84 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



of employees and their families. The total sum collected since 

 it was organized in 1901 to December 31, 1917, for initiation 

 fees, dues and interest on funds was $7,293.14. During the same 

 period seventy-two death claims have been paid to members and 

 their families, aggregating with all expenses $5,501.69, leaving 

 a balance in the Treasury of $1,791.45. 



Co-operative Store. — As an aid to Park employees in meet- 

 ing the constantly increasing cost of food, the Zoological Society 

 authorized the opening of a co-operative store, agreeing to fur- 

 nish the capital and pay the greater part of the operating cost. 



A portion of the store room for maintenance supplies in 

 the west end of the Service Building was taken for this purpose, 

 and the first stock of groceries was put in just before the close 

 of the year 1916. Coupon books are sold to employees, and de- 

 ductions therefor are made from their pay envelopes. Goods 

 are sold at a very slight advance on cost, to cover the expenses 

 not borne by the Zoological Society ; and at the end of the year 

 the net profits are distributed pro rata to purchasers of the cou- 

 pon books. While the capital available and its purchasing power 

 is not sufficient to enable us to take advantage of market con- 

 ditions to any great extent, we have been able to eff'ect savings 

 to employees that in the course of a year's time amount to a con- 

 siderable sum. The total business of the co-operative store for 

 the year was approximately $8,000. At the close of the year we 

 were able to declare a dividend of one per cent to the purchasers 

 of coupon books, and it is estimated that the total saving to 

 employees exceeded five hundred dollars. 



Privileges. — While the general condition of business during 

 the year 1917 as affecting this department was by no means 

 normal, we were able to make a very much better showing than 

 last year in the privileges as a whole. Attendance at the park 

 for the year showed an increase of nearly fifteen per cent over 

 1916, and there was a corresponding increase in the receipts in 

 practically all divisions of the Privileges. Excellent results 

 would have been shown but for the greatly increased cost of 

 supplies that entered into our operations. 



Employees of the Privilege Department were not included 

 in the arrangements made for a ten per cent salary bonus in 

 1917 for all Maintenance employees drawing less than $1,300. 

 We felt, therefore, that some arrangement for a similar bonus 

 should be provided, and such a proposal was made to the em- 



