The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-04-13
Use star Re-Melting Roller Composition
[iEIIEH1TIIa1IIiH5IIETZTITIIy
AMONG HE PRINTERS.
Some Interesting Incidents of Life In the
Composing Room.

Some Interesting Incidents of Life In the
Composing Room.
just as much of the humorous char.
acter as has ever been gathered to-
gether and published by .'funny-men"
graduates from composing-rooms has
been kept from the columns of news
papers. because after the laugh the
jokes created they have been almost
forgotten. But few of the decidedly
rich things that have been ''got off, in
somposing-rooms by the men who have
regulations in their sphere as workmen
are well worth recording.
While well-known foreman OF the
New York Post composing-room WELD
ed authority there some twenty years
ago-he now having a post at for
eign station under the Government-he
was accredited with running the office
with shorter allowance of type than
any other man rs foreman would have
| thought possible. or would have had
the temerity to do. He was constantly
besieged for sorts" and his policy
was the occasion of much vituperation
piled upon his head-when he was not
present. On one day sub in the
Office was seen, toward the end of COM
position hours. crawling about the floor
and picking mp type. He was asked by
the joker of the room:
''What are you doing. Jack?"
I'm trying to get type enough to
finish this take that's what I'm do
ing" said he. in rather a disgusted
tone.
'Well. what sorts do you want7
What are You short of?"
Il want some his"
$50 over there under No 19's frame
He's an Englishman. He drops them. :"
was the comforting reply.
This same foreman was somewhat
particular as to the care displayed in
setting type. and was very much
perplexed at any time if a bad divis-
ion was made, an offense in any Of
flee as matter of fact. A comp"
new to the Office had on his first DAYS
work divided the word tongue, doing
it thus-ton-gue. The proof on which
it occurred came under the old
mans" eve. and as the slug gave
the perpehator away, he went for him
thus:
"What have you got in your mouth?i
thinking to gain a point on the
comp" by his answering and pro-
nouncing the offending word correctly.
"HehP''
"What have you in your mouth,
sirP"
"Terbacky. sor." was the paralyzing
answer, and the foreman, although
knocked out" retired to corner to
himself to indulge in the general laugh
that ensued.
A well-kuown foreman of a large
New York newspaper composing-room
although austere inside the Office
and favoring nobody, and a decidedly
good fellow outside-was very fond of
a quiet joke, which usually partook of
rather practical nature. Some years
ago chapel meeting was held on
the question of having too many COM
positors on the paper. and committee
IF six was appointed to wait upon the
foreman and try to get him to consent
to reduce the force. A gentleman who
Is still known among New York print
ers was chosen chairman of the COM
mittee and sFokesman. and he and his
associates waited upon the ''old man"
md stated the case, saying that if the
force were reduced those remaining
could make decent living, when the
following colloquy took place:
"How many too many men do you
think are on the paper?"
ave have considered the matter and
think six is about the number"
The foreman glanced with twinkle
in his eye from one end of the commit
tee line to the other. and said with a
wave of the hand across: well, you
six can go" and they were discharged.
N. T. Star.