The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-19
UNCLE SAM'S PRINTING.
New Government Printing Office in
Washington Finest in World.

The government printing office, the
largest establishment of it's kind in the
world, with the greatest capacity for
putting out printed matter of all kin 5
is just being completed at North Cap
itol and G. streets, Washington, D. c.
For more than three years labOrers
have been engaged in the task of pro-
viding a new home for the governments
publishing house, ground having been
broken on the new site in July, 1893.
Before congress meets again the presses
will be merrily humming in their new
home, the public printer counting on va
eating the old quarters in Decembef.
The army of c0mpoSitOrS, StereOtypers.
binders and others under Public Printer
Palmer will sigh with relief as they re-
move their belongings from the old fire
trap which has been their workshop for
the pest fifty years and more. The fear
of a holocaust in the government print
ing office has been in the minds of the
officials for years, for every available
foot within its four walls are crowded
to the utmost with workmen and sup
plies.
The new plant will be freproof
throughout. The floors were designed
to sustain heavy loads, and the brick
and steel walls pre- two feet seven fncnts
thick throughout the entire height. Tie
structure, which is 4OS feet in length OIL
the G street side, and IT'S feet 8 inche~
on the North Capitol front, is seven
stories high, besides cellar and loft the
in connection withthe modern system OF
ventilation that has been adopted. -Four
hundred thousand feet of floor space
are provided, and this is divided up III
such manner as tonfurnish the best IA
cllitieS for the prompt dispatch of gov
eminent work. Statistics relating to the
amount of materials used in the struc
ture are interesting. Twelve million
bricks have gone into the building
we'll as $4,000, 600 pounds Of steel, $500, 0GU
pounds of cast iron and $4,000 barrels OF
cement Fifteen elevators will answer
all requirements, both for passenger and
freight service
The amount appropriated for the
building was 81, 429,O0O. but Capt Sewell,
the army officer in charge of the con-
StructiOn, hopes to turn back $25, coo of
this, making the total cost 50, 400, coo.
Already installed in the building are the
four engines. two of 800 horse power,
one of 400 and one of $50. There are
eight boilers OF 300 horse 2oWer each.
AS now constituted the office numbers
about 1000 employees, of which about
one-third are women. The bookbindery,
as a part of the government printing
Office employs about 600 COnaoositors
number about 1900. One hundred press
men and 200 press feeders, in all branch
es, are employed. There are about 500
folders and 2c0 stitchers. OF stereo-
typers and electrotypers there are SIS
The remainder of the force includes hy-
draulic pressmen, engineers, firemeu,
electricians, watchmen, helpers and la
borerS.
The work today. as well as the force
employed, is the greatest in the history
of the Office. The last session of con
gress made a larger demand for print
ing of all kinds than any preceding it,
and it is reasonab BILE to expect that the
work will. as it has in the past. con-
tinue to increase and with it the facili-
ties for printing and the number of en-
ploves.
Up to 1861 the government printing
was done by ct. but the volume
of work became so large that no single
establishment at the capital was capa-
BILE of handling it. The work was ac-
cordingly distributed among a number
of firms, the result being that a variety
of styles prevailed in the printed docu-
ments. giving general dissatisfaction
and producing much confusion The
outcome of this state of affairs was a
suggestion that Uncle Sam print his
own bills. reports and other literature.
and in 1861 the government purchased
printing shop on the site of the present
big Dlant.-From Editor and Publisher.