Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1917-03-16
DENVER MAN LOANED
GREAT INVENTOR 500

GREAT INVENTOR 800
The last issue of the Kemmerer
Republican published an interesting
story regarding the struggles OF Otto
Mergenthaler, while he was working I
out the details of his machine com
monty known as the linotype. which
is now in use in thousands OF print
shops turnout the world.
This story recalls to the mind of
the writer the fact that when he be-
gan as devil in a printing office in
Iowa in the spring of 1888, the pre-
valing opinion among the old time
printers was that Mr.. Mergenthaler
nor no other man would be able to
perfect type setting machine that
would come into practical use. How
ever. few years later, the Mergen-
thaler, as the machine was then cal
ed, began to replace hand compost
zion IN the large daily printing Of
fees, but the machines OF those days
were crude affairs as compared with
the almost human-iike intelligence of
those in operation today.
Another interesting incident in
connection with the linotype is. that
some time during the latter part OF
the sos the Mergenthaler company
offered to sell to the International
typographical union the right TO
manufacture the machine at a nom
inal figure. The offer was turned
down because the union at that time
did not believe 1t would be a profit
able investment. Had the typograph-
zeal union accepted the proposition.
today 1t would have been the wealth
lest labor organization In the world,
for the Mergenthaler Linotype com
pany now pays enormous dividends
besides paying the estate of Otto Mer-
genthaler a royalty of $50 on each
machine sold That this royalty
amounts to a neat sum each year is
evidenced by the fact that over 1000
linotypes were sold during 1915.
The Kemmerer Republicans story
is as follows:
William H. Milburn of Denver
was a visitor in Kemmerer during the
week. being connected with the Ma
tional Glass Casket company of that
pAdGGY q AGW OA Ahal RIOhA-
ises to revolutionize the coffin indus.
try.
Mr.. Milburn for many years follow
ed the printing business being a prac
teal man and has worked on some o.
the largest papers in the country, Il
which fact is attached an interesting
story. Until q few years ago he wal
superintendent of the Denver Post
but had retired until he became In
terested in the new casket invention
the possibilities of which once NOR,
stirred him into activity.
It was before 1870 that Mr.. Mil
burn was a printer on the New
York Herald and 1t happened that h
came in contact with one of the great
est inventors of the age. Otto Mer
genthaler. who invented the type o
composing machine with which tn
Republican Is produced. Mergenthal
er had a room in the top story of tn
beading house where Mr. Milburn liy
ed. but did not live there mainly 70
the reason that he was not able I
pay his board bill. and he had bee
cut off, by the landlady. Merger
thaler had made his room resembl
machine shop and a laboratory wit
his appliances that he was using i
making his afterward great inver
ton. Everyone about the boardin
house thought he was some fanati
and paid little attention TO him, unit
one evening Mr.. Milburn ran acroI
the inventor. who was hungry. and b