Omaha daily bee., 1910-10-17
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The United States has the finest and
largest printing office in the world Il is
ftuuE that this government, where unlver-
sal education and individual enlightenment
1 find their best expression. should be fore
most nation In the dissemination OF all
classes Of governmental literature. IL costs
Uncle Sam at least $50 O0O.OOO year to
carry on his printing and publishing bust
ness. or this $s,OOO,O00 is expended in the
printing OF the literature and at least
100000 for its preparation. There are a
thousand different books and pamphlets
printed every year by the government TO
say nothing OF the large number OF cir
culars bills, and other small jobs There
are several daily number Of weekly. and
many monthly publications issued by the
government. These range in Importance
from the Congressional Record TO the
monthly summary OF commerce statistics
issued by the bureau OF statistics.
The building in which the big printing es-
! tabhshment is housed cost more than
100000 The entire plant is valued at up
wards of Sl6,0OoO0O The aggregate number
I of pieces of printed matter sent out Is
] so large that the officials no longer keep
accurate account OF them. As far back
az 1907 55,OOOOOO pieces were turned out,
and $4,000 pages Of type were set up. The
appropriations for the bis printing office
amount to approximately S6,OOo0OO 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 the city of Wash
ington.
| In spite of the fact that every known prac-
ticable labor saving machine is used at
| the government printing office, the force
required is paid 100000 a year, and there
| il an appropriation of more than 100000
for leaves OF absence. 1t requires mil
lion dollars worth of paper and $6OO,0OO
worth of other material for a years opera
! tons.
One begins to appreciate the immensely
Of Uncle Sans printing plant, when he
considers how great are the little things
about it. In 1909 $1,000 worth OF soap was
used S23 worth of screw drivers $50 worth
Of pens $500 worth OF lead pencils, $1,000
worth Of lubricants and twenty-four tons
Of printers ink. Waste paper is reduced
to a minimum, yet in that year $1,000 was
derived from its sale Tho big plant has
fifteen acres OF floor space, every avail
able square foot OF which is occupied.
When one goes through the government
printing offices he finds many. wonderful
things One room has about eighty limo
type machines, the largest number to be
found in q single room anywhere in the
world In another room are melting pots
so large that they hold fifteen tons Of
molten metal. In another rooms presses
are found whose combined output is more
than 1000 900 Impression very hour. Among
all the eighty-seven presses In this room
there is not a pulley or a belt in sight, each
machine being operated by It's own in
dividuaI motor. The printers ink is APP
piled to forty tons OF paper every eight
hours. There are card presses which turn
out $4,000 cards day.
The job office is also the biggest Of its
kind in the world. II turns out more job
work in a single day than the average
plant can turn out in full week. Every
thing in the way of perfect equipment is
found in this plant. On the same floor with
the Job office is the office OF the public
printer, which has the reputation Of being
the most finely furnished office in the en-
tire building service.
The government printing office is ready
at all times to respond to hurry calls
When the naval court OF inquiry into the
destruction OF the Maine made its report
President Mckinley transmitted It to con.
gress one afternoon. The next morning II
was printed and in the hands of every mem
Der Of the senate and house. II contained
twentyfour full page illustrations, one
Autograph in colors, and nearly 800 pages
Of printed matter. When the congressional
inquiry Into hazing at West Point was
made the government printing office re-
quired only thirty-six hours TO print and