The times., 1899-10-06
equal TO Emergencies
Good Record Of the Bureau of EE-
craving and Printing.
Annual Report of Director johnson
10 the Secretary of the Treasury
Unprecedented Demands for the
Prompt Delivery of Securities
sIet-Importanf recommendations.

The report Of Claude N. Johnson, Direct
or Of the Bureau Of Engraving and Print
ing has been made to Secretary Gage. The
director states that the bureau had been
able TO meet all the requirements Of the
Government in any emergency. in spite
OF the fact that never before in the his
cory OF the bureau had the demands for
large and prompt deliveries CT securities
been so great
The report, in part, is as follows:
Never in the history Of the bureau
have The necessities for large and prompt
deliveries Of securities been so great. Not
Szithstanding this, the bureau has demon
strsted its ability to meet the require
ments Of the Government in the most ex-
treme emergencies TO the satisfaction of
the officers Of the various branches which
require its product in the execution of the
business OF the country.
Increased Deliveries.
THE number Of sheets delivered during
the fiscal year was 1I2.161,122, which is
1919. .6z4 sheets in excess of the deliT-
cries for the preceding fiscal year, or sn
increase Of nearly 20 per cent The ex-
penditures for the fiscal year were sl,SS4,-
44139. which are ss1s.s42-s3 in excess Of
the expenditures during the fiscal year 1898,
or an increase OF nearly 20 per cent While
the percentage Of increase in expenditures
is the same apparently as the increase IN
work. il should not be overlooked that
Congress required the printing Of large
amount Of work formerly printed upon
power presses to be printed upon hand
presses for considerable part Of the year,
thus increasing its cost about 80 per cent,
and that the volume Of work required was
so great that it became necessary TO work
three shifts through the hottest summer
we have experienced for years. Under
these conditions the results obtained could
not be as favorable as these usually Oh
tained. During the present fiscal year
there has been s43, 1881 expended IoT
new machinery, which becomes a psrma-
nent addition TO the plant, and should not
in estimating the cost Of the work, be
chargesble TO any particular year. AT the
close Of the fiscal year there remained an
unexpended balance Of SO, ,SS4.4S.
More Money Needed.
IN accordance with the law requiring
the introduction OF smoke consumers 10 all
boiler plants within the District OF Co uEn-
liza. contracts have been made FOR smoke
stack and smoke consumer, aggregatng an
expenditure OF S2S,520. These items are
not included in the aggregate expenditures,
as they are offset hy the unsxpended bal
ance 10 within S. sS5.5T which must be ap-
propriated for IS deficiency when Con-
sress meets. As this expenditure OF
Sz6. $50 became necessary 10 comply n
an act OF Congress, il is not properly
chargeable to the years expenditures. In
fact il said law had act been enacted, in
pIaee of this small deficiency there Woa.d
have been s22. 50. .4S available TO be COW
cred back into the Treasury. Il was not
practiczI TO introduce smoke consumer
without increasing the draft 10 our boilers.
and this could not be given without an en-
Iarged snoEestack with additional height
The average gross cost per 900 sheets
is s16.S0 as against S1s-sS for the pre-
ceding year The net average cost per
600 sheets for the year 1888 was 1866.
while the net average cost per 600 sheets
for the year 1883 was slszl, showing an
increase in the cost CT the work OF 5 cents
per LOCO sheets. This increase in the
cost is largely due to the necessity OF
printing certain classes Of work upon hand
presses instead o. upon power presses pur-
chased for that purpose, Congress having
enacted a Law requiring the work 10 be
done upon hand presses.
Notwithstanding the fact that much Of
the work was handled in irregular hours,
We find the average number Of sheets
handled per emplOye 10 have been 5S, ,939
sheets, as against s., $50 sheets the pre-
ceding year. There is no fact connected
with this service which demonstrates its
effective work more clearly than the show
ing OF an increased efficiency OF its en-
ployes in the handling Of an increased
q efar 1fi1b in,
ceeds 3 per cent
New Buildings Wanted.
1T may be assumed. considering the
above statement OF increase in the volume
OF work performed by this bureau. that
Congress viii be convinced Of the necessity
for increasing the capacity OF the bureau in
the way of additional buildings. and ths.
in the next appropriation bin an item viii
appear for that purpose. Owing 10 the lack
OF room il is with the greatest difficulty
that the required number OF sheets is pro-
dnced from day TO day. Most branches of
the service are IN operation until O'Clock
each day, ana in one branch double set OF
employees Is working. IN case OF any par
tieular hurry for the delivery Of notes and
securities II becomes necessary to continue
operations during the twenty-four hours
This condition is not only contrary to good
business principles. but is a strain upon the
officers and employees Of the bureau that
cannot continue for any great length o.
time. have the honor, therefore, TO recon.
mend thar an item OF al least Sle0. 600 b.
included in the estimates for public build
1nes connected with the Treasury Depart
inert Tor a suitable extension OF this build
ing
In addition to the above recommendation
for an extension of the main building,
have the honor TO renew my former recon
mendztion Tor az appropriation for a FIRE
proof 0urbuilding The amount heretofor
requested for this purpose was Ss2, eco.
an OF the opinion that this amount viii b
sufficient 10 secure a building in every va
sdaptea for the purpose.
For Higher Wages.
There IS one class OF employees il thi
bureau whose claims to increased oompen
sation are entitled 10 careful consiaera
lion by Congress, as that body fixes II
amount 20 be paid them. ] refer to III
class OF printers assistants. whose com
pensation is sL25 per day. These youn
women are required to stand from six t
eight hours a day, and during that tim
their work involves both mental and bod
ily eKernon as they are required 10 ex
anime each sheet as il IS printed and de
terinine whether il is perfect or not, a
well as 10 dampen the paper and lay il o
the plate. They are held equally responsi
bic with the printers for the safe enstod
of printed and imprinted s1eets, represent
ing in many instances large values II
sheet is lost through their careiessness
imposes upon them not only participate
in the payment Of an equivalent IN none
. frra I,ssf esalr.ar,-ss.r1 aud r1C-efhi