Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-11-15
AN ADDRESS
Delivered at the EditOrS' and Printers' COnVen
tiOn, Held at AIiGaee, o., Nov. ?, 1s7I.
BY JOHN FROST. ESQ.

| % mucn mas Dee0 Salu, ana Wei
said, in prose and in song, in eulogy
of the printing art, that it would bt
presumption on this occasion, to pre-
tend to utteranything new or perhap:
even useful on the subject. A dabblel
in items for country paper cannot
be expected to get up a connected
document of any length, as the dis
/ position is continually to run into
variety and a contribution from sueh
a source might be placed under the
head, Miscellaneous.
Every craftsman present is supposed
! to be more or less familiar with the
history of the arr preSeTUdtiUe, and
aud understands its detailswith the
familiarity which becomes those who
eXult in the title, Typographer
| Nevertheless there may be sugges.
tiOns expressed, though old to many
or all, which will have to be the
| apology for what should be expected
on this occasion.
1 do not know that 1 can begin this
sheet better than to make few briei
notes as 10 the late Improvements
made in our occupation. When first
initiated in the mysteries of the SC
called black art in the year 1927, the
the labors Of printing Office were
conducted, in many respects, very
differently from what they are now.
That was almost the era, in this part
of the country, when the old Ramage
press was bidding q long adieu 70 its
position, and improved presses were
being introduced in its stead. The
Ramage was two-pull press-that is,
the platen covered but one page land
but a five-cOlumn at that, and was
brought down by screw power, q force
not sufficient 70 print one side of a
paper at q pull. The Stanberry press,
one Of its immediate successors, was
worked with levers, and its platen and
power were not sufficient for paper
larger than superroyal, about 20 by 80
inches. We used to tug and sweat at that
Satan's caudal with blistered hands
on an edition of foundred or five hun
dred papers and press day was for
midable day in the week.
But the pressmen did not monopo-
lize all the hard work. Then we had
no composition TolleTs-did not know
forty-five years ago what they were.
though some of us had read about
such things. Our method of applying
the ink was with two balls. each
something like ten inchesin diameter.
The ouside was made of soft buck
skin, stuffed with curled, elastic,
coarse hair, all tackled 10 q pan Of
wooden stocks with handles. To take
ink, and so dexterousiy handle those
wooden balls as to avoid picks, monks,
friars and other blemishes, was proof
of skill in the beater-espeeially if he
would keep good pressman busy, so
that he would not violate the COM
mandment, Thou shalt not Swear.
In the long summer days we labored
assiduously to get up our columns of
small plea and bourgeois, so as to be
ready for the press days; and we
hesiIated not, when the nights became
long, to work till ten and eleven
o'clock by the light of talloW candles,
frequently using our fingers for snuff
ers. Night work as the rule then,
began the evening after the October
election, and continued until April
following.
Then we knew nothing of the job
press, all work was performed on the
old Ramage or its immediate success
sors. In those days when election
tickets were printed we used nothing
but cap paper, and it was always cut
for that purpose or any other, when
printed on. -
The printing paper made at that
period was all hand made sheets
rough at the edges-not very smooth
on its surface, and much of it any
color but q fair white.
But these things sre all changed.
We don't know noW-at least many
of our junior brethren are not familiar
with what sort of thing q Ramage
press was; and as to balls, modern
young men have no idea of their ap-
pearance or use. Primitive as the
balls were, they were capable of pro-
ducing good pTess-work, when pro-
perly handled; and could we see many
specimens of skill and workmanship
OF forty years ago, considering the
material used, we would conclude that
jobs were printed which might pass
very well now.
Our modern presses, 50 " ell adapted
to the various kinds of work required
in the printing art, are so improved
as to render labor on them almost
play. No blistering of hands, no
tugging and sweating at the great
leyeI which moves the world, and no
rub-a-dub with a pair of huge balls,
in order to blacken the faces of ingeni-
ously contrived types but we turn
Oh the steam, and stTaightway the
machine is set agoing, doing its own
linking, with nothing for the press
man 10 do but 10 feed ita yoTaeiOus
NAV with paper-it does all the rest,
even to throwing of the sheets and
we have such work done as challenges
the admiration oil all. Two thousand
sheets a day was once a heavy task
for two men-now two thousand to
ten thousand an hour exeites the
laryel OF no one.
Having thus briefly reverted TO our
old way Of producing Eogks Of the
press, it may serve as a sort of introduc-
tion TO few remarks as to what is the
duty, in some respects, of those who
assume the possibility Of taking
control of this agency.
In past times, cunning, physical
power, stratagem and deceit were
phrases of the governing power. Now
1t is far otherwise among peoples who
claim to have progressed in civiliza-
ton and the arts. Mind, thought,
ideas are the ruling spirits. The
ancient saying, knowledge is potger,
was never more fully exemplified
than in our day. That subtle thought,
an entity, so to speak, which none Of
our senses can perceive, when it in
spires some master mind, has set 70
work the requisite agencies that have
effected the most marvellous results.
Some Of US can well remember when
we had no telegraphs, no railroads,
no photographs, no true science which
described the nature and mysterious
operations of the human mind, no
ineligible system or photography
but these and many other wonders OF
the age are now more or less familiar
to us III. It was human thought and
perception that discovered them all,
and human ingenuity that makes
them useful and subservient to our
wants. A Franklin THAT old boss
printer, and g Morse made the light
nings of heaven our servants; q
Stephenson cOntriYed the wonderful
locomotive, imbuing it with its terri
ble power and great swiftness; 8
Dauguerre brought to light The magic
skill which SO utilities natures labra-
tory as to make indellible the lines