The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-25
UNCLE SkI'S PRINTING SHOP.
SOON ne WILL NAVE IRE FINEST
PLANT IN the WORLD.


shop will be in apple pie order. II is I'M
doubtedly the finest establishment OF its
kind In the world
The removal Of the shop from the old,
ramshackle huilding which was erected
long before the Civil War by private indi-
viduAls who used 70 do the Government
printing by contract, has been going on
for the past month or six weeks. The old
structure was an overcrowded and unsatis-
factory place, and the wonder ia how the
Government ever turned out within ITS
walls the necessary public documents
Many OF the difficulties were overcome by
having . part Of the force quartered IN
rented buildings in various parts OF the city
The agitation for q new printing ONCE
started in earnest fully fifteen years ago.
Repeated warnings were given by experts
that the old building was unsafe. With
the heavy machinery and type and the enor-
nous quantities Of paper and other material
that had to be kept constantly In stock,
it il not remarkable that at times vibra-
lions Of the building were felt which almost
created Z panic among the thousands OF
employees.
When Ford's Theatre. in Tenth street.
which was occupied by the Record and
Pension Bureau of the War Department,
collapsed some years ago and killed score
or more OF clerks, the prediction was made
that, il Congress did not soon provide a
modern and more spacious home for the
printing office there would be another dis
aster OF the same kind.
In those days Washington real estate
- 81 fol o,
the power to hold up Congress. But Con-
gress has learned a thing or two and in
stead Of submitting to being pestered by
real estate sharks when site for public
building Is wanted, it now orders condemna-
ton proceedings That finally had to be
done in securing the site for the printing
Office.
Much delay was occasioned because the
late Gen. William Malone Of Virginia and
his friends made a stubborn fight to sell
the Government square which they owned.
Malone had lost most Of his fortune; and
Senators, especially. felt sorry for him, be-
cause at one time. while a member OF the
Senate. he enabled the Republicans to main
tain majority. But the House would not
60 into the scheme.
II was not until 1899 that the first
appropriation for the new printing office
was authorized by Congress. The limit
of cost was then fixed at s2,OOO,OO0. A
year later it was increased to 81 .428 900.
It will be strange il further appropria-
tions are not called for at the approaching
session OF Congress to decorate the inte-
rior, to purchase additional machinery
and to provide furniture and fixtures.
Solidity rather than SNOWY architect
ure was aimed at in the construction OF
the big building. Constructed mainly OF
brick. it ia pronounced by the officials to
be about as nearly hreproof as it is posi-
BILE to make 1t.
It Isl U shaped building. and the window
frames are OF cast iron. Hard woods have
been used throughout The walls are un'
commonly thick. and there is nothing
Of an infammable nature dividing the
various rooms, under the flooring or in The
roof.
The building has q frontage Of 40
feet on G street and 175k feet on North
| Capitol street 1t is seven stories high
with basement and attic, and there are
spacious damp proof vaults for storage
| PURPOSES under the G. street and Nortl
Capitol street sidewalks.
| Aside from the large approp riation
for building and repairs, the sum set aside
| for operating the printing Office prope
has been increasing steadily for severa
wears at the rate Of from $500 900 to $500,
900 each year. The constantly increasing
demands upon the gigantic shop are re
sponsible for this.
In round numbers 1t costs something
like 50, 235 900 a year to operate the plant
| 1t ia many times more expensive thar
similar Governmentplants of Great Britain
Germany, Russia and other leading Eu
| ropean countries.
Our Public Printer. considering thu
onerous duties devolving upon him. hi
manifold responsibilities in having t.
employ and look after an army OF between
1000 and 5000 people, is very poorly
paid official. His salary and allowances
are but little in excess of IS, 600 year
Hundreds of men at the head OF private
ENTERPRISES Of this sort, and not nearly
so important. get more money than he
does, and certainly earn the salary.
In wages alone Public Printer Paine
paid out during the last fiscal year NOR
than 81 900 ,0OO In his estimate for the com
ing fiscal year, ending June 80. 1904, TIN
Secretary OF the Treasury will ask Congress
to vote 81, SOC, 900 for wages in the printin,
office.
In round numbers the paper bills amour
to S7SO, 900; materials and supplies othe
than paper cost last year $3.50, 600, and thu
bills for lithographing and engraving
amounted to S24O,O0O.
Uncle Sans bookbindery is as complete
AZ skill and money can make it. Mucl
costly rnateria! is bough. for this branch, Il
the Government is yearly turning on
finer publications. The map printing als'
is an expensive and artistic feature o
the work
For some OF the so-called little article
the following amounts are paid out in
year. Thread 3I2 900; twine, 81, 900; -four 70
paste. $780, soap, 500; sponges $3.50
In a single year the enormous number o
,845, SIC documents including those received
and distributed, we're handled by the Office
The labor unions have had a firm girl
on the printing Office for years, and X
great is the power Of the Typographical
union especially that the old method o
setting type by hand still prevails Al
attempts made in Congress to install type
setting machines have failed
The first signal defeat met here b,
these organizations was through the stail'
taken recently by President Roosevelt II