Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-07-06
CIRCULAR LETTER DECEPTION.
Necessary to Gain a Hearing Thes
Days-Methois of Printing.

That deception in business circles is
not generally and in the long run con-
duciVc to success may sound some
what trite, but with men who issue
circular-letters and with firms that en-
gage TO do such work on Il large scale
good results absolutely depend on the
gentle art of deceiving. 1t is to their
artitce that busy men owe much
valuable time lost in reading their
morning mail.
1t is we'll known in business life that
the typewriter circular, undisguised
in its form, is generally thrown upon
the floor as soon as a man sees what
it is. He does not even stop to con-
slider its merit. To him ii is merely
one Of many thousand copies, and il
therefore has no personal significance
for him. This state of affairs has led
to vast Improvement in the last year
or two in machines for the rapid
multiplication Of typewriter circulars.
Formerly only half-a dozen poor copies
could be made by means of carbon
paper and typewriter; but now
thousands Of perfect reproductions can
be obtained from one impression and
with the rapidity of printing-press
There are many processes and many
machines, but the basis for all is the
specially prepared thin paper covered
with coating of wax which is perfor-
ated by the metal type every time the
typewriter key is hit.
When the waxcd sheet is finished il is;
placed in IL small machine constructed ON
the principle of Il printing press. with Il
revolving cylinder and Il movable bed
underneath. 1t is laid face downward ON
the mixed pad which forms the outer sur
face OF the cylinder. and which is kept
side of the perforated cylinder. The lat
ter is rapidly rotated by hand crank or
power. and as many as 3,HD copies can
h" made IN an hour all So perfect and
distinct that they do not show they are
machinc-mad" copies. and would com
pl"t.Iy deceive anyone were ii not for III"
difficulties surrounding the signature and
the SupcrSCription. The former can w"
written on the wax and faithfully repro"
duc"d. but to make it appear the real
thing it should he in different colorcd
ink from the body of the letter. ON the
other hand. The name of the addresses
inst above the dear sir" should be in the
same ink and styl" if the adrcsscc is
really to be led into the the belief that
he is getting Il real letter. But this is i'm
possible. and il is the one weak point of
the machines.
protting by this, II downtown printer
has perfected a process by which he can
get out IL circular letter. inserting the
name Of the addressec and a. reproduc-
ton Of the signature with an art that
battles detection. He uses regular print
ing type in one process, using ribbon
over the type in printing. so that the ad-
dress put in very deity with Il type
writing machine afterward shall appear
the same. This takes much time ana II
charges a big price for a hundred letters
so done-each one with different al,
dress at the top-but his customers inu
that it pays. one man who wished TO
interest bank cashiers in a certain semen
sent nIt one hundred circulars done in
this way and got letters in reply from
siXty-fve each one thinking that ne WAS
responding to IL personal letter. Likewise
Il church missionary society IN BROOKLYN
sent out 2I circular. appeals Tor money. .
pld within three days had received Sl4,Vv
from generous churchmen. Had these
letters shown on their faces tnat tnts
were merely circulars the returns might
have amounted to little or nothing.
In the matter of speed in COPYING ma
chimes. however. the Associated Press Of
flee has the fastest in the Woriu anu one;
strange to say. that is not on the general
market. because ii was devised SoieiX 10
meet the requirements of That once.
There at least 100 copies OF ever! uispd'cn
taken off the wires by the typeWri,ers OK
news article furnished by the reporters
must be made .'in IA jiffy'' for distribu,
ton to the many papers in TINS CITY ana
snrro,,nding towns that are members OF
the association. WaXed paper Oh coo! %
is used. as in other processes; t ins,n li,i
all being mechanical; iistedu
If one cylinder three are used iney arg
rcared to run at high speed ana eiec.Ii'i-
ty is applied as power 70 quiemmS,h ~,
mace. Anywhere from aoo 10 iWw Hoi
can be made every mlii"te. W, nrintinr-
faster than any but the idS'es'
New YORK POSI-.