The ledger. [volume] (Gaffney City, S.C.) 1896-1907, February 16, 1904, Image 2
-work, and if you are in a mind to stay,
all right, and yon can have a job long
as I am in Imsines. But if you do go
and don’t like it, come back to Wash
ington, and I’ll give you a job.’ I he
determination to carry out the con
tract was complete, and from that hour
there was no <}uftstion about the right
or wrong of it. The train that loft
Washington that night carried, among
its other passengers, the boy who had
struggled between right and wrong.
Reaching Charlotte the next day the
order for the outfit with which to
print the paper was mailed to The
Dodson Printers’ Supply Co., of Atlan
ta. After spending two or three days
in Charlotte he came on to Gaffney,
arriving here January 30th, 1891.
In an old wooden building which
stood in the rear of where now stands
the Commercial Hotel w'as a dilapi
dated old newspaper outfit. This out
fit had served in Camden, Cheraw and
other places. It was practically use
less, except as old metal, and had come
into possession of its owners by rea
son of their having advanced money to
the gentleman who had last attempted
to run a newspaper in Gaffney. These
gentlemen had put in this old material
as part of the stock. It was at once
dumped into a box and shipped to the
tvpe foundry. The rear portion of Dr.
W B. DuPre’s drug store was rented
for an office and a partition erected to
cut off the drug store from the print
ing office, or vice versa. In a few’
days the material began to arrive.
With the assistance of Fitzhugh am.
Clester'Hopper the new material w’as
placed in position. A second hand
Prouty press was purchased. Outside
of the press a two-horse dray could
have hauled the entire outfit at one
load. The job press, type, etc., how
ever. had the advantage of being new
and with a good deal of hard work and
giving vent u) pent-up feelings ox
wrath we were enabled to get out a
creditable line of job work and a fairly
neat paper.
The first issue of The Ledger ap
peared ten years ago today. With the
exception of two times we have not
missed a single issue since it was
launched, and those two wore due to
a collapse of machinery. One remark
able thing is that we have missed very
few mails in all that time. We started
with a seven-column four-page paper
once a week at $1.50 a year. In a
short while we reduced the price to
$1.00 a year.
Prof. tt. O. Sams was the first edi
tor The Ledger had. The company
was chartered as the Limestone Print
ing and Publishing Co. R. O. Sams
was president, and he, together with
A. N. Wood, W. F. McArthur, F. G.
Stacy, J. E. Webster, and E. H. De-
Camp were the directors. Mr. Web
ster was secretary and treasurer.
When w’e look at the first issues of
the paper we can then realize the mag
nificent growth it has enjoyed. The
first issue contained but two columns
of advertising, and the advertisers
were: L. Baker, Carroll & Stacy, A. N.
Wood, Wilkins Bros., Wm. E. Wilson,
Carroll & Carpenter, W. B. DuPre and
Gaffney Brokerage Co., and a notice of
election and convention. Mr. A. N.
Wood was the mayor and Mr. N. H.
Littlejohn town clerk. There were
also a few reading notices advertising
Cook & Gaffney, Hall’s Catarrh Cure,
and H. E. Bucklen’s preparations. Now
no issue of the paper appears with less
than seven columns and some contain
as many as thirty columns of ads. An
other gratifying matter worthy of men
tion is that of the eleven advertisers
that started with the first issue ten
years ago, eight of them, or then suc
cessors, are still numbered among its
patrons and friends, the others
having gone out of business.
There must be something
in a business that can retain each
and every one of its initial patrons,
except those who retire from business,
for ten years..
In the initial number Prof. Sams, as
editor, wrote: “Its pages must be pure,
truthful, life-giving and life-inspiring,
helpful in every department of human
labor, commending men and measures
that would uplift, condemning what
would destroy life or turn it from the
path of duty.” How well the precept
laid down by Mr. Sams has been fol
lowed by his successors we leave it to
our readers to judge.
As a matter of fact, we started off
with a very scanty subscription list.
It was practically impossible to get a
man to pay for the paper in advance.
There had been half a dozen attempts
at establishing a paper at Gaffney and
each had enjoyed a more or less brief
existence and then perished, so every
body was afraid to pay in advance for
fear they would lose their money.
We continued in the usual trend of
a new newspaper enterprise. The
first year there was a Joss of about
four hundred dollars, and the second
year the paper about made expenses.
On the 27th of January, 1897, Ed. H.
DeCamp leased the outfit from the di
rectors. Prof. H. P. Griffith was later
engaged as- editor, and his vigorous
style and correct English established
a reputation for the paper.
In 1900 the State Baptist Conven
tion was held in Gaffney and Th.e Led
ger performed the remarkable fear of
getting out a daily newspaper for an
entire week with a weekly outfit.
Later on Prof. Griffith resigned as ed
itor. The paper was loser by his with
drawal. The present editor undertook
the task. We will not attempt to say
whether or not his work has been ac
ceptable.
