A Man who Has Been Gathering Hymn
Books-A Fine John Brown Collection

as OOIIeCtOr-OtnPr BOOK
WASHINGTON. June s.-Ths city Is full OF old
book collectors and curio hunters. Some have
been collectors steadily for many years and
have made noteworthy collections which they
have sold to good advantage James Smith
who for about half q century was a clerk
IN the Post Office Department and in the
Washington Post Office. has made three differ
ent collections. His first was OF coins. He had
gathered several thousand and finally de-
SPARED OF adding to It and decided to sell
out. He parted with tho collection to
Philadelphia for a good price. His next
fad was stereoscopio views. He bought
pictures OF every known part OF the earth
and OF everything interesting under the
sun. They were all classified. and when
he showed his photographs to his friends he
was able to put his hand on any view called for
and to show some sort OF q picture OF the
people or scenery OF any part OF the world.
When Mr.. Smith sold this collection 1t con-
tanned 112. 900 different views. The price he
got for IL was large. For fifteen twenty
years Mr.. Smith has been buying hymn books.
He has now over / .100 and Ia slowly adding to
them. He does not quarrel with the words. the
music or the omination. He Is even willing
to buy books in Choctaw. Greek. or any other
tongue. He can sing on his own account, and
amuses himself now and then Of an evening
by sitting down and running through one
hymn after another In the different books.
noting often quite striking differences in the
various editions. Mr.. Smith Is now over 80
years old. and he thinks of disposinG Of his
hymn books and selecting llveier line OF col
Letting
One OF the most valuable collections under
taken in Washington Is that OF DR.. Thomas
Featherstonhaugh on John Brown. He has
got together a hundred or more volumes and
many pamphlets on the Harpers Ferry raid
and has many very interesting relics OF the af-
fair, including some OF the pixies and carbines
used by John Brown and his men; original
manuscripts OF Brown. of his sons and various
members OF his family. together with photo
graphs OF all the agents in the famous nsur
rection. and Of all the places OF historic inter-
est associated with the brave old mans heroic
attempt to free the slaves. In his thorough
ness OF research DR.. Featherstonhaugh a few
years ago found the graves of the men who
persisted with Brown. and. disnterring the
bodies, established by witnesses their identity.
He has recently placed a number OF the relics
Of Brown In the National Museum to form a
nucleus to encourage additions.
Artemas Martin. ILL., D.. of the Coast Survey
Library, is a notable collector of mathematical
books. He began life and for many years
was occupied as a market gardener. all the
time displaying love for higher mathematics.
His zeal and diligence were such that. like
Thomas Edward. the Scotch naturalist. from
his studious obscurity he earned the applause
OF the world. Various colleges and universi-
ties have given him honors and he is known
all over the world as one Of the greatest mathe-
maticians living. He has quietly searched the
bookshops for old and rare arithmetics alge
bras and other mathematical works. until he
now has 1900 volumes. mbracing some
most rare and important books.
One Of the most interchangeable book hunters
man in he city. and every boy. man or woman
who has ANYTHING to do with selling books
In these early days OF the summer he may often
be seen in some dngv book shop in his shirt
pile Of Americana. picking out gems for q libra
buys like sage. 1t is a rare delight to stand
| 10y and listen to hir2 while he ia rummaging over
dom ON comment on books and book collecting,
his and tests R3Gs after
cation in itself to one not under the spell of
J JOIN Elot 1Bibie: Il i 70 Si:HSn HuITs
ihs prseiGss Bay State Psalm Bo sat hrst Of q
R hopnr to get this one copy and waited Tor
the flight OF time to gather its owner
to h ca% ThS GFf he R WAS ss""Es ne IF in
| desire to get ii; There were others. and they
had pocketbooks behind them that seemed to
1
man of the cloth added PRAYER and fasting to
his endeavor. and with the potent and eloquent
hs good 8" eop me F
sleep at night secure and happy IN the thought
that that old book will STAY right hers ere
books is DR.. Swami n. Burnett; Regularly he
makes the rounds Of the book marts and he
| picks his winnings. His collections are in tho
line of first editions in English and American
literature. miniature books. japanese art.
Of ali sorts, early American verse and ophtha-
over I. 900 volumes.
Gen Greedy is rounding out his career as an
by collecting A%
together 400. volumes in this line Of research;
has now Upward Of 1000 titles, in this branch
study. He is also interested IN military and
eT?tSre Hnd MS RbraTy
OF Prof Cleveland Able. collected through a
long and studious life. is rich also in the inc
Of met"orology and terrestrial physics and as
DR. Henry Thomas OF the State Department
is an omnivorous buver Of books in foreign
| languages, He is the translator at the depart
mcnt; and he has an nnilagGing appetite for
phiI2logy He can think in d" Q; 9ngTvnGes
he Ia tired OF the routine OF the department
work he walks the floor and regaes himself
| with the declension of the irregular verbs of
Turkey, Afghonistan and, Patagonia, He is a
most, discriminating, collector and has col
|
| Michael l. Weller is at home in Washing
toniana. He has a valuable mass OF original
material. from which some day good deal
Of interesting history OF the beginnings OF
the city may be written. l.. A. Brandebury
Of the, Pension ONCE has a, large and
Jealous collector in the line Of early travels and
| first American editions John Cameron Of the
| War Department has exhausted several
| specialtles in book hunting. He is now nj
| work on firearms Of all sorts in all ages. lie
| has done some notable collecting in the litera-
ture OF dancing and the violin. Capt, Hiram
Buckingham has devoted himself for many
years to acquiring books. pamphlets and relics
OF the war Of tho rebellion. His collection has
| assumed large proportions. Frank J.. Hanvey
| gives the intervals from a very busy life to the
search for the works OF Eugene Field and any
and everything pertaining to the life of that
genius. He bought few months ago the only
obtainable original copy of the Denver Primer
paving Sl25 for the dingy looking little pam.
phlet He has some very rare autographs anC
manuscripts.
of Napoleoniana and is also fortunate in the pos.
session Of a large collection Of works on inter.
national law and the history and literature o
diplomacy, lie has over 1000 volumes on Ma.
poleon in the French Senator HOar is another
statesman who finds rest and recreation in
buying books. His specialties are American
history and biography and English potica