Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-14
HALF A DAYS REST.
How the Saturday Half Holiday Will
Be Observed Locally.
NEW ACT IN EFFECT THIS WEEK.
Wholesale Merchants and other Employers
of Labor to Close.
THE RULE MAY SOON BECOME GENERAL

The act of Assembly passed at the recent
session of the Legislature, providing for a
half holiday on Saturdays, between June
Is and September 15 of each year, will go
into effect next Saturday The observance
of the day is compulsory in courts and
banks. Many of the large wholesale houses
in this city will also observe the day in
order to give their employees portion of
the day to themselves. The Inauguration
of the Saturday half holiday is an import
ant step forward in the march of civiliza-
ton, and is hailed with delight by those
who are housed up all week in close, un-
ventilated offices and buildings, and
probably the only reason it was
not established in Pittsburg years
ago is because it was not made
compulsory. Several attempts have been
made at various times to close the mercan-
tile establishments, but some one would al
ways break the agreement and before many
weeks there would not a store be closed on
Saturday afternoons.
A Start Made Yesterday.
Many of the local wholesale houses OBJ
served the day yesterday. The following
closed for the afternoon: Arbuthnot,
Stephenson & Co., James B. Haines & Son,
Joseph Horne & Co., Taylor, Son s. Co.,
William 7. Shannon & Son, Porter
& Donaldson, j. D.. Bernd & Co.,
Dilworth Bros, b. H. Voskamp s. Co.,
Mccoy & Rumberger, VIM. X. Gillespie,
Otis Sheppard & Co., J. W. Houston s.
Co., Jahnsons, Eagye & Earl, McCleary,
Myers & Seddon, J. c. Hill & Co., Vim.
Luebbe, G. Dice & Co., Haworth & Dew
hurst, Arbuckles & Co., Curry & Metzgar,
son & Son, r. C. Orr, Dean & Neibaum
and Allen kirkpatrick & Co.
1t is said the banks in the Lawrenceville
district will close for the afternoon for the
benefit of the clerks and reopen in the
evening fer the benefit of the laboring
classes. The banks in the lower portion of
the city have notices posted to the effect
that hereafter those institutions will be
closed Saturday afternoons.
There was a paper circulated among the
employees of the Pennsylvania lines west of
Pittsburg yesterday giving the men an
opportunity of expressing themselves as to
shortening their hours of labor. The mat
ter will be decided next week.
To Be Observed in the Courts.
In the county courts it was decided yes
terday by the judges and county officials to
observe the law, commencing next Satur-
day. AS result legal business will be
given a rest from noon Saturday till Mon
day morning. The change is welcomed
with joy by those employed in the Court
House. 1t will have but little effect on
business, as on Saturday, especially in the
summer months the most of the business is
transacted in the morning. The Offices are
only open in the afternoon to oblige
lawyers wanting to look over rec
ords and the few papers filed
could Just as well be filed in the forenoon.
The Sheriff, Treasurer, Controller and Com
missioners' offices now close at 8 o'clock. In
the other offices the major portion of the
work done by the clerks in hot weather is
to perspire profusely and with anxious eyes
watch the hands on the clock wend their
weary way until the welcome hour of is
reached. The innovation will be joyfully
hailed by them. The new law will also af-
feet the banks. -. s..
The Amalgamated Association adjourned
yesterday in order to observe the half holi-
day rule. This is no indication that half
holiday clause will be put in their scale, al
though the majority of the delegates favor
the idea of suspending work in all mills
and factories for portion of that dav 1t
is observed now in the majority of the man.
ufacturing establishments, and especially in
the mills. 1t will not be surprising to see
the rule generally adopted by all employers
of labor excepting retail merchants, who
are likely to wait for a request from organ
lied labor before considering the matter.