Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-08

habit Of doing things. He is also a mem
Der of Columbia Lodge of Machinsts. but
since he gave up his job in the Washing
ton navy yard and drifted into the grocery
and provision business he changed organi-
cations. He is now prominently identified
with the associated meat and bread dis
pensers.
About one year ago Mr. Riggles repre-
sented Columbia Lodge in the Central
Labor Union as delegate. AS member
of Columbia Lodge he took an active part
in scoring those who were alleged to have
been implicated in what was widely known
as 1.-The Erie railroad immunity charges.
He was fined 81 for giving the charges,
ETC., publicity through the presseand other
wise The fine was paid under protest.
When his name was certified to the
central body Monday evening as the dele
gate of the grocery clerks. the claim was
made that he had not paid the fine and
there was opposition to his being seated.
Mr.. Riggles proved quickly and con-
cusively that he had paid the fine, and
the union admitted him as a delegate.
He now holds HIS seat. and the grocery
clerk contends that he will continue to
take an active part in District labor mat
tiers. They say he will not down.
Delegate Riggles is now striving for
the enactment of law requiring all gro
Gerry and provision stores here to remain
closed on Sunday He says the move
ment he is engineering is not, however,
for the closing of innocent resorts where
WOrKlnSmen may ENJOY themselves on
their one weekly holiday.
Health Of Employees of the Govern
ment Printing Office is the subject of
paper in a recent government labor bull
letin 1t is from the pen of DR.. William
J. Manning, formerly medical director of
Uncle Sans big print shop
DR.. Manning recently received f1atter-
Ing offer from the National Civic Fedora
ton to visit the great factory districts in
h. Itch
pital wards in the plants. He Is known
as the father of the emergency room at
the government printing office.
Following are excerpts from his paper
in the labor bulletin which was repro
duced from an article submitted in COM
petition by him for prize offered by the
international labor Office Basel, Swift
zerland. the article being purchased for
publication by that Office on account of
merit:
lowing to improved hygienic conditions
in modern printing Offices, type foundries
and stereotype and electrotype foundries.
lead poisoning now exists to a very linn
tied extent among workers in such estab-
lishments.
"In the government printing Office at
Washington. where upward of 400 en-
plOyes are gathered in one building ex-
celent hygienic conditions prevail. Every
ten minutes the air in each room is
changed by very simple device consist
ment to the roof. which are pierced near
the ceiling in each room with suitable
openings. A revolving fan placed just
below the roof creates a suction, SO that
a constant supply OF fresh air is ayaila-
BILE at all times.
THE electrotype and stereotype foun-
dries are placed on the tOpmost floor,
the modern rapidly moving elevators
making this practicable SO far as the en-
ployes are concerned. At that height
from the ground currents Of air
stantly in motion, with a consequently
greater diffusion of the gases than would
prevail on floors nearer the ground. In
the large newspaper buildings of the vari-
Gus cities in the United States the same
idea is being carried out, these rooms be-
ing placed as high in the air as possible
I'm the type-founding and stereotyping
trades employees whose duties call them to
most exposed to the injurious influences
of lead, although the large amount Of al
10y present tends to lessen the danger
=" 'Finishers' Of the plates. who handle
only the smooth, hard. bright slabs of the
alleged metal. run the least risk of lead
poisoning, because the slabs are free from
all oxides and there is little or no dust
the small particles which rub off the
plates on the hands Of the workmen be-
ing in the metallic state and perfectly
dry. In contradistinction to this Is the
case OF the painter. Here the lead. being
in the form of carbonate (white lead)
and being mixed with such an excellent
absorbing material as oil, the danger of
lead poisoning is greatly increased.
'fn type foundries practically the same
conditions exist as in electrotype foun-
dries, those who work in the vicinity of
the melting pots being liable to be affected
by the toxic vapors which arise thar.-
from. This is particularly the case where
the lead is impure and contains volatile
substances which. combining with the
lead fumes. might possibly add to the
toxic influences of the lead
1T is we'll known, that substances are
absorbed but slightly IL at all through