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Comptometer Newspaper and Magazine Articles

Introduction
Articles by Dorr E. Felt
Articles about the development of calculators
Articles about the Comptometer factory
Articles about Dorr E. Felt and his family
Articles relating to Dorr E. Felt's political activities
Articles relating to Felt & Tarrant court cases
Short articles from around the world relating to the Comptometer

There are many online archives of newspapers and magazines. On this page I will show various articles and extracts about or related to the Comptometer and Felt & Tarrant that I have found in such online archives and other online sources. If you find any others in the archives of your own country, then please let me know at mechcalc a t jaapsch d o t net.

These articles and extracts are shown here for educational and research purposes only, and no copyright infringement is intended. If you are the copyright owner of any article, and object to its presence here, let me know.
I have in some cases rearranged the layout of the text for the sake of readability, for example placing columns of text from different pages side by side in the same image, or splitting a single long column into two.

Advertisements from newspapers and magazines can be found on the Comptometer Advertisements page.

Articles by Dorr E. Felt

Felt's articles about politics can be found in the section of articles relating to Dorr E. Felt's political activities.

Practical Arithmetic, written by Dorr Felt.
(1893-04 Office Men's Record)

Mechanical Arithmetic, written by Dorr Felt.
(1893-11-11 SciAm)

Mechanical Arithmetic, written by Dorr Felt. This is the same article as the above, but from a different magazine and at a larger resolution.
(1893-12 Stone magazine)

The Man Who Can Sell Me Goods, a 4-page article by Dorr E. Felt about his experience with salesmen.
(1909-05 System magazine)

A Distinguished French Inventor, article translated from French by Dorr Felt.
(1920-08 Office Appliances)

Articles about the development of calculators.

A Mechanical Figurer, Leon Bollee's calculating machine.
(1896-01-19 The San Francisco call)

Adding and Calculating Machines, by G.M. Beach, an 8-page article about the history of mechanical calculators.
(1906 Business magazine)

Counting and Counting Machines, by J. Watkin Kinniburgh, a short article describing and comparing some of the calculating machines in use at the time.
(1906-09-01 Progress, New Zealand)

The Complete Cost-Keeper, a book by Horace Lucian Arnold, describes the Comptometer and the Comptograph.
(1907, Engineering Magazine Press, New York)

Nicholson On Factory Organization and Costs, a book by Jerome Lee Nicholson, describes 16 calculating machines in use at the time.
(1909, Kohl Technical Publishing Co, New York)

The Non-Listing Adding Machine and Its Uses, by George C. Owens, a promotional article about the Comptometer.
(1909-06, The Government Accountant, Vol 3, No. 2.)

Cost keeping and Management Engineering, a book by Halbert Gillette & Richard T Dana, describes various calculating machines used in business.
(1909)

How the Comptometer Grew - and Why, by T. Jay Wright, a 4-page advertorial article about the development of the Comptometer.
(1911-12 System magazine)

The Romance of the Macaroni Box, about the invention of the Comptometer.
(1914-02-12 Kyneton Guardian, Victoria)

Machinery as an Aid to Accountancy, a published lecture by Lawrence R Dicksee, compares the Comptometer and the Burroughs machine.
(1916-04-05)

Business Costs, by DeWitt Carl Eggleston and Frederick B. Robinson, has a chapter on mechanical aids that describes the Comptometer.
(1921, D. Appleton & Co.)

The Accountant's Dictionary, by Francis William Pixley, has an entry on Office Machines that includes the Comptometer.
(1921, Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd.)

Donation of the Macaroni Box prototype model to the Smithsonian.
(1937-04-01 The Reading Eagle)

Donation of the Macaroni Box prototype model to the Smithsonian.
(1937-10 Nation's Business)

New exhibits at The National Museum of the U.S.A. include the Macaroni Box prototype Comptometer.
(1938-04-26 The Evening News, Queensland)

The History of Computing, Part 5 - William Burroughs - Growth of Statistics Spawns Invention.
(1981-08-24 Computerworld)

Rekenen met Raderen (Calculating with gears), a Dutch article about the history of mechanical calculators.
(1987-02-12 NRC Handelsblad)

Inventing the 19th Century, by Stephen van Dulken, describes the development of the Comptometer.
(2001)

Articles about the Comptometer factory

An article about the parts elevator in the Felt & Tarrant factory.
(1910-01 System magazine)

The in-house photography studio of Felt & Tarrant.
(1914-05-07 The Iron Age)

