Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-06-25
PRINTS FOR Us ALL
Public Printer poss . Good Deal
Of Wosk for Small Pay.


u Prtkume tnot there comee . t1soo
In the life Of every lawyer when hs
entertaius an ambition 10 be . judge"
snys ex-senator Moody. OF South M
kota- IL may probably also b truth
fully sid that there comes tine In
the life of every printer in this country
when he cntertains = desire or IN an
bition 70 secure employment In the
government printing ofiice st the NJ
tional capital
The public printer Il st the hsed Of
. great Institution which employs over
three Thousand men and women. The
government printing ONCE h hive OF
industry. aud. because Of the fact that
the employees In this great printing
house are not under the protection Of
the civil service law. there arc appli-
cants for employment ON hand In Per
son every day either accompanied by
their representative Or senators. az
bearing letters from men Of standing
and influence. The ONCE Of the public
printer. which IL upon the eecond door
Of the building. il the mOsk attractive
camping ground in the city for the nm
employed.
II coats nearly 1000 600 TO pay the
yearly expenses Of this institution.
Over D. 900. 900 are paid out annually to
the employees in wages. while the
quantities Of materials consumed by
the government printing Office are
almost staggering in <heir volume.
Last year aS3 printers reaans OF paper
were used, costing over s6qo.oo0. There
were also ten tons Of pfinterS ink.
twelve tons Of glue. six tons Of Irvine,
two tons of glycerine. two tons of anti
niony, one ton of bar tin. one-haf ton
of plun,hago. 500 pounds Of pumice
stone and 20 pounds Of bceswax con-
sumej in the regular business of the
government printing ofBSe; and there
were also 8 200 gallons Of pill, 4,5oo gal
Ions Of bcnzine, 40 gallons of alcohol.
1900 packs 81 gold leaf. 1000 pieces OF
book cloth. 5000 dozen Turkey moroc-
co skins, $50 square feet Of calfskin.
1000 yards of crash. 1000 dozen sheep
skins and 10000 feet OF Russia leather
consumed in the regular business II
is claimed by many that the govern
mcnt printing Office in Washington is
the biggest on the face of the earth
Eron the expense accou at epitomized
above ,nc would judge that there Is
some ground for that claim.
II is not generally known. but II Is .
fact that the big building at the cor
ncr. OF North Capitol and II streets. in
which over 5000 men and women
are employed. is irritable fire trap
and a gigantic Undertook. II fire
should occur in any part OF the build
ing fearful holocaust would result.
Three years ago congress appropriated
Sa5o. coo for the purchase of site and
the erection of new building for the
government printing Office; but real
estate dealers in this city have man.
aged. by active and energetic COMPETE
ton, thus far tn prevent the selection
of any site. and the old death-trap con-
tinues in use. In the basement Of the
building are rs huge printing presses,
while on the f'oor above there Is an
immense complement Of binding ma
chincry, appliances and fixtures capa-
BILE OF turning out, in phcnomcnally
short time, the greatest jobs of print
ing that can possibly be projected. In
the Easement and on the ground floor
are the prcss rooms. paper warerooms
safety vaults and machine shops. On
the second floor are the administrative
Offices. the main composition room. the
job rooms. the .stereotyping and elec-
trotyping departments and proof
rooms. On the third floor is the bind