Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-23
CO-0PERATVEPLAN
NAVY YARD SUCCESS
EMPLOYEES Benefit From Novel
Scheme to Reduce the
Cost of Living.
SIX MONTHS BUSINESS
SHOWS $4,000 IN TRADE
Interest of Housekeepers Encourag-
ing Feature of Machinists' Eff
fort-Big Saving Recorded.

novel scheme for reducing the cos
OF living is being conducted by wha
is known as the commissary COMMITTEE
of Columbia Lodge. No. ia Interna
tional Association of Machinists. thu
membership of which is composed
largely of navy yard employees 1t con
sists of a store conducted under tn,
auspices of the lodge. where goods ar,
sold to members at slightly abov'
wholesale prices.
The scheme was first tried by tn,
lodge shortly before last Christmas
when the committee on extension o.
order. composed of five members, start
cd to take orders in and about the
shops of the navy yard and at the lodge
meetings for candy and nuts fol
Christmas. This committee sold about
1000 pounds of candy and several hun
dred pounds of assorted nuts.
Encouraged by our success we cOntin
ucd our cooperative plan of buying ano
selling in lodgeroom on meeting
nights" said member of the committee
yesterday.
I'VE would buy several cases of various
kinds of canned goods and arrange then
on the platform, which soon presented the
appearance or a country store.
AT first we had fifteen minutes in oul
order of business to sell our goods, but
business so increased that we had to sci
our goods before and after the meeting
Some nights we would do a business
amounting to SIS and over. After the
meeting we would store what we were
unable to dispose of in the committee
room until the next meeting night.
business Outgrows Quarters.
I'VE started this large store for the
purpose of increasing the attendance al
our meetings. and also our membership
and found it entirely successful Things
got to such a stage that we had to have
more room. We found basement room
in our lodge building which was well
suited for the purpose. The lodge assist
cd the committee in getting the store
started
After taking inventory for six months
business we find that we have done about
si.JOO of business. Some nights we take
in over $50. Our store is now open two
nights week-W ednesday, lodge night
and Saturday. from $50 to o'clock
Since we enlarged our store We have
had to increase our committee to ten
members We now handle all kinds Of
groceries and meats, such as hams
bacons and dressed chickens. Two OF
our committee go to the market twice
week in the morning before going to
work and buy fresh products. such as
lemons, cantaloupes, pineapples, apples,
tomatoes. potatoes. cabbage. We have
bought some fresh corn and cucumbers
at times. We have to go slow on the
perishable stuff, however. in order that
ing of the store. We now handle butter
and eggs in addition to our other goods.
One of the most encouraging fea-
lures is the attendance and interest oul
ALL II
have testimonials from them as to the
amount they save in this way. We add
about S per cent over the cost of our
goods for store expenses. The grocer
expense So we save 10 per cent and
his profit, in all about Is per cent We
hope that other lodges of the associa-
ton will open similar stores and that
mittee for the whole International AS
ISOLATION OF Machinists."
Motor Boat Trip to New York.
Eugene ]. Higgins Of the secondary
mount shop Of the navy yard returned
Monday from motor boat trip to New
York and back, which he made in his
boat Erd in company with Emil Keiser
of the secondary mount shop and his
brother, Herman Keiser Of the bureau
of standards. The Erd is thirty-four-
foot cabin boat and has a gasoline en-
CINE which drives her about twelve
miles per hour.
The start was made from Shadyside
near Annapolis Nd, where Mr.. Hig-
gins keeps his boat at 1880 o'clock
am. Thursday New York was reached
At pm Saturday. The trip was made
by the inside route" From Chesa-
peake bay the boat passed through the
canal to the Delaware bay. then through
another canal to the Raritan river
and thence TO New York bay. The
entire trip amounted to more than sol
miles. The boat passed through fifty.
eight miles of canal, both going and
returning Mr. Higgins reports tha
the passage through the canal lock!
was very hard on the boat and tina
II was badly scratched.
The Erd left New York at / O'CLOCK
the following Tuesday and reached
Shadyside Saturday morning last
On the return trip stops We're made
at Perth Amboy, New Brunswick. King
ston. Princeton. Trenton, Camden
Bordentown. Philadelphia, Chester
Delaware City and Betterton.
1T was one of the greatest trips
have ever taken" said Mr.. Higgins
I'VE had smooth going most OF the wa.
and the weather was fine. We had n,
engine trouble but were kept on tn
jump while passing through the man:
rubbing against the walls Our cana
toll bill was S21."
W. c. Carter of the secondary noun
shop has just completed the construction
of a forty-foot motorboat of the cruise
type at BaiIey's boat yard, 18th stree
southeast. and during the coming weel
expects to put il overheard The Graf
was built entirely by Mr.. Carter and i
stanchly constructed. A heavy dut
engine has been installed. The Graf
should have a cruising speed of not les
than ten miles per hour.
Celebrates SO Years Service.
Quartermaster William G. Belts of tn
gun shop will celebrate the thirty thir
year Of his employment at the navy var
next week This afternoon Mr.. Bett
starts on a weeks vacation. during whic
he will visit the cities having base ba
teams in the Virginia State League. The
are Richmond, Petersburg. Norfoll
Portsmouth, Newport News and Roanoke
Mr.. Belts formerly was umpire
this league and is personally acquainte
with most OF its players He is We
known I'm local base ball circles and ma
umpired hundreds of amateur games o
the various diamonds.
William III. McComas of the gun sho
will leave this afternoon for a two-wee
stay at Atlantic City.
Robert III. Doyle of the same shop ha
returned from Rochester, N. Y, where /
was called on account Of the serious IL
ness of his mother. who now is reporte
II.