Evening journal., 1912-06-26
new NEWS NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Real Foundation Of New
York'S First Publishing
House
By Holland

James Lenov. the founder of the
Lenox library in New York, now
consolidated with the New York
Public Library and the builder OF
the beautiful home which the Lenox
library for years occupied and which
Henry c Frick has offered to give to
New York city and to pay the ex-
pense Of taking the building down.
stone by stone. and reconstructing it
upon a site in Central park, per
formed many years ago, a service
for American literature and the
American publishing business Of
which very few persons ever had anv
knowledge In fact, it is due to Mr..
Lenox that the first book publishing
house in the United States was put
upon a sound financial basis.
There came to New York city from
Scotland in the year 1920 a clear
headed and intelligent young school
teacher named Robert Carter He
opened a little school on lower Broad
way. and by thrift was able to save
some three hundred dollars in the
course of a few years. Il happened
that a bookseller became insolvent
about 1880 and the young teacher
bought the entire stock for three
hundred dollars.
After a year or two as a book
seller Mr. Carter published a relig>
ious work entitled The Intercession
and Atonemen of Jesus Christ" But
though Theological and religious al
! guments and agitation we're at that
time every active not only in New
York but throughout the country. Mr,
Carter was. unable to sell copies
enough of this little religious book
even to pay the expenses OF publica-
ton. He was in grave anxiety lest
the venture seriously embarrass him
One day James Lenox called upon
a bookseller in the lower part Of New
York to see a rare volume, for Mr.
Lenox at that time was known to be
a collector of rare books, not shrink
ing from any expense in case be
found a volume was really rare and
from the collectors point of view, o
high value.
Mr.. Lenox," said the bookseller
"there is a young man named Robert
Carter, who bought out a little book
store a few blocks away, who pub.
lished recently a little book treating
opon a religious subject Have you
seen it?"
mo. I have neither seen it nor
heard Of IT," Mr. Lenox replied. But
] am interested to know that at last
some one has ventuerd to publish a
book into New York city. Tell me
who Is hep"
'He has had a most interesting
| history, Mr.. Lenox. He Is a native
| of Scotland. His father was a weav-
er and set up a loom IN his own
house. The boy was taught the
weaver's trade: but he was very
anxious TO learn, having had no op-
portunity 70 60 10 school excepting
little infants school. He therefors
made a little rack which he attached
to the loom II was large enough C
hold a book open He borrowed q
hook from a school teacher and put
II on this rack. While he was weav
ing he read. whenever he had a mo
ment's chance. from this book, anf
in this way read II through.
Then he got another book, ans
read that through in a similar way
So, while az work ct his loom, h
prepared himself TO become a teach
er. and when he was about nineteer
years Of age he was employed in one
of the little schools Of Scotland. Si1
or seven years ago he came TO The
United States. For a while he was
school teacher in this city
Mr. Lenox listened with the keen
est interest Of this history Of tha
Young publisher He went immed
lately to the bookstore. He aske'
for a COPY OF the book which ha'
been recently published by thii
Young man. He pretended 10 be grea
ly interested in it when the book wat
shown 10 him At last he said
Have you sold many copies ot thi'
book?'
The young publisher was compel
ed 10 confess that he had not
We'll. you ought to sell q gooc
many. II is an excellent book.
will buy two hundred copies Of yot
and nav you for them now ! wan
/ 4. - Ak,t r,.r~ N my friends