The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-03-21

Closer toward her mirrored self she pressed,
With large, child eyes and gently painting breast,
Bowed as flower when May time breezes pass
And kissed her own dear image in the glass
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
THE GOVERNMENT I PRINTING OFFICE-AN
INTERESTING DESCRIPTION OF ITS MANY
DEPARTMENTS.
Editors Ealley Varginaan:
propose, agreeably to your request, to
write you series Of letters from this city,
giving your readers the correct news-gos-
sip of the Capital, and a description OF the
several Governmental Departments. IsbaH
endeavor to interest your readers, and trust
nv endeavor shall not be in vain. In this
letter, shall commence with the Govern
lnent Printing Office, which every stranger
should visit, and depart wiser man from
Che city, Here man can witness the prog
ress OF the times-the difference between
these and the days of our daddies. The hmm
OF industry about this establishment is music
even to the LATEST man in existence, and
bids him to get up and do something.
The Law Printing Office is a very large
building, situated on the corner OF II and
North Capital streets. 1t is the largest estab-
lishment of the kind in the world. The
Hon. John D. Defrees is Superintendent.
He is not only a practical printer, but gen
tleman of more than ordinary intelligence
and great business capacity. You doubt
less remember speech Of his made in sup
port of the election of Hayes and Wheeler,
in West Virginia, which was sent as a
campaign document along with Mosby's
celebrated letter. These two perhaps did as
much, or more, to help the good cause than
any other documents sent out to the people
during the canvass. Since his appointment
as Superintendent of Public Printing, many
marked changes for the better have taken
place in the office, and even among the
printers Of Washington. Being temper
ance man, he has said that the sober man
was better qualified to serve the govern
ment as a compositor, than he who would
stick glass of whiskey in his throat for
every stick he would empty on his galley.
The iourneyrnan printer was ever noted for
being social fellow. In years gone by he
''looked upon the wine when it was red, y
rather too often for his own good, until it
had grown into an adage Of the ''little brown
Jug tits you and me-" But thanks to the
example of Mr.. Defrees, you can seldom see
md ha ha ut
ribbon on broad clcth coat has taken the
place of the red nose and blood shot eye,
and the shabby, greasy clothing that once
| adorned the body Of the disciple of the art
preservative of all arts.
Major A. H. S. Davis is the Foreman OF
Printing in this great establishment. Natur-
ally kind and obliging, with desire to
oblige, but, at the same time preserve the
| interests of the government; his position is
not bed of roses by any, means. To him
you go when in search of a case. 1t pains
him to say no to POOR typo in search OF
work, but in such winning manner that
you go off as the Irishman said, 'glad that
YOU had such bad luck.'' 10 the Major
comes the searcher after work. but to the
Major comes another class, more dreaded
than the ,ocusts or the frogs of Egypt-the
boarding house Marin in quest OF the slow
shilling due her by some poor fellow who
'schawed her mutton" in days Of adversely
when DAYS were dark and friends were few.
and meals were fewer. She has discovered
! that the poor fellow has found place il
Government Office, and like Shylock. sh,
wants pay for her pound Of flesh. iii
meet and just that you should pay you
hash bill, no matter what that hash nigh
have been composed of, and as slight pun
ishment if you don't, 'you must press brick
for Walker Il Co."
Mr.. James Spottswood is the Assistan
Foreman. He is a competent gentleman
much respected, and is descendant OF Gov
Spottswood, of Virginia. A man, like horse
is much better for a good pedigree. Their
| are nearly 1900 hand employed in the Gov
eminent Printing Office. William Muir
ply stands sentinel at the outer-door. I
him you must tell your business when en-
tering the office. He knows the name G
every employee in the office. For upward
of eleven years he has stood guard on tn
! oarer-walls, and has never missed da
during that time.
The Office is divided into grand divisions
namely: The Press room; the Document
room; the Job-room; the Piece Depar
ment; the Bindery !; the Record the Spec
feation Room the Folding Room, and tn
Stereotype Room.
The Press-room contains "a steam presse
which cost from $l75 to $4,000, Of the fo
lowing makes 2 Gordon, l Allen, (enve
ope press l Campbell trip-press, / Bulloc
completing press, 10 Double Medium He
presses, 5 Sop. Royal Hoe presses, Ca
Hoe presses, 16 Double Medium Adam
presses, &c. Mr.. Defrees has recently o
dered aud put up new Babcock press, whie
is engaged in printing ''rhe Congression
Record,'' employs sc girls as $l.50 p
day, and 100 men from 81 to $500 per day
print on an average 1880 tokens day. NJ:
oliver H. Reed is foreman Of this Depar
$ ment; attends strictly to his duty, and
O known as ''the silent man." lie can vel
easily afford s'to answerer for every id
word" for he never uttered one.
u The Document Room employs about 81
compositors, at $500 per day. Every cor
positor is required to ''set up G,00O ems
day, to be on hand when the whistle bio,
at a. m., and stop at p. M, with OF
hour recess at p. m. Six thousand ems
. big days work, especially If the copy
:, lean, and beads OF perspiration as large
k EN- quads stand OH the foreheads OF the po
y fellows when the whistle blows at 5, al
!, finds the unhappy fellow 1900 behind, a.