Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-14
Public Printer Ricketts, Es-
tablishes an Innovation.
PERSONAL INSPECTION
INSTANCES OF THE HIGH RATES
OF sYMPosIUMR
Check Given to Their operations-Ar-
rival Of Keyboards for the New
Lanston Machines

E'OilOWtng MS announcement tHat ali get
rich-quick" and other gambling schemes
will be banished from the government
printing Office. as exclusively given in The
Star yesterday, Public Printer Oscar J.
Ricketts, In the afternoon made an inspec-
ton personally of the several divisions OF
the big print shop This was in the nature
of an innovation, as former public printers
have contented themselves as rule, 1t is
said with listening to reports from foremen
and others as to the conduct of the office.
and have seldom been seen In the long COM
posing rooms. the press department and the
bokbindery and folding department.
The presence of Mr.. Ricketts, among the
employees of his department and the cour-
teous attention he gave to the details or
their work served to restore to a great de-
gree the harmony which had been dissi-
pated by the strenuous experiences during
the Keep investigation and since. owing to
events of recent happening.
Money Lenders Uneasy.
The only perturbation noticeable In the
big printery today Is among those who
who have been engaged In the money-lend-
Ing schemes and the business of making
hand-books on the races. This element is
said to be uneasy under the investigation
Mr.. Ricketts, is making Of certain question
able methods they are said to have been
engaged In. 1t was a difficult matter today
for any of the former borrowers to get a
sloan from the Symposium managers, 1t is
said. One instance Is recited where a print
er who had been regular patron of
certain 'symp." approached the manager
and asked for a small loan at the usual
high rate of interest.
Cant do 1t. old man." said the manager.
for you know Mr.. Ricketts, is after us fell
lows with a sharp stick. But will let you
have the money personal loan-but,
mind you: / am not charging you penny
Another case cited today was to the eff
feet that certain employee of the Office
borrowed SEQ from symposium and was
required to give his note for $780, the
amount to be paid in ten monthly INSTALL
ments Of $40 each.
Some of the symposums are said to have
charged their patrons 40 cents a month for
the use Of So and one printer declared that
some of the symposium managers were
building houses on the proceeds of their
game. Many printers and other employees
heartily praised Mr.. Ricketts, for his de-
termination to rid the printing office of the
'get-rich-quick" gambling schemes, which
they declare have flourished there for
/ many moons" one of them described
1t.
Lanston Keyboards Arrive
The keyboards Of the seventy-two Ian
ston typesettng machines ordered by Pub
lie Printer Palmer have arrived in the city
ana are being delivered to the storekeeper
at the government printing Office. The first
shipment Of the typecastiug machines will
be made in a few days, and 1t is expected
that the entire battery Of seventy-two ma
chimes will be in operation in a very few
weeks.
The Lanston keyboards are understood to
have been forwarded first in order to en-
able the office to select and drill compost
tors in the operation of the ribbon perfor-
ating mechanism, some practice being re-
CURED to sufficiently train operators in its
successful manipulate ton before being put on
live copy. The office has heretofore Sc
lected operators from among the ranks of
the compositors for both typesetting ma
chimes. paying them full wages while mas
terng the details of the iron printers and
1t is expected that this policy will be con-
tinued.
Considerable mechanical detail must he
attended to before the keyboards can be
operated. as piping has to be laid and con-
nected for conveying the compressed air,
AS soon as this Is done, however, the be-
ginners can commence their attendance at
School as they term it, and by the time
the casters are ready for use the operators
will be prepared for their new duties. 1t is
said that an operator of a typesetting ma
chine can turn out as much matter at the
end of two days as could be done by hand,
and after that time 1t is a matter OF the
adaptability Of the operator and the length
OF practice.
Prompt Shipment Expected.
1t is not believed that the Lanston COM
pany will require the five months speci-
fed In the contract to install the machines,
as 1t Is said they are built at this time. and
at the most will require but slight changes
to qualify them for other varieties of work
than that for which they were ordered II
Public Printer Ricketts, SO desires At the
time OF the installation of the first bat
terry the office is said to have had to wait
several months for the machines to be
turned out but 1t Is said that the company
has about caught up with Its orders and is
ready to make the delivery at once.