Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-07-01

wall space is glass, and, in order that
this light may not be lost. the walls Of
the rooms are lined with white enamel
bricks which can be washed like a
bath tub or the marble steps of the
houses in Philadelphia. The building
is absolutely fire-proof, or as near fire
proof MS any building can be. 1t is
also as substantial as possible, and
Its walls are built like those of for
tress, because type is heavy and print
ing presses cause considerable yibra-
ton, and 1t would be unfortunate 10
have the roof or the walls cave in and
bury 1851 American citizens under the
material and machinery that is intend
ed only for the dissemination Of In
telligence. The outside walls are three
feet thick, and to construct them TO-
600, 600 bricks were required. Enclosed
within them is a steel framework
weighing about 100000 pounds,
which is heavier, perhaps, than the
frame of any other building in the
country. Every care was taken to
secure the greatest possible solidity Of
construction. The columns, beams,
Orders, channels and plates were not
made of ordinary stock steel, but were
forged to order and the steel work is
so protected that in case Of heat being
generated by the burning of any mate
rails that might be placed in the build
ing, Its strength will not be affected by
warping. There Is no shafting. All
the machinery is run by electric power
and three dynamos, each of 300 horse
power, will run the 300 presses, II
elevators, 1000 incandescent lights and
system of ventilating fans which are
quite novel.
Nearly 1000 Employees.
Each day about fifteen tons of paper
are used and in the cases are more
than 100000 pounds Of ordinary type.
There are 1857 employees on the pay
roll, Of whom more than 1000 are
typesetters, 927 are employed in the
bindery, $50 are pressmen ana IS
electrotypers. The rest are divided
among various departments and all are
well paid.
The government of the United States
does more printing and publishes more
documents than any other nation III
the world, and last year the cost of
this branch of the service reached
So, 848. 453.0S. A large proportion Of
this money wns wasted by the printing
of worthless and useless documents
ordered by Congress. One-half of lie
printing done for the Senate and the
House of Representatives is pure
waste of labor and money, and the
extravaganza Of Congress in this re-
spect is increasing annually. No mat
ter what kind Of a report is made from
a committee, no matter what sort Of {
petition is presented by senator OF
n member, 1t goes to the government
printing Office, and at least 1900 cop
les are issued and divided among The
members of both houses for distribu
ton. This has been the subject OF
inquiry and discussion periodically fol
many years, and repeated attempts
have been made to introduce measures
of economy, but the Congress readily
drops back into, its old habits after
a few months of reform.
| 1t is said that company at Edin
burgh, Scotland, is building a printing
establishment more than twice as large
us the government office at Washing
ton and that 1t will cost $1,000, 600
while the plant at Washington repre-
sents only about $4,0OO,OOO, but no on,
seems to know much about 1t excep
that 1t is intended for the publication
of books and magazines.
The French government has the mex
biggest printing establishment in
village near Paris; that of the German
government is third in size, and tina
Of the Japanese is fourth.
/ Frank W. Palmer. for many year
editor Of the Chicago Inter-O Ocean, Il
at the head of the government print
ing Office.