The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-01-17
BLAME The TYPEWRITER
Don't Blame Us, Say Cautious
but Hurried Business Men.
SOME QUEER MISTAKES

DeNiCeS HeSOTteo 10 VI O'uc' "
Avoid Responsibility for Errors in
Letters--The Latest Plan Invented
by Travelling salesmen-Errors Of
stenographers.
The phrase dictated but not re-
read" is now occasionally seen
stamped or typewriter in the lower
left hand corner of typewriter let
ter. This is the latest loophole of
escape adopted by cautious though
very busy men to avoid reading over
the letters they dictate, and, at the
same time, to explain any error made
by careless or ignorant stenogra-
phor.
BY this simple expedient a business
man is able to aflix his signature to
each of u pile of typewriter letters,
trusting to luck that no glaring mis-
takes have been made. Again, with
this printed explanation the business
man may leave before the days mail
is finished, this explanation making
personal signature unnecessary.
This scheme for relieving ones self
from the results of mistakes caused
either by the misunderstanding OF
word at the time of debating or the
stenographer's ignorance of business
terms was first adopted by travelling
statesmen obliged to have most of
their correspondence done at hotels
along the route and never sure of the
accuracy of the stenographer avail
able.
AS in many cases a salesman Is OBJ
liged to leave for another city before
his letters are finished the necessity
for some such explanation is obvious.
While a carbon copy of each letter is
usually sent him at his next stopping
place, the original goes on to the
headquarters of his company and
sometimes contain amusing mis-
takes, the result of ignorance Of the
terms used in his particular line OF
business.
For instance, not long ago fire in
surance adjuster obliged to dictate an
important letter just before takirg q
train was surprised on his next visit
to the home Office to find that only
about half of his letter had ever been
received About midway in the Letter
the stenographer had inserted thia
note:
Here the gentleman went so fast
| didn't know what he said, but 1t was
something about a crosseyed agree
ment.'
After little thought on the part
OF the one who dictated the letter he
remembered that he had referred to
a quasi agreement, an expression
with which the hotel stenographer
was evidently unfamiliar.
Another instance was the case of n
young attorney who dictated a letter
to his stenographer asking a brother
lawyer if he could argue a demurrer
on a certain day. The letter was sent
out hurriedly and not reread.
The next day the letter was re-
turned to the writer asking for en-
Interpretation of what seemed a sur
prising request. Investigation showed
that the stenographer had misread
her notes and inquired If the young
lawyer could "agree to be demure"
on a certain day.
Dictated by -, but not reread
by him" is sometimes added at the
bottom of a letter by means Of q
rubber stamp, the initials Of the par
ticular person debating the letter be-
ing filed in with pen. This method
is adopted when the letter has been
dictated by one member Of a firm
and signed by another perhaps not
entirely familiar with the subject mat
tar