New-York tribune., 1908-11-15
FINGERS ARE SWIFT
Great Speed Shozon Recently in
Tupewriting Contests.

The climax Of the annual business show, held in
Madison Square Garden. in the week Of October ls
| was reached SO far the interest OF the general
public was concerned when the competitive tests
| were held TO demonstrate who should the
crowns amateur and the worlds champion
| typewriter operators The capacity Of the Garden
WAS taxed the evening of October 20. when the
| judges called the competitors and gave the final
| instructions as to what would constitute fair
play" Nearly every prominent make OF type
writer was represented. and expert operators from
| America and Canada seated IN front OF the
key boards anxious 10 display their prowess. con-
scious ability brought TO high state OF perrec-
ton through constant practice and preparation.
The results OF the competitions in the nature
OF very strong Endorsement for the manufactur-
ers of the Underwood Typewriter. In the compett-
ton for the amateur championship OF America. out
OF All entry list OF thirteen the first operators
were users of this make. This especially graf
flying 10 the manufacturers for It tended TO en-
phasize their assertion that the Underwood is the
machine that readily mastered by the op-
OF average ability, and does not necessarily
have to depend upon the expert demonstrator to
prove it's superior qualities.
The first prize a gold medal. by l. II.
Coonbes OF Toronto Canada. with average
speed OF seventy-fve words a minute, and the sill
yer and bronze medals went Fred Jarrett also OF
Toronto, and Adelia NJ. Fowle. Of Denver. whose
score erds showed average speeds of seventy-one
and seventy words respectively. minute. The next
four places were taken by Ray I4e Pard, Toron-
tonan; Edith Varian Of Detroit; Minnie Muegge,
of Bayonne, N J., and T. ". Springmeyer. of New
York City. This quartet showed speeds OF from
sixty to sxty-three words a minute. These figures
represent the speeds of the operators after five
words had been deducted for each error made, and
II will be seen that the averages attained show
high order ability the part of the operators.
In talking on the subject, official Of the I'm
derwood company, said:
I'm the past it has been the custom in some
1eJ,y he bouyiOn de nv
one particular expert, whose business to
tain a high rate OF speed and whose record would
be sent out broadcast typical of what the
chine would do. But it takes something aside from
,ests ~ such q character accurately to gauge the
cana bilities Of typewriter when handled by
onerator possessing average ability and skill, and
in the competition which decided the amateur
chanonion ship Of America 1t Is than passing
significant that one make OF machine should take
the places IN composition with the other
machines entered
che Underwood is the typewriter that Miss Rose
I. Fritz the champion operator Of the world,
uses in all her tests and on the same evening
that the amateur championship was decided Miss
I>ritz in competition with the worlds fastest and
most EXPERT operators more demonstrated
that as a speed marvel she has peer. 1t is be
coming habit with this wonderfully versatile
voune woman TO win the championship, and for
one who sees her fingers flying over the keyboard
at the fastest recorded speed that human fingers
bava been known to travel and write correctly. it
makes one appreciate that machine possible OF
such speed must be mechanically and structuTsIly
right
1.-The non-user of typewriter can have little
realization OF the wear and tear upon it in the
course of ordinary business, spd it is In tho Saily
grind of the Office that the merit. OF the machine
stands out In large commercial houses. where the
number of typewriters in all the way
from three or four up to several hundred the best
machines only keep company. Nothing In the
vav of aids appliances that not of the high
est grade can hope TO survive"
In line with this. the following copy of a tee-
xrsm sent by the Underwood Typewriter Company's