Lucius Beebe-David Morgan correspondence project
Between 1961 and 1966, prolific railroad book author Lucius Beebe and Trains editor David P. Morgan exchanged a flurry of letters, telegrams, and postcards, up to the week before Beebe’s death on February 4, 1966.
The contents of this volume of correspondence regarded many things, including the art of book publishing and commentary on various articles and book review in Trains magazine. It also provides something Lucius Beebe’s personal impression of the modern railroad scene and his impish character and romantic view of railroading often comes through loud and clear.
the vast bulk revolved around a variety of book projects that Beebe was working on with his main publisher, Howell-North in California as well as projects that the Kalmbach Books department had in the works in which Beebe had an interest or a hand.
Although their friendship started many years earlier, our surviving records only contain a concentration of letters from this time period. For your enjoyment, we’ve curated a small collection of them here, along with many of the corresponding stories or tidbits from Trains magazine to provide context where appropriate.
NOVEMBER 21, 1961 letter from Beebe
Getting books out for review by magazine deadlines has never been easy, and it wasn’t in 1961 either. In this letter, Beebe notes that Morgan had not received a review copy of Mr. Pullman, published by Doubleday, 1961, in time to make the latest issue. (Morgan mention having seen on at Chicago Union Station in the November 30 letter elsewhere in the collection.)
The Kalmbach Library copy of the book, with a much-taped dust jacket, is shown here and may be the very book Morgan eventually reviews on pages 50 and 51, in December, 1962, a full year later.
JANUARY 1, 1961, FEBRUARY 15, and MARCH 26, 1962 from Beebe and Morgan response FEBRUARY 21, 1962
This is an interesting collection of letters tied to a Trains article by Arthur Dubin about the 20th Century Limited, a subject on which Beebe is writing his own book. Over time, Beebe gains Art’s trust, and eventually will write the forward to Art’s book, “Some Classic Trains.”
Of special note here, many of Beebe’s books are co-authored with Charles Clegg, his long-time partner, and he is mentioned in several of these letters. Also, The Virginia City, as mentioned in the 1961 letter, was Clegg and Beebe’s private rail car, on which they would travel around the U.S. In this letter The Virginia City needs wheel work. Today, the car has been restored and operates as an excursion car. Dubin’s 20th Century Limited story eventually ran, on pages 16 to 35 in the August 1962 issue of Trains.
FEBRUARY 14, 1962 from Beebe to Al Kalmbach?
A simple letter from Beebe telling Al Kalmbach how much he appreciates Trains magazine and thanking him for the complimentary bound volume of 1961/62. Note that Al has been crossed off the greeting and David’s name has been written in, which makes us believe it was Morgan who sent the volume. The note at the bottom to Marion, refers to Trains editorial secretary Marion Pagels. Rosy is managing editor Rosemary Entringer, and Geo is art director George Gloff.
TRANSCRIPTION of the letters:
COVER: Mr. Pullman’s Elegant Palace Car
Beebe to Morgan: November 21, 1961
“804 Vista Drive
Hillsborough
California
David,
Since you were unable to get Mr. Pullman into the December book and even though the future may not be pertinent to your review when you get to it, Doubleday tells me they have 6,200 copies out of 10,000 print order sold as of this week. It. may indicate something about a $17.50 book although I’m not sure what. John Barriger bought for the Christmas account of the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie 350 copies. the notices to date have been raves with major space in both the Sunday Times and Herald Tribune which beer deigned to notice anything published by Howell North. Also of course the San Francisco Chronicle but we’ll take that more or less for granted.
I thought this might be interesting to you as you are now more than ever in the book publishing field. I’d say little or none of Mr. Pullman’s sale, to date anyway, has been to dyed in the wool fans since Doubleday seems not to understand or perhaps care for special group appeal. If they can sell my book this, of course, is nothing to me.
LB
Lucius Beebe”
COVER: “Twentieth Century Limited”
Letter from Beebe to Morgan: January 1, 1961
“804 Vista Drive
Hillsborough
California
Dear David,
As a not un-naturally interested character, since I’m doing a book job in the field myself, when can I look for Art Dubin’s job on The Century promised for one of your early issues? I think Art feels that somehow I am trespassing in his field, although I don’t think he will when he sees my approach, for our correspondence has about it the aloof and slightly distrustful civility of The Mrs. Astor calling on The Mrs. Vanderbilt. my principal concern has been the conduct and personnel of the Century, not its equipment or operation, and the circumstance that I have sold it to Town & Country for serialization may suggest that I am not engaged in a battle for the minds of the model railroad trade or nuts-and-boltsers.
