January 5 Saturday – In Hartford, Sam wrote a long letter of celebration and explanation to Orion Clemens about the Paige typesetter test at Pratt and Whitney Co.
At 12.20 this afternoon a line of movable types was spaced and justified by machinery, for the first time in history of the world! And I was there to see. It was done automatically — instantly — perfectly. This is indeed the first line of movable types that ever was perfectly spaced and perfectly justified on this earth.
Sam told how a speck of dirt in the type was allowed for by the machine, which fooled them all. Sam wrote that Livy was downstairs celebrating. He gushed,
All the other wonderful inventions of the human brain sink pretty nearly into commonplace contrasted with this awful mechanical miracle. Telephones, telegraphs, locomotives, cotton gins, sewing machines, Babbitt Babbage calculators, Jacquard looms, perfecting presses, Arkwright’s frames — all mere toys, simplicities! The Paige Compositor marches alone and for in the lead of human inventions.
In two or three weeks we shall work the stiffness out of her joints and have her performing as smoothly and softly as human muscles, and then we shall speak out the big secret and let the world come and gaze.
Return me this letter when you have read it. / Sam / ~[MTP].
Sam’s notebook also carries a similar message of success and lists the following individuals present:
J.W. Paige, the inventor; Charles [E.] Davis, Earll, Grohman, Mathematical assistants & mechanical experts. Bates, foreman; and S.L Clemens. This record is made immediately after the prodigious event [MTNJ 3: 441].
Daniel Whitford for Alexander & Green sent Sam an agreement to sign about a loan to “Mr. J.H.” [MTP].
Richard Malcolm Johnston wrote to Sam: “Thanky-do Sir for your favor of yesterday. It has given me much strength to my back. / Your arrangement of work is just such as I had made in my mind. But you must take the 60 & I the 50 minutes” [MTP].
Donn Piatt for Belford’s Magazine wrote to Sam asking “what works of prose fiction, you like best.” Sam wrote on the envelope, “No Answer” [MTP].
Players Club sent Sam a printed notice that members were reminded “visitors cannot be admitted to the Club House except by formal invitation of the House Committee.” Sam wrote on the envelope, “Drop a line to Palmer” [MTP].