The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-09-05
WORLDS LINOTYPE RECORD.
Utah Man Set 1os.soo Ems in Less
Than Eight Hours.

Charles A. Nichols. linotype op-
orator employed by the Salt Lake
Herald. one Of Utah's three dailies,
broke ali worlds records for type
setting, sunday. July l.
Mr.. Nichols set 10000 ems nonpa-
reil in exactly seven hours and fifty
two minutes. This feat was accom-
pushed during regular working hours
and the matter set was printed in The
Herald. The former record was So
o0o ems nonpareil set by G.. A. Green
of the Boston Advertiser, during a
contest in Chicago in 1896. This rec
ord held good until Mr.. Nichols beat
it by 1o6,soo ems
Mr.. Nichols corrected his own
proofs, which We're remarkably free
from typographical errors consider
ing the terrific speed maintained dur
ing the race against time. a large
per cent. of the errors made were due
to frequent shortages occurring in
letters on account of the machines
inability to replenish the channels as
fast as they were drswn upon. In
several instances the letters e and
ran short, because the machine could
not distribute as rapidly as the oper-
ator manipulated the keyboard. Mr..
Nichols had set $1,000 ems by II
II o'clock, at which time he stopped
for supper. At 1880 o'clock he re-
sumed his work. Despite the fact
that the machine used has been in
constant use for thirteen years, but
twenty minutes were consumed in
making Necessary repairs. Fully ten
minutes were used in putting new
cam in the Keyboard. A broken key
board belt caused another delay.
Burt White, the Herald's machinist,
made all repairs. During the eight
hours consumed in typesetting (the
time consumed in repairs was de-
dueted and the lost time added to the
shift) an average of 13,2S7 ems was
set per hour The machine was
speeded to ninety revolutions a min
ute and at times a higher speed than
this was reached. The copy furnish
ed was typewriter Sunday matter in
the main, although some ordinary re-
print was set. The matter when
measured, totaled $40 inches. Over
290 pounds of metal were used and
over 4,OSS lines were set.
Mr.. Nichols had made excellent re-
cords in the past On June Is in sew
en- hours and forty minutes he SET
$4,000 ems off the hook. He then an
nounced his intention Of going after
the worlds record. Sunday night was
selected for the trial. Witnesses were
on hand to watch Mr.. Nichols. When
the eight hours work was finished
the matter was measured by William
Iglehart, manager of The Herald, and
others. Mr. Nichols worked steadily
and with little apparent effort during
the entire eight hours. A peculiarly
in his touch is his ability to use the
index finger of the right hand. This
finger remains unbended While TO the
Others is left his manipulations of the
keyboard. Mr.. Nichols set his first line
of type on the Salt Lake Herald four
teen years ago. Aside, from few
years in Denver Mr.. Nichols has spent
the intervening time in Salt Lake
While working. on the Denver News
in 1886 he set 84,500 ems nonpareil in
eight hours. This feat won him first
place in contest held by members
of The News force. The next highest
man fell l4,300 ems below Mr.. Mich
OILS. During week of seven days
work on The Herald recently he set
474, 600 ems. Mr.. Nichols left his ma
chine looking and feeling little
worse for his eight hours Of wor.:=-
beating, nerve-wrecking typesetting-
He now claims the championship Of
the world and is now ready to defend
the title against all comers.
*When two strong men come to
blows, even if they are we'll matched,