The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1910-03-22

chanical contrivances for moistening and AZ
liking postage stamps, but this Is unnecessary
because governmental mall is transmitted
der frank in penalty envelopes, which are
impressed at the time of manufacture with
that dead head" inscription in the upper
right-hand corner which answers In lieu OF
postage stamps.
1t Is significant that the demands Of the
government service for mechanical aids for
economical business administration has be-
stirred many inventive minds among the fed
eral employees. In some instances government
officials have found It most satisfactory to
have the manufacturers of book typewriters
adding machines and other standard ONCE
helpers simply vary or modify their stock
models in order to meet the specific require
ments of the government service, but in other
cases men on Uncle Sans payroll have in
vented apparatus that was adopted in pref
erence to anything evolved by outside experts.
notable case In point is the new style card
punching machine invented by James Powers.
mechanical expert In the service of the depart
ment of commerce and labor-a type of semi
automatic apparatus that will be employed for
compiling the greatest card index in the his
tory of the world, namely the federal census
Of 1910, which will require more than 100000.
600 individual cards. Other examples of the
products of inventive genius when bestirred
in behalf Of the government are found In tho
unique numbering machines at the United
States bureau OF engraving and printing
sort of gigantic outgrowth of the familiar
hand dating machine found almost every
office desk The machines designed and con-
structed for the treasury department not only
print in red ink but set their own type and
number consecutively from l to 1.000. 000, 900.
The fattop desk. with Its numerous con-
veniences not to mention sanitary advan-
tages. is rapidly gaining vogue in ofncialdom
as in the business world As specimens OF
costly furniture the desks of most of our pub
lie men will not bear comparison with the
massive mahogany pieces to be found in some
banks and in the offices of some wealthy cor:
porations. but your progressive public man
has his desk equipped with all those attach
ments which grease the grooves for high ten
sion work There Is q swinging stand to shit
the typewriter out of the way when the ma
chine Is not in use; balanced arm. adjust
able In all directions. that lifts the telephone
aside when 1t Is not needed: special desk
lamps that focus their rays on the work while
sheltering the eyes Of the worker from the
glare. and rubber stamps with clockwork
attachment, which print not only the date but
the hour at which each letter or report has
been received or been given attention The
improved pencil sharpeners and the cutting
devices which open = whole packase Of let
tiers at one sweep by clipping the ends OF the
CORY Of time savers. So. likewise do the vart
GUS forms Of printing telesraphs which record
orders or bulletins simultaneously at various
points.
The newest wrinkle In the conduct Of
Uncle Sans business estAblishment-namely
the scheme for purchasing the supplies for all
the government departments at Washington
through one general purchasing agency-is
expected to bring to tho attention OF our pub
lie ofhcials many new once appliances and
numerous Improvements on old devices de
signed to adapt them to governmental require
ments With Uncle Sans purchases thu
Jumped the contracts to be awarded will b.
enough to stir inventors and manufacturer
to the greatest energy in producing noveltie,
that federal of1cials will include In their ONCE
Installations. The central purchasing agency
viii also insure quality in all supplies b,
means of thorough tests. It II safe to say tina
under this new regime there viii be no repeti
tons Of the experience Of the oflcial who re
Gently ruined more than $50 worth of rubber
stamps through the use Of a new "quick-dry
ing" which he had not had an opportunity t
try out ere 1t was introduced in his Offices