The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-11-30
A COOPERATIVE STORE.
An Interesting Description of the Leeds
(EnGland) Cooperative society.


An Interesting Description of the Leeds
(EnGland) Cooperative society.
Cooperative stores in England are
more Of q success than such institutions
are in this country, and they are evi
IDENTIFY managed there with great care.
Some OF these stores are immense in
size, and contain beneath their roofs and
in their different departments any arti
Gle that the workipgmen who patconjze
them desire. A writer in Scribner',
Monthly describes one of these stores
as follows
Here is tangible expression of York.
shire common sense-a handsome foui
story block OF stores. splendid in plate
glass, carved sionework and architectural
display-the stores of the "Leeds In.
dustrial Go operative Society, Limited, y
day afternoon-a half holiday in the
mills-and the streets swarm with work.
people of every age and condition.
Albion street is none too wide for the
traffic that pours along its sidewalks and
roadway, and gathers about the open
doors OF the Leeds Industrial" actr.
ally struggling in and out, and pressing
thickly up to the counters. One door
leads to q grocery store, the next to q
drapery store, another door leads up
stairs to the house furnishing ware.
rooms, the outfttipg department., and
the boot and shoe store. There is ne
display in the windows (after the CO.
operative manner), and we may follow
the multitude inside to watch the active
trade. Plain, hard working people, per
haps grimy from their toll, press up to
the counters, cash in hand, ready to
buy. The statesmen have evidently pre-
pared for a good demand, and the staple
goods. already put up in convenient pack
ages, are piled in enormous heaps on
the counters. They deal out bundles
with wonderful speed, take the money,
make anote in book, tear off the vouch-
er (or half-leaf, and give it with the
change to the customer. Each one
takes his or her goods and moves away
as quickly as possible to make room ior
others. Near the door, in tiny office,
such as is sometimes used for the
cashier in American stores, sits young
girl. Each one presents the fy-leaf to
her, and receives O tin or brass token
representing the amount of the purchase.
This is the evidence of trade at the So
ciety's stores, and will be q guide in
estimating the ALLEGATION of profits next
dividend day. For every bag of -four
the member may buy he will receive
back bonus or dividend of two shill-
iugs and sixpence. On all other goods
the bonus will be two shillings and two
in, al
represent. This is the key to this
active trade /; this explains this eager
ness to buy i; this is the "excuse for be-
ine " that the society can show.
The shops seem to be equal to the
best of their class in London or New
York. The stock is very large, of ap-
parently the best quality, and is admir-
ably put up, ready for immediate sale.
Going up stairs, we find the building
blockaded with people intent on trade.
A woman coming down stairs, her three
boys making much clatter with their new
wooden shoes, brushes past man with
o wicker baby carriage under one arm
aud O mop broom under the other.
There is plenty of roughness, broad
Yorkshire dialect, toll stained clothing,
and good English push and scramble;
every man for himself; but, with all,
there is feeling for order and honest
good nature. Above stairs, there are
halls and corridors packed from floor to
ceiling with boots and shoes, brushes,
kitchen ware, household goods and
ready made clothing. The people
swarm into every nook and corner, be-
siege the statesmen, and drive lively
trade. These busy shoppers and apx-
ious buyers are the members of the
Leeds Industrial-a few of the sixteen
thousand shareholders, the legal owners
of this building, the thirty branch
stores, the shoe manufactory and the
great -four mill at Marshall street in the
Holbeck district. Every man and
in this company has five or
more shares in the society, or has paid
down good shillings to let them earn
the shares. Each one of these people
in that handsome dividend
o. e16, 500 It's. Sd. that was paid last
quarter day. That is more than two
pounds year AZ iece. or two shillings
and trifie over in every two hundred
and forty pennies they spent at the
stores, besides the interest at five per
cent year on their united share capital
Of e122, 1892 It's. 113d.