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

Romance of the Typewriter 185 and doubtless with visions of wealth untold they accepted with alacrity his offer to pilot the idea through its troublous early days. It was March, 1868, before Densmore saw the actual machine, despite the fact that he had already advanced the money for his interest some six months previously. When it came into his hands he point- blank declared it to be of no commercial value what- ever as then built, but was useful as showing the idea of being able to write letters in type. This was a decided set-back to the diligent toilers, and their faces fell. But Densmore reassured them, demon- strated the defects, and suggested how they might be overcome. This emphatic declaration appears to have disgusted Soule and Glidden, because they retired from the enterprise, and there and then declined to have any more to do with it. However, Sholes was a more determined type of man, and, also having a business turn of mind, recognised the justice of Densmore’s criticisms. Sholes stuck to the machine, and at Densmore’s suggestion built another, incorporating certain improve- ments which his colleague considered essential. Then a third machine was taken in hand to overcome some other defect. And so it went on, model after model being built, each representing a certain improvement upon its predecessor. Sholes found Densmore an exacting partner, but there was no alternative. When a model had been built Densmore turned it over to some person to operate it, and to submit it to the use which it would experience in the average office. The result was inevitable : each machine broke down from some cause or other. Then the succeeding model had