Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-05-21

with the bar and cellars, takes in from
$4,000 to s135, 900 per year. There
are four or five other clubs that take
in as much or more, and there are a
few that make a small profit when the
receipts from wines, liquors and cigars
are accredited to the restaurant and
proper credit is allowed for the main
tenance Of employees. About one-third
OF the income of the Century club is
from these sources. Nearly all the
large clubs receive from $4,000 to
$4,000 from lodgings. This is an ex-
tremely profitable feature of a large
club, as the cost of maintaining lodg-
ings is small, and the presence of per-
manent dodgers in the house works for
good order and helps to maintain the
restaurant. Few New York clubs have
greatly developed the nonresident list,
though it is becoming more important
in large clubs. Those clubs that make
a speciality of nonresident membership
find that it is highly profitable to fix
nonresident dues and initiation fees
very low. The club with the largest
nonresident list obtains about $4,000
a year from nonresident dues, and has
so constant a demand for its lodgings
by nOnTesidents visiting the city that
permanent dodgers are no longer taken.
Such a nonresident list, made up of
men from all parts of the country, most
of whom occasionally visit New York,
gives variety and interest to club life
that nothing else can give. One sees
from time to time at the club strongest
in nonresident membership cabinet Of
ficers, political leaders from New Eng
land, the south and the west, army and
bar from half a dozen states, and bust
ness men from nearly all parts of the
country.
1t is difficult to conduct a club COM
plete in all it's appointments and func-
lions with a membership of less thai.
800, and such club caLnot be comfort
ably run upon dues of less than $40
per year. Out of the income from dues
must be paid rent, wages, cost of re-
pairs and whatever deficit may result
from the conduct of the restaurant If
that deficit is not to be pretty large
the club must have a considerable pro-
portion of it's memb regular fire.
quenters of the house. If sucn club
can have an average of fifteen or
twenty men daily taking breakfast and
luncheon la carte, it is likely, with
economical management in all it's de-
partments, to live within it's income
Every such club, however, should be
able to realize from $4,000 to $4,000 per
year from lodgings, and if the loss On
the restaurant can be kept within
$4,000 a year the club may be held to
be in good condition, for club start
ing with a membership of 800 may rea-
sonably expect, until it has reached its
limit of membership, to take in from
81, 500 to $4,000 per year in entrance
fees. Such a club at starting may rea-
sonably expect also to furnish it's house
from the proceeds of admission fees
say $25 from each of the first 800 mem
bers. Any surplus during the first
five years of the club is likely to be
needed for further furnishing. A club
with such an income cannot hope, if it
is to be run in first-rate fashion, to oc-
cupy an eligible Fifth avenue corner,
as that would mean doubling or treb-
ling it's rent.
The tendency in every club is to in
crease expenses from year to year, and
to increase them in greater proportion
than the income increases. In fact al
most every club that aims to be COM
plete in all it's functions tends toward
a deficit, and the only thing that can
check this tendency is the most diff
cult thing to obtain in club manage
ment-faithful, unbought superintend-
ence by club members. The problem is
to be economical without being mig
gardly, to see that everything purveyed
by the club shall be excellent, and yet
to take care that there shall be neither
extravaganza nor waste. No device
yet discovered will serve instead of
self-sacrifcing superintendent on the
part of club members. Some clubs try
to saddle the responsibility for super
intendence upon the steward, and to
that end allow him a percentage upon
what he saves to the club. Some
stewards have the privilege of making
a commission on all supplies pur-
chased. Other clubs hire a general
superintendent to rule both servants
and steward. Clubs have learned by
bitter experience the danger of long
and large credits to members. Most
large clubs lose from $1,000 to $1,000
per year in unc0llectible accounts due
from members. Every large club loses
a small percentage of it's annual dues,
and some lose in this way from $500 to
ST 500 per year-NeW York Journal.