Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-28
NEW POWER UTILIZED
COMPRESSED AIR PLANT AT GOV.
EMINENT PRINTERY.
Measure of Economy-Installation Of
New Gathering Machines-Items
of General Interest.

The installation OF the new f.anston type
| setting machines in the government print-
| ing office has necessitsted the utilization Of
! air pressure for the operation OF the key.
boards and typecasting machines, and ad.
vantage has been taken OF the opportunity
to render the supply OF compressed air suf-
fcient for several departments of the big
| plant. Tho foundry will be able TO econo-
\ mize in the operation of some OF the ma
| chimes I'm use besides facilitating the work
| of that department. Compressed air viii
assist in the operation of the automatic
| feeders for the press and ruling rooms. the
composing rooms will be supplied with hose
! for busting and blowing out cases and tho
new air supply may displace the present
| source of power for the pneumat tic tube sys.
| tenn of the entire plant.
At the present time the office Is supplied
with a large automatic air compressor but
| the two compressors installed for the Lam
ston machines will have a capacity sufficient
| for all the power OF this character desired
| by the office. 1t is stated that II viii be q
matter of economy TO derive from one
| source all the compressed air needed for
| the various uses of the shop. Two conn
pressors of capacity OF 200 feet of FREQ
| air each per minute will have direct connecs
| ton with two ten-norse-power uynamos.
| Before passing to the storage reservoirs the
| air will pass through two condensing tanks
to remove the moisture.
Heavily Charged.
The storage tank OF the compassionate
system will have charge of ninety-five
pounds pressure, which is the maximum re.
| quired for the devices utilizing this power.
The Lanston typesetting machines only rec
quire maximum of fifteen pounds, but
some of the mechanisms which IL will sup-
ply will operate with SO great rapidity that
more pressure will be needed. With the use
of electricity and compressed air the plant
OF the government printing office will be
one of the best equipped in the country.
The Office generates its own electrical en-
ergy, and the great switchboard is said TO
be the finest ever Installed in single plant
OF this character. For the purposes of the
generation of heat a large scale for the
Monotype casters and other machines in the
building il is probable that provision will
be made for installing more extensive mech
anisms for producing alternating current
than the converters at present In operation.
A new gathering machine which is being
Installed in the folding room has capacity
of 5000 books per hour, twenty-four sigma
lures of large pages being handled at one
operation. This Is the fourth gathering
machine purchased for the big printery. the
results given by those first introduced be-
ing so satisfactory that four will be al work
this winter. The government printing
office, said gentleman connected with
the office, will soon be a machine shop
instead of printery If the Introduction or
new mechanical devices IS continued. The
typesetting and other machines do a great
part of the work from the time the copy
Is brought In until the finished books are
delivered"
Lithographing and Engraving.
In speaking of the annual expenditure or
nearly 100000 for Iithographing and en-
craving an official of the office stated that
he did not understand why the government
did not install photo-engraving depart
ment. The office has splendid battery of
presses" he said, which can handle color
work, and by the photo-engraying process
not only would the cost be decreased but
the delays incident to having the work done
In cities hundreds of miles from Washing
ton would be eliminated. Frequently VOL
June will get far the folding room and
then lie for weeks until the plates or maps
intended to be inserted have been deliv-
cred
The electrical force has been very busy
for some time installing the wires necessary
for the operation of the new typesetting
machines. 1t will be some months before
the colored lights used line enunciators
will be installed. 1t is expected that a
| more suitable globe shield will be provided
when this matter is taken up. metal cas-
| ing for the light which is provided with
| an adjustable slide has been suggested en-
| of light desired.
The printers employed at the government
printing office are beginning to feel the eff
feets of the strike to enforce the eght-hour
day throughout the country. Their union
dues are ordinarily per cent of their earn
lngS, but at present they are paying 81 per
month additional on each card as a strike
assessment, and the chairmen of the diff
ferent chapels are turning IN enormous
sums to the secretary of the local union.
There are about 1000 printers employed at
the big office, and the sentiment in favor
of helping the international win the battle
is practically unanimous. The news of the
assessment of the membership of the
American Federation of Labor to help the
printers win their fight has helped to elm
mate objections to the assessment that
members of the local printers union are
paying. This action of the federation will
add about $4,000 TO the printers strike
fund.