Arizona weekly citizen., 1888-05-05
THE BON MARCHE.
CAREER OF MIME. soUclcAUT, THE QUEEN OF PARIS SHoPKEEPERs.

Story Of the Mammoth Trade Emporium
 fin the Heart of the French Metropolis.
 Profit Sharing in Paris-Shares and
 Shareholders.
 Every American, especially those of the fair sex, who has visited the French mctrop- olis, Is acquainted with tho mammoth empo- rum which, known as the Bon Marche, rises on the left bank of the Sei.e, in the very heart of the GristOcratic FauUourg St Ger main. This immense establishment, which traIslcts over S5O,OOO,OO0 ot business per an- nun, and employs a staff of no les than 4.OOJ on the premises alone, was founded thirty-iivc years ago on tho most humble scale by young couple of the name of BOu- cicaut Arist.de, the husband. was Q sales man m dinSy little dry goods store in the Rue du Bac, while his wife. an illitcrute peas ant girl, the widow of a l.undryruan resid- ing at NerjuX, little village on the banks of the River Sannuc, was an assistant in the saInc shop " Baucicaut and his only son diei within few months of each other al'clt ten years ago. while Mme. Bolcicaut, who has tec2 frequently described as ''the queen of all tnc shHps.-rcrs of tLc world, /" expired short time ago ct the age of e, leaving q fortune estimated ct over Si0,- OO0,OJ0.
 X brief account of the career of this re- marlsable woman, whoso charity was practi- cslly unlimited, and who, notwithstanding her humble origin, has won for herself prominent place n the history of Paris. can hardly fail t1 bc both interesting and instruc- tive.
 SETTING Ur IS BUSINESS.
 She first made Aris.ide Boucicnut's nc ouaintance iI t5e little shop above men toned, where they were both employed For ten long ears they worked together behind the same counter, during which time the young peasant girl learned how to read and write, to kcep accounts, and, above all. to display goods Co their -reateat advantage m the shop windows At length, when she had reached the age of 2S. the young couple de- cided to marry and to set up on their own account. Their employer happened, fortu- nately, to be old and anxious to retire from active work. a-l, Gs he had the greatest amount of couG1eace in young BOucicaUt's Integrity and sb.ktieS, he consented to make over his store to him on moderate and easy terms. Jus, about this time there was e great deal of distress in Paris, and the Boucicauts El~lAhEA LN aH.AA a- LEttE AN fN-L lIANt l. they could possibly afford to poor people. and tho worthy couple provided special class of cheap goods which were on sale every Satur- day evening. This Consideration Of the poor brought its own reward m tEe shape of ever increasing prosperity. In a short time the bushes had grown to such an extent that 1t became necessary Co purchase the mex; house on tho right hand side, then that on the left,
 .f.. s.- houses. until at length NJ and Mime BOuci- caut owned the whole block. This they de- molished some fifteen years ago, and on its site stands the magnificent and vast Bon Marche buR1inE It is needless to add that their wonderful prosperity was greatly due to the extraordinary reputation for probity and commercial honesty which the couple hal acquired throughout tho business world, and which causel their credit Co be one Of the strongest and frrEest in France.
 Both NJ. and Mme. Boucicaut, although deeply religious, were in1ued with a cOnsid- erable amount Cf socialism. |: was. how ever, socialism of the true sort, resulting from kindness of hear; and a remcmbrance of their swn carly strugg gg!es on the one hand, and the firm business notions of the most er- lichtened kind on the other Realizing the fAlt-lAAn AAht tl AAAi eAAAN saleS,.en behi-1 ti.C C-.ss;s..ers. and to b. served by the same courteous and intelHsCgt assistants who have attended to their re- quireIEents on previous occasions, M and Mime. Boucicazt determined to make every effort to keep their employes in their service, and to interest them in the welfare of the business With this object in view an ar ransement was made whereby every emplOye .H-- q n the profits of his special department, estiInat- ed in accordance with his rank and seniority
 Moreover, every eEort was made to cause each employe to retain his own individuality and t0 encourage him or her to become a thoughtful and responsible assistant, with initiative and forethousht of his own.
 COMFORTS AND ANUSE,IENTs.
 4 large club house has been built for the male enployes. which con:lins Q perf .ctly equipped fencing hall and gymnasium, q swimming bath, billiard rOo-a, library and reading rooms, besides Q restaurant where refreshments are tO be obtained at almost cost price. The female assistants have a | large building devOtel to their own exclusive use. m which they reside, and which Is al- most ns well provided with comforts and anuSemcnts as the club house of the men.
 B,s!des thls a pension fund exists, tO which ] Mime Boucicaut, about eighteen months ago, presented O round sum Of 100000 francS, n addition Co a couple of inAliOns of francs which she had given a few years previous for the same purpose. The porters, coachmea | and stablemen are all provided for by means | of a similar retiring fund, to which she hns | been equally munidccnt, and from which, In | ca.,, of dismissal, they caa withdraw such of their money as Is sunk therein, with coin- pound interest of 5jS per cent
 Mime Bouc.caut was SO thoroughly ;hS business partner of her husband that, wieA | both he and his son died, ten years ago, 1 everything vent on Es in has lifetime, with | this difference, that perhaps Mmc. BOucicaut became, if possible. more Vhilanthropic ana | generous than before. Following out heT | busb.nd's ideas, she transformed the whole | business into joint stock company, present. | in, tn each one of the SOO principal and senior | members of her staff 5000 fraucS worth of stock. she herself retaining the balance of the | sharus. and as such the casting vote and | rov.er of veto. The Bon Marche Is therefore a thorough little republic by itself. l;s army | of nbout lO.CJJ or iJ,C.J emplcycs, all told, | are governed by a kind of parliament con | sistinr of t.e :00 shareholders anl c0!artneTs rNHuEa Tr1HrLIN4ANHAs ANt A NANSA AA | amon- their number n managing director | mi al executive committee of thirteen mem | Iers. selected as far Gs possible from among | the seniors MOncDvCr, there ls a scheme m | force by which c-.Il loyls on attaining ccr- | tain seniority and rank in the establishment, | lv,rorne ipse facto shareholders therein, | thanks to a fund provided iur tho pGTpose by | Mime. BoucicaUt- The managing director at | the present r-gI-asut is uGs- capable and en- | lrhteucd mca, iaInel N. Iils-rd, and as | NTne. Bouc.caut Las b-guoa;lcI Lcr vast Tor | tune in equal portions Co the Bon -sarctc | Joint Stock comI1ny and the Iliiianthropic | instltlti1us coun5ct,d therowitL and Ca vari- | ous charitaJl, establishments alli works n | which she w.s iuter1,te.- tho hon sluIclo | busincss WAL is carried ug lIz, Is uc.0.c. | | have forgotten Co mention aL1vc that, in ad- | dition tl tlr Igls.0u fun i- A--'. LoC.llait ! has also founded unj UUHiars.ty endowed | a benefit fuui for uSi-ia- sl'h ot Inc e-'i- | ploves who. for uuc r..-.t u. s-o,4;eE. gre | in trouble aud iu Egll g. ;e-n. n.gl,.Iy .eii,i
 and sl.lI.cs- p.-r4s Cor. -,Lss ogls s' oT4l