The Washington times., 1906-01-28
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM.
Americas Mecca for Scientists and
Scholars.


out work rapidly.
The power used is almost exclusive
ly electricity. and the appliances in use
form an interesting study for the cleo
trician.
Taken ali in at, there IS ho indus
trial plant In the country which pre-
sents more interesting features than
the national printery.
The binding department is Of equal
interest,
Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
Closely allied to the printing office in
the public mind is the Bureau of En-
craving and Printing. This depart
ment Of the Government presents many
features Of interest. The making OF
money is 2 subject which is calculated
TO stimulate the imagination OF every
one. In this bureau the most skilled
engravers of the country are engag ed
In making and perfecting plates which
make the task of the would-be counter
feiteF a practical impessihility.
Many men and women are employed
at this bureau also. and there is always
a thrOng Of visitors who go TO the place
TO see just how easy IL is TO make that
for which men are toiling their lives
away in the mad race for a share Of IL.
and incidentally soma one eIse's share
If possible.
Government Gun Factory.
A Government Industrial enterprise
which is annually growing in the vol
ume of work completed in the number
of skilled mechanics employed. and in
its general scope, is the gun factory.
commonly known as the Navy Yard"
watch is located at the foot OF Eighth
street southeast. in this city.
Il is here that hundreds OF Uncle
Sans largest pieces of ordnance are
made The building OF a greater navy
10 meet the demands of the growing
commercial importance Of this country
in foreign lands. necessarily creates a
heavy demand upon the ordnance fac
tories which supply the new lighting
machines with their ornaments. In no
other part OF the country has this de-
Taand been felt more keenly than in
Washington. and it has resulted in in
creasing enormously the weekly pay
rolls among the laboring classes.
This gun factory OF tho Government
though net ordinarily viewed in the
light of a manufacturing plant by the
citizens OF Washington for the simple
reason that the output is used exclu~
sively by the manufacturer. is never
dustrial plants, from the city's stand
point. in the country. The class Of
labor employed is OF a high order and
the wages paid are far above those paid
in the average manufacturing plants of
the country.
Another fact about this factory which
makes il of more than ordinary advan-
tage to Washington. is that the demand
/ for the product alw&--s exceeds the sup
ply and for this reason the factory Is
always working on full time. For some
months the demand has been so pressing
that three shifts have been utilized
J one crew going TO work at IN the
morning, and being relieved by others
at 4.30 IN the afternoon and they in
] turn being replaced by the third crew
which goes to work at midnight and re-
mains at work until the morning crew
reports at S again.
! The magnitude of the work which Is
/ done at this factory cannot be grasped
by those who do not go and spend hours
and preferably days, IN the shops Guns
are made here ranging IN size from the
small rapid fire pieces to the great
| thirteen-inch cannon which use projec-
tiles weighing more than half a ton and
which have range of thirteen miles.
| The gigantic cranes at work, moving
these mammoth pieces OF ORDNANCE
weighing as much as sixty-five tons, is
a sight not soon forgotten. And as
| these cannon are fooled down by the
great lathes. or bored to the right di-
menslons. while hundreds of men move
TO and fro seeing that each piece of