Evening journal., 1914-05-01
ACTIVITIES OF BLIND
SET FORTH IN REPORT

c. Reginald Van Trump. chairman
OF the Delaware Commission for the
Blind, has prepared his annual re-
port. which has been sent to Gov
ernor Miller, and also has been made
public. His report says;
"The blind shop begins the new
year full of work, operating sixteen
men in the various departments, rug
weaving, broom making. chair seat
ing and basketry. Several OF our
local merchants are handling the
products of the shop extensively and
large orders have been received and
are in the course OF manufacture for
the Philadelphia department stores,
the latter proving conclusively that
the work of the blind is good and
commercial and not dependent upon
local sympathy or sentiment Three
statesmen are vending brooms on the
streets of Wilmington, also one in
Newark, one I'm Cheswold, and one In
Dover Two piano tuners are doing
excellent work In Wilmington and
one is operating through Kent coun-
ty Four chair Gamers are occupied
at their homes in the city with work
from the blind shop and several
women send the products of their
handicraft to be sold. Besides this
a number OF women are occupied at
their homes sewing carpet rags TOT
the weavers at the shop.
f"During the year the Blind-Shop has
been completely remodeled and oc-
cupies the two buildings, 3O5 and 5O'
West Eighth street, with the sales
room on one side and the library ol
embossed books. to be read with the
fingers, on the other In the rear
arc the weaving and recommending
departments, and on the second iiooi
the chair-seating and basket depart
ment. The living apartments are
we'll patronized by blind men, who
have no other homes convenient e
their work. The provision Of tho
last Legislature, allowing handicaI
for apprentices learning the handi
craft open to their condition, has
allowed several men to start theil
way to self-support.
The balance sheet for the yeal
shows conclusively, except in one de
partment that Of the broom shop
that the labor and material consumed
in the product Of the Blind-Shop hav'
been returned in the receipts iron
sales. Total cash sales, S5,49O.42
The blind received for labor from
the shop $3.597.99. The present pay
roll 10 te blind workers is over Sl0
per week, and the receipts are stead
fly increasing and have amounted 4
$500 per month. The Blind-Sho
does not propose 20 make any proh
on the work of their clients but pay
them all there is In the business 70
labor compatible with the marke
price of their products the materia
and the contingent expense Of mar
keting their work
During the year the Commisslo
spent approximately 81 500 on in
provements to plant and have an II
crease Of $500 in inventory of stocl
etc. on hand and finished the yea
owing S72O.56 on current bills an
had outstanding SS16.eS in reliabI
accounts and S293.9e cash on han
so that they may be said to haS
done a considerable business for Il
blind and ended the year within the
resources.
The loom department had ca.
sales S1,05705 expenses Of Sl,4O6.l
accounts due. S34S.75; bills unpai
S2S.6S. With a considerable increa
of materials and finished product
hand. most of which is sold, shoy
this department to be in a substa
tial self supporting condition. tt
output of the looms for the year we
$50 yards Of carpet. 65 large who
floor rugs and 1909 small rugs. TIL
department is now operating thr
men on a completely self-supportil
basis.
The canning department shoN
cash receipts OF S1.223SS; dispurs
y ments, $1.31S.72; accounts receivabl
S194.S2; payable, S46.45; which, wi
inventory. shows net gain over m
terial and labor. s6.62. The work