The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-10-12
HOW A BOOK Is MADE.
Process Through Which the Publlca.
lions of the Government Have


which even the simplest publication
must pass ut the government printing
Office before deliveries are made of the
completed work are not generally re-
allied. says the Washington Star. The
fined to the production of books and
pamphlets. Hundreds of thousands Of
dollars are spent annually in the pro-
duction of blanks, cards of different
kinds. mailing envelopes and II thous-
and one other items having to do with
the successful operation of the gov
eminent service.
The multiplicity OF operations
through which IL mere book" passes
ut the government printing office Is Of
more than passing interest. Thous-
ands Of tons OF printing paper are re-
ceived at the establishment yearly, the
major portion of which comes in the
shape OF huge rolls for the web press
es 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 it is weighed
assigned to a certain storerOOm. pass
es under the eye of checker and Ii.
stored away by laborers-three oper-
ations thus far. eliminating the serv-
ices of the superintendent of supplies
and the clerical help necessary to
keep a record of the receipts, reQuis-
itions aud stock on hand
Process Outlined
Passing to the beginning of active
operations, the manuscript or copy
is recorded in the Office of the assist
ant foreman Of printing and awaits its
turn for transmission to the copy edi-
tors. In the editorial department an
expert rapidly designates on each
page important changes not covered
by the Office Manual of Style. In the
hand-composing divisions an assist
ant to the foreman gives to each
printer as he finishes his previous
task Il take" of the copy. indicating
on a record slip the slug number of
the compositor, the folio of the manu-
script. 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 as
signment. Skilled mechanics have
rapidly assembled the various takes
in the proper order on 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 proofrooms of the govern
ment printing Office. as in other de-
partments of the Office. a record is
kept of the name and number of the
job and the time required in reading
each proof sheet. An error of any
character is thus traceable to the EN-
ploye responsible and record main
tanned of each readers efficiency. The
composing divisions again take the
job and after corrections have been
made another proof is taken, that a
reviser may verify and o. K. the cor
rectness of the work before the de
partmental proof sheets are taken.
which frequently number ten or
twelve.
Hours and even months may elapse
before these proof sheets 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 pressroom. Thus far
the work has ordinarily passed once
through the hands of the assistant
foreman of printing, copy editor, di.
vision foreman of printing, record
keeper. proofreader. bankman. maker
up and imposer. through the hands
of the reviser twice, the compositor
three times and over the proof press
four times.
Speeding" the Press. Z"
After the pressman has made
ready" and laborer delivered the
paper young woman, if the run be
short, feeds the sheets one by one in
to the capacious nav of the press.
The machine or hand-folding divisions
next assume charge of the job, unless
the automatic feeders or web presses
eliminate the necessity of folding.
Signatures of sixteen pages are the
usual division of the work, and these
are printed separately, and the differ
ent 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 bindings must
be done by hand. Here the work is
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., casers-in,
leather 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 authori-
ties that over 100 employees are con-
cerned in the manufacture of the ave-
rage book" from the time the vari-
GUS materials and manuscript are re-
ceived until delivery is made of the
ffpfChpd 1orodnof