The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-08-02
COUNTY DISPENSARIES
ARE MAKING MONEY
PROFITS WILL LIKELY EXCEED
THOSE OF LAST YEAR.
If Earnings Continue at Present
Ratio Excess Over Last Year will
be 100000 or More-Inter-
esting Statement Com
piled by Auditor
West.
News and Courier.

News and Courier.
Columbia, July 2S.-During the
year 1906, the South Carolina state
dispensary declared a total net profit
Of s575,975.94. During the quarter
ending June 30. 1907, the county dis
pensaries have declared and distribut-
ed total net profit Of $l66, ,792.02.
Al this rate the county dispensaries'
total profits for year will exceed
the total net profits Of the state dis
pensary by at least 100000. mas
much as the largest ypurehases Of IL
quors are made in the fall, it is ex-
tremely probable that the business Of
the county dispensaries will be larger
in the next six months than in the six
months just passed and in that case
the county dispensaries' total net pro-
fits will exceed the total net profits
of the state dispensary by much
more than 100000.
The figures on which these calcula-
tions are based are taken from,
statement prepared by Mr.. ". B.
West, the dispensary auditor under
the new law. The county dispensary
boards are required by the law to
make both monthly and quarterly re-
ports to the auditor, and after good
deal Of work by Mr.. West and his
assistant, Mr.. Hunt, the quarterly
statement by counties has been made.
The comparison with the old state
dispensary figures are made by this
correspondent from the official re-
port Of the board Of directors to Gov
ernor Hayward for the year 1906.
There are twenty-five counties out
Of the forty-one in the state, which
have dispensaries and yet the twen-
ty-fve county dispensary systems are
making as much or perhaps more
money than the state dispensary made
with it's branches in thirty-nine eoun,
ties. There were no dispensaries in
thirty.nine counties in 1906, but in
that year the profits were about as
large as before the enactment Of the
Briee law. '>,t. ,~+i.:& x:~:::
" According to the state boards re-
port for 1906, the net profits divided
between the towns and cities amount
ed to $552,O92.8O, and the profits paid
the school fund were $23,8S3,l4, max
ing a total Of $595,975.94. A larger
amount was distributed to the schools
last year but it was not earned in that
year and is credited to the 1905
account. Even taking this whole
amoaht, $l65, ,e5O.44, into the calcula-
ton, the total net profits reached
only the sum Of $717,742.24, on to-
tai business of s2,5S5,137.16. This
represents the sales Of 1873 sub-dis-
pensaries.
The figures compiled by Mr.. West
represent the business Of only ninety
three dispensaries, the number now
in operation in this state. The gross
sales for the quarter are $647, ,477.9l,
or at the rate of $2,5s9,911.64 for the
year, which is slightly in excess Of
the state dispensary sales. The pro-
fits for the quarter, net, are $780,
792.O2, or at the rate Of 1867 ,16S.09
for the year, which is in excess Of
the state dispensary profits Of 1906
by the sum of $91,212.14.
The statement prepared by Mr..
West gives the number Of dispen-
saries in each county, the gross sales.
the net profit. the per centaee Of pro-
fit on sales, the leakage anI the per-
centage of breakage on sales. It fol-
lows:
Abbeville-Gross sales $2l,755.57 ;
breakaee 5000; net profit $6,2lO.lS,
gain 40 per cent; breakage 100 per
cent; number dispensaries l.
Aiken-Gross sales $24,603.9l
breakage S234.62; net profit $685.
SO; gain 47 per cent; breakage 300
per cent; number Of dispensaries s.
Bamberg-Gross sales $lS,46S;
breakage $123.70; net profit $3,S4l.-
- IT; gain 26 per cent; breakage POS
per cent; number of dispensaries 5.
Barnwell-Gross sales $29,l37.71;
breakage $3344439; net profit $780,
80; gain "A per cent; breakage $40
per cent; number Of dispensaries 10
Beaufort Gross sales $1S,334.52;
breakage s17S.S3; net profit $780,
95; gain 1S per cent: breakage 3O5
per cent: number Of dispensaries 5.
Berkeley-Gross sales $7,6S3.O2;