Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-28
BITS OF WASHINGTON LIFE.
Minor scenes and d sketched
on the Spot.


The original manuscript Of the immortal
Declaration Of Independence has become 50
faded and worn that the precious document
has been placed in the hreproof vault OF the
State department and Is not to be ex-
hibited again. Most Of the text is still
legible, but only one or two Of the sigma
lures can be made out. There is only a
trace Of the autograph OF John Hancock.
the first to sign. The action OF the State
department was the result OF an examina
ton made by a committee OF the American
Academy OF Sciences. The committee,
equipped with powerful microscopes, found
that the ink was not OF first quality. The
fact that the engrosser (now unknown to
history used a sharp pen and bore steadily
upon 1t, accounted in a measure for the
better preservation OF the text, as COM
pared with the signatures.
The great damage sustained, however,
was in 1920, when a copy was taken by the
crude letter press process. This was done
in order to secure a facsimile for the sur
viving signers tone OF whom was Thomas
Jefferson) and their families. The commit
tee recommended that the declaration be
shut in an air and light light case and
kept from exhibition.
Third Assistant Secretary Pelrce Of the
State department has Just completed ar
engagements for the execution OF an act OF
congress, providing for a recut Of the great
seal of the United States from the original
model and the suitable protection and pres
ervation OF the original seal.
James D.. Mcbride. who has the contract
for the work. has notified the State depart
ment that Mr.. Max Zeiller, an expert en-
graver Of Philadelphia, will cut a duplicate
Of the present great seal and that the press
to be used as a cover OF the seal will be
provided by the Hoe company Of New, York.
The necessity for a new seal grows out OF
the fact that the one now in constant use
is nearly worn out and in no condition TO
stand much further wear and tear.
A lively scramble has been going on for
the past month among the Witt type writer
operators Of the United States patent office
for the honor Of writing the greatest num-
Der Of words in a working day. Miss Mary
f. Pretty so far holds championship
honors and 1t seems improbable that any OF
her associates can approach her record of
pounding out 20, 400 words in six working
hours. ., '..
Miss Pretty, together with about twenty
other girls. is engaged in copying patent
records. It is difficult work, technical in
character, while the copy Is in manuscript
form and IL often hardly legible. About a
month ago Miss Pretty counted the number
OF words she had written one day and was
surprised to learn that they amounted 10
almost is, 900, In some manner the Fact got
into the Washington newspapers and was
copied elsewhere, the story being that Miss
Pretty was the most rapid typewriter OPP
orator in the government service, II not in
the country. This publication set Miss
Pretty's fellow workers on edge and a
great race ensued among the girls to beat
her record.
For the past three weeks the typewritinE
machines in the assignment division Of the
patent office have been buzzing to the limit
of their capacity. Some Of the girls broke
down under the strain OF trying to write
more than 5000 words IN q day. Miss
Pretty, however, has again set new figures
for rapidity. The other day she ratified of
20, 400 words between 9 and 4 o'clock, al
lowing about an hour for luncheon and other
Interruptions. This is an average Of about
afty-lve words per minute for six hours,
and is an exceedingly cFeditable perfor-
nance. Miss Pretty's chiefs say that her
work is very good, there being very few
errors in It.