The Saint Paul globe., 1905-03-10
STATE DOCUMENTS
TO BE TYPEWRITER
Experiments Disproved Theory
That Pen Written Records
Last Longer

DR.. Hortvet state chemist, under the
direction of Cleve Van Dyke, executive
clerk, recently performed number of ex-
periments with pen written and typewrit-
ten papers. that may result in a change
In the present manner of compiling the
permanent records OF the state.
Since his installation as executive clerk
Mr. Van Dyke has modernized the previ-
ously cumbersome method Of keeping state
records. He seeks to further perfect his
system. and to that end had the state
chemist perform number of experiments
with strong bleaching agents to discover
the relative permanency of records writ
ten with pen and ink and with a type
writer.
1t is well known that a manuscript will
turn yellow and writing fade away II ex-
posed to the action of the air. Then it
turns brown and finally disintegrates and
falls away at touch. This is due to the
action Of the oxygen. Though the facili-
ties for waiting 80 or 100 or 200 years
to prove the relative permanency of
penned and typewriter documents are
not at hand, Mr.. Van-Dyke was not dis
couraged and proceeded to circumvent
time with the aid of chemicals. and the
strongest bleaching fluids known to sci
ence were employed.
Several Experiments Made
Half dozen sheets of ordinary COM
mercial writing paper were used for the
experiment. On each sheet several kinds
of inks and ribbons were used The or
binary fluid ink used In the governors s
office. heavy black carbon ink. an ordinary
indelible" typewriter ribbon and an extra
heavy carbon ribbon Of the special
variety.
A sheet was immersed for forty eight
hours In a weak solution of caustic pot
ash with the result that the writing done
with ordinary ink faded entirely; the
carbon ink was barely visible; the ordn-
airy typewriter ribbon writing was dimly
visible and the carbon ribbon ink was
plainly legible.
The second test was the immersing of a
sheet for two days in solution made
from a bleaching powder containing q
large amount OF chlorine and oxaIic acid
The writing done with the heavy car
bon ribbon suffered but little. The car
bon ink used with the pen showed up
good, and the writing done with ordinary
ink and typewriter was entirely defaced.
solution of hydrogen dioxide
What was considered. however. the
test of time" was the experiment made
with potassium permanganate and oxalic
acid. The permanganate acted upon by
the acid liberated a large quantity of oxy-
gen producing exactly the same results
as would be derived from the exposure
of the paper to the action OF air for a
century. The sheet was immersed for
weight hours.
The ordinary ink was entirely effaced
not a pen scratch being visible. The
heavy ink was legible though very dim
The ordinary ribbon showed up well. be-
ing easily, read, and the heavy carbon
ribbon suffered little if any change
From these experiments Mr. Van Dyke
concludes that the old theory that type
written records would not meet the de-
mands OF permanent record work is ex-
ploded.
Satisfied by Tests
II think we have proven conclusively" !"
he said. that typewritten documents will
be far more permanent than those pen
written. We have matched the typewrit-
er against the pen, and IN my opinion the
former has come of overwhelmingly vic
torious. Practically. the inks used were
the same base my explanation on other
reasons.
"a typewriter document Is more per-
manent than a pen written one for the
reason that when pen is used the ink
merely flows over the surface. gradually
being absorbed by the paper. whereas
when q typewriter is used the ink is
pounded directly into the paper. With
a pen the ink seldom reaches the interior
fiber
Mr. Van Dyke has taken the matter
OF typewriter records UP with Gov.
Johnson. A typewriter OF peculiar con-
struction, allowing the operator TO write
on the pages of an ordinary journal, will
soon be installed in the governors Office.
One has been used for number of yea rs
in the office OF the secretary of state, with