Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-12-07


than there would be either a willingness or
an ability to furnish. 1t has occurred to me,
however, that there is one article which all
are interested to cheapen-one of the neces>
! saries and indispensbles of daily lfe-the ar
ticlc of bread, that could be brought at great
! ly reduced prices, within the reach Of con-
sumers through an organization such as we
are now considering. The price of flour, to
the purchaser by retail, is out of all just pro-
portion to the price of wheat, and this condi-
tion of things benefits but small class who
stand between the farmer and the consumer
This class is composed of the millers and the
merchants, chiefly of the latter.
A short time since, when inquiries were
made, the prices of -four, at the stores and
mills, were found to be as follows:
I2! lbs Of Flour, Il Is of barely .......--- 60
Or at the rate per bbI. off,. .............. 600
Five bushels of wheat nrc required by the
millers to make barrel of flour, or they will
furnish one barrel of flour to any one who will
bring them that amount of grain. Wheat at
the time was selling at S1.10 per bushel,
which was equivalent to $3.50 per barrel for
flour.
The profits, then, made by the millcrs and
merchants are,
When they sell by the barrel. $3.50
When they cell by retail. 4.lO
The average consumption of each family,
is supposed to be about six barrels per annum.
The saving, then, to each family, could it de-
liver its own wheat to the mill, would be as
follows
To the purchaser by the bbl., per annum. :. 5 90
To the purchaser by retail, per annum...... "a 90
But each one cannot buy and deliver for
every barrel of -four, his own wheat to the
IL L. hlo
The cooperative system proposes mode Of
obviating these difficulties. And just here
the plan of its practical operations can best
be explained,
Suppose there be an organization of three
hundred consumers of flour. These would
require during the year, according to our
estimate, each six barrels of flour per annum,
or eighteen hundred barrels in the aggregate.
For this amount there would be needed 9,OOO
bushels of wheat Each member paying into
n common treasury the sum of fifty cents per
week, for the space of three weeks, there
would accumulate the sum of S4oO, with
which to begin operations. This would pur-
chase. say four hundred bushels Of wheat, or
eighty barrels Of -four, and sale to the mem
| hers could then commence at the prices agreed
upon.
| ry expenses iuS VI 'AiS
! affairs of the association. These could be es
timatcd as follows:
Store room Observation-Disclosures 81
| Services of A gent 3O'
Commissions cents per bushel, for buying
5000 bushels of wheat. ..................... 2I
| Incidental expenses. .........-............... 81
| Total 65t
With a stock of eighty barrels of f1ou
above provided for, let sales to members be
commenced at the following prices: to pur
chasers by the barrel at profit of IS cents
to purchasers in smaller quantities $3.50 pc
barrel. Dividing these customers equally
we have the following the result in ont
year of the profits of the association :
aoo bbs. of flour, at rs cts. per Dbl. 67
| oN0 H 50 $3.50 {" " .......... ! ,35
s2,o2
Expenses. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 65
Net profts after dcducting expcnRes.......S Il 81
To be divided among 300 members, or aDou
S4.5S each
A recapitulation will show the followin!
result:
Present prices show profit. per bbl., Con pur-
chasers by the bbl.,) TO the merchant or
miller = 80
Proposed profit TO the association.
| Difference or amount saved. Ill
On ak barrels, or the years supply, there
| will then he a saving of.................-.S ~;
| Annual dividend, say. -....................
] Amount saved per annum ....-.... lo''