Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-04-24
STATE PRINTING OFFICE.
A Governors Mansion Converted into a
Hive of Industry.

Hive of Industry.
The California State Printing Office at
the present time gives employment to more
skilled laborers than any other half dozen
establishments in this city outside of the
shops of the railroad company. The
building is magnificent structure, situated
in the northwest corner of Capitol Park,
directly north of the Agricultural EXPOSE
ton building. 1t was originally constructed
by the State for Governors mansion, and
as such had no superior in the United
States in appointments and architectural
beauty. California has had long line of
extremely modest Governors, and although
many were men of great wealth, all refused
to occupy the palatial building, preferring
to reside in some of the more unpretentious,
but elegant buildings of which Sacramento
has more for its size than any other city in
the State. For several years the building
remained unoccupied, an aristocratic but
uninhabited palace. The Adjutant- General
finally used the basement for State
armory, and the State Printer was uuartered
therein. Since the Legislature decided
that the State should print her own school
books, large amount of
THE LATEST IMPROVED MACHINERY
For that purpose has been purchased
placed in position, and to-day the building
is occupied from cellar to garrett and alto
gether is one of the best book-printing and
binding establishments, not only on the
coast, but in America. On the first floor is
located the engine, pr, IS and electrotyping
rooms. On the second floor is the office of
the Superintendent of State Printing, Col.
J. J. Ayers, and the composing rooms. The
third floor is used as Dindery NJ F. Cum
TpinOs tha of +b:o
ment, has Just completed his work of hav-
ing all the machinery placed in position,
and has began to turn out work that is
equal to the best produced anywhere This
is the most complete book binding estab-
lishment upon the coast. 1t would be be-
yond the scope of a newspaper item to give
detailed statement Of the machinery of
this department, and describe their auto
matte workings. Such description would
no doubt be interesting, for each piece of
mechanism in this vast department is a
complete study of itself. and displays in
marked degree the wonderful ingenuity of
man.
AMONG THE LEADING MACHINES
The reporter noted the following: rotary
board-cutter; selt-acting, 54-inch knife
grinder; 34-inch table shears two power
case-smoother5; case binding machine:
roller backing machine; power stabbing
machine, 32-inch Gem cutter; rotary Peers
less pertoratoT; power steam numbering ma
chine; wire stitcher; turn-tabe book trim
mer; case linking machine; two enclosing
machines; saving machine; six standing
presses; ). 34-inch paper cutter; smashing
and enclosing machine; 50-inch metal
| ruling machine-the largest on the coast,
| and the only one having hot cylinder to
dry the ink; wire book-sewers, besides nu-
| merouS steam glue-heaters, pressing boards,
sewing benches, laying presses, large -
hole glue-kettle heater with a variety of
other things requisite, down TO common
| bone folder
| This extensive establishment necessarily
| gives employment to large number. sup
ports many families and materially adds
to the prosperity of Sacramento. The
| management is excellent-no private bust
| ness could be more economically con-
| ducted-and the State gets value received
| for all the money thus expended There
are no drones in this busy hive, each en-
ploye-and they represent every portion
OF the State-renders good DAYS work for
his salary, and none but sober, industrious
and competent individuals are given en-
/ ployment.
EMPLOYEES AND WHAT THEY COST.
Frank Mahon, the book-keeper, and
Matthew d. Carr, foreman of the State
Printing Office furnished the reporter
with the following figures representing the
payroll of the office for the past two
weeks: Compositors and binders on State
work, Independent of the school books,
81, 792 % compositors, electrotypers,
binders and engravers on school books,
| 81 ,043 total, 81, S35 %. Total number of
employees, So, of which SO work in the
bindery and "a of whom are young women.
The latter receive from 50 TO $12 per week,
IN accordance with their proficiency, and
all are experienced workers
THE sCHooL-BooKs
The State Board of Education have ar
ranged 20 print series of readers, in three
parts. The First will contain 12S pages,
the Second 2SS, and the Third 512 The
Speller also has been arranged, but all the
copy has not yet been placed in the hands
of the Printer. The books are printed
from electrotype plates. The first sheet of
the Third Reader, sixteen pages, was sent
to the binders room on the 9th instant,
and since then has advanced to 500 pages,
all of which are Immediately folded, and
are ready for binding as soon as the last
sheets are received. In about TWO weeks
they will have the last form, and $4,000
copies will be bound. The covers are al
ready made, and the book will be turned
out at the rate of 1000 per day. The cover
of the Third Reader in size is ski inches.
Backs are OF maroon leather, embossed
panels, star at the top, another at the
bottom, and an American shield in the
center very handsome design. On the
top panel, in gilt letters, Third Reader
and on the lower. California Series" The
sides are of dark-brown silk-finished
cloth, handsomely embossed in ink,
with the words in the center, Third
Reader" On the top, California State
Series, and at the bottom, "School Text
Books" The paper is of the best quality.
the binding the most durable, not easily
soiled, and very handsome. immediately
upon the completion of the Third Reader.
the First Reader will be taken in hand,
and an edition of 10000 printed and bound
as quickly as possible. After that an edi-
ton of 10000 of the Second Reader will
follow and then the Speller The First and
Second Readers will be bound like the
Third in every respect, except that the
words 8 First and Second will be sub
stituted for Third
OTHER STATE BOOKS.
The State bindery has Just turned out an
edition OF 5000 copies of the first volume of
" Irrigation Development, History and Gus
toms, Laws and Administration Systems
Relating to Irrigation, Water Courses and
Waters in France, Italy and Spain,r by
William Ham. Hall, c. E., State Engineer.
1t is book of 622 pages handsomely bound
in maroon-colored, silk finished cloth, and
appropriately and handsomely embossed
on the back and sides.
The bindery has also in hard 5000 COP
les of the Report of the State Agricultural
Society for 1SS5-S6, which is to be bound
in cloth. Sergeant Barwick's Signal Serv-
ice report is also in the hands of the bind
ers. The following is but partial list of
the work done in the State bindery since
November last. Hardly day passes with
out getting orders for blank books and
blanks from the various State institutions
and Commissions, which now number
forty, the details of which can be seen in
the records of the bindery One thousand
copies OF the sixth annual report of the |
State Prison Commission Supreme Court |