Beginning January 1st, 1901, The
Ledger adopted the cash-in-advance
system for its subscription list. Pre
vious to that time it had a circulation
of about 1000. The new system cut
its list almost in two, L it the people
have continued to rejoin its list until
now it enjoys a circulation of nearly
1500, every subscriber being paid in
advance. We discontinue promptly all
subscriptions at their expiration, and
the people have become accustomed to
the idea and many declare that it is
the only proper way to run a paper.
We have lately installed a linotype
machine for the purpose ,f doing our
composition. We will not attaupt to
ciercribe it in our own terms, but in
the terms of those who are better ac
quainted with this marvelous machine
than we are.
Our Linotype.
Years of continuous experiment and
the expenditure of a million dollars
were required for the invention of the
Mergenthaler Linotype. The linotype
is pronounced by The London Engi
neering to be “the most rema ’kabie
machine of this century.” Its inven
tion and introduction are effecting a
revolution in the business of printing
newspapers and books which is
scarcely second in importance to the
wonders wrought by electricity.
It marks the first and only success
ful departure from the long-established
forms of type composition. The last
great Improvement was the production
of a machine in which the linotypes
wore produced instantly and ready for
use on the press by the mere fingering
of keys like those of a typewriter, the
keys serving to assemble in line metal
matrices bearing individual letters,
The machine contains as its leading
members a large number of # small
brass matrices. The cut of one of
these matrices looks like the letter
Y. and Is to be seen among the cuts il
lustrating this article.
These matrices consist each of a
flat plate, having in its vertical edge
a female letter or matrix, (a), and in
There are a number of matrices for |
each letter or character represnted in
the keyboard.
mils a single matrix, bearing the cor-
r< -pending character to fail out of the
mouth of the magazine and downward
through the channels (E), to an In
cline traveling belt (F), by which the
matrices are carried downward one af
ter an her, and delivered into the
slotted assembling block (G), in which
they are set up or composed side by
side in a line or row as repesented in
Figs. 5 and <!. A stationary box (H)
contains a series of spaces (1), and a
! against which the slugs or linotypes
were cast in type metal.
This machine, known to-day in every
part of the world as the linotype, is
now extensively made in factories in
the United States. England, and Cana
da, giving employment to many hun
dreds of men. The machine is used on
more than five humireu of the leading
dailies of the world. Over five thous
and machines are constantly in use
throughout the world, and by numer
ous book and job printers.
Operated by a single person, the ma
chine produces and assemble! lino
types ready for the press, or stereo
typing table, at the rate of from 3,000
to 7,50u ems per hour.
The linotype produces finished mat
ter of the highest quality. It permits
the face or style to be changed at will.
It permits the operator to read and
correct his matter as he proceeds, thus
avoiding the usual errors in correction.
Any person of intelligence can, in a
few days, become a good operator, and
in a few’ weeks an expert
The machines were intrdcTn^ed in a
printing cfilco in ICSC and :.>c still
in successful daily use. It - wan djrcided,
however, to follow the development
and improvement of the invention as
far as possible. The action of the ma
chines was carefully watched for
months, the requirements of the print
ing office studied, and the advice of
skilled printers sought in all direc
tions. In the light of the information
thus gained the machine was modified,
improved, increased in capacity and
made adjustable or convertible to meet
every demand. New shops were built,
new tools and machinery devised and
the manufacture inaugurated on the
“interchangeable” system, which has
given American watches their great
reputatior. The result is the present
standard linotype, a machine marvel
ous in speed, in the quality of its pro-
Ol'K PRKSKNT HOM1C.
The machine is organized to select
matrices bearing the required charac
ters, anil set them up in line side by
side, with intervening spaces, in the
order in which they are to appear in
print, as shown in Fig. C, and thereaf-
delivery device connected with a fin
ger bar (F) by which the spaces are
discharged and permitted to fall into
the line at their proper places. Thus
it is that, by operating the keys, the
i required matrices and spaces are de
ter to present the line to a mold so
that the linotypes or slugs may be
cast against the entire line of mat
rices at one operation.
The operations are affected by a
mechanism such as shown in Fig. G,
which represents in outline the princi-
, pal parts of the machine. (A) is an
livered one after another and assen
bled in line in the block (G), until
contains all the characters necessar
to complete one line of print. Aftt
the line of matrices is thus compose
it is transferred, as shown by the a
rows in Fig. G and Fig. 7, to the fac
of a verticle mold wheel (K), throug
Ol'k FIRST nOM'.i
duct, and in the perf ction and action
of its parts. The principal iactory is
located on Ryerson street. Brooklyn,
N. Y., and the offices of the company
are located in the Tribune Building,
New York City.
The linotype is not a typesetting ma
chine in the ordinary sense of the
word. On the contrary, it is > rue Vine
which being operated by fing'-r keys
like a typewriter, c ’eates or produces
type matter ready for use on the press
or stereotyping rabio.
The machine shown in Fig. 1 marks
a wide departure from *’'e ordinary
method of using single )!■• 1 mr t v pe.
It produces and assembles sme by ]de
metal bars or slugs, as she •*' ii : g. 2.
each the length and width of a line of
type, and having< n t- • upper edge the ;
type characters to p-int an entire line.
