Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-10
Night Force Objectionable.


"The operation of night force in i..e
printing of securities, each sheet Of which
has a money value which is charged to this
bureau and for which it is accountable, is
Objectionable on the ground that the ac-
oountability for such sheets is placed upon
subordinates at night the tendency to loose
ness In handling them being greater than
during the day. when the bureau is in
proper operation, and for the further reason
that as good results in the way of labor are
not secured from employees working at night
as from employees working under normal
conditions during the day. Another very
strong objection is that on the night force
there Is necessarily large number of young
women who are required in reaching their
homes about midnight to pass through the
lonely park between this building and the
residential portion of the city.
''The construction Of these wings and ad-
ditions at widely separated times has neces-
stated the assignment of space to the sew
eral divisions at points remote from their
original location. This is a constant source
of delay and embarrassment to the business
of the establishment AS an illustration
there are plate printing press rooms in eight
different parts of the building, and on five
different floors. The main press room is on
the third floor, with an extension into the
northwest and southwest wings. There is
another press room In the center wing
fourth floor; another in the basement of the
southwest wing, and another in the base
ment Of the northwest wing. There is also
a press room on the first and second floors
of the southwest wing.
1.-The accounting division Is on the first
floor, the numbering division on the second
floor, the wetting division on the third floor,
and each of these divisions have additional
rooms in the basement.
The work of the engraving division needs
a north light for its proper execution. All
the north windows of the first floor have
been utilized for this purpose, but the num-
Der is insufficient for the force of men en-
ployed, and number of them forced to
work on a second line back of the windows.
This is injurious to the eyes of these men
and tends to deteriorate the work of the
bureau.
1.-The miscellaneous division, including the
work of cumming, perforating and binding
postage and internal revenue stamps, is
located in the west building, necessitating
the hauling Of all it's work from and to the
main building. The cost of this work could
be largely decreased if 1t were located so
that this hauling would not be necessary.
Conditions Not Sanitary.
1.-THE dressing rooms and lavatories for
both men and women are badly located,
being mostly in the subbasement or cellar
and in the attic under the roof, are poorly
lighted and ventilated and are wholly in
sufficient for the force employed. In many
instances three and four persons occupy
one locker, and it is often necessary to
form line to the lavatories SO that en-
ployes may have their turn. This only
needs to be stated to show that the condi-
tons are not sanitary. They are. however,
made SO to the fullest extent possible with
the room at my disposal.
These divisions, dressing rooms and
lavatories were located as the extensions
were authorized, and are as well located
as the arrangement of the building will
permit.
1.-The effort to accommodate as large a
day force as possible has resulted in the
overcrowding of machinery and employees
in every room in our building In the main
hand-prsss room there are 224 presses, to
each Of which Is attached gas stove, and