davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The herald., 1898-01-16
ALTRUISM in BUSINESS
STORY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE
GREAT BON MARCKE
The Boucicauts Have Always Shared
Profits With Employees, Besides
Feeding and Pensioning Them

Very few who visit the Bon Marche in
Paris, even native Parisians, know its
wonderful history. Very few know that
it is the one great business establish
ment Of the whole world that deals with
studied, full justice in the matter of
profits with it's employees; and, further,
the one that extends it's helpfulness and
humanity to each and every one of them
individually. The Bouccauts, husband
and wife, were, if not the founders, the
builders of this great house. In Paris,
after working and economiZing as only
ruch people know how to work and
economize, the two found desirable
places in the store Petit st. Thomas"
then the most elegant and-as it is still
1.-The most conservative dry goods house
in Paris. Up the same street, Rue de
3ac, there was q modest little store
called the Bon Marche, and on this NJ.
Boucicaut kept his eye. Mon amie, he
used to say to his wife, 'if ever we
should become rich enough to buy that
store yonder and eniarge it and carry
out in it some of our plans, we should
be very happy And it came to pass
in 1859 that the Boucicauts did en-
ter the little store up the street, he as
one of the partners therein, and she as
one of the saleswomen.
The sales of the place that year We're
SEQ, ,000 Eleven years later, in 1868, the
Boucicauts became sole propretors of
it, the sales that year having reached
to $1,500,00O
Now, We all know how "the devil a
monk would be- when he "is sick" and
how he fails in his good resolutions
when he "gets we'll" He generally for
gets. But the Boucicauts never forgot.
Masters of the situation, they began by
making reforms In general trading. That
habit of two or three prices-Mi-Lord
English and the rich American having
always to pay the first and highest price
that habit that had made shopping in
Paris q rlisefy-was at once done away
with, and a fixed price was put upon
everything in plain figures, each article
being sold es low as was consistent with
reasonable profit. Then they sup
The herald., 1898-01-16

woman learned in books, and she wal
q Roman Catholic. but she knew the
Sermon on the Mount, and when shs
had recited 1t before her God in the
church she went out into the world Il
practice it before men. A very simple
Christianity.
In summer the vacations allowed al
the Bon Marche are from one to three
weeks, salary continuing. In winter
clerk may take week If he wishes
sacrificing his salary. Two doctors be-
long to the house, their services paid by
1t. A lady leaving for confinement Is
given 100 francs (s20), her salary con-
tinuing, and when she can she returns
to her place. 1t is still the habit In
France for mothers who must work to
put their children away from them tC
be cared for
A PARK FOR HER PEOPLE
Just opposite the Bon Marche in the
Rue Velpeau is lovely park, one OF
those green places that make Of Paris q
benediction. What If some one should
buy this ground and build ON it?" Nine
Boucicaut said 1T would darken ouI
windows and spoil the outlook from the
employees diiIlng room; moreover, II
would deprive our young people of their
lovely breathing place in the evening. =
So she bought the whole park-monu-
ment forever of her wonderful thought
fulness and love.
A good deal of this sounds improb-
able, yet much is not told, nor yet the
one thing that seems most improbable
of ALL The 5000 employees of the Bon
Marche are fed there daily at the ex-
pense of the house. Reflect for a mo-
snent what that m.Art., a meal for
5000, The second breakfast is of meat
and vegetables and half-bottle of wine
for each person. The dinner is a little
more elaborate. Is 1t a wonder that the
house prospers under such righteous
and thoughtful division of profits? Last
year, 1897, the sales were over $50, 900, 900.
THE ART GALLERY
But the Boucicauts reached out be-
yond the Bon Marche with their bene-
factions. Living in the student quarter,
for instance. they saw how great was
the struggle of artist life, how impossible
often for an unknown name to get a
hearing. So they made of the visitors
great reading room in the Bon Marche
a gallery. and here they invited all
artists to send their pictures. Many a
young American whose story had been
a pitiful one started on his road to sue
cess by reason of his first picture sold
in this place.
In 1876 NJ. Boucicaut, touched by the
cries of the children, and even more
touched by the wants of old age, estab-
lished in the Latin Quarter a perma-
nent fund for the daily distribution of
the very best milk for the very young
and the very old. He had at this time
his great heart full of plans to help his
neighbors outside his business to help
themselves. The Bon Marche was firm
ly established and thousands were liv-
ing in comfort because of it. He would
now reach out beyond. But death
called. and the great. noble soul had to
go away. He was 81 years old when he
died, December 26, 1877. Two years
later his only son died. and Nine. Bouci-
caut was left alone with the great house
on her hands. But she never faltered
The herald., 1898-01-16

