HAYDEN, J. J.. A Letter To Mars. A Novel. (1892 - FIRST AND ONLY EDITION)

AUTHOR: HAYDEN, J. J.

TITLE: A Letter To Mars.  A Novel.

PUBLISHER: Denver, CO: Baxter Printing Co., n.p., (1892).

DESCRIPTION: FIRST AND ONLY EDITION. 1 vol., 7-1/4" x 5-3/8", 128pp., stapled, spine present but lacking the original paper wrappers - "Pratt's circulating library", toning  to first 96 pages, the last signature (p.97-128) printed on slightly better paper with less toning, housed in a red cloth clamshell slipcase, gilt lettered black leather spine label.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Exceedingly scarce and one of the rarest American interplanetary fictions.  Apparently no copy has ever appeared at auction and OCLC/Worldcat locate on 2 copies in U.S. institutions.

A Martian condemned to death is permitted instead to "fly" into space.  This is achieved by him attaching a wire to the edge of a hole running through the center of Mars and then, fixed to the wire, falling through the hole down to earth.  After going through some adventures, recounted in a primitive style, Edison helps him return.