Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-20
THE NEW PRINTING OFFICE
A Splendid Equipment Provided During
the Year.
Mr.. Benedict on the Use of Electricity
as q Motive POwer-The Piece
System Abolished.


ing the past year, according to Public
Printer Benedict's interesting report, been
almost entirely supplied with new ma
chinery. This, in connection with the pol
icy of putting the office under civil service
rules and establishing bureau OF docu-
ments, marks a new era for the office.
From Jrne /, 1894, to date there have
been purchased twenty-five improved
printing presses including one Hoe web
pre- for the use of the Congressional Rec
ord; one pamrhlet-covering machine, one
qradruple folding machine with electric
feeder, OF e book-hacking machine, three
paper AID book cutters, four ruling ma
chimes, six thread and wire stitchers. four
book-sewing machines, seven machines for
the electrotyping division and three for the
ma chine shop. The new printing presses
are of double the page capacity OF the
pres they replaced, and are operated at
no increase in cost.
An additional web press for printing the
Congressio nal Record was an absolute ne
cessity. The danger of a breakdown with
but one press available for this work mas
caused a good deal of anxiety. In the last
days of the Fifty-third Congress an acct
dent to the old press almost prevented the
printing of the record and the proper con-
clusiCn of the laborS of that Congress.
There is need now of an extra press when
the Record is unusually large, and the old
press which has been repaired, will be re-
served for this purpose. The pamphlet
largely increased demand for work of that
kind. Two old and slow elevators have
been removed, and three fast freight ele-
VatorS substituted
In regard to the use Of electricity as a
motor power, as compared with steam, Mr.
Benedict says: THE utilization of cleo
tricity as motive power is an important
step in connection with the work OF the
office. Electricity applied to machinery has
been found to be not only very economical,
but great advantage and convenience
Its easy adaptation to the varying speeds
required by printing machinery, its safety
and the ease with which it may be pro-
duced and controlled are all points in its
favor.
THE steam boilers, located, as they are,
in the center of the group of buildings. are
a serious menace to life and property. I
urge that Congress at once provide for the
purchase of land adjoining the office, and
the erection thereon CT a building to which
all the boilers may be removed.
''The old electric lighting plant was
found to have capacity of 1,4OO sixteen
candle-power lamps. which were made
qrate to properly light one-third of the
office. the remainder being poorly lighted
by gas. To provide light for the new
space and the wants of the office generally
it became necessary to enlarge the electri-
cal plant or put in a new one. l determined
upon the latter plan, having also in view
the advantages of the application of cleo
trical power to machinery. and contracted
for a new plant of sufficient capacity for
all power and lighting purposes"
In the paragraph treating of the classifi-
cation CT the employees of the office dur
ing the past summer under the civil serv-
ice rules, the public printer says: 1.-The
employees have reason to hope that the re-
suit of the application of the civil service
rules to appointments will hereafter pro-
of1ce-a condition sure to be followed by
eAcessibe discharges. I regret to say that
civil service rules cannot remove the cause
for large reductions in the force after each
short congressional session.
THE following statement is interesting.
in view Of the oft-repeated remark that
this office had fallen under the 'baneful in
fuence of spoilism.' 1t shows the number
of employees on the date that the civil serv-
ice rules went into effect august y and
the number Of years they have been en-
ployed: Twenty-Five to 35 years and over.
125: 20 to "a years and over. 202; 10 to 10
years and over, 324; 10 to IA years and
over. 617; to 9 years and over, 1870; 4
years and U~er, 1872; years and over.
1.5Ss; 2 years and over. 1904: year and
over. 2,545; 1 year and less Cotal number
OF employees on August y, 2. 1856
THE changes in the force for causes,
Such as voluntary resigna lions, deaths and
habits average one for each working day
in the year.
During the year past the piece system Of
typesetting in the office was abolished,
with view of securing greater economy, a
higher standard of typographical excel
lepce, greater harmony, more eQuita ole
distribution of wages and the steady en-
ploy ment CT the maximum number of COM
positors. Under the part piece and part
time system previously followed the large
amount of tabular and fat copy set at
piece rates prevented a fair distribution Of
earnings among employees of equal skill
and worth. and caused constant trouble in
the office because of the anxiety of men to
work in the r-ece divisions This change
has net the purpose in view. The typo
graphical divisions are now working with
the utmost harmony and ZEAL and marked
improI ement is evident in the general work
of the office and in the care taken Of ma
teriaL"