pressed fines, believing them to be in the
majority of cases a cruelty and they
reduced the hours of work, closing on
Sundays and on fete days. The stores
Of Paris are, as a rule, open on Sundays;
the exceptions are just few of the
great houses.
SHARING THE PROFITS
After d while the Boucicauts began
in real earnest to put into practice their
long -pondered plans for the moneyed
betterment of their employees. These
men and women" she was very fond of
saying, are invaluable to us; our busi-
ness could not stand week without
their cooperation and help. 1t is not
just, then, to give them no share in it,
And it is not wise, for work, to be well
done, should be done with the heart as
well as with the head and hands"
Thus a provident fund was opened,
starting with $4,000 out of the profits of
the business. This was to be added to
as the business increased; each en-
ploye that had served five years draw
ing per cent of it's profits. Last year,
1897, the capital of the fund had reached
nearly 100000 (3,000,00O of francs), and
efitS
The Bon Marche pension fund came
later, and was the inspiration of Nine
Boucicaut after she was left alone She
started this with 81, 200, 900 out of her own
purse, and another $500, 900 has been add
ed to it since. The interest of this money
goes toward a pension for any man or
woman who has served twenty years.
In this year 160 participants are re-
ceiving pensions amounting to $25, 900
After the twenty years faithful service
an employe may remain in the estab-
lishment if he wish and still benefit by
the pension and provident funds
A PERCENTAGE ON EVERY SALE
Shares in the business can be bought
by any clerk who has been careful
enough to save money for this great ad-
vantage, and politeness and kindliness
are encouraged by a percentage being
given to the clerk on every sale he
makes.
To be called away for military service
just as young Frenchman is beginning
his business career is a desperately
trying thing. No patriotism can stife
the dreadful fact that the place he has
left will be filled when he returns. The
Boucicauts cried out against this and
promised the young man who left them
for his three years service that he
should find his place open to welcome
him when ne returned, his rights in the
providcnt and pension funda meantime
remaining.
When employees are called away to
do the fourteen or twenty eight days.
military service they are allowed by the
The herald., 1898-01-16

| nor rested. she studied carefully the
charities most heading her help and
gave to them while she lived. And she
studied an even greater thing-on whom
| should her business mantle fall. She
selected three gentlemen who had been
In the employ of the house from early
boyhood. Messrs. NORM, Elliot and Ri
cots. These three gentlemen have not
only fulfilled to the letter all the plans
and work of the Boucicauts, but they
have added to them. ] have said there
was a provident fund This was for
the clerks and higher officers. The new
firm has established provident fund
for the lower work people-no scullery
maid or stable boy but can reach to its
benefits. This fund was founded in
1892, like the others, out of the profits of
the business. The capital this year is
$61,000. and the interest given is per
cent.
NINE. BOUCICAUTS DEATH
In 1887 Nine. Boucicaut died, and,
Notwithstanding all she had given away,
she left $4,000, 000-S0, 900, 900 of francs.
To the employees of the Bon Marche she
left sums ranging from 5000 to $4,000, and,
after looking out for the welfare of the
little towns of Belleme and verjux, the
rest of her money she willed to libraries
and hospitals and schools and churches,
besides remembering scores of individ-
ual friends. The three Boucicauts par
ents and son, lie under very simple
stone in the Cemetery Montparnasse.
There are no words of eulogy on the
stone.
"In Memory Of the Boucicaut Family
is all it reads.
With all the money shared and given
away. $4,000. 900 remained when the last
of the Boucicauts died. What COM
mentary on profits and profit sharing!
The Americans are always in evidence
in the Bon Marche. 1t is their Paris
shopping place; the law that forbids a
clerk to molest you or ask for what you
want, is not one of the least attractions
to them. They can spend the day wan
dering over the place without being fol-
lowed or watched or spoken to; and
when they want service there are plenty
who speak English to give it.-Boston
Transcript.
The herald., 1898-01-16
A REAL GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY
California Arranging for Celebration
of the Discovery of Gold There

California is little jealous of the
growing reputation of other sections of
the continent as producers of the prec-
ious metals, and it's citizens are plan
ming to call attention to its past glories
in this line, and incidentally. perhaps. to
create a new boom for its mining inter-
ests by an elaborate celebration of the
semi of the discovery of gold
in the state. Recently attention has
been turned from it to the Klondike
fields, to the manifest dissatisfaction of
many old Californians who persist in de-
claring the rich gold fields of other days
on the Pacific are not yet fully ex-
hausted. California has produced more
than 800 million dollars of gold since the
first discovery of it in 1S4S The exact
date of this discovery has been fixed Off
cially as Jan. 10, when some Californians
are now preparing to celebrate the f1f-
tieth anniversary of that day on Jan.
The herald., 1898-01-16

