Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-01-02
The Government Printing- -ORee.

The Government Printing -0Aee.
The Cleveland Leader describes the
Government Printing.ofice. In 1860,
Cornelius Wendell sold the establishment
to the United States for sl35, 900, and it
has since become the largest printing-oiice
in the world. Among the public printers
have been Gales l. Seaton, Jonathan
Elliot, Armstrong, of Tennessee, Duff
Groon, Blair and Rievcs, Cornelius Wen
dell, and at last John d. Defrsss, who has
held The position since 1851. Last year
1856 separate books and documents were
turned out at this oficc-a variety Of work
which was not probably equalled by the
Harpeu, Appletons, Lippincott, Fields and
Scribners together. The entire number
ofcopies printed was not far from 900, 900.
Mr.. Seward had an appendix to his diplo-
matte correspondence prepared at cost Of
$4,000; the book made 754 pages, and
there was $4,000 copies printed. Tho
diplomatic correspondence, in two volumes,
attached to President Johnson's messages
for 1864, made also about 1900 pages,
costing s35, 900. The Lincoln Memorial
book is the most costly book probably ever
issued in the United States. This is the
appendix to Mr.. Stewards diplomatic cor
rcspondencc, containing expressions Of
sympathy and coincidence with tho nation
on the fate of Abraham Lincoln. The
cost price of producing the book will be
SIS, 200; or moro than S6 copy, while
the bindings ON some special copies or
dcrcd for tho crowned heads, &c., abroad,
will probably bring them up to $40 or s25
copy. Of the Agricultural Report tho
extraordinary number Of 100000 copies
have been ordered for last year, ut cost
Of $3.50, 900, or about IS cents a copy.
This cost is enough to pay the President,
Vice President, all the Cabinet officers,
the Speaker Of the House, and two-thirds
of the 6rst-class foreign Ministers. In
these reports there are $50, 900 pounds Of
paper, 221 tons-cnough to take 225 dou.
blc-horsc power wagons to pull them. AT
this moment there are sou, 900 copies Of
the reports for various years lying in the
vaults of the Patent office building, being
the quantity annually printed, in excess Of
the demands even Of extravaganza. These
copies represent $4,000 of the peoples
money invested in waste paper. In one
year new type added cost Of SIS, ,s04 ;
printing-ink, $l9,7l7; coal, 700 tons
new machinery, $4,000. In the bindery
1000 Russian leather skins were used, 760
packs of gold leaf Costing nearly $4,000,
nearly $1,000 worth Of twine, and as much
glue. Paper for postoffice blanks alone
cost $4,000. Tho binding Of books con-
sumo $4,000, and the binding materials
$4,000. Engraving and lithographing
cost sl1l,O0O. Government printers get
a trinc better prices than arc paid else
where in the country. Steady work will
give one 81 ,5ooa year in this mandatory.
The work girls get from 80 to sl2 week.
Tho printers are almost always in excess.
.. ..
Coon SroRY.-A well-knoNn nowspa-
per correspondent in an adjoining town
furnishes US with the following good story.
1t b = genuine one, and win be recognized
BY many who arc familiar with the hcts.
There was certain man, whom ws shah
call Smith, because that wasn't his name,
aad he ooursed girl OF rather wanted To-,
whose name wc win call Brown. Nov
Smith, wasn't 30 smart in matters matrimo-
pial Is he might have boon, aud. . fellow,
named Jones ssailed in" and "cut him but"
Jones married the girl, and in due course
Of timS Mrs. j. presented her husband with
nice little daughter. About iifteSn years
afterward, Smith was strolling around in
the neighborhood where his former sweet
heart used to perambulate. Meeting Jones
daughter returning from school, Smith
thought hGcould detect in her countenance
the we'll known and fondIy remembered fes-
tures Of her mother. Wishing to engage
in conversation, he confronted the damsel,
when the following dialogue took place:
Smith-(who lispcd = littlO "AiTt
youf name Jonesth p ha4
Miss Jones" Yes, sir"
Smith" Amt yot Misther Thomasth
Joncsth didghtSr!"
Miss Jones-" Yes, cir.
Smith" Well, NTH Jonesth, leamt
fsasay ~ea, ts;.s yosv. .fasht1 .oosss" !"
1t is needless h add that "Mith
Joucsth" travoled -Er