The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-12-03
IT WILL KEEP BOOKS.
Ingenious Invention That Does the
Work of Many Men.
The Cseveriy Constructed Apparatus
Handles the Books just as Dex-
terouMly as AN Expert Ac-
cOuntant Does.


slide. The advance in labor-saving
machinery has finally reached his
sphere and warned him that he must
seek other occupation. The latest
piece of mechanism to invade Chica-
go consists of three machines which
dispense with bookkeepers in large
establishments and perform their la
Dor through the medium of an oper-
ator and a typewriter. One of the
machines in an ordinary establish
ment does away with the labor of
two men; another dispenses with the
labor of eight men, says a report
from that city.
The first machine, under the direc-
ton of an ordinary typewritist,
makes out a bill, copies the invoice.
permanently in book and makes a
permanent sales sheet copy The
work is all done in typewriting and
in permanent books. The second ma
chine makes a sales copy, an original
invoice and duplicate of the same, an
acknowledgment OF the order, file
copy, an original, a duplicate and a
triplcate bill of lading, a platform
order, factory shipping order, a
bagroom order, loading order and
a car card. Still third machine, Of
which Marshall Field has taken 30,
makes one bill a month, adding the
items day by day, recording the date
and salesman's number by lock ar
rangement which makes it impossible
for the operator to enter series of
items without dating the same and
entering the salesman's number, en-
tiers all credits in red ink, and carries
1900 accounts at one time.
A Tennessee bank cashier is re-
sponsible for the invention of these
machines. Some years ago, looking
through post Office window, he
noted a clerk canceling stamps with
a hand stamp. He wondered why the
same work could not be done by ma
chinery. From that point his
thoughts wandered on to the wonder
why his own books could not be kept
| by machinery. He tried to make a
bookkeeping machine. A year ago he
| produced the three machines, which
are now supplanting bookkeepers in
large establishments.
The machines were at first intro
duced into country offices in the
south alone. Later company with
$1,000, 900 capital was formed in Cleve-
land, and now the large cities have
been invaded. When it is stated that
the three machines combined save the
labor of IL persons; that one of them
alone saves the labor of eight people,
the effect of the machines on certain
economic conditions can well be i'm
agined.
The machines are rather simple in
appearance. They are not made
upon a set plan. The agents of the
inventor call upon a mercantile es-
Establishment, ascertain what it's book
keeping requirements are and then
manufacture a machine to meet these
conditions. A machine that will suit
one establishment will not do for an
other.
The apparatus is a typewriter,
with a basket upside down, set over
a fiat platen of sheet steel, which is
covered with vulcanized rubber.
Books, papers or anything to be writ
ten upon are easily placed upon this
platen, properly clamped, and, no
matter what their thickness, easily
adjusted to the work of the type
writer. One operator is required for
the machinery. She strikes the keys
with the lightest kind of touch
a piano touch-and they work. De-
spite the lightness of the touch, they
will make 80 manifold copies at one
time or will mark five library cards
at one time.
Cartoons and papers are so cleverly
cut and arranged that the machine
performs its work on each sheet be-
meath, just as the operator directs.
For instance, the 10 entries which
one of the machines will make, de-
scribed above, are all made at one
time and with but one placing of the
papers to be written upon.
If there was bookkeepers' union
there is no question but what the in
PRODUCTION of these machines would
be met with storm of protest and
resistance. AS it is, they have APP
peared quietly, but are being taken
rapidly by establishments working
for economy of labor. The fact that
they will handle books just as the
individual formerly did is a great
card in their favor. The first cost
of the machine is about the same as
a billing typewriter, $3.50. 1t is esti-
mated that it will save so per cent.