The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-10-22
THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING
OFFICE

washington, II. ". OCC. ZH.-4O Say
that the government printing office
is the largest printing plant In the
world is not nearly so convincing a
to state that If all the postal card.
printed here In a year could be
stacked the pile would be 200 mile.
high. If placed end to end they
would extend around the world nearly
five times. This great plant repre-
sents an expenditure of more than
$ll,000,000 for construction and equip
ment, and Its annual output, based
on actual cost Of production. amounts
to about $l4.000.O00.
All of the government departments
and emergency agencies are steady
customers OF the government print
ing office. The post office depart
ments yearly printing bill includes
about 2o0,oo0.o0O money order appli-
| CO tons. sO,000,Oo0 special-delivery
slips, 100000 change Of address
cards and other items in proper
ton. The number Of money orders
required. b. the way, Is considered
one Of the surest barometers Of trade
conditions. When the demand for
money -order blanks rises, 1t shows
| that business is prospecting.
/ The war department called on the
printing office to deliver 100000
copies Of reports and documents for
the army in one year. The depart
1:1cnt OF agriculture had more than
! 100000 publications printed, so
that the results Of its research on
such subjects as cows. babies, alfalfa,
| Jelly making. model kitchens, and fox
tur farming might be communicated
to the far corners Of the United
States. The inventive genius Of the
country keeps the printing office busy
turning out specifications. Patents.
trademarks, and designs are granted
BY the patent office at the rate Of
at least 1000 week. Providing
copies Of these to be issued and sold
ty the patent office keeps 81 linotype
machines running 8 hours . day
throughout the year.
Congress makes heavier demands
upon the government printing office
than does any other branch Of the
government. Its annual printing bill
amounts to about $2,750,O00. The
Congressional Record and the print
ing Of bills, committee reports, and
hearings cover the major portion OF
this amount. During single year
the government supplied Congress
with 100000 copies Of octave publ
cations, about 500 copies each Of more
than $4,000 bills and resolutions, and
numerous other pieces Of printing In
proportion.
The big congressional Job Is the
Congressional Record, 80 familiar to
the American public. The Record in
its present form goes back to March
S, 1873. From 1774 to 1859 it was
called Journal Of Congress-" from
1889 and until 1924 1t was known as
Annals Of Congress-" then for al
brief period Of nine years, until 1883.
1t was styled Register of Debates"
only to be displaced by the title Con-
OCCASIONAL Globe" which in turn was
displaced in 1873 by the present less
inclusive but more accurate name
Congressional Record"
Rapid Fire Action
In 1873 the Record had 800 SUBJ
scribers. Now $4,000 copies are
printed each day while congress is in
session. This government publication
may appear in pages one day and
have 300 pages the next, all depend
Ing upon the copiousness Of congress
sional oratory the day before. Copy
for the Record begins to reach the
government printers at about o'clock
III the evening, and the first edition
IS delivered at the homes or offices
Of senator's and representatives in
washington at O'Clock the next
morning. When half holiday makes
real speed necessary, the printing
office can set a 64-page edition Of
the Record, and have It stereotyped,
printed, wrapped for out-of town
mailing, and delivered to the post
office In four hours.
The most remarkable story Of rapid
work performed by the government
printing office Is in connection with
the conference on limitation Of arm.
ament held In Washington in the
winter Of 1922. To print the de-
alterations Of this conference. 90
pages were set In 20 hours, which
meant page Of type every minute
and . quarter. Within 40 hours Of
the receipt Of the manuscript, bound
copies of this large volume were in
the hands Of the president and con-
gress. Twenty-three automatic presses
were used. The feat elected general
praise and 1t was said at the time
that no other printing plant could
have duplicated the performance.
No job IS too exacting or too for.
midable for the government printing
office. The War Of Rebellion Records
published in l28 volumes, and re-
curing . l200-page index, will per-
hapS remain for generations the
worlds greatest undertaking In the
printing line. These records contain