Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1905-12-20
9 lHOi7.-AIR|}' COFFIN FACTORIES

Lead Many OhNdIy HisSs.o' ''-
ouicksands OF Financial Ruin.
In these days of frenzied finance,
and the limelight of investigation on
insurance corporations, the osdinary
public is amazed over the disclosure
.of how millions are carelessly handled
by the heads of large institutions, sup
.posed to be safe and conservative.
One fact revealed by these d1sclos-
.ures, is that the men connected win
such institutions, have gotten beyond
the days of small capital, and deal
with such which rival Uncle Sam
treasury, through which, if successful,
they will realize large profits.
How sadly in comparison do the IN
yestors' in many manufacturing en-
terprises appear, when judged from
the standpoint of "knowing what you
do."1and nowhere is this more patent
than with the investor that is con,
stantly sinking funds In the many
mushroom coffin factories that appear,
and then after a spasm disappear,
either through a shut down or
through the sheriff.
Did the loss but extend only to these
"inyestors" it would be but the usual re-
suit. of not looking before you leap:
ed" but what of the creditors, ana
frequently the amounts advanced by
localities paid to stimulate the new
town industries, and often the wages
due to workmen.
The prevailing opinion in the public
mind that the manufacturing OF I'm,
dertakers' goods returns tremendous
profits, is no doubt stimulated by ex-
perience had with the undertaken, but
in the manufacturing of funeral sup
plies, the question becomes quite
different proposition, for supply and
demand, pure and simple, regulates
the price. as it does in all other busi-
ness, with the exception that the
demands cannot be stimulated, by
either style, product, or price, ia
ther Time" alone controls.
Here is where the over Jealous cap.
itaiist or community allow promoters,
or patriotism to impose upon their
credulity, in accepting statements
which will not bear the Eight of in.
ivestigation, but through ignorance OF
conditions, subscribe and put up their
cash, only to get wise after it is too
late.
Statistics show that there are one
hundred and ninety-five casket man
ufacturing and jobbing plants In the
United States, of which 163 are man
facturers of varying capacities, while
10 manufacture approximately $4,000
coffns and caskets annually, 80 manu-
facture 100000, LA manufacture 6l2,-
: 600, or total of 1,347,000 coftins ana
caskets. manufactured annually in the
United States, all of which must be
consumed through the ordinary de-
mand of mortality, but what is the
demand? In the mortality abstract OF
the twelfth census, table number 81,
we find that the total deaths from
all causes in the registration area OF
the United States was 512,669 for
twelve months, but this registration
s.area was only 3S per cent Of the con
gtinental territory OF the United
ssStates.<s In part /. of the final report
cn Vital statistics, page VII. the fnal
computation shows death rate In
the United States Of 1873 per 1000,
and while this is considered excessive,
but assuming 1t to be correct, it. will
show approximately only 1,23S,O0O
deaths per year in this country includ-
ing paupers.
Now what Of the 100000 cofins and
cuskets produced annually in excess
of the demand which the public can
uot be induced to purchase BY the
use Of any Of the ordinary mediums
used to stimulate trade as practical
In other lines Of business? Unques.
tionably it is case Of over-supply,
which can not be disposed of, and
the surplus is more than double the
quantity stated, for there Is no pro-
vision in the estimate for pauper cot
fins. which are not made in the regular
coffin factories, whereas the number
of deaths include paupers, and thus
The fate of nine out Of every ten neN
coffin plants is clearly written, even
before the stock is subscribed, to say
nothing Of the failure of the old
ones.
It sometimes happens that a new
rlant Of this kind, after hard strug.
Gle. succeeds in surviving some of the
older ones, but the same amount OF
capital and energy invested in some
other line of business would not run
such great risk of failure, while prof
. its in the event of success have prov
. on to be less than any other class OF
business.
The records show that the average
rer cent of profit in the casket mall
ufacturing business by houses which
have been in business for number
of years, and equipped with the best
facilities for turning out their work
at the smallest per cent, runs from
S to 8 per cent, while several, II not
the majority of them can do no bet
ter than break even, and in number
of instances close down, or are clos
ed out in a few years.