“Rio Grande” is in production and I have seen some of the art which is better when it comes form Morgan North’s dark room than the original copy I gave him. we’ve come a long way in printing since I’ve been in this deal.
“When Beauty Rode The Rails, an Album of Railroad yesterdays” has gone to Doubleday from Clegg and Beebe jointly.
It won’t set the Faithful by the ears or raise anybody’s blood pressure in your letters column, but may turn a dishonest penny for some new wheels for The Virginia City.
Do you know what it costs to have [NEXT PAGE]
“Car Jacked, Wheels Applied?” The Southern Pacific keeps saying I have “thin rims!” Imagine!
There will be some business for “Beauty” in trains if I have to write the copy and cheque myself this time and I am sure Morgan is sending along something in re “Rio Grande.”
All the best for the New Years,
[signature] Lucius”
Letter from Beebe to Morgan: Feb. 15.
“804 Vista Drive
Hillsborough
California
David,
The word is that you are in Alaska or some such although from my recollection of the climate of Milwaukee there won’t be any very notable difference.
Recalling that June 15th is the sixtieth anniversary of The Century I have fashioned the enclosed lyric gem which you might like along that time or to use when you run Art Dubin’s Century spread. I recall that you are rather patronizing about my verses, captioning them with a question mark as to whether or not they are poetry, but I suppose Homer, too, suffered the distrust of scoffers in his time. I’m sure a ballade will confuse hell out of The Faithful.
Herewith;
[signature] Lucius
Lucius Beebe
Have you seen something called “Railroad Men,” a book of photos which I consider the greatest anti-union document of all time?”
Beebe to Al Kalmbach, February 14, 1962.
“804 Vista Drive
Hillsborough
California
Dear Al, [hand crossed out and replaced with “Dave”]
Thank you most handsomely for the bound volume of Trains for ’61 which came with your card. It is still the one essential periodical and, when I am asked for such matters, I always say I read Trains, The Wall Street Journal, Holiday and Town & Country. I also read The San Francisco Chronicle and The New Yorker, but I work for one of these and own part of the other so they don’t count. Also, I understand less and less as time goes on what The New Yorker is all about. The references escape me.
Cheers,
[signature] Lucius
Lucius Beebe”
Letter from Beebe to Morgan, March 26, 1962.
“804 Vista Drive
Hillsborough
California
David,
In some hastens we are more or less in manufacture even though “Twentieth Century, The Greatest Train in The World” is not scheduled until fall. I usually spend part of the summer in England and Morgan North is anxious to take advantage of a specially good dark room crew he has at the moment.
Art Dubin writes me that he is agreeable to your making available to me the typeset or proofs of his piece on The Century. for. possible. correction of my [garbled]. I think he sent you a duplicate of his note. and I am anxious to take up his courteous offer with all haste and urgency. Pray send it along.
John Barriger has seen the copy and spent a weekend here recently with me but any further assistance is eminently welcome. Barriger, of course, wanted to turn it into a company promotional piece to project a better image of Al Perlman, but I had, regretfully, to refuse to let the advertising department recast it. I love John dearly and he has been a wonderful friend and patron but my price is somewhat higher than a buy on a six dollar book. If he doesn’t like the finished job, Morgan North threatens to bill it in purchased space with you as “The Book The New York Central Didn’t Dare Buy.”
Cheers,
[signature] Lucius”
Morgan to Beebe:
“February 21, 1962
Mr. Lucius Beebe
804 Vista Drive
Hillsborough, California
Greetings, Lucius:
I don’t know whether or not we’ll be able to include your Ballade of the Century in Art Dubin’s forthcoming portfolio for TRAINS, but one way or another we’ll see to it that it reaches print in the magazine.
Off to Alaska on the 23rd, there to commune with the rotaries of the White Pass and the Alaska.
We’ll probably have a review of “Railroad Men” in the April issue.
Cordially,
Editor
David P. Morgan/mp”
