Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-26
HOW A BOOK Is MADE
ELABORATE PROCESS AND PROD
UCT OF MANY HANDS.

The many intricate processes or the num-
Der of skilled hands through which even the
simplest publication must pass at the gov
eminent printing Office before deliveries
are made OF the completed work are not
generally realized. The work of the office
Is not entirely confined to the production OF
books and pamphlets. Hundreds OF thou
sands Of dollars are spent annually in the
production of blanks cards of different
kinds, mailing envelopes and a thousand
and one other items having to do with the
successful operation of the government
service.
The multiplicity of operations through
which mere book" passes at the govern
ment printing office is OF more than passing
interest. Thousands of tons of printing
paper are received at the establishment
yearly, the major portion of which comes
In the shape of huge rolls for the web
presses or sheets cut to the required size
IN convenient bundles and wrapped in
heavy paper and protected by skeleton of
wood. AS the paper is delivered from the
cars 1t is weighed assigned to certain
storeroom, passes under the eye of
checker, and is stored away by laborers-
three operations thus far, eliminating the
services of the superintendent of supplies
and the clerical help necessary to keep a
stock on hand.
Process Outlined.
Passing to the beginning of active opera
tons. the manuscript or copy" is recorded
In the office Of the assistant foreman of
printing and awaits its turn for transmits
sion to the copy editors. In the editorial
department an expert repidly designates on
each page important changes not covered
by the office Manual of Style. In the hand
composing divisions an assistant to the
N priv n oh rfnta ha fi,,-
ishes his previous task take" of the
copy. indicating a record slip the slug
number of the compositor. the folio of the
manuscript, the time when the take was
given out, and finally designating the time
when the compositor has finished the work
and is ready for another assignment
Skilled mechanics have rapidly assembled
the various takes in the proper order a
galley. and after proofsheet has been
printed and the galley placed In a proper
rack along with others of the same job the
work is up to the readers"
In the proof rooms Of the government
printing Office, as in other departments OF
the office. record Is kept of the name and
number Of the job and the time required in
reading each proofsheet. An error of any
character is thus traceable to the employe
responsible. and a record maintained of
each readers efficiency. The composing d.
visions again take the job. and after cor
rections have been made another proof is
taken. that reviser may verify and o. X.
the correctness of the work before the de
partmental proofsheets' are taken which
frequently number ten or twelve. Hours
and even months may elapse before these
proofsheets are returned to the office, but
the indicated changes are Immediately made
and the type made up into pages, locked In
forms and sent to the press room. Thus
far the work has ordinarily passed once
through the hands Of the assistant foreman
Of printing, copy editor, division foreman,
record keeper, proofreader. bankman, max
erup and imposer, through the hands of the
reviser twice, the composftor three times
and over the proof press four times.
Feeding" the Press.
After the pressman has made ready and
a laborer delivered the paper a young
woman, II the run be short. feeds the sheets
one by one into the capacious NAV Of the
press. The machine or hand-folding dIvi-
sions next assume charge of the job, unless
the automatic feeders or web presses elimi-
nate the necessity of folding. Signatures Of
sixteen pages are the usual division of tho
work. and these are printed separately, and
the different parts gathered" by the hand
or machine method to form the book
Hand or machine sewing brings the work
to the binding. That of paper-covered books
or pamphlets is done largely by machinery.
but the major part of more elaborate bind
ings must be done by hand Here the work
is specialiZed-case makers. casers-in, leath-
er and cloth cutters, hackers. board liners.
gold workers, Stampers and many other
classes of skill being represented in the
finished product. 1t is estimated by the
office authorities that over one hundred en-
ployes are concerned in the manufacture of
the average book from the time the va
rious materials and manuscript are received
until delivery IL made OF the finished prod
uct