The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-01-22
PAPER WITH A WAITING LIST.
It Is For the Blind and the More IL
Circulates the More IL Loses.


or the $4,000 sightless persons in
America about $4,000 are able to
read blind printing. The fact that
| they are blind lessons in most in
| stances their earning capacity, and
| inasmuch as the making of reading
matter for them is a costly operation
il is practically impossible without
aid from wealthy people to supply
them with literature.
The Oldest newspaper for the blind
is published at College View, Neb.
1t is called the Christian RECORD, and
was founded at Battle Creek, Mich,
in 1900, by A. o. Wilson and his wife,
who were both blind.
Wilson did the editing, his wife
the printing and binding. Wilson has
since engaged in other business, but
his wife is still the composing room
force. Four years ago the plant was
moved to Nebraska.
IL began with circulation Of 100
copies. To-day 1000 copies are
printed each month, and there are
5000 names on the waiting list. These
are willing to pay the subscription
price, but the publisher is in the po-
sition of losing more money the more
subscribers he gets.
One sheet OF paper can carry but
one page of reading matter, since the
matter printed is read from the oppo-
site side from that upon which the
t. " k4 nj,
or book is bound it must be padded
at the back to allow for the raised or
embossed printing.
Blind printing has been In the pro-
cess of evolution since 1884, but only
within the last ten years has inven-
ton made it possible to place the re-
suits, either in book or magazine
form, at price that many OF the
blind could afford. A number of
printing establishments exist in the
United States, the largest being that
of the Matilda Zeigler Magazine in
New York, which has the largest cir
culation OF any printed. This is made
possible by the fact that Mrs. Zeigler
pays the excess of the cost above the
selling price, about $4,000 year.
In most establishments the work is
done by blind people. The editor
writes his copy with little machine
built on the principle OF the typewri-
ter, but so small that it can be held
on one knee, which embosses the let
ters. This copy Is turned over to the
compositor and the writing is repro
duced on a machine similar to the one
used by the editor except that 1t is
larger. about the size of a sewing ma
chine, and it makes the impression on
thin copper plates. A foot lever Is
used to force the points into the metal
plates. In some of the small shops
the impression is made by a tap on
an awl-like piece of steel.
When the metal sheets are finished
the compositor or the editor does the
proof-reading. If an error Is detected
1T is necessary to smooth down the
surface at that point, or If that is i'm
possible the plate must be made over
again. The mechanical difficulties in
volved make changes from copy very
infrequent.
The metal plates are next put in
the printing press on rollers. These
rest against other rollers holding rub
ber mats. The paper runs between,
and at each revolution the copper
plates force their impression through
the paper, turning out printed pages.
In the papers and magazines
printed for the blind very little fiction
is found. Some short stories appear,
but seldom any serial. While most
of the papers have a religious tinge,
they aim to give condensations of cur
rent events.
The College View publication has
wide range OF circulation. Nevada is
the only State not represented on its
subscription list, and copies go to
Canada, England, Australia and Mex