ABSTRACT
Things could hardly have been worse for the infant Type Writer. Launched in 1874, it had to contend not only with a sceptical and apathetic public but also with a general economic depression which was destined to become even more acute before it finally let up. There were other pioneers, however, who influenced the typewriter independently and played at least as important a role as many of those already mentioned. Despite his total rejection of the original machine, Sholes continued to experiment and perfect other typewriters which he was convinced would outperform and outsell the Remington. And there were others, many others, whose legendary involvement with the typewriter is worth recording. Finally, a unique individual in typewriter history ought to be singled out — a man with the unimposing but not inappropriately anonymous name of Harry A. Smith.
