The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-10
SPEED OF TYPEWRITBRs.
One Hundred and Fifty Words
Minute the Stipulated Limit.

Inc speed OF typeWr1terS IS a Vexed ana
much discussed question. A few Yeas
ago manufacturers used to get up con-
tests to test the speed of the various ma
chimes. The competition grew very keen,
and the number of words written in a
minute became so high (about 1907 that a
record was established. Then as the I'M
cessful machines were hurt more than the
successful ones were benefited, the race
was dropped as the game was not worth
the candle. AS a matter of fact, the only
thing settled by such contests was which
concern could produce the most expert
operator. The races were contests of skill
among the operators, and had little, if
ANYTHING, to do with the actual merit of
the machines. Indeed, the only material
difference between the machines as re-
CARDS speed is the size of the keyboard or
number of keys operated. Some have
more than seventy, or as many keys as
there are characters, while others have less
than forty, each key actuating several
characters that are brought into alignment
by shifting mechanism. Naturally, both
systems had their adherents, but owing to
the inability of either side to prove any
superiority it may fairly be concluded that
no advantage exists, says the New York
Sun.
Since every machine is capable of more
rapidity than the human operator can get
out of it the next point to be considered is
the speed an expert operator can keep up
for short space OF time. AS stated, the
limit so far reached is in the neighborhood
of $50 words a minute but it must be IN
derstood that this record was made by
writing a sentence which had been long
practiced. The reason for picking out
particular sentence and practicing it is
very simple. The use of letters whose keys
are close together and convenient for alter
nate action of the hands greatly assists the
speed, and the more particular sentence
is practiced the more rapidly can it be
typewriter. Take the very operator who
has shown speed of say $50 words and
get him to write sentence composed of
the same letters but made up of different
words, SO that the letters are in different
order, and the speed will fall very ma
terially. The loss may be. perhaps, one
third. 1t is possible for imperative
novice to practice well-selected sentence
and in short time reach about the same
speed as. an expert, but in the case of the
novice the speed would fall tremendously
on new matter. The strain on the eyes
and mind increases with the speed until
point is reached where it cannot be kept
up for any length of time, and it is worthy
of note that some operators have had the
in order to relieve the strain on the eyes.
In considering the speed of the average
operator considerable difficulty is expert
enced in arriving at any accurate conclu-
sion, owing to the tendency of all operators
to put on extra steam when timed or
watched. BY far the greater part CT the
work done on typewriters is copying, either
from stenographic notes or other manu-
script and fair average would be below
forty words minute.
There is, of course, some time lost in
reading from the copy, when no writing is
done, and the practice of a good many
operators of continually reading over what
they have written to see that 1t is correct.
The time required to correct mistakes has
been figured as high as 10 per cent. An
other reason for the tremendous fall in
speed is probably the strain on the eyes,
which are constantly dancing over the
characters marked on the keys. This
strain should not be underestiinated, as
the eyes OF many operators have been
affected by it, and it is further evidenced
by the experts, who prefer blank keys, so
SO as to avoid the blurring caused in rapid
writing.
1t is interesting to note the number of
strokes each minute that the hands are
capable of if depressed alternately. More
than 700 strokes can be made in minute,
and more than 400 can be performed with
out undue exertion or effort.
Now, taking five strokes to the word
(which is about the average), that would
mean eighty words minute comfortably,
and after taking due allowance for the
time occupied in entering the paper and
returning the paper carriage after each
line, it would still be about double what is
done ordinarily on a typewriter. The fault
for the loss of speed appears to lie in either
the method of operation or the keyboard.
If keyboard could be constructed that
could be readily memorized the eyes would
be relieved and he speed increased, espe-
cially in copying, when the eyes could be
kept on the copy and would not have to
keep shifting the eyes from the keys to
the copy. Such keyboard would neces-
sarily have to be compact and with very
limited number of keys, but for that very
reason there would be gain in limiting
the motion of the hands required to select
the required key. If, furthermore, such a
keyboard could allow an alternate action
of the hands without deviation the speed
would be increased without extra exertion.
Then concerning the mistakes that occur
from depressing the wrong key, and which
are realized the instant they are made, but
too late to avoid the wrong impression,
they did not occur till the next depression.
That would mean that the machine would
always be one letter behind
1t may be that the typewriting machine