The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-04-08
EDITORS CORRESPONDENCE.
OF tho Union.


so much that was new and interesting the stranger that
am tempted to make typeoundng the snb]ect-mater oil
my letter OF this evening Your readers should be aware
that this being business followed nowhere in this country
in dozen large cities few others except residents oil
those cities know augh of the by which metal Is
made to assume the shapes in which speaks SO eloquent
ly TO the human understanding.
The most valuable part of type founding esta ulishment
the steel dies punches with which the mould OF the
head OF the type, matrix is cut in copper These are
dhcut to cut and expensive and as the appearance
of the type IN print depends in great measure upon the
finish with which the punches cut, of there
lists great rivalry between type founders to secure the best
worknen in this branch of their business hrstTate
punch cutter either Tor letters boder-work easily makes
from $50 to $3.50 per week in this city, working hours
per diem The process of cutting the steel punches is ex
ceedngy aborious and tedious, requiring great accuracy
of the eye
To punches 70, the alphabet the punchcutter first
the counters which small pieces of steel ped
form the inner part of the letter which, after being
hardened. driven into the end of the piece OF steel in
tended for the punch-the letter having been previously
sotened by mechanical process Next with gouges and
files the ased parts the letter upon the punch brought
their desired shapehe testing his work pro-
crosses with his always ut hand Great and
very eye is however necessary make the let
tiers uniform in length and all in similar style After be-
ing finished up they hardened and Furnished and
ready for the hand termed the filter up" The
every plain letter punch ranges from 81 ST. So Now
if you will look any typefounde book of samples you
viii realize how large an amount OF money must be invest
ed in this branch of the business before
carry on especially the and ornanentawok
punches cost far than plain letters.
The sitter up receiving the punch, procures his
sheet "copper" which preferred being SUBJECT flaws
than either bolt drawn copper. lie cuts the sheet in
psthe width depending upon the size of the punches
to be driven The strips then cut in pieces about
an inch and quarter in length and these filed
up and FURNISHED the side into which tho punch
is be driven. Then follows the driving in of the
punch by blows from stout hammer If the letter be
large in which case forced in by screw press
Of thu ha;.
thus punched, filed up, the filter occasionally taking
from it that it will mould accurate letter.
The labor in fitting this mould for such s) filing
accurately to make the all of one height level
the face and equal distance apart This branch of the bu
sness also requires workmen with very steady and
eyes for upon the in which the matrices
Gifted up" the appearance of the type in print de-
ponds almost much the accuracy with which the
die is first rate itterup, working hours per
diem, makes about $l5 per week. The average of
max, including the value of the "copper" about As
After leaving the hands of the er-up, the max passes
into those of the
Before describing the duties of this workman it may be
well remark that type metal prepared for in large
kettle firmly in bricks and mortar, which holds from
5000 5000 lbs In this the lead is placed and melted
the tin, and last the anthony The proportions of
these metals used make the composition called 'ype
metal is varied according to the size Of the type be
cast and the Judgment OF the founder In making up
"batch Of metal however $50 to 300 lbs of anthony
melted with 100 to 100 lbs of tin and 900 lbs of lead At
being well mixed, this composition is run into pans
with partitions, making wentyour small cakes, which
the separates previous placing them,
time, in his little crucibe. This type metal mixture
varies in cost from 10 to Is cts. per h.
With very exceptions, all type cast in the Uni
ted States is by machinery, by hand which
both for the superiority of its appearance well
its cheapnes when compared with the of type twenty
years ago
The machines in which the matrx is placed, in the
adjustment of Conner Son all alike. They do
occuPya larger than eighteen inches square, and
worked each by man. who turns crank attached
the machine On what is termed the vibrating be am is
the mould block which the mould of the of the type
is screwed This is worked and fro, (by the aid of
the shafO receiving the hot metal, (from the
little crucibe behind ill., and dischargng type each
revolution OF the little crank wheel. Another cam
the shaft works pump in the crucibe, which the
metal through pipe into the mould The machine is
also supplied with connecting rod, which opens and
shuts the mould. To this connecting rod is joined what
termed an obque lever, which, in turn, the
lever carrying The marx and from the mould, in
order that the type may drop from the atter-the matrix
being the mould for the head of the type only the mould
itself shaping the stem OF the type describe the
operation OF this beautiful little machine satisfactorily to
myself It, however, spits type fast Col Baker
OF Illinois spouts words-ght merrily you realize
from the comparison. This machine originally in
vented by junior member of the type founding family
Bruces. in this city, subsequently undergoing perfectons
and changes until it OF the and effective
pieces OF machinery ever work. However, it has
been found impossible type without ugly ''jet"
waste, the end of the stem, which is broken off by
nal boys who from III rs 81 Is per week. The
il paid by the pound. He mako from 50 TO S2
per week. of which he buys of the tools of the
trade.
After undergoing the process of breaking of the ets the
ype pass hands the rubber This branch the
business is periolmed by young women, for which they
also paid by the pound according the size of the
type The article used for rubbing smoothing the type
is large grindsone, which the girls place the type.
They have piece of buckshin tied around the three first
fingers of the right hand, with which they draw the type
to and fro the at the time the left hand
is feeding the type the right and also turning those that
have been rubbed on side BY this means the rough
of the casting taken Off These young
age from So SO SO so per week, working about eight
hours per diem. | conceive of tedious and
trcsome labor than this OF rubbing type by the pound
The motion is that OF the horse in the
tread mill After being thus rubbed, the type pass into
the hands of the 'setler" The younger fe-
males, who take the type, after being rubbed in alpha
becal order, and set them up endwise in stick
somewhat after the fashion OF n printers stick) a foot
long, which, when filed, is emptied similar sticks
three feet long They paid by the stick, accord
ing to the size Of the type, and can average from So
to SO per week The type next pass into the hands
of the nisher, who in turn, takes the sticks of three
feet in length in alphabetical order and slides the
type from them upon steel rod which he places
"back stick" Thus held, they placed in a dressing
BENCH and held firmly togeher-he rod type and back
sckby steel There is also in the end of
the rod for the purpose of making the type close
geher When thus adjusted and secured upon in the
clamp of the blessing bench n small plane containing
steel bit is the bottom of the type, maxim
groove observable in the bottom of all type and taking
all the roughness accustomed in breaking off the Jet The
type then taken from the BENCH and the back stick
,A Th,,o H. nj, all