Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-11-30
RENTING TYPEWRiTERS.
The Business Is Profitable, Although Many
of the Machines Are Stolen

Yhe BUSINESS Is I'roIiJabie, AlthCugh Many
of the Machines Are Stolen.
There are probably dozen places in
this city where the business of renting
new and secondhand typewriters is car
ried on. Most of these concerns do an OK
cellent business, and many of their lists
of machines out on rental average from
$50 to 200 names. Nearly all the ma
chimes rented are those of a high grade
which have been tested by experience in
business offices and in shorthand schools.
strictly new typewriter seldom rents
for less than IS u month"; while one that
is only slightly damaged brings "a a
month. A machine that can be hired for
So is considered fit for only % plug" opcf-
ator, and such typewriters are rented
rarely.
There are upward Of 20 shorthand and
typewriting schools regularly conducted
in this city, with classes of from 10 to 200
students. This docs not include the pub
lie 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
plcte outfits of their own machines FREQ Of
charge as means of increasing the num-
Der of operators thereon, for us soon as u
graduate obtains employment he natural
ly prefers the same kind of typewriter he
has used at school. Some operators have
to provide machines for themselves. A
large number begin by renting machine,
proposing to buy later. Frequently they
fail to do SO, and the books of Barclay
street house which derives a handsome
monthly income from rents of machines
show that it is common occurrence for
twice the value of a 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 written agreement
STIMULATING that it shall be delivered to the
owners at the expiration of the period of
rental in as good condition us when first
received, barring the effect of ordinary
usage. Hence it is not surprising that
typewriter thieves are very common.
''Stealing typewriter" said the man
who looks after the rental department Of
a large typewriter house in Broadway, sis
grand larceny and a state prison offense
yet this and the further fact that an i'm
mcnse 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 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 be
efTaced, and whenever we hear that a ma
chine is missing we Immediately commu-
nicate it's number to our representatives
in this country and abroad, with instruc-
tions to seize the machine when found
and to prosecute the person holding it. 1t
is only matter of time when any type
writer will need adjusting and repairing
and will be taken to repairer, and then
the thief is easily apprehended. Thus we
actually lose few or no machines. New
Y nrk Sun