Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-09-03
souSD Reasons FOB CLOSING EARLY

our motive for SO doing. Believing that tn
public are entitled to an explanation, and ais
believing that by this publication we may Civ
our thoughts and experiences to others-t
whom they may be of bene6t-we shall pro
ceed Before doing SO. however, We wish t.
refute the erroneous opinions and speculation
of interested and disinterested persons, as i
viii enable US to make ourselves more clearl,
understood. In the first place, economy il
gas bills has been put forth as a motive. w
shall have no difficulty in proving this sup
position to BE without foundation. For argu
ment's sake, let US say that our gas bill amounts
to $3.50 per month, which sum is nearly double
the real cost. If we were to keep open unit
say o'clock P. NJ, we should burn gas on al
average three hours per night. Multiplying
this amount by twenty-six (the number O.
business days in month), and we find thai
we would in the course of month burn ga!
for seventy-eight hours. By dividing S25t
by rs, we ascertain that the cost is 6
fraction over So 20 per hour; but, as We
stated before, this is nearly double the real
/ average cast. To show clearly that there is
no truth in the assertion that we close our
! stores because we would save on gas bill, We
the five stores, and the result is q cents to
each store per hour. Therefore, it is not
more than the cost of lighting any other first
| class retail store in the city. Now, does it
pay the others to keep open? 1t certainly
does, else they would close. We believe that
it is scarcely necessary for US to demonstrate
that if it pays other stores, which scarcely
have more than customer or so In them be-
tween the hours of and s, that it would
pay us, especially when our stores are
visited by many people at almost all hours.
From statistics taken during 1879, we ascer-
tain that in an ordinary week, when trade
was quiet, our sales between and o'clock
P. NJ. averaged 800 per night, emitting
Saturdays, making $500 per week; s., 1000
per month or S24, 600 per year. Now, were
we to strike an average this year, and take
into consideration the better facilities, larger
space, increased stock and increased trade,
and not forgetting to take into consideration
the busy season, we repeat that taking all
these facts into consideration, the result would
perhaps exceed the amount given to con-
siderable extent; thus showing that our gas
bills have no bearing whatever upon this
subject. The second assertion is, that we
close because we want the sympathy Of the
people-especially the workingmen, because
we wish to toady to THEM ideas OF concession
to labor, etc" TO this we reply that We, as
business men, study and aim to understand
the laws governing trade, we know that
dealing Justly and giving the best value for
the money is more profitable article than
pure sympathy. We admit, however, that
the latter has some value, but only when
combined with justice and best value. BY
itself it is almost useless hence we could not
profit by it alone. Now, as for the
toadying to workingmep, we shall prove
that to be false. We toady to no one.
We say to the workingman We will give
you full value for the money; In fact, the
best value that your money can purchase.
We shall import your necessities direct from
the manufacturers, and will save you the ex-
Dense of paying profits to several middlemen.
We shall have but one measure, one weight,
and one price for you ALL We shall protect
your interests by establishing just value,
and lust price, not alone in our store, and
in our city but throughout the entire Pacific
coast. You shall no longer suffer robbery,
extortion or swindling your hard-earned
money shall! be of more benefit TO you than
formerly, but you must come before o'clock,
or YOU will find our stores closed The toad
les are those small, picayune dealers, who
will keep their stores open for You until late
in the night: in fact, who scarcely have a
day for themselves ; who will perhaps open
shop for you as readily as Q buako dealer
who ara ready for deal at any hour Of the day
or night. But says the laborer, how can [
buy of you? You open your store at a. NJ;
at that time am already at work. AT noon
have no time TO spare. Ia the even
ing, before l can get ready to 90
down to yorr store, you are closed.
This argument looks plausible, but is not con-
elusive; because, first, our system Of doing
business is s1ch that you can purchase a suit
of clothes. boots CT Shoes dry goods, in fact
everything which you may need, in q com
paratively short space If time. You have only
to select wha5 you want, pay tor it. and the
transaction is finished You need waste no
time in bargaining or beating down OF price
that viii be Of 40 avail. Hence, as trading
at our house rnears but selection and pay
rnent, you can readily select what you want
ii much shOrte4 time at our house, than you
can 10 a house given to bargaining. The
gurest guarantee that you have. that it is for
our interest TO do what we claim, Is the fact
community as Sacramento, house of
our extent would be bankrupt in a month
whereas q small concern might do the opposite
for wears. Now, since we have shown
clearly that you can obtain your supplies
in very short space Of time, we be-
ileve that you can readily find time
without much loss or annoyance. Be
sides, don't forget that even though it is
not SO convenient, you are helping to eman-
cipate fellow workman from an unnecessary
hours work but apart from that it shall be
our business to give you such good value for
your money that you will find it not only
hut of substantial interest TO
come to our stores before P. NJ, and should
it be impossible for you to come during the
6rst five days OF the week, you can come
night, when we keep open until 10
2. ~ besides, we keep open on pay days at
the railroad shops, and at holiday times.
Now if it is pc sble for workiIgmen Whose
spare time il limited to obtain their necessi-
ties at our house. then it is as easy and per- !
haps easier for those who have more leisure. !
But are not the ladies put to considerable
We answer no. not a parti- |
Gle; for from the fret day, January
2, 1SS0-when our stores were closed |
at P. M.--they were heartily in favor |
of it. even those who were at first |
at having found our stores closed
att ". When informed Of our reasons for
doing so they y.re in favor Of our actions.
That this is fact is beyond dispute for
our increased sales show clearly that the early
closing movement inaugurated by US is sue
cess. We shall now give our reasons why we
close, and intend to continue to close our
stores at p. N. ia doing so it Is necessary
for us to relate some Of our personal expe-
riences One of the firm began to earn lis
living at an early age at the bench in Attic
boro Mass, and received pay at the rate of
six cents pes hour In order to assist his
relatives, who were poor, he worked over
hours The chances are perhaps one in
ten thousand, Of ever attaining higher
position than that of poor fac
tory hand, unless the boy has desire ard
a chance for study; this he experienced even
then. Harness boy to a trade or business
that gives him no time for recreation or
study, and you warp his mind, stunt his intel
lect, kill his spirit and energy, and in a few
years he becomes a human machine, fit only to
perform the routine work like mule or horse,
and such is really the case with the working
people Of Europe The other partner had
even worse experience; he was brought up
as clerk in retail store where the rule
was early to work, and keep on working un
til near midnight. A time for rest was only
given because it was absolutely necessary in
order to sustain life. By some fortunate cir
cumstances these conditions of slavish servi
t1de were changed and opportunities were
given under more favorable conditions of
shortened hours for labor, so that more time
I'LL