The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-03-27

Here's a Story Of the Trip Of the Printed Word From the Time It Is
Written on the Reporters Typewriter Until It Is Printed
andinthe Hands of the Circulation Department .S

linotype. All Of the straight mat
ter or S-polnt Is set on tile linotype
machine. and much Of the medium
size type Is also set on these WON
derful machines, but the larger
sizes are still set by hand.
The linotype is a machine which
Is operated by means Of a key.
board. somewhat similar to a type
writer. Each touch Of a key re-
leases a bras matrix which lies in
a narrow channel, in an inclined
magazine. Each matrIx has a let
ter stamped into 1t on the back
edge. Almost a hundred OF the
capitals, small letters and punctu-
alton marks lie in these small
channel, parallel to each other,
about twenty matrices to the chan.
mel. When released. these drop
down On an inclined belt which
running swiftly. carries the brass
matrices down into a line assemb-
Ter. AS soon, as this line Is full, the
operator "Send It over" as he calls
II, meaning that 1t goes through
various elevators and channels un-
til 1t rests snugly against the flat
faced mouthpiece OF a metal pot
which holds about a gallon Of
molten metal. Inside OF this metal
pot is a small we'll which connects
with the %mouthpiece. This well
and mouthpiece look very much
like an ordinary crooked stem
pipe. While the matrices are
pressed tightly against the face Of
the mouthplece, a plunger Is re-
leased in the well, which forces the
molten metal up through tho pipH
stem as It were. out through the
perforated mouthptece into the
letters which are cut or stamped
into the back OF the matrices.
In an instant the metal has cool.
ed: and the mouthpiece automat.
ically withdraws from the stamp.
ed matrices. and the piece 81
cooled metal which bears the i'm,
print OF the matrices, by a series
of operations, simple, yet wonder
fully worked out Is trimmed off on
tho bottom SO as to be perfectly
smooth, the sides are trimmed off
evenly. and the slug, as It Is called,
Is, showed out OF It's cell into what
is called a stick. In the eantiine.
the original matrices has been
shuffled in and out through a Won
dorful complex series Of transfers,
and has been pushed out along the
top of the magazine 1t came out Of
on a distributor bar by means Of
a revolving screw. 1t holds to this
distributor bar by means of little
ears which slide IN shallow grooves
out in the bar, and at intervals of
about one fourth OF an inch certain
OF the ribs formed by the shallow
grooves are cut off. making a conf
bInation escapement. Each letter
has its own combination, and when
II comes directly over the channel
it came out OF. there Is nothing to
hold 1t on the bar, and 1t drops
back into Its own stall as one
might say, ready to be used in
casting up another line.
After the operator has a full
stick, which is about twelve inches
of type, he dumps 1t into a galley.
This Is a narrow metal box, open
at one end. with sides half an inch
tall, about two feet in length. and
three inches wide, composed Of
steel or brass. The galley boy
takes this, puts 1t on the proof
press. inks It with n rubber roller
on when he has smeared printers
ink and rolls a heavy roller cover
ed with felt over the type, which
gives a proof OF the type. This is
sent to the proof render who reads
1t very carefully. marks all mis-.
takes the composition made, and
sends 1t back for correction. After
1t is corrected, It is ready TO be