The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-11-10
RENTING TYPEWRITERS.
The Business Is Profitable, Although Many
of the Machines Are stolen.

The Business Is Profitable. Although Many
of the Machines Are stolen.
There are probably dozen places In
this city where the business OF renting
new and secondhand typewrlters Ii car
riod ION. Most Of these concerns do an ey-
cellent business, and many Of their lists
OF machines out on rental average from
100 TO 200 names Nearly all the ma
chimes rented are those OF q high grade
which have been tested by experience In
business offices and In shorthand schools.
strictly new typewriter seldom rents
TOR less than 80 a month, while one that
Is only slightly damaged brings 81 a
month. A machine that can be hired for
tS IL considered fit for oelya "pfhg" oper.
htor, and such typewriters are rented
rarely.
There are upward of 20 shorthand and
typewriting schools regularly conducted
n this city, with classes Of from 10 to goo
Students. This does not include the pub
Tic day and evening schools, numerous
public libraries and general educational
Institutions where such things are taught
and scores of private instructors all over
the city. Typewriter manufacturers In
many instances supply schools with com
blote outfits of their own machines free Of
charge as means OF increasing the num-
Der Of operators thereon, for as soon as a
graduate obtains employment he natural
" prefers the same kind Of typewriter he
has used at school. Some operators have
20 provide machines for themselves. A
large number begin by renting "A machine,
proposing to buy later. Frequently they
fail TO do so, and the books OF Barclay
street house which derives handsome
monthly income from rents Of machines
show that IL Is common occurrence for
twice the value of typewriter TO be paid
In monthly rentals.
1t is not customary for these dealers to
require security for the return of a type
writer other than q written agreement
stipulating that 1t shall be delivered to the
owners at the expiration Of the period OF
rental In as good condition as when first
received, barring the effect OF ordinary
usage. Hence IL is not surprising that
typewriter thieves are very common.
"Stealing a typewriter" said the man
who looks after the rental department OF
q large typewriter house in Broadway, "is
grand larceny and a state prison offense,
yet this and the further fact that an i'm
mense number Of these culprits have al
ready been sent to penitentiaries in differ
ent states do not deter dozens Of others
every month from making like thefts. We
have a standing list of from 100 TO 200
typewriters that have been stolen from our
branch offices and agents in various sec
tions OF the country. Every typewriter
has its own number, which cannot DO
effaced, and whenever we hear that ma
chine Is missing we Immediately commu-
nicate It's number TO our representatives
in this country and abroad, with instruc-
tions 20 seize the machine when found
and to prosecute the person holding it. Ii
is only matter of time when any type
writer will need adjusting and repairing
and will be taken to a repairer, and then
the thief is easily apprehended. Thus we
actually lose few or no machines. New
York sun.