The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-11-15
! NO Is.
4 New Use Of Electricity.

"You see we are running our cash
system with lightning, or electricity
it's the same thing" said Mr.. Will
liam Enrich, as l stepped into the
famous Eighth avenue store on Sat-
urday aiternoou. Heretofore on
Saturdays, particularly in the after
noon, the din and confusion, and the
incessant call Of cash. BY our sales
men we're absolutely deafening, So
my brother Louis and put our
heads together to invent something
that would call the cash girls with
out so much noise. suggested
bells, but Louis said, No, that would
be as had as the cash calls Ono
day be came to me and said excited
", William. I've found it. E'ec-
tricty is the thing. | declare |
thought Louis had gone. crazy
Found WHAT? said ]. what is
electricity the thing for?' our cash
girls ne replied. In the name of
of conscience Louis, said t. what
are You going to put electricity on
our cash girls for? I don't see that
anything is the matter with them
Then, Louis began to laugh. He ex-
planned that he meant to apply cleo
tricity to cali them, instead of the
cash call used ia all the stores in the
city from a. I. Stewards to ours.
Now come and see his invention"
He took me at once to the register
in the centre of the store under the
main staircase, and showed me the
thirty or more little circular. silver
plated drops, Labelled "hosiery"
"buttons' millinery" and so on,
with numbers also to correspond
with the sections. Every now and
then, as if by magic, down dropped
one of his little silver plates. A
young man standing BY the side Of
the register instantly spoke, 'ho.
siery," or trimmings" 1,i2 or 3, as
the case might be, and as soon as he
thus announced the, department and
number off started the head girl in
the line of cash girls seated Oh the
other side Of the register. In the
mean time others came up as fast as
the first departed and took their
seats in the line. There was no
confusion, no hurry, not 0 call
throughout the large and busy es.
tablishment when dollars and parcels
by the hundreds were passing over
the counters. }''2
, Then Mr.. Enrich took me to one
; of his counters and showed me the
little cord like straps running back
Of the sales women that they pulled
: whenever u purchase was made aud
sale completed, and which he ex-
0 lplained to me were connected with
Y electrical wires running under the
r floors and joined to. the drops that
G had seen at the register. =.
), San advantage in this system ir
d addition to what you can see fol
" y ,urself," said Mr.. Ehrich," is, tha
k we can SO regulate the labors Of til,
y girls that each one is obliged to d'
IS her share, and whoever has the mos
S cash checks creditad to her at tn
t, end Of the week we give premium
g, Of fifty cents over her regular wages
e. See how orderly and composed the
y look compared with their former dis
Nv traction under the old system"
. 1t was fact. The little girl
: looked perfectly self-possesed, calm
P and self-respectful, and the salesw'
Ak men were no longer fretting an
rs scolding, and calling to get attent
re ance, and the hundreds of ladies !
pt the counters were collected and eas
pS in the task Of shopping on Satarda
re of,or,oor