Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-06-16
AT s ?. NJ, ON SATURDAYS
A Move to Close Dry Goods
Stores at This Hour.
WHAT THE pROpRIETORS SAY
A Chance for the People to
Give Their Opinion.
Most of the Proprieters Think Well of
the Suggestion, and Now the Views of,
Saturday Night shoppers Arc Wanted
--How They May Express Themselves.

There is movement among certain dry
goods merchants in the city looking toward
the closing of their stores at q o'clock
Saturday evenings, instead of 10 o'clock as
Is usually the case. This movement has
been started solely in the interest of the
clerks, many of whom are women, who
are compelled to stand all day long in the
stores and who, their employers claim,
heed rest when night comes. Those who
favor the movement agree to close their
stores at @ o'clock Saturday nights. from
July LIST TO September LIST, which is looked
upon by them as good proposition.
Ii is argued in favor of the early closing
that the dry goods houses in New York
and Philadelphia close as early as noon,
Saturdays, giving their clerks q much
needed rest during the warm summer
months.
1t is also claimed that during the two
months mentioned the public can well af-
ford to do their purchasing during the day
and that it is mere matter of habit to
leave Saturday as shopping night. The
proposition is hailed with delight by the
many Clerks who find employment in the
dry goods stores III the city, and who are
tired when Saturday night comes aud feel
that they need the rest justly entitled to
them.
William NJ. Kennard of Kennard 4 Co,
No. 613 Market street, is one business man
heartily in favor of the early-closing
movement and has been for several years.
When asked concerning the proposed
move yesterday. he readily expressed his
willingness to close his store during July
ard August OF 6 o'clock Saturdays, provd-
ing the closing would be general.
Max Iichtensteiu of the firm of Lichten-
stein L. Hart No. DDS Market street, is
another advocate OF the carly-closing
movement. Mr.. lichtenstein favored the
closing at o'clock saturday nights during
July aud August, and hoped the system
would be general. He said that the largest
trade on any evening during the week was
experienced saturday night, but lie could
not see whythe purchasing could not be
done during the daytime for those two
short months, in order to relieve the tired
clerks from the fatigue of having to work
Saturday evenings.
Joseph Hill, OF the firm of Crosby &
Hill, opposed the early closing movement
ON the ground that the stores would have
10 turn away too many customers ny
closing early. lie held that there were a
large number Of working people who
could not purchase during the day, and
that Saturday night was the only time
they had in which TO do the shopping.
Under ordinary circumstances he favored
the early closing, and looked upon it as i
right move in the right direction.
W. Harold Smith, of the firm Of w. b.
Sharp d. Co., favored the movement, and
was only too anxious for such system vi
closing on Saturday nights to be inau.
gurated. He earnestly supported the prop
Ostion.
Clement A. Lippincott, No. Si2 Market
street, when interviewed in regard to the
matter, stated that he was in favor of the
movement and would close his store a. {
o'clock Saturday nights as willingly a:
would the rest of the advocates Of the
proposition. lie said that he hoped the
early closing movement would prevail
The sentiment among proprietors of dry
goods establishments, where a large mum
Der of clerks are employed, is almost
unanimously in favor of the movement
and all are DESTROYS of seeing the project
carried into effect.
HOW ABOUT THE SHOPPERS.
The only question at issue, now that il
IS known how the proprietors feel (o1
course it is to ue taken for granted that thu
clerks favor the movement, is how tho
people, the great army Of shoppers. lool
upon the suggestion. 1t is "a well-knowl
fact that hundreds of people do tneil
weeks shopping Saturday nights. ant
whether the early closing movement wol,lt
be to their interest or prove an inconyen
fence, is for them to determine.
Having given the views of proprictors a
the leading dry goods establishments
EVERY EVENING is not only willing, bu
DESTROYS of giving the sentiment OF til,
buying public upon this interesting aues
ton. OF course a house-to-house canvas
for this purpose is impracticable, but thos
who desire to make their views known
can do so by filling out and signing tn
annexed blank form and returning it /,
tais office: