CHAPTER II[ToC]
The Volume of Business
Indications of the volume of business are in accord with the conclusions from the size of Negro business enterprises. Volume of business was measured (1) by the valuation of tools, fixtures, etc., used in the conduct of the business, (2) by the amount of merchandise kept on hand, if the business was such as required a stock of goods, and (3) by the total gross receipts of the business during the two years, 1907 and 1908.
I. VALUATION OF TOOLS AND FIXTURES
Wood and ice dealers need to invest very little in tools and fixtures. Fourteen out of 19 coal, wood and ice dealers had less than ten dollars so invested. They needed only shovels, baskets and push-carts. The estimated valuation of tools and fixtures of the largest number of establishments fell between $50 and $399; 90 were estimated to be between $50 and $199, and 63 were estimated to be between $200 and $399. Besides these, 37 establishments—1 broker, 5 employment agencies, 1 grocery, 5 hairdressers, 9 restaurants and lunch rooms, 2 "busheling" tailors and 14 miscellaneous had tools and fixtures estimated, with allowance for depreciation, to be worth more than $10 and less than $50. It is important to note, however, that while the numbers with estimated valuation of tools and fixtures between $400 and $1,499 is only 50, those estimated at $1,500 and over number 33.
Table XXIII. Estimated Valuation of Plant, Tools and Fixtures of 309 Negro Business Enterprises, Manhattan, 1909.
| Class of establishment. | Estimated valuation of plant, tools and fixtures. | |||||||||||
| Less than $50. | $50 to $199. | $200 to $399. | $400 to $599. | $600 to $799. | $800 to $999. | $1000 to $1199. | $1200 to $1499. | $1500 to $1999. | $2000 and over. | Doubtful and unknown. | Total. | |
| Barber shops | — | 3 | 27 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 2 | 50 |
| Brokers | 1 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 4 | 16 |
| Coal, wood and ice | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 19 |
| Dressmaking and millinery | — | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 |
| Employment agencies | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 14 |
| Express and moving vans | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 4 | — | 12 |
| Groceries | 1 | 22 | 11 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 36 |
| Hairdressers, etc. | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 |
| Hotels and lodging houses | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | 2 | — | 2 | 7 | 2 | 17 |
| Pool and billiard rooms | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 3 | — | 10 |
| Printers | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | 5 |
| Restaurant and lunch rooms | 9 | 10 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 26 |
| Saloons and cafés | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| Tailoring, pressing, etc. | 2 | 18 | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 24 |
| Undertakers | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | — | 1 | 4 | — | 11 |
| Miscellaneous | 14 | 17 | 8 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 5 | 48 |
| Total | 51 | 90 | 63 | 23 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 25 | 22 | 309 |