Daily Democrat, Volume 1, Number 56, Decatur, Adams County, 16 March 1903 — Page 3

THE EAR MARKS OF GENUINE PROGRESS • ————■ - -r— ■ ■ - -

The Democrat Installs a “Simplex” Type-Setting Machine.

A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT IN THE HISTORY OF ADAMS COUNTY’S OLDEST AS WELL AS GREATEST NEWSPAPER. This is the twentieth century. Time is traveling at a rapid rate of I sjieed and progress in keeping pace. [ When it comes to progress there is perhaps no profession on the calendar that Jhas witnessed half as many lightning changes of improvement as has that of newspaper making. Not fifteen years ago the readers of the Democrat read the news of Adams county in a four paged paper, half of it “ready! print," leaving but two pages for the chronicling of the home news of this city and county, the same being printed on a Washington hand press at the rate of about two hundred printed pajx’rs an hour. This even then was an achievement, and the country editor who possessed the business to warrant such flagrant outlay

of capital was considered a prince in the newspaper business. At this stage The Democrat changed from a • patent” to ‘'all home print” and later the Washington hand press gave way to a cylinder press, which traveled as slow as Mallonee’s horse, but at that time was considered a revolution in the printing of the Democrat. Saved years ago the present owner became connnected with The Democrat, and since then the changes have been many and costly. The “patent gave way to eight pages all i printed in this office, and the news increased until every week twenty-five to thirty columns, all pertain- j ing to this city and county, I was printed in the columns of The Democrat. It’s sub ■cription list grew and its i business spread out with I amazing alacrity. Os the office seven years ago there is scarcely a remnant left, j The presses have all I been replaced, and others added, with the exception

of one solitary jobber, and it's only mission is to daily print the Burt House bills of fare. New and pleasant faces of type on the point system lias taken the place of the antiquated sizes and styles formerly in vogue, and as has been said, but little of the old Democrat remains. On January 12,1903, The Daily Democrat made it's initial bow, and it's reception and growth since has been phenominal. Every day from twelve to fifteen columns of set type finds it’s way into The Daily Democrat, being more news than ten years ago found spai'c in the weekly edition. The establishment of the rural routes an<l the delivery of mail •very day at the home of the farmer haaopem-d an extcn: tve field tor the daily and it is certainly to their Cre<tit to show such a distinct preference for their home paper. But ft in the march of civilization and progress in which we are wont to aptfik Today we greet you with line of news typo set by ma chincry. This is an innovation as yet in the country field of journalism, but one that is rapidly taking root and branch, and the successful publisher will have to get into the swim. The type setting machine is an innocent looking creature. Standing about as high as a tall man's head, ft does not impress one with it's massiveness, and yet you are going to ntw' something new—when it begins its operations. The circular body, or cylinder us it is called, is curiously ribbed with long chan nels the width of type, and extending from top to bottom. This cylinder is in two parts—upper and lower— 'and the top luilf revolves, making little stops from channel to channel. This part is like rural mail delivery; it travels around,

dropping in each channel that letter or character for which it is intended, the cliarcaters being separated by mains of nicks in the Ixxly of the type, and when out of the machine the type is seen to be so curiously nicked as to represent miniature Yale-lock keys, or something of that nature. Thus we have the machine’s body divided into two parts—one, the stationary part containing the type separated in upright channels ready for “setting," and the other, a “merry-go-round" taking withit, in short, quick, jolly steps, the channels of mixed type for proper distribution. At each stop one can see where several get off at, and they sink into place as if relieved that the whirl around is ended. But in connection with each of these two parts—one has a suftix and the other an affix —are the really wonderful features of the machine. The suftix is what is technically known as the "louder" —‘which feeds the type into the “ whirl-i-gig" the distributer. Small brass trays tailed galleys are made to take the whole of one short eol-

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' umn of type. This is put, by the j attendant, into a berth made for it I near the top of the machine. An automatic device has its sleeves up and is ready to receive it. With the 1 pressing in of a little lever, it carefully thrusts one line at a time into the channels of the revolving cylin1 der as they become empty. With no human hand to aid it it handles from one to hundred or more separate types without spill at each movement. On the lert and watching for a chance, it passes by those channels that arc not emptied, only 1 to thrust a full load into place at flu 1 first opportunity. The "afix" is a term used to designate the "setting of the type," from stationary cylinder or reservoir. Underneath the channels of the reaaervoir is n swiftly revolving carrying disk, and the long channels of type are held above it by a delicate piece of steele. This is called the ejector and attached to the keyboard which resembles that of a typewriter. A key is pr<>sssed down, the ejector pushes the desired piece of type onto the disk and, quick as a flash it shoots around anil presents itself in a long channel which crosses the key lx>ard in front of the operator. A second is preMed and another letter in the smallest, fraction of a second lines up with the first; then a third and a fourth until, when the ojxTator has spelled a word on the keyboard the word stands before him for insixs-tion. Wliat a lot of failures the perfection of such a machine means! Now many were the hardships and headaches the inventors must have had, and what genius was displaytxl in its final completion. The inventors of tyjxi setting machinery have done their share in making it possible to buy daily papers at a very little cost.

