Evening star., 1869-07-10
THE B0OKBINDKRs' DIFFICULTY.

THE BOOkBINDERS' DIFFICULTY.
The Apprentice Questien-The Bookbind.
ers' Society's Address 10 the Govrrnmen mt
Printer-His Reply-He Denies the Right
st tthe Association to Dictate to Him.
This morning the Committee OF Bookbinders
appointed at the last meeting of the Society 10
present an address to Superintendent Ciapp,
OF the Government Printing Ofice, concerning
his reported intention 10 put number of an.
prentlces in the bindery at that establishment.
waited on him and presented to him q paper
Of which the following is copy:
WAsBINGToN, July 7, 1s69.-Hon. A. NJ
CloPp-Sir After candid and mature con.
sIderation OF your request TO repeal or amend
the article in our constitution relating to ap-
prentices IN the Government bindery, the ,our.
neymen bookbinders society adopted the fol.
lowing as their reply TO your request
Experience having proved the necessity o.
theapprentice sy stem, M have deeply regretted regret d
mat you should deem 1t your duty to differ
with MS on that question. But, sir, we believe
with more careful investigation Of tne sub.
ject you will come to the same inclusion
we have. Ever since the government has ha
control OF the bindery. there has been more or
year. If You will refer to the last report
of the Congressional Printer, You will
hnd that there was not fifty men who
mad steady employment for six and seven
months in one year. large number of u did
not earn as much wages during the year as
laborer. Now, sir, we ask you if IL would b.
Justice to US or the boys whom you would put
on as apprentices to increase the already over.
stocked market for labor at the bookbindng
business,
The average number of men employed in the
Government Bindery will notexceed eighty; In
TWO other Government BinderIes in the Treas
ury Department it Will not average over six
more, and vet We allow. If We may use the
word, ten apprentices TO the Government
While having one hundred and twenty men
depending on these binderies for work, which
you Will see, by taking eighy-six from oge
hundred and twenty, Will leave an average of
thirty constantly out of employment.
Believing, sir, that yOu want but Justice and
hoping that this brief statement of facts will
convince you that il will be more in Justice 10
the men who Will soon be out OF EMPLOYMENT
than TO the boys whom You intend putting to
work, we would respectfully beg your earnest
consideration of the above plain facts.
Resoued That copy of the above statement
DE communicated TO the Hon. A. NJ. C!app,
Congressional Printer, b. a committee OF three
with the signature of the President, and attested
by the Secretary, with the seal OF the society
lSIgned by the President and Secretary of the
society,"
Superintendent Clapps reply to the above is
indicative OF his future intentions. He sets OUT
with the remark that while he does not regard
II AS his duty TO answer the communication
received from the bookbinders, yet as a matter
OF courtesy be does. The right OF any private
organization to dictate TO the Government who
shall be employed, Mr.. Ciapp doe. not ack.
nowledge, and contends thaI IN the racs for
life there should be NO discrimination OF race
or color
In regard to that clause OF the bookb,nders'
address, in connection with the super fiuity OF
binders in the city, Mr.. Ciapp says II find
that the NUMBER of men employed in the Gov
eminent Bindery for the year l567 was IFS,
with lO5 as the average number having con.
slant employment during the whole wear
During the year 1866 the whole number OF man
employed was 10. Owing 10 the fact that the
second session of the i0lh Congress did not ad.
lourn, except from time to time. until lare in
the year, large quantity of work, (some
sixty thousand octave volumes in sheep
and calf) was necessarily reserved, and
is now on hand to be performed. The
average number Of men constantly employed
throughout the whole year was &c. This aver.
age does not include the time lost by men on
their own account, which, If included would
increase the average number employed con-
stantly to stlll larger figures. Therefore, during
the year 1869 the mum Der OF men EMPLOYED in
the Government blndery is lis, with a fair
prospect that the average during the year will
come up to these figures, unless the number is
reduced by the voluntary actien OF the binders
themselves
THE BoARDING-HoUsE "DEAD Bar
Scene IN the Magistrates O6fce-A Ne,o Phase of
ne Cdse.Anoher Charge.-Tke case of Cicero
alias Col. Sparks alias Lawyer Parks, whose
arrest we noticed in yesterdays starr was
called up before Justice Walter this morning
MT X. X. Perry appeared for the defence
There was quite large crowd present among
others several of the alleged victims OF the man
with many aliases. After hearing the evidence
representations against the accused the ustlce
dismissed the case; but before the crowd left
me once there was grand chorus of victims
Squire, i want a warrant" 81 can set him
up;' 'He swindled me- &c. Mr. kinsey DYER
was one of those preferring a charge against
PaIks, OF obtaining boa d by fraud, under the
name OF Col. Sparks, wealthy Tennesseean
and Mr.. w. b. Gnrley preferred the charge
against him OF obtaining money under false
preten Ces, making the folio wing affidavit.
.'That on the I'D Of November, 1SG-, Cunning
ha oil Davy In
Chicago, warm personal friend of the late
Dr. Gurley, stating at the same time
sneh facts connected with the said DIR.
only a personal friend could know. After
talking like saint, IN giving me clinical ad-
vice and comfort he at length arrived at what
proved 10 be the main object OF his visit, viz
.Mr. Gurley, am expecting letters to-day
from my mission church in Chicago, and enc
OF them will contain remittance for my bene.
nj: now, being in hurry to reach home before
Thanksgiving Day, would like you to call at
the post office for said letters and forward them
to me at Chicago; it Will be necessary, how
ever, for me to have $50 in order to reach Chi
cago, and that i can obtain by your Identify.
ing me al the bank then accompanied the
said Moore to the banking house Of Lewis
Johnson 4 Co.. and then and there endorsed a
draft on Chicago (see accompanying drafU for
the said Moore. upon which he obtained the
money less the exchange on Chicago"
A warrant was issued on this affidavit and
served in the office, but as the accused wished
committed for further hearing.
HANDSOME IMPRovKMINTs-One of the
finest Improvements in the wav CT build ing in
this city al present is a block Of houses, now i'm
course OF erection by the enterprising firm OF
II. w. Hamilton i Co, situated on Corcoran
street, opposite the twenty five houses Just
completed for Messrs. Plant & Riggs. Messrs.
II. d 90. are sparipg no pains to make them
both ornamental, convenient and substantial
The style is varied and beautiful. pressed brick
fronts, Mansard and Italian roofs, verandahs.
bay windows. stone steps, the yard sodded, and
the whole en- cl osed with substantial iron rail,
Is 10 be the finish. We are also informed that
when finished they are to he offered for sale
but unlike the majority OF houses built tor that
purpose, they are put up in the most su bstau-
tian manner. The easements are concreted,
and the walls stripped before pllstering,
and twelve inch sewer running through
the entire block prevents all possibility
OF dampnsss, while the concrete is a
sure preventive 10 yermin. and we should
not forget to mention the many little conye-
nienCes IN the shape of closets, clothes presses,
bathroom, &c, which is a very important Item
with the ladies. The locality is the most rapid.
ly improving part Of the city, and We venture
TO say t1at in less than We years property will
enhance at least one hundred per cent Mr.
w. 5. West, the architect of Messrs. Evans fine
houses, corner OF llth street and Massachusetts
avenue, and Col. Hodge, Com Rodgers and
MIR. Bryans, is"also the architect OF Messrs