National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-09-19
TELEGRAPH AND TYPEWRITER
How the Two Are Worked In Coniuno-
ton at the White Homse.

How the Two Are Worked In Coniuno- !
tion at the white House.
The union of telegraphy and type-writing
has lately attracted considerable attention
from experts Ia both professions, and in
quite a number Of telegraph offices this ma-
chine writing has superseded the pen.
Many Morse operators are Chary of under
taking the task Of learning to manipulate
the keyboard Of u typewriter, the first at
tempt being usually a failure. The follow
ing letter written by the operator Of the
white house will be read with interest by all
such:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, ID. c.,
July 90, lSS5.-Dear Sir: Yours of the 18th
instant has been received, but my time has
been so fully occupied with official business
that no opportunity for reply has presented
itself until the present moment.
IL gives me great pleasure to answer your
inquiries and to testify 10 the merits Of SO
useful an invention as the typewriter In its
application to the practical working Of
commercial telegraph line.
For the past four years, In addition to
other clerical labors, have done the type
writing work In the executive Office At
the beginning Of President Cleycland's ad-
ministrutiou was placed in charge of the
telegraph work Of this Office. at once set
about making arrangements to use the
typewriter IN connection with the tele-
graph work, mainly, for two reasons, u
saving Of time and Of labor.
The six instruments Of the telegraph
table are all run into u ten-wire switch
board which lies in the center Of the desk;
Mt my right hand are two six-point switches
within easy reach which switch the main
line current Of any one Of the six instru-
ments named into u relay and "giant sound
err close at my left hand near the type
writer. The Typewriter (Which is Rcming
ton, No. ., improved pattem) Is placed
upon carpet mat near the edge Of the
table close beside the soundcr When there
is call for the 'whitc house, mmc-
diatcly switch over TO the sOundcr the in
strument calling aud copy the business ON
been In use since last March, and no mes
sages have been copied with pen or pencil
from the telegraph instrument since that
time. All telegraph work such us Is daily
transmitted over commercial lines, except
ing possibly "markct reports" has been
copied in this Office on the Typewriter from
the lines of the Western Union and the
Baltimore and Ohio companies During
the last illness of Gen. Grant copied from
the Associated Press reports, over the West
ern Union wires, 1000 words in the after
noon of one day, printing from the Morse
| instrument, over 400 words to n blank.
At present the typewriter in use is "thc
Standard Typewriter" No. ., made by l..
Remington II Sons, lion, n. T., the same
with which this letter is printed. 1t works
nicely and very satisfactorily, excepting
perhaps slight rafting of the type arms
| when they fall against the leather cushion,
which, however, is not at all noticed when
the sounder is working well. | have never
used any other type-writing machine fOl
tecgraphic work, and rs the one am now
using answers every purpose, have had NJ
desire to experiment with the Caligrapl
or other styles Of Remington make.
Telegraph blanks are made for this Office
| with view TO their use in the Remington
| type-writing machine. They are long
capable of holding 500 closely printed words
they are the width of the typewriter and
without lines, thus giving opportunity fol
proper spacing and assuring n neat appear
ance. 1t has not been found necessary a.
yet to use continuous roll of paper while
| copying, the blanks being changed fast
enough to keep up without interruption
while receiving batch Of messages, though
can very readily see how such aprecautioI
might he essential on heavy wire.
In managing the typewriter while re-
ceiving, my first difficulty was in not being
able to concentrate my mind on the wOrd'
trouble was rapidly obviatcd by close atten
ton to the telegraph instrument with tn,
mind, giving, as much rs possible, mer,
mechanical appliance to the fingers in ma
nipulating the keybord Of the typewriter
The moment one begins to think about tn,
work of the typewriter that moment h,
loses his hold on the telegraph sOunder, and
is compelled to break or miss Il word. Oi
course, as you well know, the SOUND
nj m pit MI Ian nItG
of the telegraph instrument must not b,
heard at the same time, for in such case they
are sure to distract the mind and cause con
| fusion. The No. Remington, such as
use, makes but little noise with medium
roller, and the only eXpedient find neces
sary to deaden the sound is a carpet mat
placed beneath the machine-this of course
is all contingent upon the correct adjust
ment of strong sounder fed by strong
local battery. For accurate and satisfac
fory work 1t is absolutely necessary to have
the telegraph instrument make more noise
than the typewriter when this simple feat
is accomplished the type-wrting telegraph
operator is no longer a thing of the future
The Remington typewriter as IN aid tC
telegraphy opens up new field for the in
dustrial arts and must In time prove oi
great benefit to the commercial world. II
is cure for pen paralysis without doubt,
anu 10 the tclcSTupn operator VINO mas los
his grip on pen or stylus the typewriter /,
great blessing; its work is more rapid
legible, and accurate than anything done
by an expert penman. | have nothing but
good words for the Remington typewriter
and know Of nothing that will so reiuve
venate the rusty sold timer" as we'll
managed Remington on u good wire behind
a fast Morse sender, and right here permit
me to say that the faster the telegraph OPP
orator sends, II he sends good Morse tho
easier 1t is to print it on the typewriter, fol
the reason, namely, that the telegraph in,
strument then requires the strictest attcn
ton, therefore the typewriter is forgotten
and the receiving operator becomes a me
chanical part of the printing machine.
Pardon so much talk about ones own eff
| forts and believe me, very respectfully
| YOlIrs. B. i. MONTGOMERY