These bars, having t’”' aupearanco of
solid lines of type, ; uswe.ing the
*same purpose, are culled “linotypes.”
When assembled side by side as
shown in Fig. 3, they constitute jointly
a “form” composed of ordinary type,
and adapted to be used in the same
manner. After being used the lino- 1
types are returned to the melting pot
to be recast into other lines, thus do
ing away with distribution.
The production of the linotypes la
effected as follows:
inclined stationary magazine or holder, which a slot or mold proper extends
it i.ii ' channels in which the as- from th.e front to the rear face, as
<I f ces are stored. The mat- shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The entirfe
i ice ’1 to slide downward out of row of characters in the line is pre-
the m?g iziue by reason of their grav- seated directly opposite the face of
ity. hut they are held in check by es- the mold or slot, as shown in Fig. 7,
o iments (B), ono at the mouth of so that the mold is filled with metal to
ouch channel From these escape- produce a slug or linotype, the metal
meats, rods (C) are extended down- 1 will flow into the matrices, which pro-
Fig. 5-
wards to a sorieg of finger-keys (D).
There is a special key for each charac
ter or letter. The keys are depressed
by the operator in the order in which
the corresponding characters are to
appear in print. *
Each time a key Id actuated it per-
duce their respective type characters
in relief on the edge of the casting.
Behind the mold wheel there Is ar
ranged a pot (M), In which type metal
is maintained in a molten condition by
a flame from the gas burner (N)
thereunder. The pot has a delivery
mouth or channel adapted to fit
against and close the r«“ar face of the
mold. Within the pot there is mount-
d a mechanically operated pump
plunger (G>. After the line of mat
rices are lifted to the distributor, and
1 are transferred laterally to the box
or holder (H), to be used again.
The distribution of the matrices to
i their proper channels is effected by
A Matrice
Fig 4
ami across the face of the mold, the | follows:
mouth of the pot is closed against the
rear side of the mold, and after the
plunger then operated to force the
molten metal from the mouth of the
111^^1104.11.10111 WJL v> A. LI CLLltJ
Each matrix has teeth (b) arranged
in a peculiar order or number, accord
ing to the letter which it bears. In
i other words, a matrix bearing any giv-
Fig 5
|K)t into the mold, in which it solidi
fies, completing the slug or linotype.
After the linotype is thus produced
the mold wheel makes a partial revo
lution, turning the mold slot from the
horizontal position in which it stood
during the casting operation to the
vertical position shown in Fig. 8.
While the mold stands in this posi
tion, a horizontal blade (P) advances
from the rear and pushes the linotype
en letter differs, as to the number or
arrangement of its teeth, from a mat
rix bearing any other letter, and these
tt-eth are relied upon as the means for
effecting distribution. As shown in
Figs. G and 9, a rigid metal bar (T),
is fixed in position above the open
upper ends of the magazine channels
and is formed at its lower edge with
longitudinal teeth or ribs, (t), adapted
to engage the teeth of the matrices and
fF%U' i?l
-r. v~-i -
'—■ iMm
HPEL
F'g 6
forward out of the mold and between
trimming knives into the galley (Q)
on the front of the machine. A vi
brating arm (R) advances the lino
types one after the other along the
galley, into which they are thus as
sembled side by side in column form,
as shown in Fig. 8,ready for immediate
use.
After the assembled matrices have
answered their purpose in front of the
mold it is necessary to distribute and
return •them to th«s magazine, from
which they are ag^ disclra.rged in
hold the latter in suspension. The
ribs of the distributor bar vary in
number and arrangement at different
points in its length, there being a
special arrangement over the mouth
of each channel of the magazine. The
matrices to be distributed are simply
pushed horizontally along the bar at
one end so as to hang suspended there
from, and then moved slowly along it
over the mouths of the channels. Each
matrix will remain in engagement
with and be suspended from the teeth
of the bar until it arrives over its
Fig 7
differont order for use in succeeding
lines.
Aften the casting operation the line
of matrices having answered their pur
pose, is lifted vertically as indicated
by dotted lines in Fig. 6, and then
proper channel, where the arrange
ment of teeth permits the matrix to
disengage so that it falls directly in
to the channel. This falling action of
certain matrices into their respective
channels, while other matrices are
MOLD
EJECTOR PUSHING P
LINOTYPE FROM
MOLD TO GALLEY
ftECEiVINc '
GALLtY
LINOTYPES
READY FOR USE
ARM TO CARRY
SLUGS OVER IN
GALLEY
shifted laterally until the teeth en
gage the teeth of the plate (R). This
plate then rises as indicated by dot
ted lines, lifting the entire lino of
matrices to the distributing mechan
ism at the top of the magazine. The
spaces remain behind when the mat-
Fig 8
continuing their course along the bar
to their proper points of delivery. t»
clearly shown In Fig. 9. The move
ment of the matrices is effected by
means of longitudinal screws (U),
which He below the distributor bar in
position to engage the edges of the
matrices and slide them along the bar.