The Washington times., 1905-11-06
SCARCITY OF WORK
IN BIG PRINTERY
Investigation Has lmmedI-
ate Results.
FIFTY MEN FURLoUGHED
Cabinet Officers Shortened Reports One
Cause-Ricketts Puts Economical
Methods Into Effect.

The recent airing OF the methods in
vogue in the Government Printing once
has already had its effect.
Especially Is this noticeable in the
annual reports Of the Cabinet officers
and other work coming in from the de-
partmen-s under Cabinet officers Here
tofore at this season Of the year IL has
always been the big printery's busy sea-
son. Government reports as gen
eral rule fairly swamped the office OF
the Public Printer. This years reports
are coming in now, but IN every respect
they are much shorter and free from
lot of what was considered at the G. T.
o. practically useless tables Of statistics
The change is most noticeable IN the
big printerys cOmpOsing-rooms- The
matter OF setting uD these tables OF sta
tistics requires a greater amount Of time
and consequently more help. This year
il is hard work for the Acting Public
Printer TO get enough work 10 keep the
steady employees busy. Last night Mr..
Ricketts, had to lay of fifty temporary
eompositors indefinitely for lack of
work
An Unusual Occurrence.
This is a move that has never before
been made at this time OF the year at
the printing Office, and the officials and
statements made before both the Keep
and Lands commissions. They hold
that those IN authority must have done
something toward cutting down the
printery's work, and are wondering II
it viii continue in that way for any
length Of time
In submitting his estimate for next
year Mr. Ricketts, cut of over $500 OO0
from last years estimate and in doing
that he did not figure that the work
would so materially decrease. Now, The
way the conditions are, 1t looks Ike he
could have used the shaving knife TO
further degree.
II do not know just what has caused
all this reform" said Mr.. Ricketts, las
night. 1T may have been the result
of some recommendations made by one
or both of the committees that have
pried into the Government Printing Of
flee affairs. At any rate II IS sup
prise 10 me and a thing I did not antic
ipate. ] have furloughed indefinitely
fifty temporary compOsitOrs and may
have to 90 the same in the press rooms
We are away ahead OF our work. and II
fact have not any more than t5IT0Jgi
to keep the regular force going"
Restricts Telephone Calls.
Mr. Ricketts,. however. is investigatini
every nook and Granny in the big es
tablishment tending 10 further reduc
expenses. Friday orders were issue
and posted in conspicuous place
throughout the building to the effec
that hereafter the telephones would b
restricted TO purely official business. TIL
first day the order was in effect IN
calls were cut down about one-hal
and yesterday the calls WeT
even fewer than the day before NJ
Ricketts, figures that he can save tn
Government over $1,000 on this itel
alone. Other moves in the same line
may be made in the near future.
Mr. Ricketts, is preparing 10 handl
the business that viii come in whe
Congress cOnvenes. He is having II
seventy-JWO Lanston machines Lhs
were purchased last spring Installed @
the dfth floor of the new building. A
ready tWenty-siX OF the machines haX
been set up ready for work and twent
others have begun y Ork- These fort!
six machines viii be used exclusivel
on specification work. What Will
done with the remaining twenty-siX !
has not as yet decided and may leaN
their disposition 10 the new Publ
Printer when he takes charge the la
part OF this month.