Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-10
FAIR TYPEWRITERS.
How They Have Become Recognized
Factors in Business Life.
PLENTY OF ROOM FOR EXPERTS.
Incompetent, Ignorant and Giddy Gushers
Not in Demand.
A BRIGHT WOMAN's OPPORTUNITY
WRITTEN FOR THE D1sPATcH.l

WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPATCH.1
Within the past ten years the typewriter
has become a recognized factor in the busi-
ness life of the metropolis. 1t is not SO very
long since the sight of well-dressed, good
looking young woman in the lower part Of
the city was one of sufficient rarity to attract
general attention, while lady employed in
an Office was an almost unheard-of thing.
But now all this has changed, and the great
buildings in the lower part of the city fairly
TEEN with young women, most OF whom are
employed as stenographers and typewriters,
while all are known under the generic term
of typewriter
1t is during the summer months that they
shine to the best advantage, for at that time,
while the wives and families Of the lawyers
and business men are in the country, the
typewriters assume and greatly enjoy a
prominence in the restaurants and places of
amusement at Coney Island and on the
great thoroughfares of the city which does
not belong to them at any other time OF the
year. The typewriter figures in the ephe-
neral humorous literature of the day, where
she takes the place occupied for 80 many
years by the goat, the mother-in-law and
the banana peel. Much has been written
OF the typewriters, and yet very little is
known of profession which is growing
every day in dignity, usefulness and profit,
and which has already given to thousands
OF intelligent and deserving young women
means of livelihood.
The profession of typewriting is as yet in
its infancy; or, at best, hardly out of swad-
ding clothes. Just now it is going through
the same unpleasant experiences which have
been the lot of many another excellent thing
during its beginning. 1t has been made the
subject for the shafts of ridicule, and justly
so, because the advantages which it offers
for an extended acquaintance have drawn
into its ranks large number of young
women untitled BY education and training
to do competent work, and caring only for a
chance to firt with or, to quote from their
own expressive vernacular, "mash" the
gentlemen, both old and young, with whom
they are brought in contact.
ROOM ON TOP.
But it is great injustice to large and re-
spected class of young women to take these
others whom have named as a fair type of
their profession. Ny purpose is to deal not
with the 'mashers," but with those who
have gone into their profession seriously,
VINO have found in it an excellent living,
and are anxious above all things to excel in
the calling which they have chosen. Almost
every young girl in this country who finds
herself confronted with the problem OF exist
ence, and is compelled to support herself and
perhaps others in her family, turns her eyes
longingly and hopefully on New York, and
wishes that she could find some employment
there. Some kind friends are sure to tell
her that in the metropolis every calling is
overcrOwded, and none more so than type
writing.
To these should say that the profession
is oVercrowded-by incompetents; and that
there is more room at the top of it for ladies
of education and refinement than there is in
heaven for true believers. In other words,
there is a growing demand among lawyers,
journalists and merchants for expert and in
telligent stenographers and typewriters.
The business man who 20 years ago labori-
ously wrote his own letters or turned them
over to clerk, now simply summons his
stenographer by the tap of a bell, dictates
dozen letters to her in as many minutes, and
then turns to his desk secure in the knowl-
edge that each one OF these letters will
be neatly and correctly printed on a ma
chine and mailed within an hour and with
out giving him any further trouble. The
lawyer who formerly had his briefs, agree
mentS. etc., copied in long hand which
was often illegible, now employs a type
writer, for there are many judges who alb
solutely refuse to read any matter which is
not neatly typewriter. The journalist, to
whom 1000 words is good days work, can
dictate that amount OF matter within an
hour to an expert typewriter and with but
little fatigue. All this requires high class
of talent, and, therefore, the demand for ex-
perts in this profession, as in others, grows
day by day.
ONE woMAN'S SUCCESS.
There is one thing which I desire particu-
larlv to impress upon the minds of all those
who may read this paper, and that is, there
is no room in New York for ignorant and
incompetent typewriters, as the demand is
more than supplied by our home market
As a journalist, 1 have had a long expert
ence with typewriters, and would consider
it criminal to write anything calculated to
draw into the ranks of the profession any
more young women who are unworthy to be
in it. But I can in perfectly good faith
give every reasonable encouragement to
young ladies who see the necessity for work
and can bring to it the advantages OF q well
trained mind and good general education.
known young lady who is entitled by
virtue of breeding, natural refinement and |
mental attainments to fill any position So
cially that may fall to an American woman.
She is not only graduate of college, but |
also took high rank as private teacher of |
Latin and Greek, profession which she
abandoned in order to open a stenographlc |
and typewriting Office in New York. She |
came here absolutely unknown, and had,
moreover, never seen typewriting machine |
until she had occasion to purchase half |
dozen for her own use. She called herself |
the Axios Company-"axios" is the Greek |
for worthy" = and since then has en-
deaVored to live up to her name. That was |
two years ago. Now she has not only her |
original Office on Broadway, but has also Sc
cured the monopoly of the Times Build
ing, and is in negotiation for another office |
In great business block at present in |
course of erection. The rent of her two |
offices is about 81 800 year, and she gives
steady employment to half dozen assist
ants, who receive from SIS to SIS week |
apiece, and makes very good living her. |
self. Her business is chiefly with the legal |
profession, and includes also number of |
well-knoWn journalists. She tells me that |
she finds it very difficult to obtain assist
ants of sufficient education and technical |
skill to do the work required, and fully |
coincided with what have already said |
about the opportunities which the profess
sion offers to women of the best class.
TWO KINDS OF TYPEwRITERs.
"How long does it take to become an ex-
pert stenographer and typewriter" asked
her.
Some will tell you six months, but those
are generally the people who teach it. I
say that it takes two years to become an ex-
pert, " was her reply.
This young lady attributes her success to