The Simplex Type Setter in this office does the work of five compositors and it will never ask for a summer vacation. Many inventions are lost to the public because of lack of business organization to properly exploit them. There is the same amount of genius required into his part as in the building of the machine, but it is of a different sort. The great plant of the Unitype company of Manchester, Connecticut, manufacturers of the Simplex Type Setting Machine, is a tribute to the ability of such an organiza tion. By excellent management, the conqiany has stepped into great prominence in the manufacturing world and the orders for Simplex Type Setters are keeping the factory employes busy night and day. We have no reason to doubt the statement that several hundred of these machines are already in operation, though they have been on the market but a short time, comparatively. Mr. S. S. Wolcott, who is representing The Unitype company, and who set up The Democrat type setting machine and is giving our operators the necessary primary instructions, is a gentleman of the first water and we can not but congratulate the company upon having in their employ such a thorough and competent man. With the introduction of the Simplex together with one of the latest and best news-

paper folders, we are enabled to print, fold, mail and deliver to the postoffice, 2,000 newspapers, all within one hour’s time. This will seem somewhat kindergartenish to the city publisher whose capacity is ten times this number, but it is a rapid pace for the country editor, and one that insures to him security in his certain field of journalism. To The Democrat it means that the business in its departments, will be carried lon with that degree of ' promptness, which pleases the cus-tomer and gives the publisher that pride and satisfaction so essential to success. We perhaps owe a few apologies for our inability to comply promptly in the delivery of job printing during the past few weeks, but the installation of the Simplex relegates this feature to the background, and we stake our reputation that hereafter the delivery of work will never be thirty seconds behind time. It is possible that

1 but few people in Adams county ever saw a type settling machine in actual operation, and the installation of this one, will give you the opportunity. So we invite you. We not only extend the invitation but we insist that you come and stay as long us you like. There are no formalities whatever to encounter or embarrass you. The uftioo is constructed along the lines of Jeffersonian simplicity, so any mode of attire or any hour of the day—-except Sunday—will admit you. So come. A welcome is yours without the asking. And by the way of suggestion, we can not help adding that if you expect to read all the news every day, and are not a regular subscriber to to The Daily Democrat, you are missing something guud. 8. O. Buskirk claims to be a kind of “snake man,” and he gives every indication of eligibility to that distinction, though the distinction is obtained at great inconvenience to him. In the first place he has to shed his skin each year, after the nature of a snake, and in the second place, he lias to remember the w ord “ keratolysis, ”so that he may tell inquisitive folks what is the matter with him. The skin disease from which he suffers, however, is known in a simpler manner under the term of deciduous skin. It seems that the name is about all that is known about Ute disease by physicians. They know that there are a few persons who lose their entire skin at regular intervals, but they are completely mystified nt to the cause, and can suggest no effective remedy. Occasional cases have Ixsen reported in medical books but the disease is rare. This is the first freak of this nature that has ap|x>ared this season.

Brittson Brothers —l9O3 —- Here’s what you are looking for—Something distinctly new; not like your neighbors, but a buggy with individuality. It is not only roomy and comfortable, but neat as well. Elkhart Buggies, The quality and the price correspond. We know that both will please you. Come in and take a look. Michigan Buggy Co's Buggies, v Deer Plows, w. ✓’t/’\ Deer Corn Plows, I — ——4 WwSrnv Deer Hay Loaders, Here is another article with individuality. NothDeer Hay Rakes, iug else in the market touches “'The New Elk” for * strength, adjustment, ease in handling {"and working 4 qualities. There are more “John Deere” com plows Deer Corn Planters, in use than the combined makes of - an - v other three 4 concerns. There is a reason for this. You know what it is. Rock Island Hay 1 Loaders, I i® moEnSb-T. I| Rock Island Corn r Planters, JF I Bucher & Gibbs’ d J 1 ’- \ -V-W b Plows, Wv y.i • 1 Bhcher & Gibbs’ \{ < L’ ' // Harrows, V7 J|i nr ' « Milwaukee Corn Huskers, This isn’t a good cut of the plow. It is a coni' bination plow, that is you can either ride or walk, and _ you can balance your plow at all times so that vou American Pence, , , • , , ~ , nave no neck weight on your horses. We have it in pin or spring break. If you are in need of a corn plow “The New Elk” will interest you. Meyers’ Pumps, We don’t mean to say that buggies and corn plows Meyers’ Hay Tools, are all the good things we have to offer you. We are showing for the year 1903, one of the most complete lines of hardware, implements and buggies in the Penninsular state of Indian:L Ranges, A glance at the list here given \yill show you that whether you want a buggy, a farm tool, hardware, or a kitchen utensil, we can supply you from the uiost Etc Etc Etc standard goods of the world’s product. We want your business, and if you will give it to us, we believe you will voice the opinion of our large army of customers, when they say “it pays to trade with BRITTSON BROS. Decatur, Indiana.