Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-06
THE BIG PRINTERY
QUESTIONS UNDER DISCUSSION
AMONG CRAFTSMEN.
Coming Election Of Officers in Columbia
Typo. Union - Gathering
Machines Installed.

The uuid nuncs in Uncle Sans big print
cry are eagerly discussing the prospective
ca indicates for Office whose names will ne
presented at the annual election OF "Old
Reliable" as Columbia Typographical
Union. No. 101. has come to be designated
by the craft all over this broad country.
The election will be held May 1S, and the
friends of the several candidates are al
ready as busy as bees seeking supporters
for their favorites. The presidency of the
Union seems to be one of the most coveted
plums and there are already several can
didates for that honor already In the neio.
1t was stated on good authority today thdi
Capt. William r. Ramsey. foreman OF the
specifcatio division. will be formally an
nc unced as candidate for president OF
Columbia Union In few days MT. Ram
sey is said to be quite popular in e. r -;
circles. and his friends declare ne VIII
make good run. ,,+
Record force is another popular candloate
for the presidency. The downtown typos
have as their candidate for this office MAI
Herbert of the Washington Post chapel
who has been formally announced as sucn:
While the fight for the vice presioelcy
will not be as hot as that TOT tIe ins srea
Office it will nevertheless be intefe es,nr,
and will be watched with interest. InSie
ar, three candidates in evidence Tor inns
Office. They are: Mr.. William II. Love oI
the first division day force. Mr.. Herzinser
and a downtown printer whose name 10 %
Vet "under a bushel measure
Tbare will be the usual spirited contest
oyar the election of delegates to the IN
TORI, tional Union. A type-stlckeE Oh the
Record said facctiously this moTn aaatos mil,
"Refore election day the candidates WIN
no as thick as blackberries in virginia
thicket in fruit season
Gathering Machines Installed.
r,,.or pa,noer has installed in the
Record folding division, under Foreman
John f. Walsh. on the first floor or the
new building. two large gathering macnines,
the wonderful work of which is a marVei
to the many visitors who pass through the
nrass room in the forenoon hours when the
ma chines are at work. The performance OF
these gathering machines Is almost hu-
man" as one of the visitors recently eA-
pressed 1t. ,.
They are long, narrow machines. apout
thirty-five feet in length. and are provioeo
with sixteen metal arms eacn, ABOUT lhiee
feet long. 1t is the almost human-nRe "oIA
of these arms which causes wonderment 70
the observer Each arm Is provided with
sort of thumb and forennger: IorcS VI
women who go on duty at Midnight piace
piles OF signatures eight printed pages Oh
the Congressional Record before each arm.
The arms descend to the piles OF sigma
lures" simultaneously, each metal tnuIiio
and forefnger open, and grasp one sigma.
of endless chain trough. which Is con-
stantly moving with regularity to the ter
minus where the several signatures are
mechanically put together. forming COM
plete Congressional Records. ready Tor
Cheating and then for the wiring ma
chine where they are sewed with fine PHI
able wire. =.
The work of the gathering machines is
said to be reliable. but few mistakes being
made.
Death of Frank Porter.
Word has been received by some of the
oId-timers in the G. P. o. that Frank Por-
ter an away-back compositor in the office,
( died several days ago near Hot Springs,
Ark. Mr.. Porter was noted job printer
and always carried a satchei filled with
specimens of his artistic work wherever he
went. His death was due to an accident
which happened to him about six months
ago when he was knocked down by BIZ
cycle and had his collar bone and several
ribs broken. He was well known TO the
veteran printers in this city
The base ball fans" in the office, and
they are legion. are anxiously awaiting the
first game on the grounds near 9TH street
and Florida avenue 1.-THE park is a pretty
good stretch from our, office. and We will
have to lose little more time to get there.
said one of the Washington ''rooters, but
we must see the games. even II we have to
o, RI plddan chung Or TenleyfOWn."