The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-08-11
The PUBLIC PRINTER.
He Has to do a Good Deal Of Work for
Small Pay.
ORIGIN, GROWTH AND PRESENT PRO poR
rroNs OF THE GOVERNMENT PRINT
sHoP-FoUR MILLIONS REQUIR.
ED TO RUN IT FOR TWELVE
MONTHS.

81 presume that there comes a time
in the life of every lawyer when he en-
tertains an ambition to be a Judge"
says ex-senator Moody, of South Da.
kota. 1t may probably also be truth
fully said that there comes time in
the life of every printer in this country
when he entertains desire or an am
btion to secure employment in the
Government printing Office at the
National Capital.
The public printer is at the head of
great institution which employs over
three thousand men and women. The
Government printing Office is a hive of
industry, and, because of the fact that
the employees in this great printing
house are not under the protection of
the civil service law, there are appli-
cants for employment on hand in per
son every day either accompanied by
their representatives or Senators, or
bearing letters from men of standing
and influence. The Office of the pub
lie printer, which is upon the second
floor of the building, is the most at.
tractive camping ground in the city
for the unemployed.
1t costs nearly $4,000, 900 to pay
the yearly expenses of this institution.
Over $1,000, 900 are paid out annually
to the employees in wages, while the
quantities of materials consumed by
the Government printing Office are al
most staggering in their volume. Last
year $4,000 printers reams of paper
were used, costing over 5000, 900.
There were also ten tons of printers
ink, twelve tons Of glue, six tons of
twine, two tons of glycer;ne, two tons
of antimony, one ton OF bar tin, one
half ton Of plumbago, 500 pounds of
pumioe stone and $50 pounds of bees.
wax consumed in the regular business
of the Government printing Office I;
and there were also 6,ooo gallons of
oil, 1850 gallons of benzine, I4o gal
Ions of alcohol, 5000 packs of gold
leaf, 1000 pieces of book cloth, 1000
dozen Turkey morocco skins, 2,o
square feet of calfskin, 1900 yards of
crash, 1000 dozen sheepskins, and 4o,-
900 feet of Russia leather consumed
in the regular business. 1t is claimed
by many that the Government print
ing Office in. Washington is the biggest
on the face of the earth. From the
expense account epitomized above
one would Judge that there is some
ground 70: that claim.
1t is not generally known, but it is a
fact that the big building at the cor
ner Of North Capital and Fl. streets,
in which over 5000 men and women
are employed, is veritable hre-trap
and gigantic tinder-box. If fire
should occur in any part of the build
ing a fearful holocaust would result
Three years ago Congress appropria.
ted $aso,ooo for the purchase of a
site and the erection of new build
for the Government printing Office |;
but real estate dealers in this city have
managed, by active and energetic COM
petition, thus far to prevent the selec-
ZION Of any site, and the old death
trap continues in use. In the base
ment OF the building are IS huge
printing presses, while on the floor
above there is an immense compile
ment of binding machinery, applian-
ces and fixtures capable Of turning out,
in phenomenally short time the great
est jobs of printing that can possibly
he prAiactaI r, tho hoco,,aot ant
on the ground floor are the press
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 electrotyping de-
partments and proof rooms. On the
third floor is the bindery and its ware
rooms. The fourth story is devoted
to the publication of the CoNGREssIoN-
AL RECORD, patent Office specifications,
and to the necessary warerooms. In
addition to the numerous force Of
printers, compositors, press-men, stereo.
typers and book binders, there are
whole battalions of feeders, computers,
helpers, assistants, machinists, en-
glneers, messengers, watchmen and
laborers. Most of the computers,
feeders and assistants are women and
girls, numbering about I,ooc in all,
who earn competence by their la.
Dor. In addition to this great central
printing Office there are five branches
under the supervision of the public
printer, and they are located for con-
venience in the Treasury, Interior,
Navy, State and War Departments for
work requiring special secrecy and dis
cretion in these departments
During the last session of Congress
joint committee of both Houses un
dertook to cut down the expenses
of the Government printing Office by