The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-29
StenOgraphcrS On Duty
In House and Senate.
True Statements About Some
OF the Speed Records.
Limit Of Rapid WOrk--OIiva Green
For Uncle Sans War Ships.

hand and correctly transcrlDlnR fOH Nurus
IN "A minute has attracted tho attention oi
the official reporters of the senate ana
house of representatives,. The fastest re-
porter in congress probably Is Fred Ire
land, who has a speed record OF GAO words
a minute for five consecutive minutes.
This test was made before board of ex
perts, and the matter dictated To Ireland
was an editorial selected Mt random from
an >s1inary newspaper. Ireland TOOK tho
dictation, and immediately put away his
notes for n half hour and then read the
without hesitation, as II he were reading
from printed page. Some of the other
congressional reporters would probably
make ns good record II they were put to
the test.
A Iast piece of Work.
John II White. emo Of the oldest and
most efficient Of the house reporters said
today that in his opinion the fastest piece
of reporting ever dono in Washington was
done i'm the house during the Forty sixth
congress. Joseph r. Hawley, now senator
from Connecticut, YVES then representa-
tive. lie had charge OF tho sundry civil
appropriation bin and had yielded all but
80 minutes of the time allowed for debate.
After every one had spoken Mr.. Hawley
took the floor 20 close tho debate in 80
minutes. He discussed the bill from be
ginning To end in general way, and USED
many figures i'm tho course OF his remarks.
lie smoke very rapidly, and was continual
ly looking at his watch 60 sec how he was
using his time, and as tho minutes passed
he spoke faster and faster, and finished
an cloaucnt address in tho time at his
command. The entire corps of report
ers took their turn at tic speech, and when
Mr.. Hawley's remarks were transcribed
and handed 20 him for REVISION and cor
rection he did not make II tinglc change.
The speech was printed In Tho Record
| the next morning, and MIR White had the
! curiosity to count tho words ard determine
at what rate Mr.. Ilawly I'D spoken. lie
| found that tho speech Nstaircd $500
words, and that the y lortcrs had taken it
| at the rate cf $40 wolus Il :rinutc. This is
considered o remarkable "a CO of work.
Mr.. White s.itl that ihc average srced Of
| talking i'm tho house Ct Tcprcs, natives II
about l1b words % minute Mr.. johnson
| of Indiana, who is the fastest talker OH the
floor, speaks often Gt tho rate of 2,5 words
minute. Mr.. Cochran OF Missouri usual.
" speaks at the rate Of eco words min
ute, and Mr.. DolliyCr OF Iowa, when he
warms up to his work, frequently reaches
this speed. The average speed for running
debate--that is. Cobatc In which thcro Is n
general participation with frequent inter
ruptoi and cross questions--is EGO words
q minute.
Some Slow Takers.
One of the slowcst takers is Mr.. Sayer;
OF Texas, who docs not exceed 100 words
minute when he is speaking calmly. Nhcl
Mr.. Sayers is much interested or excited
be frequently reaches li5 words. Mr. Cul
bcrson Of Texas sroEo at about tho 10
rate, and Speaker Reed does not exccc,
that speed. Mr.. White said That tho speah
er was one Of tho casost men to take" In
the house lie srcaks clearly and distinct
" and every word IA clean cu5 and forcihl,
He docs not become involved and uses ~
cumbersome sentences. Mr. Reed Is
lover Of good, honest English cas- she
spoke" ly tho YanEcel. Mr. White sale
that the speaker always urcs tho righ.
word In tho right place and mGEcsan ever
distribution of time between his words
He never rushes, CT stumbles over then
When his remarks nro transcribed ant
given to hi.i for correction he invariabl,
returns the copy without word, or even
a comma, cnanCc1.
The statements recently mGdo by Mr.
Dement,, the fast Chicago reporter, thp
there arc thousands of reporters in tb'
United States who can mako a verbatim
report at tho rate Cf 900 words n minut
where two speakers Gre talking isoSccptc'
to by MIR. White, the house reporter.
"A strictly Verbatim report Of tw
speakers, both talking Gt once at the rat
of 100 words Cor ono minute, he say
"was nevcr mado ty any stenographe
and neycrw will 10 made liz Is impossible,
no added, "for G.y one TO take Two speak
crs ut once even when ono Is speaking 10
words minute ard the other only To
a words. This could not be done for u sir
gle minute hy my one"
Mr.. White snys that any reporter VIII
a can take an average Of 500 or 225 word
. minute ought 20 be satisfied with h
\ work. He says stcnographers need Nc
worry because they cannot take men srcul
= ing at tho rate OF SEQ words Il minute, b
:, cause whom such speaker turns up j
4 viii hayo 10 ono 10 listen To him, an
s there will bo nO occasion for reporting h
70 remarks verbatim.
" Paint Far werships.
= Germany hereafter viii paint her wa
n ships green. For several years German
:. has been conducting experiments TO dctc
$ mine the best color for vessels of wa
q Olive green has been chosen because
Q renders ships least visible 20 nm encm
q Dark brown was found To- have many N
= y vant0gcs by day, but green renders sh
almost invisible at night, The Unite
v States has two vessels painted green. Oh
Ia the raiu Katahdp, and by "a coinciden
! the order TO paint her green was issued {
j st. Patrick's day while she was comman
ed by Richard O'bcary The other gree
vessel Is the torpedo boat Gushing. III
predominating color used In the Unite
States navy Is white.
= "Whitc paint costs us pretty sum eyei
year" said Chief Naval Constructor Hicl
' born. "A ship Is painted white. coal
> hauled aboard, and then the ship Is CO
cred with SCOT and has to bc painted oy'
, again. In my opinion the sensible thin
. 20 do would le 60 adopt dark shade, sue
ss green. and stick o. IL. This color woul
not show dirt, 81 would tend 10 lessen q
: chance If tho discovery Of the vessel at SCI
Z and n has other advantages over white f'
constant service"
Commodore lIicbborn said green shi