Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1877-11-01
Count the Cost.

Count tlac Cost.
In business circles. if ii becomes known
that person is careless about his accounts
that he does not make a practice of taking
an inventory of his stock on hand. his ac
counts due and debts payable, and com
pletely and accurately balance his books
his credit becomes impaired, and, as q rule,
his failure is inevitable.
If a manufacturer should commence bus
mess and have in view only the fact that
he must sell his goods for a price as low as
or lower than his neighbor receives for
similar wares, without estimating their
cost. his margin of profit would be enor-
nous. TO prevent his soon finding himself
with less money than he commenced bust
ness with.
AT book trade in New York. few
years ago. Appleton Il Co. declined an
offer for 100000 copies Of Webster's Spell
ing Book. which was only one-eighth of a
cent below their price. They knew what
the book would cost them to make. and
were not satisfied with the profit that
would be left after the deduction of that
small amount.
The proprietor of one of the largest bak-
cries in New York insisted on having his
accounts SO concisely kept that his books
We're balanced daily at II o'clock. The
superintendent of every department at that
time rendered an account of what flour
and other material had come into his
hands, what remained, and what products
he had delivered TO the salesroom. The
superintendent of the salesrOom accounted
for everything received; if sold. how and
to whom: and if on hand, regular ac-
count of stock was rendered. The book
keeper was required to tabulate these re-
ports. and add to them the estimate of the
days expenses for rent. labor. wear of ma
chimes. interest on investments - every
thing. not even ihe sweepings were neg
lected. and every night the proprietor was
furnished with an abstract. The man ac-
quire'l Il reputation for giving better bak-
ers products for the same money than any !.
other baker in New York. He died about
two years ago, and. as might be supposed. /
left large fortune. every dollar Of which
he had made by industry. economy and !
strict attention to the small details of bust
ness. "
While the farmer cannot calculate the
cost of his productions SO closely as the .
that should be no reason IL
why he should not do so as well as he can u
But how many can tell what it really costs Il
him to raise ten acres of corn, wheat or -!
potatoes. and how, if he does not know 3
the relative expense of production. can he
know which is the most profitable for him u
to raise: 81
a collector of Internal Revenue for a ru- :, y
raj district comprising four or five town. =
ships told the writer that in all his district .
ne found but one farmer who pretended to y
keep any account with his farm. and he -
was a physician, who had retired from
practice. and few We're found who had any
idea of the amount of farm product con-
sumed by the family. 1t seems to us that
little more thought and care in these p
matters would be of great advantage both a
by the way of econOmiZing and OF direct - :,
Ing labor in those channels where it paws u
best. o
And in this connection We beg to saw :,
word to wives and daughters. 1t used to ;,
be an old sayingin Yankee land. that it was :,
me mans business to bring home the 6;
money. and the woman's to see that it was :.
used Judiciously and economically, But -
here is sad want of domestic economy ),
n the land and no school is needed more -
nan one for housekeepers. Who can tell =,
what 1t costs to make loaf Of bread or :,
1alf dozen pies-whether it is more =,
economical to use eggs for food or sell :,
hem at the market rates-hOw much a :
pound OF beef will lose in roasting or boil :,
ng! There are hundred Of these little :,
'onundrums that could be studied to adj =,
vantage. We doubt if there be any one !,
VINO reads this that can tell even the APP =,
'roximate value of the provisions he con- q,
'umes in year. What difference does it J.,
make if we know or not? Just this, with >,
thought about it will naturally come the y,
ndeavor to get the best results from ex- n
'enditure of the least money. 1t is the So
title things that count. Two and two m
make four We made that automatic ex- W
'ression to young lady few days ago. tn
reference to several minor expenditures. u
1 know it." said she. ''but it doesn't seem n,
S if it did, She took the idea at once. nj
remembering the cost of every article. re
&c see the sum total in different light. RI
We might continue this subject by look Of
y at it in various aspects and may take it tlo
p again some time We had in mind tho g.
ost of material things. The cost OF hab- W,
8 would give room for much moraliziny. an
he cost of smoking the first cigar. for mi
'stance; who can calculate if-whether q.
'nsldered pecuniarily. physically. or NOR tn
Iy :-Moore's Rural Ner Yorker. an