Another note about the parts elevator in the Felt & Tarrant factory.
(1914-12 Factory magazine)

Plans to expand the Felt & Tarrant factory in Chicago.
(1920-08 Office Appliances)

The Felt & Tarrant factory.
(1950-05-04 Chicago Tribune)

Articles about Dorr E. Felt and his family

Mr. and Mrs. Dorr E. Felt have difficulty travelling by boat from Hawaii back to the mainland.
(1907-03-06/07 The Pacific commercial advertiser)

Portrait of Felt's four daughters, and about landlords refusing families with children.
(1907-05-05 Chicago Tribune)

Mr. and Mrs. Dorr E. Felt get caught in political unrest while on holiday in Turkey.
(1909-04-25 New-York tribune / The Washington times / The sun)

A 1918 biography of Dorr E. Felt
(1918 Appleton's cyclopædia of American biography)

Builders of Business, by Lyman Anson, is a portrait of Dorr E. Felt.
(1921-02 System)

Felt's obituary.
(1930-08-30 Chicago Tribune)

Articles relating to Dorr E. Felt's political activities

Felt reports from the political unrest in Turkey while on holiday.
(1909-05-13 Chicago Tribune)

Felt's statement to the House of Representatives over trust regulation bill.
(1914-04-29)

Felt opposes amendments to trust regulation bill.
(1914-06-14 Chicago Tribune)

Review of Is Organized Labor Slipping?, a pamphlet by Dorr E. Felt.
(1914-12 Factory magazine)

Labor Leaders Call Child Labor Civilization Blot, Felt opposes child labor bill.
(1915-04-13 The Day Book)

Dorr E. Felt appointed director of Regional Industrial Commission
(1918-07 Office Appliances)

Dorr E. Felt appointed to study labor relations in Great Britain.
(1919-01/02 The Washington herald / New-York tribune / Office Appliances)

Dorr Felt reports on British post-war business conditions.
(1919-03-07 Evening star / 1919-06 Office Appliances)

College Made Utopias and Labor Unrest, an 8-page booklet on labor relations by Dorr E. Felt    (PDF, 2.85 MB or archive.org)
(1919-06-24, probably self-published)

Reactions to Felt's College Made Utopias and Labor Unrest
(1919-11-06 New-York tribune / 1919-11-13 Grand Forks herald, North Dakota)

Dorr E. Felt against excess profit tax
(1920-02-02 The Sun and the New York herald)

Theory and Unrest, an article on labor relations by Dorr E. Felt
(1920-01 Office Appliances)

Dorr E. Felt Against Tariff Wall
(1921-08 Office Appliances)

Articles relating to Felt & Tarrant court cases

John P. Bell vs. Dorr E. Felt et al.
(1902 Illinois Court)

Felt et al. vs Bell
(1903-10-26 Northeastern Reporter)

Result of litigation with the Mechanical Accountant Co.
(1906-05-10 Omaha daily bee)

Court case between Felt & Tarrant and the Mechanical Accountant Co.
(1906-05-14 The Morning Oregonian)

Comptograph Company vs Adder Machine Company
(1914-02-02)

Comptograph Company vs Adder Machine Company
(1914-02-02)

Result of a court case between Felt & Tarrant and Burroughs.
(1915-04-13 Algemeen Handelsblad)

Result of litigation with Burroughs Adding Machine company
(1915-04-12 Albuquerque morning journal, New Mexico))

Burroughs Adding Machine Company vs Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company
(1917-04-10)

A silly court case.
(1948-06-08 The Toledo Blade / 1950-07-29 La Stampa)

Short articles from around the world relating to the Comptometer

Australia

Announcement of a new calculating machine.
(1888-11-15 The Maitland Mercury, NSW)

Announcement and description of the Comptometer.
(1892-02-29 Riverine Herald, NSW)

Announcement and description of the Comptometer.
(1892-03-05 Leader, Melbourne)

Attempt to classify the Comptometer as a scientific instrument, for import tax purposes.
(1894-01-04 The Argus, Melbourne)

Comptometer temporarily classified as a scientific instrument, for import tax purposes.
(1894-01-08 The Argus, Melbourne)

Mutual Assurance Society acquires and trials the first Comptometer.
(1894-01-09 The Argus, Melbourne)

Puff piece about Mutual Assurance Society's trial of the first Comptometer.
(1894-01-13 Wagga Wagga Express, NSW)

Satirical piece about the first Comptometer.
(1894-01-19 The Broadford Courier, Victoria)

