The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-11

uments, reports, and journals are printed, shall
weigh at least 50 pounds, have a certain quantity
of foreign hnsn Stock in II Of specified number,
Foreign rags are inspected abroad and the inspec
ton Is more to be relied upon than any Of the M
speclons Of this country,) and should cost at the
mill IL cents per pound. The government might
al It's option, furnish the printer with the paper and
charge him at that rate for It. The English gov
eminent, believe, furnishes most Of the paper upon
which its documents are printed and its records are
written Il is of the first importance that tho
records Of the country should be good paper,
pecialy the written ones, they not multiplied
the printed ones are; and il they should be filed
away on machine paper, "sized in the tub" il is
probable they would not bear handling, and perhaps
could not be read twenty or thirty years hence.
would recommend that the printer should be re-
qured TO execute the journals, reports, bills, and Or
ders OF the day, in a very short time; and that, if
he did not comply with the requirement he should
be fined as much all the printing which he failed
TO do would come TO at Congress prices; and more
over, that Congress should have power to dismiss
him at once.
would recommend that 40 per cent should be
deducted from all documents making less than 400
pages, not executed within 40 days after the ad-
joumment Of CONGRESS.
Nothing else now occurs to me on this point; and
| shalt not stop TO try TO think Of anything.
In answer To your 18th, Goth, and 2lst questions,
have TO say that know very well the prices
which were paid from 1892 to 1889 or 40 for the
printing executed for the executive departments as
Mr. Blair and myself had about one-half or per-
haps two-thirds of the printing of those Offices du-
ring that time, and that ! have what would call
tolerably correct information as TO the cost of the
printing OF those departments from 1910 up to this
time.
Mr.. Blair and myself charged, while we printed,
to the departments, the Loi0esi prices that the de-
parlmtnts could find that they had the printing
euisd for. That was our proposal, and we strictly
10 IN in r. InaIa | he
ieye, we charged lOUsr than the 0tossi prices The
book-work Of the departments we executed az Con-
gress prices and the blanks and circulars we charged
at from $40 TO Sll ream for quarto-post and from
sl2 TO SIS ream for foolscap. When the work
FIRST let out TO the lowest bidder we got part Of
Il at, think, about 49, per cent. less than had
done II Tor previously. year or two Afterwards,
we were underbId for the whole Of IT, or at least
the work was given TO others, although we bid for
the greater portion Of 1t at journeymen's prices,
charging or estimating nothing for proof reading,
INK, &c &cj and the balance al the cost of the white
paper alone. The reason why we bid so low as the
cost oil the white paper alone was, that we had
good hand made paper on hand, suitable for the
work, purchased expressly for the government work,
and we did hot know what else TO do with il. do not
know what prices are now charged for the book
work Of the departments; but know that the ordi-
nary circulars are now printed for about one-half
OF what they cost formerly. But they are printed
on paper that costs not more than II as much
as) one-half of what the paper cost formerly.
NIne-tenths, If nH the whole Of the blanks are
now printed on machine paper. IL may do
very well for most of the circulars sent out hut
much Of It Is totally unit for the books and
records Of the departments, because, If it IL kept
dry, II will break if much handled; and If II
10 Kept little damp, as It will be when filed in the
lower rooms Of the departments, il will rot. The
English government have learned the importance of
keeping their records on good paper, and would
direct your attention 10 the plan which 1t pursues
The prices paid by the several executive depart
ments for their printing are calculated 10 mslead,
and do mlslead, most of the members of Con-
gress For example: | understand that the print
ers bid very low for the printing enumerated
or named in the adyertisement-lower than Journey
mems wages, MISUNDERSTANDING to make up by
printing not named in the advertisement; and if they
10 not get enough Of that. to make up by charging
enormous prices Tor ruling and binding. But they
can, If they dishonest enough to do So charge in
their accounts different prices than those they bid
and ten 10 one, If the clerk who passes the account
mot printer, he will not be able to detect the
fraud will here say that there should be good
printer IN every department OF the government who
should examine and certify on oath, every printers
account.
have heard that some contractors for the printing
and binding have made money as follows They
bid very low for most of the work, and very high
for the balances do very little of the work for which
they bid low-less than the government needs-and
u
more than the government will need for years
Probably the form will be altered before the blanks
printed are half exhausted, and those which have
not been used will be obsolete and consequently of
use for wrapping paper only.
The three last questions which you have pro-
pounded, numbered %, %, and "a, are of the first
importance, and will answer them as fully as my
time and information will permit me to do. Con-
densed they amount to this: What would be fair
or proper per cent for printer for branch Of
Congress to charge on his outlay in printing for one,
and for both houses Of Congress'
1t was the custom in this country, until a few
years past, to calculate the price of printing as fol-
lows: Double the journeymen's wages for compost
ton and press work, charge the actual of paper
and charge nothing for proofreading superintend-
ence, &c, &c. Several years ago read the English
practice, in testimony taken by the House of Com
mons, which amounted to about the same. | think
it was, to add IS per cent to the composition, (set
ting the ypes) and about l25 per cent to the press
work, which would bring it to average of double,
or 100 per cent Since the steam power-presses have
been brought into general use, (the English testimo-
ny was taken since they were brought into use) |
have heard Of printing having been done in this
country as low as IS per cent on journeymen's wa
ges Indeed, think have heard but cannot say +
when nor where, of printing being done for so per
cent. on journeymen's prices. ......
will now calculate what the principal kinds Of
printing ordered by Congress will come to at the
per cent the cost of the paper for purchasing it,
and for the waste and spoiled Sheets which will
more than compensate him for his trouble and loss.
will allow him, also one-thrd Of the journeymen's
prices for press work, for folding and stitching the
documents, which are not among the printers du-
lies. Ii is his duty to press the sheets only. will
make the calculation on the ordinary number print
I'd for the House of Representatives, 1895 copies,
and on 100 pages Of documents or reports, (both
he same price,) and journals, and show what they
would amount to at the prices now paid, and will
suppose them all to be set with small plea type, of
which there are 1882 ems in page:
Composition of 100 pages of document
81 cents per 1000 ems IS, 60
Press work on same, at Al cents token, of
royal paper 81 %
Folding and stitching, at one-third the price
of the press-work 10 40
-
95 40
Add 100 per cent. IS 40
1870 so