The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-01-22
SCHOOL BOOK QUESTION.
continued from Fir.l Panel


actly what "plsnt" he needed, and all b
needed, and that It was zone mammot
edition bindery, one Hoe perfectin
press" little type-"a mere triae"-"t
sort up"
In his report, after he had got his ar
preparation, he states: II deemed j
necessary, in order to carry out the pro
visions OF this act satisfactorily and intel
llgently, to proceed East and make
careful examination Of the most i'm
proved machinery in use in the larg
Eastern establishments. l did co."
Yes, and besides that, he EXTENDED
] his trip to Europe, and travelled all owe
that part Of the world, hunting for ''im
proved machinery" and all the expense
| Of his vacation was paid for from the Gal
iiornia State SChool-book Fund.
CONTINUED GROWTH OF COSTS.
The following quotations from subse
quent State Prlnters reports will be
found interesting as showing the State
Printers unquenchable thirst for sap.
preparations" when once he had been
permitted to get up State school book
puDlhhlnR business:
In 1883 at he needed was "a mere
trife."
In 1885 he felt that be should have a
quarter OF million, but was induced to
try to "bpgin" with $4,000.
In 1886 he outlines almost innumer.
able new and plausible expenditures.
In 1883 the new State Printer, Shoaf,
says: "In assuming my office I found
that the textbook business had not been
fully established and was inCumbered
with numerous difficulties. The last
Legislature passed an act appropriating
$4,000 to build fre.prooi warehouse
for the storage Of textbooks. The re.
suit shows that the cost OF manufacture
ing the State textbooks, as given by my
predecessor, J. ]. Ayres, fall short Of the
actual expenditures. well, yes, indeed
they did, No percentage was' added
for contingent expenses, such as wood
and coal, repairs 10 machinery, engin.
GERS supplies, oils, etc, freight and
drayage, telephone, gas, ice. water, in.
surance, plumbing, express, lumber, nor
for the wages Of employees not directly
employed in the manufacture OF the
books, such as foreman, assistant fore.
man, machinists, porters, time keeper,
messengers, carpenter, book-keeper,
Waterman, porter to pack books, etc,
nor for the necessary waste Of material
Shoaf promised to try and estimate
high enough in future, but political
changes cut short his career, alter three
months, and ]. D. Young became State
Printer. The State Of California is too
rich to be bankrupted by the textbook
business, but how long could any pri-
vate publisher last with such manage
ment2
Superintendent Young says (Report of
1881:
"Since / took charge Of the Office,
October /, 1887, much has been done in
the way Of improvement. Your Excel.
lency found the floor Of the bindery in q
dangerous condition this was the floor
Ayres had tixed). The unsightty coal
shed was removed and replaced; by
changing some partitions more room has
been gained; the elevator is altogether
untitled for the work required OF it; a
new one should be obtained; the office
should also be provided with q fire
escape; the supply Of type in the Office
Is too small, it is all badly worn, the font
purchased two or three yearsIaRo (Ayres'
report, 1885, aboVe} Is very imperfect
and unsatisfactory; the whole outfit OF
the book department should be sold and
a new one provided; another press,
capable Of more speed, is badly needed.
'tAiter few weeks work upon the
textbooks I became satisfied that the
price at which they were being sold was
much less than the cost of manufacture;
the loss on books sold below cost was
ST., 000 The State seriea OF books re.
Ceived severe black eye, 30 10 speak,
because Of being printed on paper Of a
poor quality, and bound in an unsub
stantiai manner, the volumes falling
apart alter very little use, and the COM
plaint against them was universal. l
have had the interior Of the bindery re
modelled, but it is still too small for
our uses; We have added somewhat to
tho machinery; the linking machine
has broken down, and is too small for
our use"
A little later Superintendent Young
goes at it sSain. He says: "The office
needs another press badly, and in fact,
we cannot do without it. I fear we will
be unable to Issue tho Elementary
Grammar and Physiology in time for
the next school year. The appropria-
ton for the support OF the State Printing
Department Is nearly exhausted" (this
was six months before the close Of the
fiscal year; there had been a similar de-
icienUy two years previous). 1.-THE
mixing machine broke down again last
week. Twill have to ask the Legislature
for an appropriation OF 5000 10 carry
the department through until next
July. The Biographies cannot be Issued
until more people can be employed in
the bindery, and that cannut be done
without an addition TO the building. l
think about $500 will pay for an ad.
dition to the west side"
This is the last report; what new
necessities the one now nearly due will
disclose 1t would require lively imsGin-
alton to anticipate,
now THE SCHEME WAS ADOPTED.
In the light OF these amusing official
documents it gems astounding that
such scheme could have been worked
through the Legislature. Nothing but
the excited condition Of the public mind,
with the resulting reckless and venal
character Of the Legislature, can posi-
bly, account for it. There were not
wanting thoughtful pen who foretold
the progress Of the scheme with great
accuracy, and the teachers OF the State
we're substantially unanimous in their
opposition. But no words Of warning
we're needed the State Printers had the