The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1905-12-21
nHOT-AIR" COFHNFACTOR|lS
Lead Many unwary investors into
ouirksands of Financial Ruin.

Quicksands Of Financial Ruin.
In these days OF frenzied finance,
and the limelight of investigation on
insurance corporations, the ordinary
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 disclos-
ures, is that the men connected with
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
vestors" in many manufacturing en-
terprises appear, when judged from
the standpoint of knowing what you
do" and nowhere is this more patent
than with the investor that is con-
stantly sinking funds in TIE many
mushroom coffin factories that appear,
and then after a spasm disappear,
either through a shut down" o..
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
frequently the amounts advanced oy
localities" paid to stimulate the ew
town industries, and often the w es
due to workmen. y
The prevailing opinion in the p' C
mind that the manufacturing Q 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 busl
ness, with the exception that the
demands cannot be stimulated, by
either style, product, or price, ra
ther 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
which will not bear the light of in
vestigation." but through ignorance OF
conditions. subscribe and put up theiT
cash. only to get wise after 1t is toe
late.
Statistics show that there are one
hundred and ninety-five casket man
ufacturing and jo5bing plants in the
United States, of which 1853 are man
factu-ers of varying capacities. while
10 manufacture approximately 375,Oot
coffns and caskets annually, 80 manu-
facture 100000. ia manufacture 6l2,
600. or a total of $4,000 coffins 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 fror
all causes in the registration area OF
the United States was 512,669 fol
twelve months, but this registration
area was only SO per cent OF the con
tinental territory of the Unite"
States. In part /. Of the final report
cn vital statistics, page VII. the fin
computation shows death rate IN
the United States Of. 1853 per 1000
and while this is considered excessive
but assuming it to be correct. it viii!
show approximately only 1,23S,0Ot
deaths per year in this country includ
ing paupers.
Now what OF the 10000 collins and
clskets produced annually in excess
of the demand which the public car
rGt be induced to purchase by the
use CT any of the ordinary mediums
used to stimulate trade as practical
III other lines of business? Unques
tionably it Is a 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 iI the estimate for pauper cot
fms. 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 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 new
riant of this kind, after p hard strus,
gle, succeeds in surviving some OF the
older ones, but the safne amount OF
capital and energy invested, samc
other line of business wouldA
such great Iisk OF failure, Will Il
its in the event of success haNv~pfo2-
en- to he less than any other class Of
business.
The records show that the = ~erags
rer cent of profit ~ the casket man.
ufacturing business by houses wE:ch
have been in business for number
OF years, and equipped with the best
facilities for turning out their work