The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-23
FACTS ABOUT STEEL PENS.
Increasing Sales in the Face of Type
writers and Fountains.

From the New YORK Evening Post
The number of steel pens consumed
yearly in the United States is computed
to be between three and four for each
man, woman and child in the land. Esti-
mating the population at 65, 900, 900, the
total number Of pens used yearly here is
between 1876 100000 and 200, 600 600 In
Great Britain the computation is said to
be twelve pens for each man, woman and
child This figure is here believed to be
too high. The importation of pens into
the United States is about one-half the
quantity used. The exact Quan tity man
ufactured here is known to a very few
only, 1t being a trade secret carefully
kept. Notwithstanding the invention of
the typewriting machine and the fountain
pen, the sale Of steel pens steadily shows
a yearly increase The percentage is the
same practically as the percentage of
yearly increase in the nations population.
In view Of the general use into which
the typewriter and the fountain pen have
come, the fact that their invention has
had no material influence on the sale of
steel pens is surprising But even the
operator on the typewriter is compelled
to scribble, and then, too-and this is as
signed as the chief cause of the steel
pens retaining its saie-chfldren CON
tnue to graduate in greater numbers
from the schools year by year. A repre-
sentative Of one Of the largest foreign
manufacturers of pens told the writer
that he estimated that the invention of
the typewriter and the fountain pen had
decreased the annual sale of the steel
pen 33 per cent.-that is, bad made the
increased sale that much less than it
would be otherwise The domestic man
ufacturers, however, declared this to be
true only of imported pens, and that they
felt the effect of competition on the part
of the domestic pen.
Steel pens were introduced into this
country In 1882. by Michael l.. Leman, the
pen manufacturer now dead. Their in
PRODUCTION fell fat. People would not use
the metallic pen, as it was called, on the
ground Of the old conservative cry that
what was good enough for their fathers
was good enough for them. In addition
the fact that the new writing device
scratched and that it seemed that the
writing would not last any length Of
time, were effective objections against its
use. The last objection is still assigned
as the reason why the Bank of England
uses the quill to-day. The great fire in
New York in 1886 was the cause Of the
general introduction of the steel pen here
IN that fire more than 100000 quilts
were burned, and a shortage in the pen
supply ensued. Mr. Leman. then a great
pen merchant, determined to sell only
Steel pens, refusing to import the quill;
and he succeeded.
here is much waste of steel in the
manufacture Of pens; it is unavoidable,
ana amounts TO from 25 to IS per cent
lhc prepared steel that cannot be turned
INTO pens is thrown away, no longer hav-
lAE capacity for use. So. WORKOUT pens
are no longer capable Of utility in any
lJIm. IT is the acid in the ink that
wears out the pen 50 quickly There are
ms without acid, but they are not gen
orally used. a pen that IS in constant
use lasts no longer than a day.
Iaere are pens and pens. A Fulton
street dealer has in his shop 1,60S styles.
Al these he claims to manufacture. In
A's pen shop, moreover, pens are pre-
seFlped If asked, the proprietor will eX-
anime his customer and tell him what pen
~ should use to write most easily most
.'--"iA. and most rapidly. Ailments in
.ehhanship are also cured by the pre-
SgHb'on Of certain pens. He says that,
ron study. he has come to the conclusion
s"@s peculiar nervous Compartments and
.a3t.s OF mind require the use Of certain
Of pens % achieve most in writing.
NE t&anpie, mind shat thinks rapidly
aa.a hlndered If the writer cannot
e opace with The flow Of thought, and
aa.A a man he prgscribes rapid
-stt pen which he makes. and which
-.H moves with wonderful Tapidity
'st Oh Tic toughest paper.
A. SUD pen came out in 1870, and was
Missed as "the short nib expressing
(. % was not Intended 10 pOpularize
--'I' Dut the demand become SO i'm
mat 1t was forced on the mar
'.9f-ts the manufactures 1t has be-
aa VI the pens largest in demand.
''tslthl styles OF this pen are quite
rL 0.s. one domestic manufacturer
-t-.t- twenty Variafia- ~ ,,sf-t-y4rar, and