Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1896-04-24
Home Enterprises.

Home Enterprises.
The suggestion in the Union last week,
of putting home capital into home bust
ness and under home managers by en-
larging Participating industries now
here meets with favor by ali who give it
thought. If there is $40, 900 or $4,000
ready to go into a new enterprise under
the management OF stranger who as
sumeS no risk and has no interest in the
place, that same capital ought to be
ready togo into paying home enterprises
under the management OF home opera
tors with successful business record and
who are interested in building up the Iil-
lage. Foreign enterprises are expert
ments, which may prove profitable and
may not. TIE history of home enter
prises is known, some having employed
men and supported families for years.
Select the best Of these and they can be
enlarged with profit to increase capital.
Call the owners or operators before the
Board of Trade, learn their methods, in
spect figures of expenses and receipts,
study the market for the goods, the eX-
pense OF selling, and thus learn, from men
who are reliable, interested in the village
and willing to risk their own money, all
about the business, its past, its present
and its prospects. Ii the information be
favorable, enlarge the plant, incorporate.
oroa..:->, ,IcCU business directors, put a
competent man into the management
and 80 ahead. Do this with a half dozen
profitable small industries in the village,
and the equivalent Of two shoe factories
will be secured with the cost of one, the
business will be under the management
of men who have made it pay, who are
known as fixtures in the village, with in
terest i'll its prosperity and growth.
There are a number of concerns here MAX
ing money in a small way, anxious t. en-
large to secure greater convenience and
better profits, but unable to do so from
want of capital.
The business to be preferred is that
which works raw material produced
here, and which reaches market with
only one freight. The business most pro-
ftable to the village is that which en-
ploys the most help on the least raw ma.
terial. The village wants not the goods.
but the increased operatives, with fam.
lies to feed, clothe and shelter and to in
crease demand for rents and the value of
real estate. The Board of Trade aims to
increase the prosperity of the village.
At various times they have had stran-
gers before them to discuss foreign enter
prises, the profits of which were known
only to the stranger, usually too poor or
too well acquainted with the business
recommended to venture his own capi-
tai.
AS an instance Of building up home in
dustries look at the Percival Manufac-
turing Co. i'll Barton, run for years by c.
f. Percival, a Barton boy, who made
furniture in smallway gaining steadily,
but slowly, by reason of small capital.
Noting success and possibilities, others
took hold with him, enlarged and got
the advantage of division of labor. A
rapid growth, profit, more people and
Will AT 60
year this concern sold about 5000 pieces
OF furniture, much of it of fine workman
ship and high price. Men are on theroad
meeting with success in selling and secur-
ing orders in different States.
A large establishment here, equipped
for making the best grades of furniture,
could prohtably employ large force of
average mechanics, fancy wood workers,
painters and upholsterers, to say moth
ing of hookkeepers, shippers and common
laborers. Rockford, ILL.,, has Is large fur
niture corporations prospecting on the
cooperative plan, with help all interested,
contented and ready to put down combi-
nations and strikes. Most of the raw
material for furniture is here. The es-
Establishment of factory on a large scale
would increase the value of our forests,
and d" its part towards improving the
condition of surrounding farmers.
II villages would prosper they must
shape industries in way to benefit far
mers, to give value to their forests, their
lands, with good market for their pro.
ducts, People in villages must patronize
home merchants and practice the princi
pal OF taking dollar out of one pocket,
spending it all at home and putting a
part oft back into the other pocket.
Our people should keep constantly in
mind the tendency to abandon the