The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-05-27
RAILROAD SUPPLIES.
Purchasing Agents spend Millions OF Dol
lars Yearly,

RAILROAD SUPPLIES.
Purchasing Agents spend Millions os n'ol.
lars Yenrly.
The purchasing agent of great rail.
road occupies place that would be
a sinccure for those persons of either
sex who delight in buying for buying's
sake. But 1t is no sinecure to the pur-
chasing agent, who buys from years
end to years end, and is always on the
lookout for low prices, which he gen.
orally finds. The custom of big rail.
road is no small matter te any busi-
ness house, and, as goods are always
ordered in large quantities. the prices
are made correspondingly low.
The work of the purchasing agent is
TO audit all the acquisitions made upon
him by heads of departments and sta
ton masters, and to buy the goods
called for. Some of this work he does
in person and some by proxy. The
principal items with which he has to
deal are iron, rope, waste, glass sta
tionery and oil. lie must keep himself
informed of the market prices of these
articles, and be ready always to take
advantage of a glut in the market or n
drop in price from any other cause. He
buys always at discount from the
lowest market price, because he buys
in great quantities.
The purchasing agent of such a road
as the New York Central buys about
s5.O0o,000 worth of goods every year.
He has nothing to do with the rails,
lumber or heavy machinery: they are
attended to in other quarters. Every
head of department and every station
| agent must make a requisition on the
| first of the month for the supplies that
he will need for that month. To keep
the business in good running order it
is imperative that the acquisitions be
made on the first of the month. 1t will
not do for the agent to write in the
| middle of the month that he is short OF
something.
| These acquisitions are sent direct to
the purchasing agent and he audits
them. If he thinks that too much of
any article has been ordered he cuts
down the order. If, on the other hand,
an order is manifestly too small he in
creases it. This, however. seldom hap
pens. After the acquisitions have been
audited they are sent to one OF
the principal officers of the company
for his approval. AS soon as they re
ceive his stamp the goods are shipped
to their destination. They are not
bought as needed, but are kept in stock
in great quantities.
A Sun reporter found the purchasing
agent of the New York Central railroad
in the midst of heap of acquisitions
One or two examples will give an idea
of what the acquisitions called for
One was for three dozen red globes fol
signal lanterns, 75O barrels of oil, 10t
barrels of signal OIL twenty gallons o.
turpentine, 10000 seals and wires fol
sealing freight cars, a coil of rope five
inches in circumference, one dozer
brooms, half dozen sponges, 100 pounds
of waste for cleaning chimneys. gal
Ions of soft soap for cleaning cabooses
kegs of nails, 500 envelopes, LOO
paper clasps gross each of pens ant
pencils, and 10 yards of flag bunting
An Office in the interior of the stat,
called for 10000 large envelopes, 1000
small envelopes, 800 small pads, 500
letterheads, 10 gross of pens, 500 appli
cation forms, 500 monthly report blanks
10 gross of pencils, 10 gross of clasps
100 large sticks of red sealing wax, so
heavy MANILA envelopes, > dozen oi
cans 8 dozen lanterns. 10 signal lamps
. dozen with globes, large lamps fo
station. dozen brooms, 4 feather dust
!. ers. $50 pounds of waste, 0 kegs of nails
! a half dozen large chamois skins,
panes of glass 16x20, 5 coils of smal
, rope, one-quarter bale of coarse wrap
ping paper. $50 fence piclSets, and Ito
: feet of barbed wire.
, Sometimes the iron bought comes ou
of the foundry so hot that it scorche
the car floors. The discount secure
by buying iron in large quantities
, very slight: but in stationery, on tn
other hand, it is very large. Stationer
, at retail is not high at present, but tn
l purchasing agent gets it at about one
, half the usual rates. In rope, too, h
gets heavy discounts.
. The purchasing agent not only keep
, his mind practicing continual gymnas
Q ties figuring for low prices, but he ha
hard work to keep the run of all hi
stock. The single item of envelopes
enough to confuse him. The New Yor
Central railroad used 10000 differcu
forms of fenyelopes,-N, Y, Sun.