People's Pilot, Volume 2, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1892 — The History of an Important Publishing House. [ARTICLE]

The History of an Important Publishing House.

The Arena Publishing Co. and What it hat Accomplished ia Three Years. ■ — Weekly Journalist. About a year ago we published a brief sketch of Mr. B. O. Flower, the editor of the Arena, and then took occasion to note the phenomenal success of this popular Boston review in the field of serious periodical literature. Since then we have watched with interest the rapid strides of this magazine, and the progress fit the Arena Publishing Company in i developing from merely the a great review’ to one of the most important publishing houses of New England, or, for that matter, of this country. The Arena has from its birth steadily and rapidly grown in circulation and influence, long since distancing with one exception, all high priced reviews in point of popularity and circulation. This is largely due to the courage, boldness and the moral convictions which has ever been one of the distinctive characteristics of this review. It is also the only American review which appeals to the tastes of all members of the family in which it circulates. By publishing each month strong, short stories, biographical sketches, prose etchings and interesting pen pictures it has won its way into the hearts of tens of thousands of people who have been, through these features attracted to its pages. The admirable portraits of leading thinkers and the introduction of fine illustrations when the text has called for them, have also contributed to its popularity, but doubtless the fact that it is in perfect touch with the most advanced, progressive and reformative thought of the age aud _ employs the ablest living .thinkers to write for its columns, also gives it a prestige enjoyed by no other great review. At the present time the Arena is read each month by more than 100,000 people in America, while during the past six months its European circulation has increased more than 1,000 copies.

This is due lar’gely to the great interest felt in the BaconShakespeare case now being presented by the giant thinkers of the two worlds, who are combatting the opposite, claims of the two most illustrations names in the golden age of literature in England. When such eminent persons in Great Britain as Marquis of Lorne, Edmund Gosse, Alfred Russel Wallace, D. C. L. Prof. J. Donaldson, principal of St. Andrew’s University, and Henry Irving, consent to act as jurors, it is evident that in England as well as America, the interest in this discussion is very great. Another reason for the growing popularity of the Boston review in Europe lies in the fact that in England and on the Continent the thoughtful and progressive people are becoming for the first time acquainted with the Arena and thus learning that it in a larger degree. than any other magazine reflects the best progressive and reformative thought of both' the old and the new world.

The phenomenal success of this great review under the editorial management of Mr. B. O. Flower, is no more remarkable than the progress made during the past year in the business management of the enterprise under the vigorous and energetic personal direction of Mr. H. H. Boyce, who as a business manager, has made the Arena Publishing Company one of the most important book publishing concerns in the New World. This company has recently published “The Rise of the Swiss Republic,” a finished and scholarly work, being the first elaborate history of Switzerland published in the English language. It contains a detailed account of all the recent Gove rumen tai innovation so successfully introduced in the little Republic such as the Referendum and the Initiative. This book is one of the handsomest specimen’s of the printers’ art of the year; printed iff large type on heavy paper, wide margin and richly bound. Another handsome book whichs bids fair to be one of the greatest successes of recent times has just been issued by this company. We refer to M. French-Sheldon’s story of her travels in the wilds of Africa, entitled “Sultan to Sultan.” It is one of the most superbly illus-

trated books of travel ever pub lished, containing almost four hundred photogravures or text cuts, many full page pictures made direct from photographs taken by M. Frendh-Sheldon. The achievement of this remarkable American woman stands without parallel in the history of extraordinary attainments by women even in this day of their wonderful achievements. It will be remembered that she penetrated one thousand, miles into the heart of savage Africa, having a train of' between one and two hundred native porters and interpreters, but with no white person in the caravan.* Her story is absorbing in interest aqd rich in information contained in no other work on the dark continent.

In addition to these works the Arena Publishing Company has, since Mr. Boyce took control of it, brought out many other important books, for example: Mr.’ Savage’s popular evolutionary religious work on “The Irrepressible Conflict Between Two Wotld Theories.” Hamlin Garland’s novels, “Jason Edwards” and “A Spoil of Office.” Helen Gardner’s powerful new story, “Pray You, Sir, Whose Daughter?” Prof. Emil Blum’s and Alexander’s “Who Lies?” Mrs. Florence Huntley’s “The Dream Child.” Mrs. Celestia Root Lang’s “Son of Man.” Rev. Dr. Marion Shutter’s “Wit and Humor of the Bible.” Will N. Harben’s “A Mute Confessor ■ —T|ie Romance of a Southern Town.” Rev. Minot J. Savage’s “Some Ghost Stories.” Benjamin Hathaway’s “The Finished Creation.” “Redbank,” by M. L. -Cowles, and a beautifully illustrated book of “Songs” by Neith Boyce. The company has also published five numbers of the “Copley Square Series,” all of which have achieved an distant success.

In the meantime the sales of Helen Gardener's “Is This-Your Son, My Lord?” Mr, Garland’s “Main-Travelled Roads,” and Mr. Flower’s Lessons Learned From Other Lives,” (alt published by this house) have been exceedingly large. It is a notable fact which indicates the sagacity and keen discernment of this firm, that they have brought out not a book which has not been a positive and unequivocal success. It is a matter of just pride with the management, that thus far the Arena imprint has been placed on the page of no volume which has been, even in a general way, a failure.

The sales of one of their books has already exceeded 50,000 and another 35,000 copies. The great publishing house of Harper Brothers point with pride to the fact that during the past year they have published no less than seventy-five new books. Comparing a young house with one that stands almost at the head of the publishing business, it is a remarkable fact that the Arena Publishing Company has within one year given to the world twenty-one new books, and every one of them a marked success. The plans of the Arena Publishing Company for the future are even more comprehensive in the way of book publishing. It i§, quite evident that they have caught the ear of the public, both with the Arena and with their other publications. The handsome offices of this company are on Copley square, and a casual visitor, who is always cordially received, is impressed with , the tremendous amount of business that is transacted there. Under the present management the Arena Publishing Company, in addition to conducting the livest and most popular review in the world, the paid circulation of which has been doubled in one year, is bound, in the natural course of events, to become one of the greatest book publishing concerns in America.