The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1905-12-21
HHOT-A|R" COFFIN FACTORIES
Lead Many unwary Investors Into
Q%uicksands Of Financial Ruin.


If how millions are carelessly handled
by the heads of large institutions, sup
posed to be safe and conservative.
One fact revealed by these disclos-
Tres, Is that the men connected with
such institutions. have gotten beyond
he days of small capital, and deal
With such which rival Uncle Sans
treasury, through which. II successful,
hey will realize large profits.
How sadly in comparison do the Gin
;estors" in many manufacturing en-
terprises appear. when judged from
the standpoint of knowing what you
TO-" and 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
investors" it would be but the usual re-
suit, of not looking before you leap
ed" but what of the creditors, and
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 un-
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 a
different proposition, for supply and
demand, pure and simple, regulates
the price. as it does In all other bust
ness, with the exception that the
demands cannot be stimulated, by
either style, product, Or price. ia
Their Time" alone controls.
Here is where the over jealous cap
italist or community allow promoters,
or patriotism to impose upon their
credulity, in accepting statements.
will not bear the light of in
but through ignorance of
subscribe and put up their
cash, only to get wise after it 10 too
late.
Statistics show that there are one
hundred and ninety-five casket man
ufacturing and jobbing plants in the
States, of which 1853 are man
lecturers of varying capacities, while
10 manufacture approximately 375,0OG
and caskets annually, 80 manu-
100000, ia manufacture 612,-
900, or a total Of 1,347,000 collins and
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 "a,
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
area was only 38 per cent of the o
territory of the United
States. In part L. of the final report
en- vital statistics, page VII. the final
computation shows a death rate In
the United States of 1913 per 1000,
and while this is considered excessive,
but assuming it to be correct, it will
show approximately only ~1,238,00O
deaths per year in this country includ-
ing paupers.
Now what of the 100000 collins and
produced annually in excess
Of the demand which the public can
aot be induced to purchase by the
Of any of the ordinary mediums
used to stimulate trade as practiced
ii other lines of business? UnQues-
tionably it Ia a case of over-supply,
a not be disposed of, and
the surplus is more than double the
quantity stated, for there is no pro-
in the estimate for pauper cot
fms. which are not made in the regular
coffin factories, whereas the number
deaths include paupers, and thus
fate of nine out of every ten ne"
coffin plants is clearly written, even
before the stock is subscribed, to say
nothing Of the failure of the old
ones.
1t sometimes happens that a new
rlant of this kind, after a 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
en- to be less than any other class oil
business.
The records show that the average
e cent of profit in the casket man
u%facturing business by houses which
have been In business for a number
of years, and equipped with the best
facilities for turning out their work
at the smallest per cent, runs from
8 to 8 per cent, while several, If not
the majority of them can do no bet
ter than break even, and in a number
of instances close down. or are clos
ed out In O few years.
The government statistics of 1900
shows that in that year $13,5S5,162.0O
of capital was invested in the caskeI
manufacturing business. and the value
of the product was $13,952, 308.0 o al