Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-08
tCouyr.sht. 1911. by Thomas d. Gsnnaway)

Copyright. 1911. by Thomas d. Gsnnawa5)
.NCLE SAM has just become the
proud possessor OF an auto
matte dampening machine for
dampenine paper for plate print
ing. Although plate printing
was invented in italy nearly 4oo Yeas
ago. but little change has been maae III
II The plate printer has had many VI
the same difficulties to contend WIN
through all the years. But as time mas
passed great progress has been mace III
the art of engraving plates from which
TO print.
-
The engraver has become more skillfu!
in producing smaller and moro artistic
lines in his plate: this. however. has
made II still more difficult for the printer
to reproduce the engravings upon paper.
The greatest obstacle he has met with in
all his career has been TO get his paper
In the proper condition for printing from
an engraved plate. Plate printing Is OF
such dificult nature that all OF 1t which
In of a particular character (such d.
paper currency has to be done by hano-
The printer after mixing his plate takes
q cloth and wipes 1t until tho INK - ap
narentiy all wiped OF: then he polishes 1t
with his naked hand. thus seeming 10 re-
move every particle or INK ne put upon
n But down in the hundreds OF very
dne depressions the ink still remains, dno
a IN this ink that the printer must get on
TO his paper. In order to do this saus1ac-
torily the paper must be Wet aho mt,
lowed TO a certain condition IL the print
inr In 10 be all alike, which Is very es-
ssnti.l in the case of paper money. every
sheet of paper must be moistened exacty
alike. Here Is where the plate printer
real difffculty lies. IT.,
IL the sheet Is mellowed 10 the lsn.
condition II will pick UP the proper amount
~ ink and the print will be perfect, put
should n be too soft it will absorb 700
much ink with disastrous results: On
the other hand. if too dry the PRINT y
pale and useless
-
MANY skilled mechanical minds nave
tried to overcome this difficulty and faii-
ed. Mr. Joseph T. Ralph. director OF inc
bureau of engraving and printing, anu vi.
BENJAMIN Stickney. his mechanical expert
and designer, claim to be the hrst men
to reach this goal. About year and d
half ago Mr. Ralph. after concluding that
the paper could be wet satisfactorily by
machinery called in Mr.. Stickney and
discussed the plan with him.
The latter set to work to perfect such
a machine He could not devote his en-
tire time 10 the work, there were other
mechanical features of the bureau TO be
looked after. Finally he submitted his de-
signs to Mr.. Ralph. who ordered 1t built.
Today II stands In the governments big
plate printing establishment, one of the
greatest machines know TO the plate
printing industry.
To obtain a concise idea of the extra
ordinary features of this machine. q brief
account of the approved method of wet
ting paper for plate printing at the time
OF the advent Of the automatic dampening
machine is Of value.
In what is known as the wetting divis-
ion OF the bureau Of engraving and print
ing a large number OF men are employed
20 dampeh about 10000 sheets of paper
per day. They used boards little larger
than thesheets Of paper for a starting
base. On this base was placed wet