Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-10-07
oNE-ARMED TYPE-sETTKR.
His Name Is Henry Penrod and He Set a.
600 Ems Bourgeois on a Six Days
Stretch.

600 Ems Bourgeois on a Six Days
Stretch.
Chicago Iatr- OceGn.
II there il any one vocation which re-
quires the undivided use of all ne ataland
physical faculties more than another, it is
tue art of setting type. Walk into the
composing room of a big daily during the
rush some night. Stand of distance
from the typos and study their move
ments.
''Sluy 60" over against the dumping
galley" is setting type with both bands
and feet. Hi right hand is chasing all
over the case, fcl o we'd in close pursuit by
his left, conyulsiyely clutchip2 his stick.
As each letter is picked up and thrown
iato place, the corner Of his mouth ia
dawn over close to the Lobe Of his left ear,
his eyes snap, his feet shuills IS if engaged
10 8 tlow metre sand jig, his tongue Tolls
out---and it may with Truth be said that
re is sticking type with his whole body.
There are any number of legless printers,
and SIS for deaf and dumb comps" they
are SO numerous now as to no longer
arouse the sympathies Of heartless
Irregular"
But one-armed type-setter is indeed q
novelty. You might travel thousand
leagues and you would never find man
who sets type for q living without the full
use of both arms. In short, one-armed
printer is about as big q curiosity to the
craft as one-legged Splinter would be to
the general publ. Yet such an artisan is
at present working in Chicago. Hisname is
Henry Penrod, and he arrived in town last
Thursday from California and the far West
He is 81 years of age and learned his trade
in Washington. Four years ago, in q col
lision at Carbondale, Ill his LETT arm was
so fr:ghtfully msngled as to necessitate its
auputation close up 10 the shoulce:
Without msney and without friends the
Young man started in t. overcome the ap.
parently insnru o1ntable obstacles that
Threatened forever after to divorce him
fron the art preseryativs of arts. As soon
~ he had sufficiently recovered he went to
New York, aud in tire proof room of the
World Oh aimed work as reyi Of proofs.
He louged to 90 back to tie case, and de-
tsrmiued that q system could be devised
which would enable him to again stick
type.
The princ;pls Of tn system was dslicacy
of touch. II he could 80 tain his fingers
% 10 avoid jar in depositipg letter in
biz stick he thought thu probe was
solved. He would take his stick in his
leisure moments and practice Dapas ting
the receptacle in the 10 YER case, he began.
An ordinary metal slug in the I'M box
held the stick in position, at an angle Of
about Is &C grces. Ire body of ths stick
was 70 sed over the left cUrnec OF the an
box, its lover end or handle Ie,ting
40 inst tIe frame piece Of the ''th box. IL
can readily be Understood by the craft bow
IA ipcnmp'e'e lire will squsbble oa tie
sligttss provocation.
Bat Penrod was firm believer in the
aphoyism, at a. first, etc, and he did
try again and a1ain. At thu end Of
month, although the improvement was al
mos. imperceptihle, he feis that his fingers
were te:omiug more and more susceptible
to tbs sense of touch. Il was, indie d, en-
couraping. He continued practice. Every
spare moment he util eel. The months
grew space, yet with the end of each came
a rsa'iza.ion that his pluck and diligence
were not barren Of results. He finally con-
quered- ~.
Ths work WAS slow aud tortuous. He
was "a yet incsp ible of holding position
While hs could set type, it was very slow
work, aud, bssides, he hal not yet ac-
uuirsd the faculty Of ''emptyiog" his
stick. To tie uniniiiased this is G:eak,
of coarse. A stick is a small, open, steel
tray, Of tha width Of o column, in which
the coupositor forms the individual ehsr-
actsrs into words and gauges the lia's In
ordinary minion there are some 4oO ems"
to. the stick.
The characters In lower case will aver
age I'D two to the em, 80 that the total
uuubar of letters in O stickful Of matter
will reach almost 900. IL requires pretty
delft and fem hands to avoid converting
this matter into conglomerated mass OF
''oi'' when transferring 1t from the sick to
the proof galley. and it is TO easy task
With both hands as many q novice Will
bear witness. Well, Penrod also determin.
ed to accomplish with one hand what
the ordinary printer is careful in doing
with both members II anything, the pro-
cess OF Oumpiuk nnntNcf Woo hhVio oAn
cult for Penrod TO acquire than the setting
MP of the type. He p,rseysred. II was a
matter of bread and outter with him, and
ne determined to master it.
TIE number of sticks Psnrcd pied"
woald drive an ordinary man insane, fos
iusepsrsble with "pi' is distr!batior.
Penrod pied" and distributed. He would
set up stickful and endesv,r to empty
it, drop il, and with the patience Of JOB
rstarn to the csse, Distribute 1t, and re-
peat the same thing over sgsin. NeTer
was the theory that practice makes perfect
more indisausb,y demonstrated than in
bis case. He flcally reduced his di:abili-
ties 10 such low STANDARD that to sill IN
tents and purposes they disappeared alto
gsther. Today he can set typ, with the
ave age conp,sitor. AT recent te's MT
Penrod set 400 ems in 20 minutes which
is rsmArkabls for mai blessed with two