The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-06-12
Memorial to Christopher Latham ShOles Pho
neer Editor and Inventor, Unveiled in
Milwaukee Today.
WAS INVENTOR OF TYPEWRITER
Kenoshans Recall How Sholes Was Reported to Have
Worked on His Model While Resi-
dent of This City.

machine from which has come the
modern typewriter. These traditions
have always declared that while he
was in Kenosha he had started the
plans for the typewriter, which plans
he put into effect in Milwaukee.
Daughter Unveils Monument.
The unwilling ceremony was attend
ed by several persons whose names are
identified with Sholes and his inven-
ton Prominent among these was
Mr.. Charles E. Weller of La Porte,
Ind, one of the few survivors Of the
intimate friends of Sholes, through
whose untiring efforts as Secretary
and Treasurer of the Sholes Monument
Commission of the National Short
hand Reporters Association the idea
of this monument has become real
ity. He was the friend to- whom
Sholes sent his first experimental
model for practical testing in Janu-
airy, 1868, date which clearly estab-
fishes the fact that Mr.. Weller was
the original typist.
The monument was unveiled by Mrs.
Charles L. Fortier of Milwaukee,
daughter of the inventor. Mrs. For
tier was the original woman typist,
forerunner of millions of her sex. Z AS
Miss Lillian Sholes she operated one
Of her fathers experimental models
-in 1872.
Completed in Milwaukee
Sholes and his co-worker Charles
Glidden, began their inventive iabo.s
on the typewriter in little machine
shop in Milwaukee in the summer of
the year 1857. After six years of ar
duous work, during which time near
ly thirty experimental models were
built, Sholes finally evolved practi-
cal writing machine, the manufacture
of which wars begun by E. Remington
& Sons, the well-known gun-makers
of Ilion, N. Y, in the fall of 1878.
The Fiftieth Anniversary Of this his
toric event was celebrated at Ilion
last September.
Sholes died in Milwaukee on Feb
ruary II, 1890. Before his death the
typewriter had already become prom
inent factor in the worlds business,
and he lived long enough to witness
the beginnings of that great social re-
volution achieved by the writing ma
chine, namely, the entrance of women
into business life. Sholes, in his clos
ing years, always spoke of the in
fluence of the writing machine in
furthering the economic independence
of women as the most important serv-
ice rendered by his invention.
Speaker Praises Work
A xor4 &c Az aaro,,oax, of +Lo ,,,,1
yelling was an address by Alan c..
Reilly of New York, broadcasted Fri
day night from the Marquette Univer-
sity Station. In the course of his re-
marks Mr.. Reilly said:
Although 1t now is more than
fifty years since Sholes produced his
invention, it is a fact of deepest his
toric interest that the ceremony here
tomorrow will be attended by number
of persons who are intimately identi-
| Ned with. the inventor and his work.
And it is even more remarkable that
among these will be included the first
man and the first woman to operate
typewriters. The original typist is
Charles E. Weller, LIZ Porte, Ind. 1t
was to Weller that Sholes sent his
first experimental model for practical
tipping in. 1868.
'The first woman typist, forerunner
of millions Of her sex, also will be
present She is Mrs. Charles l.. For
tier, Milwaukee, daughter of the in
ventor. She operated one of her
fathers models in 1872.
Mrs. Fortier relates, according to
Mr.. Kelley, a death-bed statement of
her father, when she told him how
wonderfully he had contributed to the
progress of the world through the in
vention of the typewriter, Sholes is
! said to have replied:
Il do not know about the world, but
| feel have done Something for the
women who have always had to work
SO hard. This will enable them more
easily to earn living"