Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-10-03

How the Task Of Printing the Quar-.
terly Bond Schedules is Accomplished
Lively Scenes in the Treasury Print.
ing Offfce-The Four Per Cent Regis.
tered Bonds and their Holders, Etc.

The Treasury branch of the Government
Printing Office located in the basement of
the west wing of the Treasury building, to-day
completed the printing ofthe quarterly schedule
of four per cent registered bonds, which was
commenced on Saturday last. This schedule Of
which but eight impressions are taken, is
printed On the orders of the Register of the
Treasury, and is for the use of his Office and
that of the Treasurer
The schedule is for the quarter ending Sep
tein0er Both. and contains the names of about
5o,oJo holders of the bonds. with their post
Office addresses. the numbers, denomination
ana amount held by each with the amount of in
tprest due. This quarter II makes book OF
, 80 pages.
Tie summary shows total of such bonds of
S5'9,4I 1CO principal, the quarterly interest
amounting to s., 794. I'll, distributed as follows:
Foreign holders 1881 800 PRINCIPAL. SD $40
interest; national banks SIP 5l2. $50 principal,
SLID, l2i.O interest: domestic holders SI59-
oo'.'oo principal. $3.50. O77.5O interest.
CORRECTING THE FORMS
The matter in the FORMS now numbering nearly
6O0. is kept standing, there being four pages on
each form and the average weight being IA
pounds. Near the close Of each quarter these
forms have to be corrected, each transfer of
bond being noted. the object being to have as
correct list as is possible of the holders of the
registered bonds at the commencement of the
new quarter Generally, Capt. p L. Rodier
the foreman OF the branch Office and his as
sstant, MIR. n. Watkins. are allowed about two
weeks for the work of correcting arranging
io1ms aud printing eight impressions from each
1orn as also furnishing three proof slips for the
use OF the Treasurers Office During the hours
when this work is in progress the office presents
scene of the greatest activity As the forms
are corrected they are rolled into the press room
and piled against the sides of the room, each
one being numbered. When the eight impress
sons are taken from one it is hastily removed
from the press and its successor rolled down,
put IN place and the press again started. The
printing is done on Potter press-a double
cylinder medlum-and the paper used is double
detni-siZe.
RAPID PRESS WORK.
The work of printing was commenced on Sat-
urday last, and notwithstanding the fact that
In the first hour but IA forms were handled, in
the eight hours work $50 forms were printed
an average OF nearly "a per hour. On one pre-
vious occasion the extraordinary number of 30
forms were handled in one day, but the general
average has been about 40 per day. This
quarter the average has been somewhat above
that-abOut 20 per hour. When it is considered
that each form is handled seven times and that
ei9ht Impressions are taken some idea of the
CELEBRITY OF the work may be had. During the
progress of the work the strength of the en-
ployes is taxed to the utmost. So rapid are
their movements that it seems to a novice diff
cult Tor one to escape being in the way of
another, but every one, from the laborers up,
knows just what to do and who is to do it.
Consequently the work is done with surprising
precision and regularity. The rattle OF the
press and the noise OF the forms wheeled back
and forth rivals TIE
SONG OF BUSY LABOR
heard in large factories. Mr.. W.H. Scott, foreman
OF the press room, has general charge of the
press work. Messrs.. NJ. Hunt, c. E. Mecham
and John T. Nicholson were the pressmen en-
gagged on the work. The quality of the work is
equal to any of the kind ever done in the Dis
trict. Capt. Roder and the employees feel much
pride both in the excellence of the work and in
the despatch with which it is accomplished The
work is so fatiguiDg to the men that it often
happens that by the time the last form is worked
the iren are completely exhausted. When it is
all completed the result is eight sets of books,
which are regarded as confidential in character
and to which no one has access except q few
officials.