All About Inventions and Discoveries
The Romance of modern scientific and mechanical Achievements

176 All About Inventions to write in printed letters at a higher speed than one could write by hand with the pen. It was not merely an inventor’s boast, because the circumstance had been proved by actual demonstration. In addition to publishing the article in a complete form, the American paper published an editorial comment, pointing out the great advantages of writing letters by mechanical agency, the benefits it would bestow upon mankind, and the huge fortune that would certainly accrue to the first man who successfully solved the problem. Glidden handed the paper on to Sholes, who was a keen thinker and possessed of a vivid imagination. The more he thought about the editorial suggestion, and the more he studied the description of Pratt’s invention, the more strongly he felt convinced of the accuracy of the editor’s opinion that wealth could be won in this direction. Sholes himself was not a mechanical man, but he decided to attack the issue. As Glidden had first suggested a machine for writing letters he was requested to enter the task, while Soule was also invited to participate. The three men discussed the project enthusiastic- ally, and suggestion after suggestion was advanced, to be threshed out by mutual criticism. Glidden, who was a man of fertile ideas, thought out a number of devices whereby the desired end might be achieved, as also did Soule. But it was found that the sug- gestions of the last-named were more practical and were preferred. By the time the idea had been reduced to the sketch stage it was found that the projected machine comprised the general suggestions of Glidden, the details of the mechanism as outlined