Connecticut western news., 1883-05-23

 THE BON MARCHE.
An Establishment that Feeds, Shelters, and
 Educates its Employees.
fFrom the Fashion Courier. l

Almost everyone knows this wonder full dry goods store of Paris, but think not many know that it is a benevolent work as well as successful business un- dertaking. MT. Boucicaut, the founder, began life as poor boy, and when able to have little store of his own his atten- tion was 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 beginning the work has grown wonderfully. MT. Boucicaut died 8 few years ago, worth millions of dollars, and to-day the |" Bon Marche," carried on by his widow, employs 5000 people.
 Two thousand of those people live in the building, land the 5000 take their meals there. The first thing to be mo- ticed by party making a tour of in- spection of this great concern is large hall filled with desks, where a great many boys and young men are studying bookkeeping. They review all the books of the store, and are paid a small amount for every mistake they find. In the evening lessons are given gratuitously to the employees in English, German, in- strumental and vocal music, and fencing. Concerts are given by the store in sum- mer, in the square by the side of the building; in 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 purpose or for balls. There are four dining. rooms, one for the men clerks, one for the girls, one for the workmen, and one for the porters, messengers, and drivers.
 The menu for dinner of one day con- sisted of soup, one kind of meat, one kind of vegetables, and dessert, and for each person half bottle of wine. Coffee is extra; it costs two cents for 9 small cup and three cents for the large ones. Three hundred people are employed in the kitchen and as walters in the dining rooms. The kettles are immense, three feet high, and no man could meet his arms round one of them. Of course, when full and hot, they are beyond the ability of 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 amusements, where there are billiard tables, chess, checkers, dominoes, etc.
 but no card playing.
 The lady clerks have a pleasant ittlt
 parlor, where there is piano, and where
 they can spend their evenings when the,
 choose. Each girl has room entirel.
 to herself, which is plainly but yer,
 comfortably furnished. There are rule
 to be observed by all, but they are no
 burdensome or oppressive; the doors ar
 not closed on week days until II, and ol
 Sundays until 124 at night, but the oc
 equations and entertainments make
 more enticing to remain at home than t
 go out. Every one in the service of tn
 "Bon Marche" receives a ceetain com mission on everything sold or delivered and after certain number of years SCI
 vice each acquires an interest in tn ) store that increases yearly.
 It is one of the most complete work of benevolence known. It would b almost impossible to think of any detail that are not attended to. There is barbers' shop in the building for the us of the employees, physician is en ployed by the store, and his services al free to all moreover, there is an infirn ary in another part of the city whe1 Z those who are sick are cared for; pair of boots is blacked for every men Der of the establishment every da. 7 When asked if any board was paid tl 7 answer was "no," but I suppose at lea 3 some difference is made in the salarys.