The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-08-31
WHAT oRunNtRs COST.
The Enormous Sums Spent Annually by
the Army Of Travelling Saleamen.

I0e ENORMOUS sums spent A0nua1y Dy
the Army Of Travelling SaleGmen.
"The money used in a single year
to foot the salary and expense bills
of the travelling statesmen of the
United States would pay off the,en-
tire national debt and leave a few
dollars over"
This rather startling statement
was made by a junior member of
one of our large dry goods houses,
of this city, who has a force of
about fifty travellers under his inn
mediate charge. AS proof of his
assertion he presented these partic-
ulars: "There is hardly a wholesale,
jobbing or commission house in
any line of business in the United
States that does not have at least a
single representative, and from one
lone man the force ranges up as
high as 1875 or $50 men, and there
may be one or two houses with even
more. The average of the most re-
liable estimstes places the total
number of commercial tourists in
this country at 25O,OOO, and, mind
you, this does not mean peddlers,
but only those who sell goods at
wholesale.
"The railroad fares, charges for
carrying sample baggage by freight
or express, hotel bills and numerous
incidental travelling expenses Of
these men will range between four
dollars and twelve dollars per day,
but some men willspend twenty-five
dollars in single day for these pur-
poses without resorting to any ex-
travagance. Take, for instance,
some ofthe carpet: clothing or fancy
goods men who carry ten or fifteen
trunks full of samples, take pack
er with them, and hire a hotel par
lor to display their goods whenever
they open their trunks. But the
number of these men is compara-
lively small, and six dollars a day
will fairly represent the average ex-
penses of the 25O,O00 men. There
you have 81 800, 900 per day for ex-
pense alone. Multiply this by 365
and you have $547 100000 as the
amount expended in one year.
THE item of salaries is nearly as
large. Few men are paid less than
5000 a year. The largest number re-
ceive between 81, 500 and $4,000,
either in salaries or commissions.
A less number are paid from So, 600
to IS, ,OOO-those receiving the lat
ter amount being comparatively
few. But there are travelling sales
men who are always in demand at
$4,000 to $4,000 a year, but they
are few and far between. The lower
salaried men predominant, as might
be supposed, and an average of ST.
800 per year is not far out of the
way. Figuring 250,0OO men at an
average salary of 81, 800 per year
gives a total of $45O,O0O,0OO, &C.
cording to my arithmetic. To this
add $547, 500, 900 for expenses, and
you have 1897 100000 for these tive
items.
"But there are other items to be
charged against the salesmen's &C
count. 1t is impossible to give an
accurate estimate Of the cost oi
trunks, samples and other requis.
ties of the travelling men, but the
items as we figure them in our store
will give something to judge from
Our fifty men require $50 trunks
costing s. each or 81 200. These
men require two sets of samples
yearly-one in the Spring and one
in the Fall. The cost of these two
sets of samples is about 81 900 pei
annum. OF this $4,000 worth Of
goods that are required for samples
every year a considerable portion il
lost, while most of it is so soileo
and damaged by constant handling
that it has to be sold at heavy re-
duction from the actual cost or else
given away. To cover this depre'
Fiation make an allowance of 33l
per cent upon the cost of the sam
Piles, or about $4,000 per year
Trunks do not need renewing every
year, but repairs and replacing los'
ones form quite an item of expense
From these figures it is evident tha
the similar expenses of greater o.
lesser amounts borne by every
wholesale houee will swell the sal
ary and travelling expense items Q
1897 500, 900 far beyond 81 ,OOO,OOO,
900 per Philadelphia sunda,
Dispatch.
Trout That Remember.