Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-04
HOW MILLIONS ARE MADE.
What Perseverance and Pluck
Can Accomplish.
Inspection of the American Branch of the
Largest and Most Prosperous Business
of Its Kind in the World.


moth eight-story fireproof building, which
contains the largest institution of its kind
IN the world. As 1 was determined, If pos
sibe, to see all OF interest in this city, yes
terday called at the office of this great COM
pany, presented my card and WAS soon in the
presence of a man whose name is perhaps
better known the world over than that of
any other American. That man is the Hon.
Fl. 81. Warner.
1t is, perhaps. delicate matter to ask of
any gentleman an inspection of his premises
mammoth as this, but found Mr. Warner
most genial gentlemen, anG the result was
that he personally consented to accompany
me through the institution. 1t was bewilder-
ing at first, so many departments so many
men, SO many girls, and all working as fast
as possible, while mechanical inventions and
contrivances of all sorts replaced manual
labor wherever possible.
As we passed rapidly on from one depart
ment to another the chief thing that struck
me was the exceeding cleanliness of each
and every Observation-Disclosures where
the great vessels hold the medicine in course
of preparation: cleanliness where it is
thrown off and bottled by an automatic
filler, that cuts Off the supply when the bot
corked and labelled; cleanliness where they
are boxed, and finally where the boxes
take clean Jump down the spiral chute
which runs from the packing room above
stairs to the freight department. on the
ground floor.
"Our yeast" said Mr. Warner, "goes to the
consumer untouched and unhandled."
can attest to the truth of this statement,
having watched the journey of the yeast
from the great watts down to the rolling and
cutting process, then on to the drying and
packing, and know that no hand touched it
to sully or soil its snowy whiteness.
our yeast business" said Mr.. Warner, :" 1s
but six years old; yet, SO successful has it
been that we already control the yeast trade
OF the country. We are now making arrange
ments to place on the market Warmers Safe
Baking Powder We have been experiment
ing in this line for several years, have en-
ployed the best chemists in this country and
abroad, especially Germany; and have sue
ceeded in perfecting baking powder which
IS as far in advance of the powders now upon
the market as our Safe Remedies are above
the vile limitations and substitutes which
are offered in their stead"
But isn't the present demand for baking
powder pretty well supplied?"
True, there are many baking powders,
some good, others bad; but the truth is. the
public will ALWAYS buy superior and meri-
torious article. They want and will have the
latest Improvements and discoveries in bak-
ing powders, as in all other lines, and we are
preparing to give it to them. We have pro-
duced scientific preparation, a new dis
covery in baking powder, which will sell on
its merits"
'That will soon prove an additional source
of revenue to your company"
eyes; the baking powder business is very
profitable. One company in this country, L
am told, makes profit of a million dollars
year."
This business is now an English corpora
tion, is it not, Mr. Warmer"
"Ees; it was capitalized in London two
years ago last fall for s., 1876, ,000."
"Was the result of the capitalization an in
crease in the volume of business and CORE
spending increase in profit?"
"The success of the business since its cap
italization has been enormous. The first
years trading, after providing for the per
cent. on the debentures, resulted in a return
to the shareholders of dividend of per
cent. on the preferred stock and III per
cent on the common stock, besides placing
to reserve $2lS, $50 and carrying forward to
next years account $62,4l9. For the second
year per cent was paid ON the debentures,
and dividends of per cent. on the pre-
ferred stock and 171a per cent. on the COM
mon stock, besides the cancellation of $685.,
900 of debentures and the carrying forward
to next year of 100000 as undivided profit.
Had the directors not thought it wise to
cancel this large number of debentures a
dividend of 351 per cent. could have been
paid On the common stock, besides carry
ing forward $4,000 as undivided profit"
This is a remarkable showing. A sunmar-
iZation of the figures you have just given
me shows that the profits of the business
during the past two years have been suff-
cient to enable the directors to pay back to
the shareholders $75S, 900, besides paying in
terest on debentures amounting to over
$6S, 900, retire and cancel over $1,000 OF these
debentures and place to reserve fund OF
over 100000, Mr.. Warner, these figures are
simply staggering"
statement of the chartered accountants and
your own computations. They simply go to
show the enormouspopularity, both at home
and abroad, of our preparations"
"And is the sale increasing7"
Constantly. The aggregate for the five
>years ending July 81, $780, was 13, ,807, 156 bot
ties, giving an AVERAGE yearly sale of ., 16l,-
43l bottles, while the sale for the past year,
ending July 81, 1891, aggregated 1856, 174 bot
ties, or over 30 per cent.
"The business at present seems to be in
most prosperous condition, but what is the
outlook fer the future?'
Better than the past has been. Our busi-
ness all Overt the world is constantly improv-
ing. This is especially so in Europe, where
the branches show d steady increase in
profit and reduction In working expenses
over previous years. During the past year
q branch was opened in Switzerland, which
has already given satisfactory return for
the money invested. As an evidence of how
profitable our branches are l may tell you
that the average yearly profit of our
Australian house alone, since the cap1taliza-
ton OF the business has been sufficient to
pay the whole of the debenture interest, as
well as 8 per cent per annum on the pre-
ferred stock. As the amount required to do
this is something over 100000 yearly, and
the population of Australia is less than
5000 600, it gives you q little idea of the pop
ularity of Warmers Safe Cure in that
country"
"How about the European field? Do you
consider you have covered that thorough
ly?"
"Not by any means. The best proprietary
medicine country in Europe, France, we
have not touched yet In fact. outside of
Great Britain, Germany, Austria, and Swift
zerland we have done nothing, and the truth
is we have only just got those countries
nicely going. Arrangements are now being
perfected to introduce our preparations into
France and Belgium. The people of these
two countries are frugal, and consequently
rich, and their habits of lite are such as to
make our preparations especially valuable
I laI. Fran wi \, re
900 of well-to-do people, as promising field
for our business as any countryin the world"
''The condition of your business is certain
ly prosperous, and the outlook for the
future is all that could be desired; but let
me ask you, Mr.. Warner, where is the stock
of YOUR company principally held?"
Fright here" replied the all-the-world
round medicine man, and he pointed to a
large, freproof safe in his private office.
'But you certainly don't own all the
stock?"
"No, but very large proportion-some-
thing over $2,OOo, 900 worth The stock is
We have shareholders in England Ireland
Scotland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzer-
land, Australia-in fact. there is scarcely
civilized country in the world where one
could not find some of the shares"
"But why so scattered?"
"For the best reason in the world, to ad-
vertise our preparations. In shareholder
of our company recognize most Jealous
advertiser of our business. Being naturally
interested in large dividends. he talks the
medicine among his friends, sounds its
profit. You can't buy such advertising at so
much per line yet it is the most valuable
you can get and costs you nothing"
"Outside of your own immense holding
are many shares in the nands OF parties hv-
ing in this country?'
Eyes, and the number is increasing daily
In our Safe Cure Almanac for 1892 which 1
handed you as we came through, the mailing
will nd on mo-