Opinion piece on the Comptometer.
(1901-10-19 Leader, Melbourne)

Exhibition by Mr Peacock of various machines, including the Comptometer.
(1909-09-01 Kalgoorlie Miner, WA)

Lecture on "Labour-saving Tools for the Accountant" to the Incorporated Institute of Accountants.
(1909-11-25 The Argus, Melbourne)

Another exhibition by Mr Peacock of various machines, including the Comptometer.
(1910-03-02 The Telegraph, Brisbane)

The Australian census, where Comptometers are used amongst other machines.
(1911-04-08 The Australasian, Melbourne)

Postmaster General approves the buying of two Comptometers for £120.
(1912-05-21 The Advertiser, Adelaide)

Opinion piece about how machines are taking over men's work.
(1913-03-05 The Border Morning Mail, NSW)

Article about various labour-saving machines in the office.
(1913-06-25 Newcastle Morning Herald, NSW)

Speed Comptometer competition, held at Peacock Bros.
(1925-10-29 The Age/The Argus, Melbourne)

Comptometer Operating Record
(1925-11-05 The Age/The Argus, Melbourne)

Comptometer Operating Record
(1925-11-11 The Brisbane Courier, Queensland)

Women and Figures
(1925-11-14 Chronicle, Adelaide)

Comptometer to be bought for £97 by the transit committee.
(1926-09-01 Daily Standard, Brisbane)

A humourous exchange in court.
(1926-09-17 News, Adelaide)

Careers for Girls in Modern Business
(1928-09-12 The Daily News, Perth)

How it was done - Then and now
(1933-01-05 Western Mail)

Miscalled mayoral election results and a correction.
(1937-04-26/28 The Telegraph, Brisbane)

New Zealand

Announcement of a new calculating machine
(1888-11-07 The Evening Star / 1888-12-14 Bruce Herald)

Description of the Comptometer
(1894-01-20 Evening Star)

A Comptometer was imported into Australia
(1894-01-20 Southland Times)

Advantages of the Comptometer
(1905-10-25 Otago Witness)

Desciption of Comptometer with Duplex key action.
(1905-11-18 New Zealand Herald)

Lecture by Mr Peacock
(1912-06-29 Dominion)

New Zealand Post and Telegraph Department gets organised
(1913-05-03 Free Lance)

Opinion piece about how machines are taking over men's work.
(1913-05-03 North Otago Times)

United Kingdom

Announcement of a new calculating machine.
(1888-10-05 The Cambrian)

Demonstration of the Comptometer and Burroughs machines.
(1894-03-17 South Wales Daily News)

U.S.A

A Patent Lightning Calculator, describing the Comptometer.
(1888-09-10 Omaha daily bee)

A Chicago Genius Invents a Marvelous Calculating Instrument.
(1888-10-31 Mower County transcript)

The Census by Machine, describing the Comptometer, Comptograph, and Tabulating Machine
(1890-01-20 Daily Alta California)

Everyday Science, descriing the Comptometer and Comptograph
(1890-02-02 Pittsburg dispatch)

The Assessed Valuation of the City Will be Over Twenty Millions.
(1890-09-11 The Helena independent)

Automatic Adding and Recording, describes the Comptograph.
(1891-06-14 Pittsburg dispatch)

Done by Machinery, a pensions agent uses the Comptometer
(1891-08-25 Omaha daily bee)

Washington pension department uses a Comptometer
(1891-11-23 Pittsburg dispatch)

Havercamp & Clark acquire a Comptometer
(1893-01-17 Deseret evening news)

Comptometer used in the construction of a US war ship.
(1893-11-19 Omaha daily bee)

The civil service commission holds an examination for the position of operator of the Comptometer.
(1894-08-16/18 Evening star)

County Treasurer and County Recorder acquire Comptographs.
(1897-04-03 The Coeur d'Alene press, Idaho)

Auditors trial the Comptometer.
(1898-10-14 Jasper Weekly Courier)

County Clerk acquires a listing adding machine for $375.
(1899-05-21 The Salt Lake herald, Utah)

County Clerk acquires a Comptometer.
(1901-12-06 Red Bluff News, California)

A Comptometer bought for $125 at the Commissioner's Court.
(1903-11-13 Hillsboro Independent)

Entries for the Comptograph and Comptometer in a business compendium.
(1905 Tools of Business)

A miscalculation causes an overpayment.
(1908-01-20 Albuquerque morning journal, New Mexico)

