El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-10-17


Sam at least $4,000, 900 a year to carry
on his printing and publishing business.
OF this $4,000, 900 is expended in the
printing of the literature and at least
SIP 900 900 for its preparation. There
are a thousand different important
books and pamphlets printed every
year by the government, TO say noth-
ing of the large number of circulars,
bills and other small jobs. There are
several daily. a number Of weekly and
many monthly publications issued by
the government. These range In i'm
portance from the congressional record,
to the monthly summary of commerce
statistics, issued by the bureau OF sta
tistics.
Building Costly One.
The building in which the big print
ing establishment is housed cost more
than $2,00O,0 200. The entire plant IS
valued at upwards of s16.0OO,000- The
aggregate number of pieces of printed
matter sent out is so large that the
officials no. longer keep accurate ac-
count of them. AS far back as 1907,
5000. 600 pieces were turned out, and
$4,000 pages Of type were set up. The
appropriations for the big printing Of
flee amount to approximately $4,000
600 a year. which represents three
fourths of the printing expenses OF the
government. The major portion OF the
government printing done outside OF
the government printing office is done
outside of the city of Washington.
In spite of the fact that every known
practicable labor-saving machine Is
used at the government printing office,
the force required is paid 100000 a
year. and there is an appropriation OF
more than 100000 for leaves of alb
sence. 1t requires $1,000,000 worth OF
paper and $500 600 worth Of other ma
terial for years operations.
One begins to appreciate the immen-
sity Of Uncle Sans printing plant when
he considers how great are the little
things about il. In 1909 $1,000 worth
of soap was used, s23 worth Of screw
drivers, $50 worth of pens, 500 worth
of lead pencils, $4,000 worth Of lubri-
cants and "a tons of printers ink.
Waste paper is reduced to a minimum,
vet in that year $4,000 was derived
from its sale. The big plant has 10
acres of floor space, every available
square foot of which is occupied
Much Machinery Used.
When one goes through the govern
ment printing office he finds many
wonderful things. One room has about
her TO be found in a single room any
where in the world. In another room
are melting pots so large that they
hold IL tons of molten metal. In an
other room presses are found whose
combined output is more than 100000
impressions every hour. Among all the
az presses in this room there is not
pulIey or belt in sight, each machine
being operated by its own individual
motor. The printers ink is applled
to 40 tons Of paper every eight hours.
There are card presses which turn OUT
SOC, 900 cards a day.
The ioh office is also the biggest OF
its kind in the world 1t turns out
more lob work in a single day than the
average plant can turn out in Iull
week. Everything in the way OF per-
feet equipment is found in this plant
On the same floor with the job of11ce
e the office of the public printer, which
has the reputation of being the most
finely furnished office in the entire
building service
Always Ready for Extras.
The government printing office is
reodt at all times to respond to hurry
caIls. When the naval court of inquiry
into the destruction of the Maine made
its report, president Mckinley trans
mitted it to congress one afternoon Inc
next morning it was printed and IN the
hands of every member or the sehdee
and house. It contained "a full page
illustrations. one Autograph in colors,
and nearly 800 pages Of printed mat
ter When the congressional inquiry
into hazing at West Point was made,
the government printing office required
only &c hours to print and deliver TO
congress the 1000 page report Of that
inonirv. Its prompt work during the
revision of the tariff last year was
fully as remarkable as these perform
ances.
with its hundreds of compositors and
proof readers, there would be a vide
diversity of style were it not for the
adontion of a manual of style to which
strict adherence is required. This style
hook is said to be the most complete
in the United States, although it is
very, different from the styles used IN
the newsnaper offices of the country.
Congress makes the heaviest demand
upon the government printing offlce-
IFS annual printing bill amounts TO
more than 81, GOO, 900. The congression-
al record and the printing of hearings,
committee reports and bills demand the
major portion of this amount Next
to congress is the patent office me
Patent ONCE OdZSl(c IS d AoA %
volume, dealing with patents issued
and giving the specifications of each
one of the thousands of patents grant
ed. 1t is this publication which gives
the patent office second place among
the different organizations OF the world
in the consumption Of printers ink the
department of agriculture ranks thru
as a user of printers ink. 1t requires
1865 600 2 year to pay the printing bill
of that department. Its most important
publication is the year book, of which
zoo 600 copies are issued annually.
Some Big Jobs.
Nothing is too exacting for the gov
eminent printing office to undertake
The rebellion records, published in 12S
volumes. and requiring a 1900 page IN
dex. perhaps for generations viii re-
main the worlds greatest single under
taking in the printing line. These rec
ords contain more than 100000 pages
of printed matter, requiring in thelr
publication $4,000 reams o. white pa
ner and more than 5000 100000 ems
of tyne The whole edition comprised
about 100000 volumes. When the
limited States wanted to publish a ms
tory of the capitol it demanded that
the completed volume snoGid he one Oh
the finest examples of the printers art
70 he found Although sold at bare