The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-06-16
TYPE SETTING TO 90.
New Process Whereby Printing Will be Done
by Photography

There seems to be likelihood that before
long movable types for printing will be
done away with altogether, and their
function, hitherto regarded as indispcn-
sable in the art, performed by ingenious
Photographic processes.
The books of the near future, it is pre-
dicted, will be made by photography, and
it is not improbable that even newspa
pers will be issued by methods in which
the camera and dry-plate will take the
place of the font of metal letters and the
stereotype from a paper matrix
This is not mere speculation says the
Saturday Evening Post, inasmuch as the
prediction is based upon recently patented
inventions of practical character The
originator of the. idea proposes to apply
to the reproduction of letterpress a pro-
cess not very different from that already
used in the mechanical multiplication of
pictures.
In his belief, if picture can be null
tiplied by photography, there is no rea-
son why the same method should not be
employed for letterpress. The way 80
accomplish this is his own discovery, and
il has already been worked out so far
that it is claimed the camera is ready
and able to take up the work which has
hitherto been done by the types
The publisher of the future instead of
having many fonts of heavy and costly
type, will be provided simply with set
of square white cards, on each of which
is a large black letter, an inch or more
in height.
These cards will be placed in series of
horizontal lines on rack made for the
purpose, following copy, so that the let
ters will read just like those of the text
that is to be reproduced. A camera,
placed in front, will photograph the let
ters, its distance from them determining
the size of the text as it eventually is to
appear.
The negative thus made will be de-
veloped in the usual manner, and from
it, just as a picture similarly prepared
is printed now on sensitized film 1t only
remains to etch the plate and print from
it, just as picture similarly prepared
is printed nowadays
A machine has already been construct
led which taking the place of the Linotype
or mechanical compositor of tolay, sets
up the cards in the rack according to
copy and photographs them, one line at
a time, the glass sensitive plate moving
AUTOMATICALLY DIT SuEH IL TdIS as W lttfS
the matter line by line until it is filled.
Then, of course, it is removed ard
developed in a darkroom, whereupon it is
ready to transfer it's imprint 10 the
metal plate, which is duly etched. TIE
process is simple enough and so expcdi-
tiously performed that within thirty min
utes from the first exposure Of the mega
tive the zinc plate is ready.
If the discovery does not prove dis
appointing in its practical usefulness tile.
publisher of the future, whose expensive
and heavy burden on type will be replaced
by few Photographic machines and an
equipment of lettered cards, light and
easily stored in small space. The fact
that one set of letters is to serve for all
sizes of type is of the greatest inn
portance.
One point not to be forgotten is that,
by an obvious arrangement, pictures may
be photographed on the same plates with
the letterprcss.