Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-06-05
PAWNsH0P PROFITS
Interesting RsDot Just Isslsd b De-
 patmoat f Commerce.

The bureau of manufactures of the department of commerce and labor has issued number of Interesting re- ports from consular officers in Ger many, France, Belgium and Russia on the operations of pawnshops in those countries. Writing from Berlin, Consul General Thackara says there are no pawnshops under the manage ment of the municipal authorities Tn Berlin but there is a royal pawn of fee and numerous private pawnbrok- CTS, who have to be licensed and are strictly regulated by law. The Royal Prussian pawn office was established in 1884 under the control of the royal bank. The purpose of its establish ment was the promotion of the com mon welfare and all profits from the business or any surplus which remains after changing moderate rate of ln- terest and deducting costs of admin istration, are devoted to charitable purposes. The institution lends from one-half up to two-thirds oil the esti- mated value of goods pawned. Per sons desiring loan must be identi- fled to the keeper of the pawnshop. The lowest amount upon which money is loaned is n cents. A branch of the royal pawnshop In the locality where the poor class reside, loan Is made on 47 cents at rate of F percentum per annum is charged on all loans by the royal office. The surplus donated from the royal pawnshop to charitable purposes is not large, amounting in 1904 to only S2,131. There are 174 pri- vate pawnshops in Berlin, so much more conveniently situated that they take the business away from the roy al office. The appraised value of the loans of the royal pawn office was at the close of March 1895, $l.067 ,39S. and the working capital in January 1908 was SSS3.O72.
 Consul General Mason at Paris says that the municipal pawnshop system of Paris is venerable institution. having been founded in TIT. It Is a distinct bureau of the government and includes in It's control three members of the committee of public charities, three private citizens and the prefect of the police. There are 21 branches of the main pawnshop. During 1904, LAO 163 loans on. jewelry, clothing, bicycles, etc, were made of the aver age amount of $6.46 and the total loaned was s9.36l.625. Eight per cent on jewelry and 6 per cent on other articles were the prevailing rates of of interest In 1904 the profits of the municipal pawnshop amounted to $D02.417 which was turned over to the support of municipal hospitals. The Paris pawnshop is an absolute monopoly. no private pawnbrokcr be- ing allowed to do business in the city. There are. however. brokers of pawn tickets who buy up these tickets at higher rates than are paid by the municipal office and when the public auction of unredeemed pledges is held they make quite bit of money on these tickets.
 The administration of the pawnshop system in Brussels. which was begun in 1910 and which charges 6 per cent per annum on loans, is similar to that in Paris. The mayor of the city Is president of the board and the pawn shops in Belgium are organized under the direction of the communal coun- ell. which approves the budget and ac- counts. In 1905 the establishment loaned on 312.I94 pledges S1.253, 173 and the net profit for the year was SC. .401. The Brussels pawnshop is un- der the management of three apprais- CTS. one of whom Is an expert gold and silver smith. and other officers who keep daily records of the tran sections of their departments. which are collected and compared daily be- fore closing the office.
 Vice Consul General Mueller. at St Petersburg. says there are six insti- tutions in Russia loaning money on chattels. The state loan office which is controlled by the central govern ment. charges 6 per cent per annum. Only gold. silver. precious stones and valuables are accepted at this once. There Is also in Russia a society for pawnlng chattels. the St Petersburg company for storage and pawning chattels and goods. the St Petersburg city loan office. the St Petersburg Pri- vate loan office and the St Petersburg Municipal loan office. which was or ganized in 1898 and has now a paid in capital of about million dollars. In 1904 the loans aggregated S1. 1.I53..55O. auction. netting profit of about S37.- o5i.