Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-19
USE OF PUBLICATIONS
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
Saturday Half Holidays - Intelligence
Of Appointees-New Song Writer
Personal Notes.

The question Of the circulation OF govern
ment publicati ons issued by the govern
ment printing Office is frequently met with.
and any light on this perplexing subject Is
eagerly sought by those interested In the
work OF preparing them for the informa-
ton OF the people at large. 1t Is to be I'M
derstood. however. that not all the work
Of the government printing office Ia In
tended for general distribution. much OF 1t
being OF reference character. The fol-
lowing letter. sent by Mr.. L. c. Ferreu.
superintendent Of public documents, In re-
Spouse to a librarians request for informa-
ton on the subject. Is self-explanatory:
II know OF no publication which will give
you much Information concerning the ex-
tent to which public documents are used by
the people OF the United States Judging
from my own experience, however, am
sure the use Of these documents in the pub
lie libraries and in the libraries of schools
and colleges has grown enormously in the
past ten years. This Is due very largely
to the publication by this Office of a series
OF catalogues and indexes to the govern
ment publications.
"Prior to the establishment Of the office
Of superintendent Of public documents there
was practically no way by which any one
interested could ascertain what had been
publications are announced in a monthly
catalogue which has cumulative index.
and later. on the documents are carefully
catalogued in what Is generally known as
the Document catalogue All congress
sional documents are not only included In
the monthly and congressional catalogues.
but they are especially indexed in the docu-
ment index. one Of which Is issued for
each session Of congress.
I'm addition to the above helps check
lists and photographers have been issued
from time to time as the current work of
the office has permitted, and others are
now IN course Of preparation. There are
now distributed free by this and other
offices annually about 100000 documents.
libraries. Approximately 10000 documents
were sold last year by the various offices
authorized to sell them, but the sales of
this office alone will probably reach that
concluded"
Halt Holidays Expected.
With but one more Saturday in the
month the shop talk OF employees is largely
on the subject OF the half holidays par
ticipated IN to some extent by the govern
ment printing Office last summer. There is
disposition among some to question the
issuing of an order extending the Saturday
half holiday to the office, but It Is gem
orally expected that the office will be in
GUIDED In the privileges extended to the de-
PoAeahCHtS. unfortunately the eytraOrd-
mary rush last summer reduced the num-
Der OF these holidays to four but It is an
ticipated that this year the work will be
nearer normal condition and that but few
OF tine employees will be detained on the
much-entoyed Saturday afternoons
Miss Minnie E. Wood and Miss Cecilia
DaNellottz have been appointed to the posf-
ton OF sewing machine operators in the
document division Of the bindery In speak,
ing or civil service appointments made in
the bindery lately Assistant Foreman u L.
Feeney said that the majority of the APP
pointees were either school teachers or high
school graduates prior to their Introduction
to this work. and that In all his experience
IN teaching beginners they were the
brightest and the quickest to master the In
trtcacies of the work of any he had met
In connection with the above statement
Mr.. Feeney related an incident which &C.
CURED IN the family Of an official of the Of
rec. Happening to mention at the dinner
table the fact that there were large num-
Der of school teachers among the recent
civil service appointees to positions in the
office. this gentleman's little boy said:
Papa, get my teacher job; she's as cross
as beari"
The temporary cinder path for the use of
pedestrians within the radius of the exca-
vation for the depression of H street is
about completed. This street Is used by
hundreds Of printing ONCE employees morn
Ing and evening. and the consideration OF
favorable comment. Those responsible for
the construction OF the guard fence IN
either side OF the path, thereby reducing the
element Of danger. have also been highly
complimented.
Death Of A. L. Marsten.
The death OF A. L. Marsten, an assistant
foremanof printing. came as a surprise to
the majority Of the employees OF the Office,
% he had made many friends during his
long service In various branches of the
work. His energies were expended in many
directions having been an earnest worker
In the printers union. AFFILIATED with the
Masonic fraternity and prominent in Ma
ttonal Union circles. His funeral was at
tended by all the prominent officials of the
Office and large number OF his late asso-
ciates
Robert D. Hay Of the document division
Of the bindery has published new song
which IL said to be meeting with very ia
vorahle comment, the title being IT Won
der Where He il Tonight?" The assistant
foreman OF the division. ]; Il Feeney. who
Is the author Of over 100 popular songs
says that he Is pleased at the idea Of COM
petition In the division. as II will bring out
the best efforts Of both.
In nearly every branch OF the Office APP
plications for leave OF absence to take ef-
feet with the new fiscal year are being re-
ceived, the employees being allowed to desig-
Is said there Is an unusual scramble for
the earlier dates. As many leaves Of abb
eence are allowed as can be granted with
out mconvenienc1ng the once In too great
degree, and the rule OF "hrst come first
served" II strictly enforced
The removal OF houses on the site Of the
new station and those being torn down to
provfdo for the parking has compelled q
change Of residence for q large number OF
empaoyes -oe the big printery. one lady en-