Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-15
G. P. O. MACHINE SHOP
MECHANICAL DEVELOPMENT IN
THE BIG ESTABLISHMENT.
Attempt to Fireproof Books-Machine
Operators Record-Night Work
Personal Mention.

The large amount of intricate machinery
In use In the government printing office
compels considerable attention to the
question of repairs, and this Is taken into
consideration from the financial point of
view in making up the annual estimates
for the office With the growth of the ma
chine element In the operation of the plant
the number of machinists and the compile
ment OF tools for their use have been
gradually increased until at present the
machine shop is counted as one of the
most important departments of the service.
Under the supervision of Foreman ]. w.
Hughes the force of employees in the ma
chine shop has so far as possible, been
classified In such a manner as to utilize
the natural aptitude of the workman In
the care of the different classes of ma
chtnery. When new machine is Installed
in any of the different branches of the
work q machinist is detailed to assist the
factory expert In setting up the new
mechanism. and In case of trouble in the
operation of the machine or a part becom-
Ing broken this man is, of course, more
competent to handle the matter than the
ordinary employe. and the longer his su-
pervision extends over this machine the
more valuable is his technical knowledge
of it's mechanical operation.
In this manner the employees of the ma
chine shop have become especially valuable,
tanning the service thoroughly up 10
date and preventing long and expensive de-
lays in the repairing of machinery in con-
slant USE Very seldom is 1t necessary to
order small new parts from the factory,
the completeness of the machine shop ena-
bling the reproduction of nearly all worn
or broken parts of the various machines
In use. An important feature of the work
is the designing and making of small ma
chimes to fill requirements not met with in
any other office in the country. Frequently,
also. the working parts and operation of
regular machines are rearranged and
changed to facilitate the work of the
Office.
Saving Time and Money.
Not only is there large saving of time
In the reproduction and repairing Of broken
or worn parts by the machine shop, but
there Is decided reduction Of the cost.
Mr.. Hughes estimates that the work of
the shop Is turned out at least so per cent
cheaper than II private shop should do
the work under contract, not including the
factor of having the work done when
wanted. 1t appears to be the especial pride
of those in charge that they are enabled
to turn out the work when needed, and not
await the pleasure or convenience of pri
vate plant, this being an important item
In the fixing" Of most of the machines.
especially during the rush times of winter.
A. z. Tisdel was promoted In May to the
position of financial clerk in the Office of
the superintendent of public documents.
superintendent Ferreu states that the Or
ders for publications became SO numerous
that it was thought best to transfer the
responsibility to properly bonded clerk.
The financial operations of the office are
not large, but the great majority of the
letters received contain less than a dollar,
and each requires the attention necessary
for larger amount. Since January 1
over 10000 cash orders have been received,
including about 10000 items. large num-
Der of the publca lions by the government
are sold for from five to twenty-five cents,
involving considerable work in receiving
and recording the orders and shipping the
many small packages.
Fireproofng of Books.
An interesting experiment was made re-
Gently in the blank division of the bindery
in the freproofing of books. The Treasury
Department was responsible for the initial
order, which consisted in the substitution
of prepared asbestos for the binders
boards and backing. the edges being coated
with freproof liquid. The Agricultural
Department also ordered an experimental
set Of books bound in this manner, and
when it was ascertained that there would
be serious delay in procuring the material
the order changed to the standard
blank book requirements.
Miss Hattie NJ. Jewett of the Gazette di-
vision, holder of the Lanston typesetting
machine speed record for the office is en-
joying a three weeks leave of absence.
Miss Jewett established record last month
of 6.6O0 ems per hour for every working
hour, her average being at the rate Of
$500 ems per day of eight hours When
it is remembered that the required stint
on this work during hand-composition days
was 6,4O0 ems per day 1t will be seen that
Miss Jewett is performing more work than
was formerly required of eight compositors.
Much speculation has been created In the
Office the past week by the erection of "a
crib-iike structure the site of what will
be the track yards of the Pennsylvania
a "
structon Is about 10 feet square and eX-
tends to a height of probably 100 feet.
When finished the sides will be covered
with plaster models of the proposed eX-
terror of the new station the intention be-
ing to develop and rectify any possible in
congruities of the ornamentation and lin
eament.
Largest Chapel in the World
Capt. William ]. Ramsey, foreman of the
specification division, is spending the re-
mander of his leave of absence at his
home at Columbus, Ohio, full charge of af-
fairs being in the hands of Assistant Fore
man Ziegler. Capt. Ramsey bears the dis
tnction of being at the head of the largest
force of printers gathered in one chapel in
the world The division derives it's name
from the character of the work, from 250
to 325 employees being required to keep pace
with the activities of the patent office
The Congressional Library binding appro-
priation having been exhausted, the force
employed in that branch has been detailed
to the various divisions of the main bindery.
Many of those so transferred have never
worked before in the new building.
]. ID. Meyers is in charge of a small
night force In the main press room, the
rush Of work being expected to continue
until about the LIST of July. This is the
first time in several years that the press
room has been compelled to maintain a
night force during the summer, the large
amount of work to be completed before the
beginning of the new fiscal year being re-
sponsible for its existence
The report of the Gettysburg National
Park commission, now in press, is one of
the most profusely illustrated pubica tons
issued by the Office in a number of months.
The press work on the 200 half-tone illus
trations of historic battlefelds and monu-
ments is said to be excellent, fully demon
strating the ability of the main press room
to handle any class of work.
A small part of the force of manfolders
stitchers and folders have been detailed to
night duty in the blank sewing room of the
bindery. The rush incident to cleaning up
certain work before the beginning of the
fiscal year is the reason assigned for the
innovation.
Personal Mention.