New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-24
LINOTYPE MACHINES.
1hEtb AXE MORE THAN FIVE THOUSAND OF
THESE WONDERFUL LABOR SAVING
DEVICES IN DAILY rrcr


THESE WONDERFUL LABOR SAVING
DEVICES IN DAILY USE
There are now In daily over five thousand
Linotype machines. They are to be found in
every civilized country, and in establishments
devoted to every variety Of newspaper book and
miscellaneous printing They are used alike in
'"''eS requiring only one or two machines each
ana in the vast metropolitan establishments CIV
Ing employment to fifty machines or more.
The Linotype Is machine controlled by finger
keys. like typewriter. which creates the type
matter. as demanded ready for the press or
stereotyping table. to be once used and then
melted down. instead Of producing single type
of the ordinary character, it casts type metal
bars or slugs. each complete in one piece and
having on the upper edge the type characters to
print line. The lnotypes produced and as
sembed automatically in a galley. side by side,
in proper order. that they constitute
o FORM" answering the same purpose and
used in the manner as the ordinary
forms consisting OF single types. After being
used the linotypes. Instead OF being. like type
forms. distributed at great expense. are sim
ply thrown into the melting pot Of the machine
TO be recast into new forms
An impetus has been given to the art Of print
ing by dozen years use Of the Linotype the
like Of which was not in evidence hundred
years after the invention Of printing. The Mer-
BentnaltT Linotype derived us name lIOIn Ott-
Mergenthaler. a Swiss mechanic and in
ventOr living in Baltimore, in 1879 He was
employed to experiment with devices to cast
type automatically. but failing Of satisfactory
results the lines indicated by those for whom
be labOred ne constructed for himself a rad
icaliy different machine. 1t was experimental
with for a number Of years before being put to
practical Its use In newspaper offices was
begun In 1856. and at the present time there are
few Offices Of Importance In the United States.
Canada or England which do not have LinOtypeS
In constant USE
In 1891 an improved machine was brought
forth This machine has come into general use
in book offices. and it's Introduction there has
been matter OF great moment to the reading
public. Books now be bought for small
fraction of their former cost. and as result the
library becomes a part Of the furnishing OF every
household. AS people read more. the demand for
q better class Of books increases and the gen
eral trend of thought OF a community is thus
cultivated and improved. The majority of mag
azines now published are products OF the Limo
type. and the number Is being constantly added
to. When the Mergent haer Linotype came into
general most newspaper publishers found
that they could do all the composition required
their papers and considerable amount in
excess. and means of utilizing their spare
time they set about making bids for bookwOrk.
Attracted by the very low prices quoted a large
amount Of this class OF work was secured The
result was satisfactory: but. strange to say.
the blame at the start fell principally upon the
machine. The book printer seemed To forget his
views of few years ago. AS in the case of the
time for this belief To wear away. But as no
successful book printing establishment OF i'm
pOrtance could now get along without rapid
presses. 80 is the time coming when Iinotypes
must also become a part Of its equipment. Most
large Offices now have them in operation Many
small offices were started with one two and
have gradually added others. until a good sized
Abattery' was acquired There have been cases