Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-06-11
LsrcclaI Cnrrespondcnce.l


 bcforc in q similar length of time. In 1873, when the last serious depression fell upon the country, the system was not nearly so well organized aS at prcSent, nor 50 extensively patrOnizcd, nor, in the opin- ion of many competent to judge, was tho financial diStr,SS so acute then as 1t has been this time. Besides the number of business concerns in the country was not sO yrCat then as now, and consequently then could not have beCn so much work for the agencies, even if tho depression wcrc then as generally felt ns now.
 Useful Files,
 Tho life of n commercial agency lies in its files. IL might havc reporters of tho most p-CtCrnatural shrCwdnCS~-mcn who could divine thc business mans secret thoughts-and if the almost countless rc- ports that arc turned in daily wcro not filed in such n way aS tu make them easy of access they would bc practically value less II must bc feasible for tho clerks of an agcncy to gct together at moments notice all the information there is on rnc- ord about any individual or firm and make comprehensive synopsis of tho same without delay whenever it may be called for.
 The manner in which this is accom- pliShcd is simplicity itself. The routine work of a commercial agcncys reporters includes the transcription daily of all mortgages, transfers of property and dis charSCS of mortgages. This information, besides Gin towns of, say, 50, 900 and up- war,i) being printed in the daily ''shcct" for distribution among the subscribers, Is written out on slips and properly claSSi- fed. Thus, if mortgage is filed against the property of Timothy Johnson, the slip on which is ConciScly written out all tho information known concerning the claim iS first sorted into the J box, " whence it goes To Il big bundle of similar slips label cd on the outside perhaps U. Jackson Johnson" This bundle is opened, tho "Johnsons'' arc found and then the partic ular packet devoted to the business affairs of Timothy Johnson. This packet consists of a card of extra stiff and tough manilla paper labeled with his name and bearing the first piece of information that was over filed concerning him. Perhaps this was put away on the day that he began busi- ncSS for himself. If SO the date of his be- ginning will be found on the card, togcth CT with the facts as then obtained relating to his initial capital, his liabilities, if any at that time, etc. Pinned to this card arc all the slips that have ever since been written concerning him, and on these arc rCcurlcd all judgments, mortgages and everything else that has come to light about him that may be considered of in tcr,St to the business .EoI!d.
 Some of the slips bear records of rumors, but in all such eases it is carefully added that the matter Is rumor and nothing moro. Often tho source of the rumor is also given and a note perhaps giving the opinion of the office, or at least of the em- pluycC securing it, of tho value of tho al- lCgvd information in the rumOr It may happen, especially If the business sea of Mir. Johnson has not been a placid one, that thCrc arc many slips, and that tho in formation they contain Is sufficient from which to make detailed business biog- raphy of Johnson. Perhaps ho had been in business in small way for somo timo bclurc he WAS of enough consequence to at tract a-rnCy attention, especially If he bo a small Cuulcr.-'Ay, and by industry has CauS,d his business tO incpraSc until he k Cun~idCrIa d ''manufaCturcr of barrels '' Very lIkvly it k then that he asks credit fHr the first time, and the man of whom he a -hS 1T calls fur report, thus turning the I-vucN attention in his dircction. Then ,lNhu-tn'S ,ntirv business past will lN locked Up. If he own his house free and th,-- ls~iL,> his shop, that fact will be noted; il Jhygc l. d loan association or oth- rr mort s,;!=-c on his rnSidcncc, that will be
 
 tOO. the flct that tho house Is in his wifc's naIlIC, If il bo fact, will be duly set down and the CirCumstances-that is, whether II was bought with money furnished by the cOOpCr or with funds originally be- longing to Mrs Johnson or her relations Jones personal habits as to economy and the fact, if it bo a fact, that he drinks hard may become pertinent, and in such case will bc included in tho records.
 Seeking Information.
 X thing that puzzles many persons Is how tho aSCncy rCporters como into posses sion of tho facts concerning the affairs of business men, and it Is believed in many quarters that thCrc is somc system of dis cuvCry thcrC.nf so mysterious as to be al- most deserving of tho adjective occult" Nothing iS further from tho truth The only system employed Is ono of persistent and close questioning first of tho business men themselves and then of any ono else thought likely to b' ahlc to shed light on the subject. of course the information rc- SariinE dccis and mortgages and judg- mvnts recorded Is obtained without diff culty at the office of the county clerk or public official corresponding thereto and so far all k plain sIiling. But q business man may have run very deeply in debt without being obliged to file any evidence of such action, and he may sustain losses or hv may make transfers of property that arC nowhere rccor'icd. Any of these things will uf course have an influence upon his crdit, il they bcrumo known, and thero is a temptation. of course, to kecp back in formation of this sort. IL is when q special rCport upon n man is called for that the agency reporter is rcquircd to find out if thcrc have becn any transactions under the surface, and il iS then that the methods ' al aro brought into play.
 As n rule, the sensible business man, who knows how essential 1t has been to him to know the truth regarding men with whom he has been doing business, will answer all questions put to him fair ly and honestly. It Is certain, as he knows, that any apparent attempt to GOV CT anything up will expose him to suspi- cion, and if he Is really dosirous of hiding the facts he will find 1t necessary to do so with a very smooth faco and to make sure that no one but himself is aware of their existence, for tho reporter Is certain not to stop his questions until ho has put them elsewhere as well as to the man on whom a report Is sought. In moro than one instance within the knowledge of the writer slight prcvarications concerning rcally trivial matters havo aroused suspi- cions and brought on financial disaster. Per contrn u!oro thAn oD9 man fer the timc in really perilous circumstances has cxtricated himsolf by telling tho truth alike to agency reporters and creditors, and in the long run that is tho best thing to do
 Delicate DutieS.
 Tho agency reporters arc of course cho- sen with especial rcferonco to their capabil- ity as question askers. It Is tho reportor's duty to find out the roal standing of every man on whom ho has to make a report. If the man won't tell how he stands, or if he seems to be hiding the facts, tho report CT must go to those who arc doing busi- ness with him-his ncighbors or his bank er-and if there Is a rumor it must be yer flied, if possible.
 Sometimes, especially in small and re- Dlarsez tho commercial aopnciaS do