Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-10-02
SENSITIVE MACHINES.
rYPEWRlTERs ATE JEALOUS OF
THEIR INSTRUMENTS.

OF the Keys OF the Writing Machine
Are Particular About the Car. of Their
Fnvorites- Fingers Travel Miles.
Stories innumerable have hrcn told
relative TO the engineer and the sym
pathy existing between him and his lrco-
motive. Neracious writers have reyelcd
in singular tales in which the engineers
sIperstitious mind and the locomotives
almost animal instinct have been the
chief and bewildering features But the
remarks of girl typewriter the other
day open an almost limitless field of
thought and discussion. and discovers a
new subject for the dissertation of psy-
Geological students.
MY typewriter is intelligent, said
this human typewriter. referring to her
mechanical friend.
THAT IL. understand it and II under
stands me. wouldn't lend it to any
one. It's sensitive little thing, and
its resentment at being loaned ont would
soon be manifested to me when again
attempted to use it. SSillful type
writers are extremely jealous in the
care Of their instruments. have sew
eral very dear friends engaged in tho
same business, set not one could obtain
the use of my typewriter, and am con-
fidcnt they could not be induced TO lend
me theirs"
Investigation shows these statements
to be correct. Those who have their
own machines never lend them even for
temporary use. while in large offices,
where the firms furnish the instruments,
each of the latter has certain operator.
and no one else is allowed its use. Fanci-
ful rs the idea is that the prosaic writing
machine should resemble the violin in its
readiness to respond to familiar hands
and its consequent rebellion at being
used by strangers, there is no doubt in
the minds of the typewriters as to its be-
ing solemn and important fact.
Whatever the reason, said the super
intendent of an establishment where
typewriters are sold, "a machine that
has been constantly used by certain
person is ruined for that person by some
one else's use of il. This refers to ex-
pert typewriters-those who do much
work and whose constant practice has
developed a remarkable rate of speed.
SO pronounced has this opinion become
and so luxuriantly has the idea flourishcd
that typewriters are usually furnished
in cabinets that can be locked and are
then secure from nolestation | know
of no explanation for this queer state OF
affairs. Machines are made by the
dozen; the pieces that form the machines
ARE made by the hundred yet each COM
plete mechanical typewriter bis what is
known "a Il distinct touch
IAN operator may try several ma
chimes before she finds one TO her liking,
and when she does no other will she use.
An experiment WAS once made for the
purpose of testing this. An operator OF
particularly sensitive and nervous
temperament and who was particularly
annoying in her complaints regarding
tile use of her typewriter By others, was
blindfolded and tried in rapid succession
fifty different machines of tho same
make. To every ones surprise she Sc
lected the one she had been in the habit
of using"
Few people know the amount of man
nal labor involved in a days typewrit
ing or realize the distance the hand
travel in days work Probably few o
the typewriters themselves appreciat,
it. Yet their hands cover dstanc,
they would never think of covering will
their legs unless necessity compelled it
The highest rate of speed ever at
tanned is 200 words IA minute. This i
supposed to be the result of the mos
rapid movements the human hands ar
capable of The person making thi
record maintained this speed for onl.
four consecutive minutes, and has neve
been able to exceed that limit. Assum
ing the words average six letters apiece
1000 letters n minute were written.
is estimated that to make each lette
the fingers are raised a height of tw
inches from the keyboard. Two inchc
added flor the descending movement
make the finger travel four inches b.
fore each letter is struck. So this el
pert's hand in writing these 200 word
Travelled 4,sOO inches, or 400 feet. dui
ing the minute in which she wrote 90
words.
But this is unusual, of course. Yer
rapid writing Is n speed OF seventy-hv
words minute aud this rate Is too fas
for comfort. Practical work Is te
pages Of legal paper an hour. Fac
mage contains 300 words. Six hour
steady writing can be regarded as a
entire days work This is a spec
of fifty words minute, and the prat
tical worker writes during the day sixt
nages--is. 900 words. or lOS, 900 letter.
If her finger travels four inches to max
each letter, during the day il trave
432 600 inches.
This provides for the perpendicula
movement only. and it is fair to increat
this distance hy One-third 10 estimate II
distance the hands travel over the Ike.
board in horizontal direction. Tn
total sum in inches is $4,000. This
equivalent to ls. 900 feet, or little ov'
nine miles day In week the han'
can cover ffsy-four miles, and in
years steady application to buslne
over $500 miles.
So the vngary Of the male aud feina
typewriters can in a large measure
excused and their preference for the
respective machines accounted for,
New York Recorder
An Awful Indian Custom.
In India, mp to within the last 4
years, the wife, either according to b
wishes or otherwise, was cremated
the same funeral pyre that convert