Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-11
RAPID PRINTING PRESS
Twentieth Century Wonder
Installed at G. P. 0.
HIGH SPEED MACHINE
wHIRLs OFF $4,000 E1aHT-PAeE
SIGNATURES AN HOUR.
Discussion Among Printers of Coming
Election Of National Officers
Rumor Causes Sensation.

$4,000 completed and folded eight-page sig
natures an hour is the twentieth century
wonder which has been installed in the
government printing Office by Public Print
er Palmer. This great machine, which
weighs 63,OOO pounds and cost Uncle Sam
$500, was built by Hoe & Co.. and is in
tended to be used for printing the Con-
gressional Record, which now requires two
presses, each printing four-page signatures.
The new press will print four, eight or six
teen-page signatures, as may be desired.
This huge piece of mechanism requires the
services Of ten men to operate 1t. One of
the most remarkable features of the press
Is that its movements are absolutely con-
trolled by the touching of three buttons
which could be manipulated by the touch
of an infant. There are eight stations on
the press, at each of which are the three
manipulating buttonS-the ION" button for
starting the machine, the "stop-off'' button
for stopping the press or reducing its
speed, and the safety" button for bringing
the machine to stop in case of accident.
The first pressure on the on button causes
the press to go ahead slowly, then success
i've touches cause it to increase it's motion
until it is going at top-nOtch speed. The
third pressure on the on button throws
the big press from the small electric motor
to the large one and gives it its highest
speed.
It's Record Run.
Speaking of it's speed, Mr.. Louis Espey,
pressman in charge of the great printing
machine, said the record run of the big
press so far was made several days ago.
when the machine, running two presses,
printed seventeen signatures, two forms,
eight pages to the signature, In six hours,
including making ready" the forms.
THE press is new and somewhat stih
yet" said Mr.. Espey, 'and Will make a
better record after a while. We expect to
run off 25S,OO0 Fights, sixteen signatures,
in day of eight hours when the machine
gets down to business"
Another interesting feature Of the ma
chine is that it is two presses in combina-
ton, and can be operated either as one or
two presses. The buttons on nearby
switchboard. when properly touched, VIII
give the press seventeen different speeds
This switchboard cost as much as an ordl-
nary dwelling house--$3,5 800 The mixing
arrangement is novel and complete, eacn
roller weighing sixty pounds and can be
regulated to print anything from Visiting
card to an eight-sheet poster.
Supt John E. Walsh of the Record 1old-
ing and mailing department stated that the
mail list of the congressional daily (except
Sunday contains 21,500 names, ana that
the local mail and that for Congress must
he at the city post office at $50 o'clock in
the morning. Last Saturday morning
twenty rolls of paper were consumed IN
printing the Congressional Record, when
contained twelve signatures, or nlnety-siA
pages.
Forty Men as Guards.
watch force of forty men Is required
IN p,,ard Uncle Sans new printing office.
The watcbmen are under the command OF
can't r. B. Harlow, a veteran of the CIVIL
war with gallant record, and who Is a
trained disciplinarian. On Capt. Harlow
staff are Lieutenants John s. Tunnicnn'
John A. Barr and George {. Harris.
There are three shifts OF Watchmeh VI
duty during each twenty-four hours, eacn
shift performing eight hours or DUTY, anu
being under the command OF one Oh INC
lieutenants The men wear neat navy
blue uniform with brass buttons s anu The
oficer's cap of regular army design Inc
legend Captain and Lieutenant appear
over the visors of the caps worn by those
officers.
EVERY one of our watchmen.' said capt.
Harlow sis a veteran soldier of the war
from 1861 to 1865 and they know now 10
nerform their duties as a soldier shoulo'
Not a Waterman has appeared LOT uuty IN
der the influence of liquor or been reported
for imbibng during the past six months
I believe we have the most efnclent Watch
force under the government
Capt. j. Lyon King, one of Mr.. Palmer
star printers, holds high office In the Ma
tional Army and Navy Spanish war Ve.et,
of administration. The friends OF cant;
King in the G. P. o. say he will be elected
to an important executive once In tnat
organization at it's next convention whicn
will be held in St. Louis or in one OF the
Atlantic coast cities of the south.
Men Under Bonds Barred.
Something of a sensation has been caused
among the members of Columbia typo
graphical Union by a statement which "
going the rounds in the government PRINT
ing Office concerning the candidacy for
president of the union of Capt. Wliilam
Ramsey, foreman of the specification dl-
vision. and Mr. john n. bers, iofein arar ~.
the Congressional Record force. prom
ipent member Of the union stated TINS 1ore-
noon that all the foremen or DIVISIONS IN
the G. P. o. are required to give a large
bond as officers of the government, anu inc
bonding companies have 1ntimated tnaI
such foremen as are bonded by them wouio
not be permitted to be elected to once IN
the union as being supervisory ana re-
sponsible officers of the government thsv
could not at the same time represent the
members of the union in case of strike
or other disagreement with the government
authorities.
Several compositors in the big printerv
today gave vent to their Views on this mat
ter, and 1t was the consensus of opinion
that the bonding companies were right, or,
as one of them expressed II: man can,
not serve two masters Inc outcome VIII
be watched with interest.
There is another Richmond in the Held
MI. John O'Donnell Of the Agricultural De-
partment branch has been announced as
candidate for president of the union, ana,
II is said he has rather strong following.
considerable Ill feeling is being engen-
dered,'' said politician" at the govern
ment printing office today, ''by certain cor
respondence which is being published In
local labor organ concerning the candf-
dacy of Mr. John Lynch of Syracuse, N. Y,
and Charles Hawkes. of Chicago for the
presidency of the International Typograph-
ical Union. Mr.. Lynch is the present
president and he Is said to be magnetic
and a man of marked ability, but it Is
claimed by the adherents of Mr.. Hawkes.
that his administration has been an ex-
travagant one. The friends of Mr.. Hawkes..
who is the present first vice president of the
International Typographical Union. claim
that his campaign is being conducted in an
orderly and dignihed manner. while one at
least of President Lynch's local supporters
has published some harsh personalities
against the opposing candidate"
..Mr Hawkes. said another local politf-
cian lis splendid organizer, and In a
number of cities where differences have
arisen between employing printers and en-
ployes he has brought about amicable re-
suits. He has many supporters among the
unions in the large cities, and has been in
<7orSa<3 bxy (vol,tuabfa lIufon of fbic cffv nv