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Typo: A Monthly Newspaper and Literary Review, Volume 3

[miscellaneous paragraphs]

South Islanders are blissfully ignorant of Maori. A contemporary publishes some rhymes about Te Kooti, in which that worthy's name is made to rhyme with « fruity » and « sooty. » The double o in Maori is equal to ō, and « Kooti » is the best attempt the native tongue can make at « Coates » which, in this case, is the name signified.

The East Portland (Oregon) Vindicator has a pleasant story of a plucky and skilful girl compositor. Until a few months ago, the foreman of the San Francisco Examiner peremptorily refused to permit a girl printer to work on that paper. Numerous applications were made, but he remained inexorable in his refusal to employ any but male compositors. During the latter part of last summer Miss Hattie Ross went to San Francisco for the purpose of securing employment. It was not long after her arrival when a printer, with whom she was well acquainted, had occasion to lay off a day or two, and he engaged Miss Ross to take his place during the interval. The foreman reluctantly consented to the arrangement, and the Oregon girl took her place as substitute at her friend's case. The foreman watched her with evident interest as the type travelled with extraordinary speed into her composing-stick. He went away, and returned several times, watching her intently. She paid no attention to anything except the work in which she was engaged, and next day, when the work of the forty compositors in the office was measured, she had the top string by several thousand ems. There was no more opposition to the young lady from Webfoot setting type in the Examiner office, and she now has steady employment. She made over $17 in two nights' work.

From Messrs J. C. Ayer & Co., of Lowell, Mass., we have received a copy bound in cloth, of their almanac for 1889, in twenty-one languages. Apart from its interest as a linguistic curiosity, this book is remarkable as a specimen of the publishing enterprise of the noted house by whom it is issued. First published in 1852, and then only in the English language, this work has now a world-wide fame, and is the most extensively-circulated of any almanac in the world. In the Australian colonies, there is scarcely a household where it is not known, and the accuracy of its astronomical matter is unsurpassed. The present issue (including all languages) is about fourteen millions, and the work is published gratuitously as an advertisement of the specifics produced by the firm. Happily, Typo has found no personal need either of « Ague Cure » or « Hair Vigor, » so cannot give experimental testimony as to the value of these preparations; but he can appreciate the enterprise displayed by the firm as a publishing house. Three tons of paper are consumed daily in printing the almanac. A machine has lately been built for the firm by which 100,000 almanacs per diem can be printed and folded ready for the binder. The machine turns off the books (32 pages each), four at a time, at the rate of 180 per minute, and consumes 25 miles of paper, 41½ inches wide, per day. The single line in red, which may be noticed at the foot of the pages, is added by a special printing cylinder with inking attachments, without additional expense, except for the colored ink. We have to congratulate this enterprising firm on the successful issue of a long struggle with the Canadian customs department. In 1885 the authorities in the Dominion seized $80,000 worth of goods, and made a claim against the firm of $500,000 for duties and penalties. Messrs Ayer resisted the demand, and after tedious litigation, extending over three years and seven months, the Chief Justice of Canada decided in favor of the manufacturers on every point, dismissed the actions brought by the Customs with costs, and ordered the restoration of the confiscated goods. (Perhaps a clever and highly-paid « expert » had discovered the alleged frauds!) The fine block of the zodiac at the head of this paragraph is one of the numerous illustrations specially engraved for Ayer's Almanac, and we are indebted to the kindness of the firm for our electrotyped copy.

The Central Typefoundry, Boston, has had a serious loss. A fire near the end of the year destroyed all the printed sheets of a type specimen-book which had cost many months of labor, and was to have been ready for issue with the new year.