Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1882-11-23
ssTHE BON MARCHE.''
An Employer Who Looks After All the
Needs of His Clerks.
Boston Traveller

Boston Traveller
This afternoon we have been to the bon
Marche" Almost every one knows that
wonderful store, but think that but few
know that it is an admirable benevolent
work as we'll as a successful business under
taking We were in the reading room OF
the store this afternoon, when gentleman
entered and offered to show the household
and business parts to as many as were Gu
rious This offer is made every afternoon
about 3 o'clock, Mr.. Boucicault began life
as poor boy, and when able tOhave little
store of his own his attention was at once
directed to the welfare of his clerks, and he
gave them, as soon as he was able, home,
in his own house. From this small begin
ming the work has grown wonderfully. Mr..
Boucicaut died few years ago worth mill
ions of dollars, and to-day the Bon
Marche," carried on by his widow, employs
5000 people.
Two thousand of these people live in the
building and the 5000 take their meals
there. We were first taken to large hall
filled with desks, where great many boys
and young men are studying bookkeeping.
They have the benefit of reviewing all the
books of the store, and are paid small
amount on every mistake they find. In the
evening lessons are given gratuitously to the
employees in English, German, instrumental
and vocal music, and fencing. Concerts are
given by the store, in summer, in the square
by the side of the building; i'll winter, on
the ground floor, which can be cleared by
the porters in twenty minutes OF counters
and goods, when it is needed for that pur-
pose, or balls. There are four dining rooms
one for the men clerks, one for the girls,
one for the workwomen, and one for the por-
ters messengers and drivers. The menu
for dinner we saw. 1t consisted OF soup,
one kind of meat one kind of vegetables
and desert. and for each person half bottle
of VINE. Coffee is extra. 1t costs two cents
for a small cup and three cents for the larger
ones The kitchen was very interesting.
Three hundred people are employed there as
walters in the dining rooms. The kettles
are perfectly immense; they must be GER
tainly three feet high, and am sure no
man could meet his arms around one OF
them. Of course, when they are full and
hot, they are beyond the ability Of any
man to move, so pulleys are arranged which
lift the kettles from the fire and place them
where they are wanted. For the clerks
there is room for amusement, where are
billiard tables, chess, checkers, dominoes,
etc, but no card playing is allowed. The
lady clerks have also pleasant little parlor,
where they can spend their evenings
when they choose. Each girl has room
entirely to herself which is plainly furn-
ished. There are rules to be observed by all
but they are not burdensome or oppressive
The doors are not closed on week days until.
II, and on Sundays until 1890 at night
but the occupations and entertainments
must make it more enticing to remain at
home than togo out.
Every one in the service of the "Bon
Marche" receives a certain commission on
everything sold or delivered, and after
certain number of years. service each ac-
quires an interest in a store which increases
yearly. It seems to me that this is one of
the most complete, most beneficial works of
benevolence have ever known. 1t would
be almost impossible to think of any details
that are not attended to-. There is barber
shop in the building for the use of employees
a physician is employed by the store, and
his services are free to all moreover, there
is an inf1rmary in another part of the city
where those who are sick are cared for; in
deed, a pair of boots is blackened for every
member of the establishment every day.
We asked if any board was paid, and the
answer was NO" but 1 suppose at least
some difference is made in the salary