Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-08-30
1.-THE BON MARCHE."

"THE BON MARCHE."
An Employer Who Looks After All the
Needs of His Clerks.
We have been to the "Bon Marche. !"
Almost every one knows that won
derful store. but think not many
know that it is an admirable benevo-
lent work as well as a successful bust
ness undertaking. We were in the
reading-room Of the store when a
gentleman entered and offered to
show. the household and business
parts to a. many as we're curious
This offer is made every afternoon
about 3 O'Clock. Mr. Boucicaut began
life as poor boy, and when able to
have little store of his own his at
tention was at once directed to the
welfare of his clerks, and he gave
them. as soon as he was able, a home
in his own house. From this small
beginning the work has grown won
derfully. Mr.. Boucicaut died few
years ago worth millions of dollars,
and to-day the bon Marche," car
ried on by his widow, employs 5000
people.
Two thousand of these people live
In the building, and the 5000 take
their meals there. We were first
taken to large hall filed with desks,
where a great many boys and Young
men were studying bookkeeping.
They have the benefit of reviewing
all the books of the store, and are
paid a small amount on every mis-
take they find. In the evening les
sons are given gratuitously to the en-
ployes in English. German, instru-
mental, and vocal music, and fenc-
ing. Concerts are given by the store.
in summer, 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 balls
There are four dininQ-rooms-one
for the men clerks, one for the girls,
one for the workwomen. and one for
the porters, messengers, and drivers.
The menu for dinner we saw; it
consisted 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 small cup and three cents
for the larger ones. The kitchen was
very interesting. Three hundred
people are employed there as walters
in the dining-rooms. The kettles are
perfectly immense; they must be GER
tainly three feet high, and l am sure
no man could meet his arms around
one of them. or course, when they
are full and hot, they are beyond the
ability of any 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 a room for
amusement. where there are billiard
tables, chess, checkers, dOminoes,
etc, but no card playing is allowed.
The lady clerks have also a pleasant
little parlor, where there is a piano
and where they can spend their even
ings when they choose. Each girl
has a room entirely to herself, which
is plainly furnished. There are rules
to be observed by all, but they are
not burdensome or oppressive; the
doors are not closed on weekdays un-
til II, and on Sunday until 1890 at
night; but the occupations and enter
tainments must make it more entic-
ing to remain at home than to go out.
Every one in the service Of the
"BOn Marche" receives certain com.
mission on everything sold or deliv-
cred, and after certain number of
years service each acquires an inter-
est in the store that increases yearly.
1t seems to me this is one of the most
complete. most beneficial works of
benevolence that have known. 1t
would be almost impossible to think
OF any details that are not attended
to. There is BARRIERS shop in the
building for the use of employees; a
physician is employed by the store,
and his services are free to all; more
over there is an inflrmary in another
part of the city where those who are
sick are cared for; indeed, a pair OF
boots is BACKED for every member of
the establishment every day. We
asked If any board was paid, and the
answer was mo-" but l suppose at
least some difference is made in the
salary. Boston Traveller.