Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-15
CURIOUS STORERO0M
g. P. o. RESERVE STOCK COVERS
WIDE RANGE.
Change in Title Pages - Binding the
Notwithstanding Marriage
Personal Mention.

| A gentleman connected with the govern
| ment printing Office recently commented
| on the system in vogue which furnishes
the many different supplies required in the
various departments of the big printery.
| saying his duties like those of the ma
jority OF employees. were so specialized that,
although he knew anything" could be OBJ
! tanned from the store room, he did not even
know where it was located. His lack of
knowledge was not In any way due to in
difference as to printing office affairs. but
! to the fact that acquisitions on the store
keeper are made out by those in charge
OF the various divisions, and consequently
the employee is relieved of responsibility
and the office enabled to keep a perfect
record of every issue of material.
TIL store room of the big printery Is To-
Gated on the Jackson alley side of the old
building, and the interior at first glance
reminds one of an overerown country store.
This impression Is soon displaced. how
ever. when the volume and variety of the
stock are noted, for in a comparatively small
| space Is gathered such a multiplicity of
| articles that amusement is soon changed
t. amaZement. The hardware covers
wide range. a small drug store could be
fitted up from the appropriate articles
found on the shelves. grocers would be
| able to stock up with staples, and dry
| goods store could repeniSh many stand
| ard articles in that line.
| The Storekeeper acts as receiving clerk
! for everything purchased for the office with
the exception of paper. Large articles tor
| immediate use are at once delivered to their
destination, but smaller Items are sent 10
the store room to be retailed on requisi-
| ton of those in charge of the various
| branches of the work. Stationery supplies,
brushes of all kinds, pins, needles, cord,
Shelf hardware and .innumerable ether
| articles are in constant demand, ana. be-
sides the labor of filling the orders. an
itemized account is kept of the article,
amount and authority for its issue.
Classification Of Samples.
| George Lamb the storekeeper, also has
| charge Of the classification and marking
| of samples submitted by bidders. his du-
| ties in the sample room at this season OF
| the year being both arduous and difficult.
! The various samples submitted are arrang-
| ed in classes and labeled, the designation
| of the prospective contractor being num-
| Der, and consequence the judges or
| awards selected by the public printer have
| no means of knowing the identity Of the
| bidders.
In regard to the quality and price of pur-
| chases by the government printing office,
| Mr.. Lamb states that 1t Is the practice 10
contract for the best quality of the various
| grades. the purchasing of large amounts
insurng a low price. 1t is understood that
| The office has but little discretion In regard
| to the quality of material used in many of
] the publications, the order for printing fire.
| quentfy stipulating quality as well as
| amount
Change in Title Pages.
An object of criticism in government pub
| LEGATIONS is said to have been the old-time
title page, used on some of the work, sew
eral branches of the government service
| refusing to accept anything but reproduc-
| items or those In use for years. In fact a
| few or the type faces have been so long
out OF general use that orders for their re-
| placement required the making of new dies
| by the type founders. Recently however
changes have been noted by the substitu-
| ton of modern type and 1t Is said the
foreman OK printing Mr. Oscar J. Ricketts,.
| Is largely responsible for the Innovation
| considerable efforts on his part having been
| necessary to convince some of the depa r.
ments of the desirability of change 1t is
| understood that he desires the elimination so
! far as possible Of the stock look which
has heretofore characterized a large por-
ton OF government publications. That the
enort IS appreciated Is apparent from the
| many commendatory letters received by the
| office from De Winnie and other men who
| have made life study of the subject as
| well as from some OF the largest publishers
| in the country.
The reserve bindery Is said to be very
busy. incident to getting out 6OOOo bound
volumes of the Congressional Record Five
volumes required for the com nIefa IS
! sue. the sets being distributed to the Ii
| braries designated by law. and to the MEM
| bers of both branches Of Congress The
| work Is progressing at the rate of over
| 1000 volumes day. 1t being the intention
| to finish the work before the beginning of
| the new fiscal year
Interesting Publication.
| 1t is stated that The Tour of the Inter.
parliamentary Union." now in press, is one OF
the most interesting publications issued bv
| the Office for some Time and il is ex
/, pected that the demand will far exceed
the supply. 1t Is being printed In photo
| brown color. and the numerous baIf-toDe
\ Illustrations are not only of excellent work.
manship. but OF more than ordinary inter-
est from an artistic standpoint The press
| work is also said to be even better than
| the high class Of work usually produced
| Two 'casing-in machines have been in
stalled for trial in the document division
of the bindery. They are expected to de-
velop q capacity of about 4,OO octave
books in a run Of eight hours. and II found
| satisfactory they will prove a valuable ad-
dition to that branch of the work.
The marriage recently of Miss Carrie L.
Whitehead of the Gazette division to Leroy
Calfee Of this city was a complete sur
prise to her many friends In the Office
| Miss Whitehead was a leader In union az
fairs among the ladies' OF the office, and
was of the organizers and the first
secretary of the local Ladies' Auxiliary. an
j organisation for the furtherance of union
| principles. which Is said to have much in
/ f1uence in the homes of union printers Mr.
of Commerce and Labor
/ General Mention.
Thu following employees were granted