The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-10-24
A HELPFUL BLIND MAN,
THE LACK OF EYEsIGHT DOES NOT
MAKE HIM HELPLESS.
An Expert Bookkeeper, Typewriter
and Organist-Hc Can Weigh
Coal and MIKE Change.

and Organist-Hc Can Weigh
Coal and Make Change.
The Rev. E. r. Donehoo, Secretary OF
the Pittsburg Association, which propo-
ses to erect an institution for the in
struction of the blind has received a
letter from Alden f. Hays,
n prominent blind citizen of Sewlckley,
Penn. The letter is in the clear and
pretty characters of the typewriter, aud
was written upon the machine by that
gentleman himself. In it Mr.. Hays
briefly tells Mr.. Donehoo his own history,
to show what wonders may be worked
umong the blind people by education.
He was for eight years pupil in the
PHILADELPHIA Institution for the Blind, !
where so many blind girls and boys from
Allegheny were trained. lie is now |
man of about thirty eight years of age.
His career since leaving school and his
present mode of life present some mar
yelous facts. A few Of these he relates
to Mr.. Donehoo as an evidence of the
bright future that is possible for every
blind person if schooling advantages
were only more common.
Mr.. Hays is now, and has been for
several years past, coal merchant, sup
plying most OF Sewckley with fuel. lie
conducts the entire business himself
without clerical assistance.
He is totally blind, yet he writes all
his own orders by Typewriter for coal
from the mine operators, takes the car
number when the coal arrives; weighs
the coal by the wagon load for custom
ers; gives the drivers properly filled out
tickets or makes out the receipts; re-
ceives money. counts it and makes
change; keeps set Of books; walks to
and from his home without company,
/ and, in fact, goes anywhere in Sewickley
| by h 'mselt, and without cane.
He is an accomplished musician. For
| eighteen years past he has been organlst
in the Prcsby terian Church, and he still
takes every Friday afternoon from his
business to rehearse the music for this
church on Sabbaths. He plays the piano
with even more versatility than the
orpf n, an / has handled the clarionet and
other instruments for the Sewickley
brass band frequently.
One would never suspect hlr. hays
was blind to see him in his ONCE near
the Sewickley station. While CORE
spondent was present he left his desk to
get day. book. lie crossed the large
room to bookcase, fitted small key
in the door without hesitation, and
found the right aperture in moment,
returning with the book. Opening 1t at
random, he stopped at an entry made IN
February. 1877, about several business
transactions. These he read aloud tc
the writer, rapidly, but correctly.
This book is of white blotting paper
By means of the Braile system "a French
idea he can write" in this book fa' le
than penmen who are in full possession
of their sight. He takes double ruler
which is made of brass, about TIVE
inches wide. This is perforated will
narrow slots. A page of the book ]
slipped between the two rulers, and witt
n small awl Mr. Hays, with the speed o
, an expert, prcks so many dots in eacl
, slot, moving rapidly from one to tn
. other. A combination alphabet Of dot
something like the telegraph system
is the underlying principle of the method
, and, removing the rulers, he reads iror
J the indentations on the reverse side O
the paper by running his fingers alon
Y each line of dots. Files of scratch pape
on his desk enables him to use the syster
S for anything.
By his manner of bookkeeping h
: keeps a complete schedule of car nun
+, bers, and once he discovered by check
e ing off the railroad company's monihl
/, statement by his accounts that the CO.
c poration had made serious mistake
D, charges. The matter was investigate
h and it was actually found that the blin
h mans accounts were more correct tina
n the sharp-sighted railroad clerks. NJ
n only that, but the loss of misshipmeI
e of two cars which the mistake disclose
c ! were traced up and found through tt
It deft discovery made by Mr.. Hays figure
# The blind coal dealer does all his ow
!. correspondence, using the typewrite
He is so expert with this machine tn
few professional typewriter operative
can pass him in speed. His lingering
di lerent from that of most writers.
q is by the systematic use of eight tinge
h that he knows the exact position Of eve
- letters key. Writers who see use on
- two, four or six fingers. lie fits his pape
70 postal cards, envelopes, etc, to the IN
"a chine perfectly, the lining being beau
- ful. MIR. Hays says the typewriter
/, much easier to operate than a p an
:. because there are fewer keys.
;, In weighing coal 10y the wagon-loi
H. the gentleman runs his fingers along q
/, scale bar from figure to figure, al
20 knowing the size of each iron weight,
is able to arrive at the exact amount
n the burden even to the smallest fractio
ir The other day, while wagon was
ne the platform, the scale would not sett
If "Tom, your horse is pulling again
n the breast strap" he called othe drive
al "Cuiet him down"
So slight was the horses moycme
that the driver beside the animal h
not noticed il. Yet the blind man
90 side the olice did.
as A customer entered at this moment
On nav a bill of So He gave Mr.. Ha
~ S3 in co ms of all denominations. No
a. word was spoken. Mr.. Hays quick
q counted the money by the sense
- touch-made the exact change, rattI
on Sts oil a receipt on the typewriter, and I
-! customer left the building in fC
20 minutes from the time he entered it.
"A Mr.. Hays's musical methods are c
=" o' tirely different from those of the ce
mi brated Blind Tom. The latter learns
Ia air Mr.. Hays Goes not, although
~ - has a fine ear for music lie was
90 60" natural born musician. lie handled
'o' stuments when child. By an accid'
when seven years old he lost one e,
Sympathetic influence ruined the otl
eve by the time he was eighteen years
a o0a and he went totally blind.