American writer Mark Twain became famous for his writing, but a major financial setback in the 1890s was tied in part to an investment in a machine designed to automate typesetting. He had invested heavily in the Paige Compositor, a mechanical typesetting machine developed by inventor James W. Paige. But the machine did not become the commercial success Twain had hoped for, and the investment contributed to his financial difficulties. By 1894, Twain was facing serious financial problems after a series of unsuccessful investments and business difficulties.
