The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-19
SHORTHAND WORK.
How Reporting is Done In the Halls of
Congress.
Especial to the Atlanta Constitution.

WASHINGTON, April Few people
away from Washington, are aware of
the fact that every word uttered upon
the floor of either house or senate, when
addressed to either speaker or president,
is taken down and appears in the Con-
gressional Record. 1t is true that much
time, money, paper and printers ink is
wasted by this, but nevertheless it is
fact. But to do this, ofcourse, requires
the employment of the most rapid and
experienced stenographers. Five of
these are employed upon the floor of
the house simply to take down the
speeches, debates, etc. The chief of the
corps receives a salary of $4,000, while
the other four are paid 81, 900 less. These
men simply take down the words in
shorthand, working for fifteen minutes
each in succession. When each ones
fifteen minutes expires he repairs to
the official reporters room where ten
more stenographers are employed-two
to each nan-to whom are read the
reports taken on the floor, and who
take copy in shorthand. Then they
translate this into long hand, using
typewriter to prepare the copy for the
printer. These men are paid by space,
getting one dollar per column in the
Record. The same is also gone through
with in the senate daily.
The stenographers have in the past
few days secured machine to facilitate
work which has already proven of ines
timable value. It is one of Edison's
inventions, and is called the grapha-
phone. The machine very much re-
sembles a lsdy's sewing machine and
is worked in the same manner-bya a
pedal. The instrument is used in this
wise: When one of the principal steno-
graphers concludes his floor report he
goes to this machine, reads his report
into funnel connecting with the main
cylinder, which is gutta percha coated,
and revolves while The point of needle
connecting with the tube from the fun
nel mouthpiece rests against it. The
cylinder envelopes screw which pre-
vents the needle tracing firmer line.
When the stenographer finishes reading
his report another operator attaches
tubes to the cylinder, connecting with
his ears, works the machine and the
words of the stenographer are repeated
to him in the same tone Of voice Of the
previous talker. The rapidity of the
talk can be regulated and the operator
can thus, with ease, take down the
exact words by the use of a typewriter
or an ordinary pen. The machine is
certainly wonderful and enables per-
son with the assistance of typewriter
to do the work of two ordinary stenorg-
rapher who first have to take the re-
port in short hand and then translate
it.
These gutta percha cylinders, neg
lected to mention above, can be stored
away, and years after, if placed upon
the machine, the same words used to-
day will be repeated in the exact tone
of the speaker of today. Thus should
any record become destroyed these
cylinders may be resorted to.
Another thing about this machine is
that person here can talk for an hour
into one, mail the cylinder to Atlanta
where by the use of a machine the
exact words used here will be repeated,
thus saving the labor of writing long
communications.
There is a young man here from
Augusta, Mr. Robert Middleton, once a
reporter on the quondam Augusta Ga
zette, who came here without anything
the first of the session, but who now
occupies one of the most lucrative posi-
tions around the capitol. Being good
stenographer, shortly after his arrival,
he secured position under the chief OF
the official reporters of the house,
place that averages him about S22 q
week but being an ambitious young
fellow he secured additional employ
ment as clerk of the Reading strike
committee, from which he draws S42 q
week and in addition to this occupies
the position of clerk to congressman
at $3.50 a week, making the total week
ly salary drawn by him S71.5O. Quite
a nice place for young man barely
twenty-one years Of age, and quite q
contrast with the salary of 50 a week
| drawn by him while reporting for the
Gazette. But because young Middle,
ton did this is no reason why every
other young man in Georgia can do the
same thing. Most young men depend
upon the congressman for their district
to provide them places. Mr.. Middleton
did not do that, but came here and
looked out for himself, and has proven
what young man of energy and ambi.
ton can do.
The Festive Knight of the Grip.
bn Iau.o1o,,cf N-oo1-1,-