Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-03
STAR WE'LL RECEIVED
PRINTING OFFICE EMPLOYEES
PLEASED WITH SUNDAY EDITION.
Base Ball and Other Sports Receive At
Observation-Disclosures in Com
petition-Notes.

The Sunday edition of The Star was
heartily received by the employees of the
government printing Office, it is said, and
by the printers especially, their vocation
giving more or less of newspaper nose,"
and their comments on the appearance and
contents of the first issue were of a highly
eommendatory character. The amount of
good Sunday reading given for the price of
one and one-half cents was the cause of
much comment, and 1t is freely predicted
that the Sunday issue will take the place to
a large extent of the foreign papers.
According to report there are some of the
best checker and chess players in the Dis
trict employed in the Office. At lunch time
there are many games of the former played
In different parts of the building, and even
some chess enthusiasts claim to find the
time for a "skittle" game of chess In the
half hour. 1t would be of interest to the
followers of the various expert players If
a series of games for the championship or
the Office could be arranged.
Typesetting Machines in Competition.
It is understood the Mergenthaler ma
chimes are in training for a competitive test
with the Lanstons in the setting Of the
specifications of patents. Statements are
freely made that no machine can do the
work, but those in a position to know say
other of the two makes of machines will
finally be selected to handle 1t. Those IA
miliar with the work of the Lanston say
that the ability of the operator to leave Off
letter at the end of the line, to be spaced
in by the ring alley" will enable that ma
chine to easiest conform to the require
ments of thin spacing, while it is claimed
that the new space-band to be used on the
Mergenthaler will enable 1t to do the work
in as desirable a manner as the Lanston,
and at a more rapid rate.
The work of the specification division
is said to be the hardest and most tech
meal in all the vast quantities of matter
turned out by the Office, the stint being
1890 ems per day, and only the swiftest
and most intelligent compositors can
master the peculiar style and perform
the required amount of work. The copy
Is technical in the strictest sense of the
word, there being a rule to cover every
punctuation mark, the spelling of many
words and the general character Of the
composition.
Judging from the denunciation of the
work by those conversant with its merits
and dement's. a detail to that division is
one of the most reluctantly accepted as
signments of the Office for those not per-
fectly familiar with it. 1t is said that after
mastering the sixty-page style book the
compositor is given the Injunction in cases
of doubt to follow the evident intention of
the inventor" doubtful proceeding, when
even the courts are frequently unable to
construe the inventors vagaries.
luOSc WIFI leave OF absence nave Deen
asked to take 1t, and consequently rumors
are going the rounds Of an impending re-
duction of the force. 1t is stated by one
high in authority that the requests were
made In order to use up the appropriation
before the end of the fiscal year, and not
because of too large force, and that copy
Is pouring into the office in unusual guam
titles.
Observance of Holidays.
The ladies of the folding room have a
very pretty custom of celebrating every i'm
portant day on the calendar, and on the oc-
casion Of st. Patricks day they are said
to have fairly outdone themselves. The
event seems to have been the occasion of
much merriment, regardless of religious in
clination or nationality.
The notice of the diSagreeab1e condition
of III street at the new station in last week s
Star is said to have effected change in
the careless manner of handling the dirt,
and that the walks and street itself are
now in as good condition as could be ex-
pected under the circumstances.
FRIENDS mourn the absence of o. s. Miller,
whose death occurred the past week Mr.
Miller was for many years an employee of
the office, and at the time of his demise
was employed as copyholder in the main
proof room.
An ex-newspaper man of the second diyfs-
lon. A. T. Maupin, has gone to his home at
Stanardsville, Va, in search of health
IS contemplating newspaper enterprise at
Marietta, Ga.
The Trades Unfonist contains very
commendatory notice of the enterprise and
abilities of one Of The Stars route agents.
Mr.. Lease.