Text: Anonymous, “Rare Treasures of Poe's Genius Unearthed in a Local Paper,” New York Times (New York, NY), vol. LXI, whole no, 19,713, January 14, 1912, p. 43, lower half of page

[page 43, column 1:]

THE industry no less than the versatility of Edgar Allan Poe continues one of the marvels of the literary world. Poe has been dead 62 years, and in spite of the fact that for all this period there has existed a keen demand for the republication and the compilation of everything he wrote, whether for newspaper or for magazine consumption, the supply from his tireless pen seems still unexhausted.

Who even of the students of Poe recall that he ever wrote a line for The Columbia Spy, of Columbia, Penn.? The paper itself is local, though it dates back to 1830. Literally dashing off in the period from 1837 to 1845, the most productive years in the poet's life, page after page of poems, tales, criticisms, reviews, and letters to literary friends, Poe went far afield to find a market for his varied product.

Among the publications to which he offered editorials and criticisms was The Columbia Spy, then published by Eli Bowen and Jacob L. Gossler. This was early in June, 1844. For sixty-seven years his comments on events of that day, on places and people in New York, or prominent in the literary world, and his anonymous and naive references even to himself have laid undisturbed in the possession of the heirs of those to whom they were sent. They are as fresh in thought and in expression as if written yesterday. Only the subjects to which they refer have turned to clay. They are published here, and speak for themselves.

Poe had reached New York in April, 1844. His news letter and comment were written on the following June 4. He refers in the editorial to the famous “Moon Hoax,” by Richard Adams [column 2:] Locke. He marked his arrival in New York at this time by publishing under date of April 1, the “Balloon Hoax.” He made other comments on the “Moon Hoax” in the “Ladie's Book” in 1846, but his interesting editorial comment in The Spy antedates there by two years. His references to the founding of the house of Tiffany, Young & Ellis at Broadway and Warren Street, and to the Harlem Railway are of distinct interest to New York readers.

The “Cats” to whom he refers was Jacob Cats, a Dutch poet of more than local reputation in his lifetime, and still much admired. He was born in Zealand in 1577, dying in 1660. Seatsfield, to whom Poe refers sarcastically as the “Great Seatsfield,” seems to have justified the critic's remarks by being entirely forgotten. Poe's postscript request for “an X” was quite characteristic.

The comments and editorial to The Spy follows:

[[Letter IV, from manuscript]]