Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1885-06-27
Lightning Type Settlers.

OF the day was the type setting mattel
between Joseph McCann and Ir
Somers, for $500, which took place il
the afternoon in the composing room O
the Sunday Star, in the presence o
about three hundred spectators--delp
gates ofthe international Typographical
Union and representatives of nearly al
the city offices. Mr.. William Foster, O
the Philadelphia Evening Gail. acted Il
referee and timekeeper, and two mel
were appointed to empty the sticks 0
both contestants. The measure wa
twenty-five ems, the type minion, solid
without a paragraph, and the time o
the race was three hours.
At five minutes past two O'clock tim,
was called and the contestants, a triil,
nervous, started with the word Hct
on Nj Cam were offered but not til en-
McCann finished the first line about {
! ems ahead of Somers, who distributed
three-fourths Of the second line, having
set the wrong words and thus falling be
hind one line at the start McCann
gained gradually on his opponent, and
was two lines and a half ahead on the
frs stirkful, which he set in 14Jm.,
while it took Somers I6n. Each stick
FIJI contained 800 ems. McCann finish.
cd his second stirkful in exactly the
sane time As the first, thus setting M
his first | 900 ems in % minutes. Somcrs
lost no ground on the second stickful,
bnt remained two lines and half be-
hind He set his first 900 in 305 min
ntcs. They then both appeared TO
shake off what little nervousness they
fe:t and picked NJ the type with more
assurance and accuracy AS McCann
increased his speed, SO did Somcrs, al
though the latter did not quite keep up
with McCann, rs he lost another line
on the third stick ful.
At the end of the first hour McCanu
had set ?, % ems, which beats Arcns-
berg's record by 90 ems, and, allowing
80 ems more for the four paragraphs al
lowed to the latter, his record was beaten
by $50 ems
On the second 1000 McCann kept
creeping ahead, and 1900 ems were SCI,
in h. - IN. by McCann and in h
30m. 20s. 10y Somers.
SHAKING HIS CASE.
The men changed case S IN the next
stickful. McCann had )ost few soc
onds on the previous one by shaking
his case twice. Four thousands ems
were set in h. j3m. EOS. by NcCann,
and ! h. SON. Dos. by Somcrs. During
the second honr McCann set 2,llO ems
and Somers 2,O25 ems. The work for
the first two hours was McCann,
1888; Somers, 4,625.
Five thousand ems were set in Oh
22m POS. by McCann and 2h. 29m. los
by Somers.
Six thousand ems were set in Oh. som
20s. by Mccain and 2h. 5Sm. 3Os. by
Som rs. This left McCann 0m. 4Os. be.
Pm. 30s.--l0 lines behind.
During the 9m. 40s McCann set up IA
lines more, thus reaching the phenome-
nal figure of $3.50 ems in three hours
which had never been accomplished
before, and had heretofore been thought
impossible. Somers set 6,075 ems
| which is no mean figure, considering
that he is but TWENTY-FIVE years old and
hat this was his first public perform
ance.
TIE PROOFS.
When time to stop was called both
contestants dropped their sticks to al
low the proofs to be read. They started
on the correction at the same time
Met ann finished his correction in 12m.
3Os. Somers in | I'm. 30s.
As McCann took one minute more to
correct his proofs, owing TO an "out, -
which compelled him to overrun and
make an extra line, one line was de.
Quoted of his matter, which still left
him thirteen lines ahead, or 325 ems.
Deducting one line for each minute
required for correction leaves the record
for composition and correction in three
hours McIann, 6,0G2a ems; Somers
5,757k.
now THE MEN WORK.
McCann's motion" is like fash OF
lightning. He snatches the type out o!
the case in about the same way that an
! uns,lspecting child would touch a REQ
hot stove. He hardly ever misses 9
type, except when he undertakes tC
read his copy simultaneously, when he
will occasionally make "filse notion
in placing the type in his stick but
even then, he takes it ont Of the case a
the first attempt. If he were to hole
his stick more over his case and follow
his right hand with his left to certain
extent he would undoubtedly set 10,
ems per hour more. He sets type Will
his body erect and his head motionless
While he does not appear to look at tn,
type his quick eye is constantly ahea,
Of his hand, AMI he sees at glance JUS
how the type is placed IN the ease be