Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1906-01-04
nHOT-AlR" COFFIN FACTORIES

GEiCkSanoS OF nusH.
In these days OF frenzied finance.
and the limelighte 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-
r is that the men connected with
such institutions, have gotten beyond
the days of small capital, n deal
| with such which rival Uncle Sam
! treasury, through which, if successful,
they will realize large profits.
How sadly in comparison do h In
yestors" in man, 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 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
frequently the amounts advanced by
localities paid to stimulate the new
town industries, and often the wages
due to wOrkmeh.
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 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
which will not bear the light of in.
~vestigation," but through ignorance OF
conditions, subscribe and put up their
cash, only to get wise after it is toe
late.
Statistics show that there are one
hundred and ninety-fve casket man
ufacturing and jobbing plants in the
United States, of which 1913 are man
facturers Of varying capacities, while
10 manufacture approximately 375,0O(
coins and caskets annually, 80 manu-
facture $50, 900, ia manufacture 612,
600, Or a total of 1,347 900 collins an6
caskets, manufactured annually in the
United States, all Of which must be
consumed through the ordinary de
mand of mortality, but what is thu
demand? In the mortality abstract O.
the twelfth census, table number 90
we find hat the total deaths from
all causes in the registration area O
the United States was 512, 500 70
twelve months, but this registration
area was only 80 per cent of the con
tinental territory of the Unite'
States. In part L. of the final repor
on vital statistics, page VII. the fina
computation shows a death rate il
the United States Of 1873 per 1,>Ot
and while this is considered excessive
but assuming it to be correct, it vii
:, show approximately only 1,23s,o0
deaths per year in this country incluc
ing paupers.
Now what of the 1O9, 900 collins an
caskets produced annually in exces
| of the demand which the public ca
rot be induced to purchase by tn
! Use Of any of the ordinary medium,
} used to stimulate trade as practice
| III other lines of husinesse Unaues
) tjonably it is q case Of o%yer.suppl,
which can not be disposed OF, an
the surplus is than double th
!. quantity stated, for there Is no PR
vision in the estimate for pauper 90
: fms, which are not made In the regula
50 coffin factories, whereas the humble
{ Of deaths include paupers, and thu
the fate OF nine out Of every ten ne,
coffin plants is clearly written, eve
before the stock is subscribed, to sa
nothing Of the failure OF the OIL
! ones.
1t sometimes happens that a ne
plant of this kind, after a hard sirius
gle, succeeds in surviving some of tn
; older ones, but the same amount
capital and energy invested in som
other line Of business would not ru
such great risk Of failure, while pro
: its in the event of success have pro,
en- to be less than any other class {
l business.
! The records show that the averag
; Fer cent of profit in the casket ma,
~ufacturing business by houses whic
have been in business for a numbe
OF years., and equipped with the hes
facilities for turning out their wor
: at the smallest per cent, ruhs fro,