Great Fortunes, and How They Were Made

by James Dabney McCabe

ROBERT BONNER.

ROBERT BONNER was born in the north of Ireland, near the town of Londonderry, about the year 1824. He came to this country when a mere child, and was brought up in the State of Connecticut, where he received a good common-school education.

Manifesting a decided liking for the printer's trade, he was placed at an early age in the office of the "Hartford Courant," where he took his first lessons in the art of setting type. He entered upon the business with the determination to learn it thoroughly, and when he had mastered his trade soon acquired the reputation of being the best workman in Hartford. As a compositor, he was not only neat and thorough, but was remarkably rapid as well. On one occasion, when the "Courant" was endeavoring to publish the "President's Message" in advance of all its competitors, Mr. Bonner is said to have worked at the rate of seventeen hundred ems an hour—a feat absolutely unparalleled.

In 1844, he removed to New York and engaged in the office of a new journal, called the "American Republican," then lately established as the organ of the American party in that city, upon which he worked steadily during its brief career. His wages were small, and it was only by practicing the most rigid economy that he could live upon them.

When the "Republican" suspended publication, Mr. Bonner was employed in the office of the "Evening Mirror," published by Morris, Willis & Fuller. Here he made himself so useful, that the business of getting up or displaying advertisements attractively was soon left entirely to him. His taste in this department was almost faultless, and the advertisements of the "Mirror" soon became noted for their neat and handsome appearance.

At this time there was published in New York a small, struggling paper, exclusively mercantile in its character, called the "Merchants' Ledger." This paper was almost entirely dependent upon its advertising patronage, and the attention of its proprietor was called to Mr. Bonner's skill, as exhibited in the "Mirror," in displaying advertisements to the greatest advantage. The result was that Mr. Bonner received an offer, which he accepted, to take charge of this paper. This was the origin of his connection with the journal which he has since rendered famous.

Being fond of composition, he made frequent contributions to the editorial columns of the paper, which were well received by the general public, but which seem to have aroused the petty jealousy of the proprietor of the "Ledger."

Soon after forming his connection with the "Ledger," Mr. Bonner purchased it. From his boyhood up, it had been his ambition to become the proprietor of a journal which should be carried out upon his own ideas, and he believed that the "Ledger" offered him the best means of doing this. It was generally doubted at that time that a literary paper could flourish in New York—Boston and Philadelphia having apparently monopolized such enterprises. Mr. Bonner, however, had a clearer view of the matter, and was convinced from the first that the great center of American industry was the very best place for such an undertaking. He proceeded very cautiously at first, however, changing the character of his paper very gradually, from a commercial to a literary journal.

At this time Fanny Fern was the great literary sensation of the day. She had just published her "Ruth Hall," which had attracted universal attention, and had given rise to a sharp discussion in the public press as to whether she was the sister of N.P. Willis or not. Mr. Bonner resolved to profit by her sudden notoriety, and requested her to write a story for the "Ledger," for which he offered to pay her twenty-five dollars per column. She declined the proposition. He then offered her fifty dollars a column, and, upon a second refusal, increased his offer to seventy-five dollars a column. She was pleased with the energy exhibited by Mr. Bonner, and flattered by his eagerness to secure her services, but declared that she would write no more for the newspapers. A little later Mr. Bonner was offered a story from her, about ten columns long. He at once accepted her proposition, and upon the receipt of the manuscript sent her a check for one thousand dollars.

With this story began that wonderful career of the "Ledger" which seems more like a dream than hard reality. The story was double-leaded, and made to fill twenty columns of the paper. The "Ledger" itself was changed from its old style to its present form, and made a purely literary journal. The price paid for the story was unparalleled in the history of American journalism, and Mr. Bonner spread the announcement far and wide that he was publishing a serial for which he had given one hundred dollars a column. His advertisements were to be seen in almost every newspaper of respectable circulation throughout the Union. In form they were different from any that had preceded them. "Fanny Fern writes for the 'Ledger.'" "Buy the 'New York Ledger,'" etc., appeared, dozens of times repeated, until men were absolutely tired of seeing the announcement. Nothing had ever been brought to the public notice so prominently before. For awhile people were astonished at the audacious boldness of "the 'Ledger' man." Then they began to buy the paper. Since then the demand for it has steadily increased.