Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1907-04-15
The Government Printing Office
Biggest In the World and Very Expensive.

hundreds of men and women at work
in the printing division. The most
modern styles of printing presses and
collateral paraphernalia may there
| be seen, all bought at fancy prices
the deals involving big scandals
! Monotype and linotype machines are
there in great numbers and they are
always in use So rushed is this.
division that oftentimes an addition
al night force must be supplemented
to the one which works nights the
year round. This is especially the
case during the sessions of congress
The congressional record, which con~S
tains every word spoken as part OK
the proceedings Of each house, must
always be printed up to date. Nat
urally, therefore, the work in the
printing office is strenuous during
such times. Inc adjournment OF
congress, however, does not bring
much relief to the printers. Reports
of the departments of the govern
ment are always being prepared and
printed, and the amount of matter
turned out in book and pamphlet form
each year is simply amazing. Large,
heavy wagons may be seen driving
along the streets conveying the pro-
ducts of the Office to the capitol and
to the various departments.
Employees Thick.
Including both men and women
there are about 4,300 people en-
pIoyed in the government printing
office, yet during sessions of congress
an addition of about 200 persons Is
made 1t is said that a private COM
pany could do the same amount Of
work with half the force. Organized
labor is not in acknowledged con-
troll yet it practically is so; and the
Office accordingly is one most lavish
ly conducted. For over a year these
men have given 10 per cent Of their
wages to aid in continuing strikes
in other parts of the country. Not
long ago a large number of them
seized the opportunity to break
loose from their organization and re
fused to continue to pay this amount
DCNcIuoSJ DIS tlCy N1d4AuCds ILCJ SO0iN
not afford to deprive their families,
of that much money. All of them,
so or so in number, were at once
expelled from the union, but they
are still in the employ of the govern
ment, however, for the union dares
not ask for their removal because
they are non-union men. President
Roosevelt settled that matter several
years ago when he reinstated d
printer who had left the union and
whom the union men had forced d
pro-union superintendent to dis
charge. The president emphaticaIiy
declared that he recogrze1 NJ differ
ence between union and non-union
men, and citizens of Washington as,
we'll as others in the states have al
ways applauded the position he took.
In the Bindery.
On the upper floors of the building
book binding and work of that nature
are carried on. One interesting feat
ure there is the manner in which the
gold lettering is placed upon large
leatherbound books. After the gold
foil is placed on the book the latter
is put under a press whereby the
letters desired are thereby impress
ed upon the cover. A soft putry-like
substance is then used to wipe or
the remaining goldfoil. This wipilg
substance is placed in a safe every
nlgnU, the gold it contains, which
may later be extracted therein ON,
making it of great value OF SINH
lar interest is the method by which
the edges of the leaves of books are
decorated in colors. A mixture or
gum, water and five or six kinds or
oils is carefully made, a comb is run
each way over the surface, and the
books are dipped into that solution.
Many people from Madison are
employed in the government print
ing Office, and for that reason the
place is of especial interest to rest-S
dents of Wisconsins capital city.
"A E. T.