Computing Device Fully Explained, clerks of the Bureau of Calculations get Comptometer instruction
(1908-03-15 The Washington times, Washington DC)

Sawyer Lumber Co. uses a Comptometer
(1911-03-31 Door County Democrat)

Wartime humour
(1915-01-19 The day book, Chicago)

Wartime humour
(1915-07-19 The Tacoma times, Washington)

Valand Gamble "The Human Comptometer"
(1917-03-29 Daily Illini)

Various tables that accommodate the Comptometer
(1917-04 Office Appliances)

About Herbert E. Robbins, the U.K. representative of Felt & Tarrant
(1917-05/06 Office Appliances)

Herbert E. Robbins and the UK branch of Felt & Tarrant.
(1917-07 Typewriter Topics)

A table that accommodate the Comptometer
(1917-12 Office Appliances)

Proposed series of speed contests around the country
(1918-02 Office Appliances)

Felt & Tarrant display window
(1918-03 Office Appliances)

Herbert E. Robbins has to move due to the war
(1918-04 Office Appliances)

Genevieve Deasy sets world speed record on the Comptometer
(1918-04-22 The Sacramento Star, California)

Felt & Tarrant hold big convention.
(1918-07 Office Appliances)

More on Felt & Tarrant's big convention
(1918-08 Office Appliances)

Genevieve Deasy on training the fingers on the Comptometer
(1919-01-14 The Evening Sun, Baltimore Maryland)

Photo of Comptometer booth at London office exposition
(1920-07 Office Appliances)

Olsen's "Arrow" Comptometer desk
(1920-12 Office Appliances)

A Striking Booklet From England, about Herbert E. Robbins's new promotional booklet for the Comptometer, titled "A Great Step Forward".
(1921-04 Office Appliances)

First French Tabulating Machine Contest
(1921-06 Office Appliances)

The "Acme" Comptometer desk.
(1921-06 Office Appliances)

New Jobs Created By Comptometers
(1922-12-03 The Washington times, Washington DC)

Portrait of Fred Niemann, inventor who had worked for Felt & Tarrant for 50 years.
(1942-10-01 Chicago Tribune)

Article about the best ad photography which includes a Felt & Tarrant war bonds ad.
(1944-11 Popular Photography)

Report on Felt & Tarrant director's plans to revitalise the ailing company.
(1957-04-14 Chicago Tribune)

Salesmen's dirty tricks.
(2009, Birth of a Salesman - The Transformation of Selling in America, by Walter A Friedman)

Austria

Announcement of a new calculating machine.
(1888-09-24 Wiener Zeitung)

Announcement of a new calculating machine.
(1888-10-01 Wiener Presse)

Description of the Comptometer and of an adding machine.
(1891-05-27 Meraner Zeitung)

Description of the Comptometer and of an adding machine.
(1891-05-30 Südsteirische Post)

Description of the Comptometer and the Comptograph.
(1894-04-01 Kaufmännische Zeitschrift)

Finland

Announcement of a new calculating machine.
(1888-10, Uusi Suometar / Lappeenrannan Uutiset / Tampereen Sanomat)

Report on a lecture about technology for the office, including typewriters and the Comptometer.
(1904-10-19 Tammerfors Nyheter)

The Netherlands

Announcement of a new calculating machine.
(1888-10-08 Provinciale Noordbrabantsche en 's Hertgenbossche courant)

A confused article about Felt & Tarrant and Burroughs Comptometers.
(1894-03-22 Kleine Courant)

Report on the International Exhibition of Office Equipment and Administration.
(1911-05-05 Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant)

Report on the International Exhibition of Office Equipment and Administration.
(1911-05-14 De Telegraaf)

Description of a stolen model B Comptometer.
(1911-08-23/24 Leidsche Courant / Haagsche Courant / Kleine Courant)

Notice of a change in Dutch representative for Felt & Tarrant.
(1915-07-27 Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant, De Telegraaf)

Address change notice in the Algemeen Handelsblad.
(1919-04-29/30 Algemeen Handelsblad / De Telegraaf / Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant)

Development of the Comptometer.
(1921-01-20 Het Vaderland)

Opening of a new office equipment store which includes Comptometers.
(1921-07-27 Leidsche Courant)

Announcement that Mechanical Calculation is to be taught at the Schoevers Institute.
(1928-04-19 Het Vaderland)

Lecture about calculators at the Schoevers Institute.
(1928-05-18 Het Vaderland)

Lecture about calculators at the Schoevers Institute.
(1928-05-19 Haagsche courant)

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