The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-10
PRINTERS TAKEN IN.
The Piedmont Typesetting Contel
Turned Out u Fake.


Turned Out u Fake.
J. C. Eastmead Of the MORNING NEWS
composing room, who went to the Pied
mont exposition a few weeks ago to take
part in the fast typesetting contest, re-
turned yesterday thoroughly disguised with
the results of his trip.
The contest, hs said, was a fake, got
up as money making scheme. Tue work
was the supreme court decisions OF Alaba-
ma, set in what is known as bastard type,
with marginal headings, and a great many
italics, work on which IL 1t practically an
simDossibility to test the speed Of any
| printer.
This is proved by the fact that the first
prize winner set only 81, Ill ems in ninety
six hours, which Is less than l 900 emns an
hour. and q printer who cannot set thous-
and an hour is considered a slow man.
r b. Elan of Charlotte, n. c., won the
first prize. and Mr.. Eastmead came ia fifth,
but his average for workmanship was
several points better than Elam's.
The men, Mr.. Eastmead said, had to
work for several days with their coats on
| because Of the cold, and firally when they
kicked and threatened TO quit work alto
gether, oil stoves were placed under each
case. but when 1t came to settling up each
man was charged for his stove.
were COulpbitc1 W WOTk On
less than half cases most Of the time for
want Of sufficient amount Of type. Mr.
Eastneed said that nearly every man in
tho so~called contest was thoroughly dis
gusted and would have pulled out after their
first day if they could have got back their
entrance fee Of $40.
The prizes we're probably the worst sell of
all. A few days before the contest began it
was announced that every man in the con-
test would win prizs of over $50
while nothing has been decided about
the manner and size Of the prizes" said the
Constitution, lone Of the committee stated
that he thought the first prize would he
$500, and the second, 5000; third, $l75;
fourth, $3.50; fifth, S125; sixth, 500;
seventh, $50: eighth, S75; ninth, $40;
tenth, SOS; eleventh, $780, twelfth, S55;
thirteenth, $50; fourteenth, $45; fifteenth,
$40; sixteenth, $35; seventeenth, $50 and
the last S25. There will more than likely
be a balance left, which will be given for
special prizes"
When the "prize winners turned In to
get the results of their work the first man
found that instead of getting $500 check
he was given Gordon job press, and the
other six following men got type orders and
printers materials. with valuations placed
on them from $3.50 down. The remainder of
the men who were supposed to get $50
prizes at lease were given little cheap ms
terial and a little cash, none of the latter
being over 500.
Mr.. Eastmead's prize was a SIS type order,
which he was glad to get rid Of for $40.
The special prizes weren't hoard of at all.
All the prizes we're donations from the
type aud printing material manufacturers Of
the country and did not cost the projectors
of the contest anything. The management
got big job done in hurry at hardly any
cost.
Mr. Eastmead does not want to have any
thing to do with any more Of Atlanta's con-
tests. He said himself and all the other Wis
iting printers were disguised with tue way
things went, and only remained in the con-
test because their entrance fee would have
been forfeited had they quit