Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-02

The Early Cl0sinG Movement DiscusscS
b. Merchants and Clerks.

MERCHANTS PROPOSE :. TO ooMPRoMrsE AT
SEVEN ocLoCK-THE CLkRKs, UNDECIDED
on THE SUBJECT, REFER IT TO A COMMIT
TEE.
About q hundred OF the leading merchants of
the city assembled in the parlors OF the Ma
ttonal hotel last night In response 70 the re
quest OF the Clerks Early Closing association
TO discuss the question Of o concerted action In
closing business houses at earlier hour than
II now customary. A committee OF the Clerks
Early Closing association met them there and
awaited their decision upon the question that
they might bear tidings Of the result TO their
associates, who were holding large meeting at
Tfmms' hall, and awaiting their coming The
merchants of the city were well represented.
Mr. doratio Browning presided. The views OF
many OF the merchants were expressed, and In
all cases the greatest sympathy was expressed
for the clerks and q desire to assist them mani
at six O'Clock the hour demanded by the clerks
Ior closing, but the large majority said en-
pnaticauy that they could not at this time shut
they said seven they meant seven, and not
nve or six or seven minutes after that hour.
They thought II would be well If the stores
could close at six, but things now were IL
seemed impossible. The laborers who were
busy all day could not do their shopping before
given to them. In . year or sos time they might
oe aole TO close as early as the clerks wanted
them to: The question was discussed pro and
con until nearly ten O'Clock, and there were
not wanting those who stood by the clerks In
their demand for six O'Clock. Elphonzo foungs
was particularly earnest in this and would &C
cept OF 90 compromise.
MERCHANTS PRESENT
Among the merchants present were Messrs.
j. H. Magruder, Isidor Saks, George Spransy,
r. Harris, T. A. Ladson, q. G. Cornwell, J..
Kari, A: Herman, s. Fishman, Horatio Brown
ing, Z. wilmer, J. l.. Little, A. L. Hazleton, H.
otr0OSDurYer. GuStaVe I<anSburyl- H. Gold
schmidt ]. Brock, o. p. Burdette, Voieht &
Haas, h Holiander, c. Auerbach, I. B. Towner.
Rosenberg, j. w. Schafer, Eiseman Brothers,
A; Moran, l. Mockabee, s. Hamburger, A. b..
Hail & Barnes, Thomas McCeney, Jacobs
Brothers, w. H. Rich, J. Harris, w. Hahn, H.
Franc 8 Hamburger, Nicoi, the tailor; J. Bool,
Browning, Joseph NJ. Grady, Elphonzo Youngs
and T. s. Gartrell.
CLOSING AT SEVEN
A number Of those present stated that they
had decided to close at seven o'clock, and had
started by closing at that hour yesterday. Mr..
Gustave Lansburgh said he had closed at seven
O'Clock that evening aud would continue to DO
SO. He said he always treated his clerks kindly
and was In full sympathy with the early clos
Ing movement He hoped it. would succeed.
be settled upon by all the merchants When
he said seven, he meant seven not alter seven,
but he would not be found not to close at i've
II he wanted to. He had actually closed at that
hour once. Several times he arose to express
his good will towards the clerks, and to 60 still
they could call on him for more IL they needed
II.
Mr.. Isidor Saks followed this contribution
with ten dollars. Mr.. Saks said his firm had
been among the first to agitate early closing;
but seven O'Clock was early they could
close He thought the clerks ought TO be better
satisfied to have the merchants actually close
at seven than to promise to shut up at six, and
not do il His firm were positive. They would
close at seven, not earlier.
APPEALING FOR SIX O'CLOCK.
Mr.. Elphonso Youngs made an earnest appeal
Tor SIX clock, aud said he would not agree to
any thing else.
Mr.. Grady, of the Golden Eagle Clothing
house, said he had not promised to close at six.
he thought they ought TO agree TO seven.
Mr. Ioungs said he would enjoy six o'clock
dinner as Well as any one: Tue folks in Wash
ingtOn had got in tue habit OF eating their din
ner and reading The STAR before doing their
shopping in the evening. To get them out OF
this nabit would be TO make a radical change
but he thought they could be induced TO shop
first and read The STAR afterwards. Then
everybody could nave their six O'Clock dinner
and The STAR to read and 60 TO an entertain
ment il they wanted TO.
Mr.. u. Strasburger favored early closing. 1t
was tor the good Of the boss well oi the
clerk, but they ought 10 take little Of the dog S
tail OF at a time and ii would not hurt SO
much. Take seven now and six next year.
Many others expressed their opinions, and IL
became apparent that seven O'Clock was the
earliest they could agree upon. Nearly every
body was wiling to close at that hour. None
wanted to close later.
SEVEN O'CLOCK PROPOSITION ADOPTED
Mr.. J. Brock offered a resolution declaring it
the sense Of the merchants meeting that the
stores close at seven o clock.
Mr.. C. Wilmer proposed to amend this by
making 1t six y clock
Inc amendment was voted down and the
original resolution adopted. This was finally
amended SO AS To direct that in the clerks ac-
cepted the compromise il would 20 into effect
ext Monday.
Mr.. +. b. Hay, on the part of the clerks COM
mlttee thanked the merchants for their sympa
thy, and said they would report to the Clerks
ASSOCIATION.
Besides the contributions above mentioned
MeSsrS. j. n. Magruder, NJ. Goldsmith b. l..
Wheeler and I. =. Gartrell each gave SIo. Mr.
CisSeu gave 80. Others signified their inten-
ton to contribute. 1t was about ten O'Clock
when the meeting adjourned.
THE CLERKS MEETING.
The clerks committee then went to Timms'
hall, where the two hundred or more clerks
were waiting in q cloud of tobacco smoke to
hear the result OF the battle.
Mr.: Hay made report in the form of speech,
which was received with applause.
A motion to thank the merchants for their
sympathy and contributions was carried. Then
1t was proposed to accept seven o'clock as the
hour Tor closing at present. but not to abandon
the effort to get six. This Was defended and
opposed, the opposition being the stronger: and
finally the whole matter was referred 10 u COM
mittee composed OF y representative of every
branch of trade.