Iam trying to get some text from some free street directories that are pdf but it seems to get a bit jumbled.Is there any free or cheap progs that will do it clearly?
example of my effort by highlight text - copy - paste into notepad

Travis Johti, 41 and 43, George street
HOSIERS.
(See Haberdashers.)
HOTELS, INNS, AND TAVERNS.
ABBOTSFORD HOTEL, (Robert Craig,) Victoria road,
Seaeombe .
ADEtP'ii HI/TEL, (Morgan Scott,) 1, Rose brae
AimuN HOTH.L, (Chas. S. fielding,) Albion street,
Now Blight on
Andrews .Jobu, Queen's Arms, Stirarton m. Oxton
AHBEI HorfL, (John Morton,) 86, Camden street,
and 1, Beckwith street
Astbury William, Plough Inn, 48, Somerville at
Atkinson Thomas, Shrewsbury Arms, Olaughton
fire, Oxton hill
Austin James, Clarendon Hotel, 36, Watson street,
and 45, St. Anne street
Balie Willitim, Sooton Inn, Hooton
Ball John, Green-lodge Hotaf, Hoylake
B>ill John, JUT). Ito/ial Hotel, Hoylako
Banks William, Cma'i and Horses, Moreton
Barker Joseph, 0<w h and Horses, Greasby
Barlow Geo. Biaoft Horse, Hfiswell-cum-Oldfteld

I think and I'm sure one of the experts will know better, save to Adobe reader X and convert to word or wherever.

Try http://www.pdfonline.com/pdf-to-word-converter/

You could then try loading the text file into Excel. Import it and it should give you the choice of identifying the character to put the text into columns.

Choose "space".