Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-03-26

apiece. OneO tDefn-a huge ''Blllock' press
alone prints about 100000 volumes a year.
There are employed here foreman, assistant
IA pIessmen and laoorers, and 81 females
ueedersl In the 'dry press room, adjoining.
premises Is indeed a busy corner. suo1ivlded
into several departments. the most important
IN the vast works. on the North Capitol
street side is the office OF the Public Printer
where clerical force telephone and telegraph
operators Chief and financial clerks are kept
ever busy In directing the vast details OF the
s @1rks uaoer 1ne eye Of their experienced and
are TWO large apartments, known as
THB PROOF ROOMS"
IN which are always engaged some 25 or more
or the most experienced and accomplishe1
practical-pr1nter proof-readers perhaps In tha
known world. Here are men who are cspap}e
of reading all languages, through whose hands
goes the first proof slips OF millions OF PAGES
annually, and which, when read by the first
readers. the silent readers" and the ''revisers"
VIII stand any criticism for absolute correct
ness In point OF typography, grammatical CON
struction, or punctuation.
THE DOCUMENT ROOM
Extending the entire three hundred feet or
front On street is what IS known as 1.-THE
Document Room" or main composing room OF
the works. At the east end OF the rear room
IN nearly enclosed private Office where the
printers" Assistant Foreman Davis looks out
upon an acre or more OF printing cases" ranged
Oh either Side. besides the hundreds OF Windows
Ia alleys" as they are termed. each alley hav-
Ing four skilled typos as tenants thereof,
Whilst In the center are 'stones" and racks
and galley stands" and the thousand and one
appurtenanceS or large office. About go
CONFESSIONS, representing all the states OF the
mon. are here regularly engaged and at this
tine over 800 hands are In employ In this single
ROOM There are 2O2 double stands $500 pairs
OF cases; more than 200. 900 pounds of fypa
besides about $50 fonts OF type for title pages:
$50 large chases; 6 proof presses; Washinr3on
press, Ax3S, and IA cabinets, with capacity
for 500 cases The most difficult precise and
Intricate work In the art OF printing, In every
known language, Is produced here, such as
sclentinc Works-geographical and geological
reports. bureau reports for all the government
departments. An average OF about 1000, 900
ems OF type are set daily In this room, equal to
800 ,000, 600 monthly, or 500, 00Q, 900 ems year.
" which Ii paid for by the piece would cash
Inc Dulk OF work is done-by the best artizans
In the states-at 40 cents per hour Among the
c0mpositors are three young ladies, who rank
among the oest typos on the force.
THE BINDRRY.
On the third floor OF the building. fronting
On both and North Capitol streets, is the
vast bindery OF the institution where the skilled
mechanic would be In his glory In the exami-
nation OF some OF the most Ingenious intricate
and expensive machinery ever made for book.
making. About 10000 square feet OF space is
REQUIRED to accommodate this branch of the
works. In 1860 only 46 persons were employed
In this department. The number now reaches
5l5. There are 1913 separate machines IN use,
among which are 20 ruling and cutting ma.
chlneS. Sc standing presses, board cutters, 10
wire sewing machines, II paging and number
ing machines, stamping machines 3 perfora-
tois, So plows and presses. &c. Attached TO
this are several sub departments. each of
Which gives employment to large force. The
"Folding Room" is especially interesting,
owing to It's yastness. Up to 1871 the space
occupied was go by 200 feet. A year later 60 by
113 feet was added. and again In 1879 60 10y 60
feet more was added From time to time the
force OF employees In this department have been
increased, until there are from 3oe 10 $50 n~,;e
ratlVes, principally skilled and dexterons
females. No brief description does any iastiee
to THIS branch OF the work; it must be seen and
examined to be appreciated 1ntelligibly. Here
me u, folding. pasting gathering. colaung, &C.
away in 500 sheet bundles until a volume IA
gathered, and then turned over to the binders.
Ia 1871 the documents, &C., required IL, O0O, 900
IF h o1 aTs MAPS and DIAGRAMS Some
an Agricultural report contains II. 400 900
sheets; an average hand folder-Who folds 900
sheets day, would be $500 days In folding
this single work if working alone. Formerly
this work Itself would keep half the force en-
ployed. Now 1t is principally done by ma
chlnery. In 1870 the Congressional work.
reached 4,6e5,250 copies OF documents. For the
secon4 session last congress there were
11.I04, 555 copies folded, with reserve docu-.
ments' added, aggregating 34,66l,Q00. In
single day 100000 pages OF matter mas baen
uauuleU III tliS department.
THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD.
The debates OF Congress nave for many years
required large amount of labor. 10 to the
present century all this was done by news
papers alone, and their garhled accounts created
many disturbance La 1890, however the
Old National LateHt9eRcer became a sort of
"pfficfal organ and published correct reports.
A stenographer was given a seat within the
par, out Speaker Sedgewick claimed that the
PUBLIC had no right TO know aught or Congress
sional matters pending debates, aud the re-
porter was ordered first TO the gallery. and
nhaIy out OF the hall" The full reports con
tinued TO appear. however. just as usual 10 The
inteUtgencer. Various Efforts were made tut
without success up to 1924, when a Contract
vas vas made for the printing of the debates from
ite9 10 1924. Gales Seaton published q add.
iiOnal volumes In book form. bringing the work
down to 1851, when the Congressional Globe
was begun. and In this shape-large quaruo
down to 1878. In los volumes. In the year 1s7S
the Public Printer was given charge OF the
work, and then began The Congressional Record
10th and 10th Congresses have been printed
under government control, reaching nearly
$4,000 pages OF line print. The Record" room
Is o5X52 feet, and gives employment during
Congressional sessions to from co to 100 men.
There each days debates are printed at night
and delivered TO either house on the next morn
ing. The vast amount OF work thus done In a
few hours would seem almost impossible, as
there are frequently 40 to IS pages OF single
days proceedings. During the 10th Congress
Al, 200 volumes were printed. In 1878 Congress
purchased all the old records, bound volumes.
plates, &c, of the Congressional Globe and now
OWNS all the old debates down TO date,
OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
IN addition to those departments named there
are several other extensive branches OF the vast
works to describe, which would OCCUPY too
much space for newspaper columns "The
Specification Room" where all the blank forms
for the Patent Once are printed, gives employ
TO about so men. The JOB ROOM IS 5SXSO feet
has AS fonts CT type, Isl cases, 200 chase5 and
requires a large force OF hands. Here are
printed ali the blanks, such as bonds, contracts.
schedules; Post Office, custom house, Pension
Office, Hallway service and other blanks, The
'Stereotyping and Eiectrotyping" department
Is another large concern within itself. and m
addition to all these there are branches at the
Treasury, Navy. Interior and other Depart
nentS Oh the government where smaller detail
work is done.
CAPACITY OF THE WORKS.
Tie capacity OF the Office for work is simply
wonderful to contemplate. Prom the last re-
port the following extracts were made OF work
done In one year, to June 80, 1850:
Blanks, envelopes, &C., (ex-depart-
mehts). ...........-.........122 1881
BlankSs envelopes, &C., tCongTeSS). S,553.515
Pamphlets, mo. OF copies {eX-depart-
- ments: :..::..:;....:......-... 4,S3l, 299
aulpuIetS, tNo. Vi copleS) Congress. los, 122
b.dAh pooAs leA-uepaFtfnehtSi.. ...... 1890
oongreSSl. ............... 72S