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.-(Special
Correspondence to The Herald) The
future of Alaska, as regards experiment
stations, is now in the hands of the ap-
preparation committee Of congress, and
what they will do cannot well forecast.
think, however, that some provision
viii be made by which scientific knowl-
edge of the capacities of that territory
will be exploited. Congress has had our
report on the subject for some time, and
st will be printed before long.
NY conclusions on this matter are
based on the reports made me by three
special commissioners in Alaska under
the direction Of this department, who
made study of the conditions prevalent
along the southern coast OF Alaska. DR..
Sheldon Jackson made a special study of
conditions in the Yukon valley. have
supplemented their reports by study of
my own, and l now predict without hesi-
tation that in my opinion Alaska's fer
tile soil will before many years produce
grain and food products which will more
than equal in value all the gold which
is now supposed to be hidden beneath
The surface.
That is strong statement, but I be-
lieve it most sincerely. Alaska is des-
tined to become a great agricultural
field if it is developed properly. The
conditions which exist there are parai-
leled by the conditions in Northern
Scotland, which produces a rugged race
which has ever been the mainstay of the
British navy. 1 believe that before many
years the men who are raised in the
rugged climate of Alaska, on such food
products as can be cultivated in that
climate, will be the hardest, healthest,
most fearless and bravest of all the
American people, and that they will be
the bone and sinew of the American
navy on the Pacific coast
The soil of southern Alaska along the
coast is rich and best suited for barley
and oats, the food on which the north
ern Scotchman thrivcs. Fish will be an
important feature of the Alaskan's diet.
and thus the race will become seafar-
ing one, we'll suited for the United States
navy. If we send to the people now iv-
ing there commissioners who can teach
them in practical manner how to raise
these and other foods profitably / be-
lieve the country will develop rapidly.
Grass is abundant and can be easily cul-
tivated further. and by special process
we can teach the Alaskans how to make
hay, even in the worst kind of Alaskan
climate, when it rains little every day.
We would introduce whatever vegeta-
bles could be successfully cultivated and
make the best use of the soil now so
rich already.
The winters need not be especially
hard, for food will be abundant in the
summer and can be easily stored away
for winter consumption. In barley alone
a tremendous traffic could be built. More
than enough barley to feed a greater
population than is probable in a number
of years to come can be successfully
raised, and that is a grain for which
there is constant market. repeat it,
The herald., 1898-01-16

Bon Marche 40 cents a day for them
selves and 20 cents day for each child.
Employees in high positions receive, as
well as the above, half of their fixed
salary during this time. To those in
| lower positions the salary stops.
| If clerk is i'll his salary goes on for
three months. But while Nine. Bouci-
caut lived no employe was ever i'll who
| did not receive her direct and motherly
care. A volume might be written of the
| Christ-like Offices of this matchless wo-
man when those who served her-par-
| ticularly Women-Were i'll or in trouble
No disease deferred her No social slip
brought a frown to her motherly face
LODGING FOR THEIR CLERKS
In 1886 the Boucicauts found their
business so prosperous Gt amounted to
$4,5OO,O0O that year, that they saw their
way to begin the present great building
on the old site, which takes up a whole
| block on the streets de Sevres, de Bac,
de Babylone and Velpeau, $4,000 square
yards, independent of premises outside.
Here, unrestricted in any way, they be-
gan their wonderful work for the phys
ical, moral and mental well-being of
their employees. First, they must be
| well lodged, they said, for this is the
surest safeguard against the tempta-
tions of Paris. So house was bought,
| now called the Hotel Boucicaut and
here were lodged, free, all the women
| employed who had no homes of their
own. Apartments were hired and fitted
up comfortably and handsomely for the
men who had no homes of their own
| free to them, In the evenings in great
| salon, lectures and lessons were given
Those who showed an especial aptitude
| for English were sent to London six
months for further study, at the ex-
pense Of the house. Fencing lessons
were given for physical development,
and music was taught in all it's branches
by the best teachers, free.
A FINE WOMAN
| Just here 1 may say knew once an
American gentleman who became ac-
quainted with Nine. Boucicaut after her
husband died. He said never in a long
| life had he known a woman so clear
headed, so great-hearted and SO infin-
| ttely patient with and tender toward
humanity as she was. He asked her
once why she didn't build for herself,
now that she was so rich, a great man
sion, setting herself up in it on dress
parade before the world, just as the
other rich people did. Then she could
make her peace by leaving her money
to a great hospital and so secure for
herself great name. But he said the
moment he had put the question he felt
ashamed and rebuked for she answered
simply: "Would that be doing the Mas
ters bidding?" Now. this was not
The herald., 1898-01-16

| OUETTA, Jan. 1.-(Special Cores
| pondence to The Herald.) The year '9s
may see the close of the British India
war. The English have suffered as
much from their lack of suitable animals
as from their lack Of soldiers constitu-
tionally fitted for the warfare in India,
but recent move on the part of Vic
toria's soldiers may greatly assist them.
All the news from the entire Indian
frontier shows that the tribesmen are
still defying the British lion and the In
dian tiger with a desperation which
wounds and defeat, hunger and cold
cannot subdue. The British detach-
ments are now retiring from the noun
tain heights, where the cold is so intense
in winter, to quarters in the valleys,
where they will wait until spring to
complete the work of subduing the re-
volted tribes.
While here they are experimenting
with the new force just mentioned. The
experiment is in the use of camels to
| transport cannon and ammunition.
The experiment was made to see If 1t
was possible to transport a 12-pound
cannon by camels.
| Such a gun is entirely too heavy for
one camel, even when dlSmOunted, so a
platform of two beams and supports was
made for the gun to be slung on between
two camels. The wood unfortunately
proved unequal to the strain and split.
Next time, however, bamboo was used,
and the experiment was success.
Another experiment with camels was
made by the Khan of Kalat, one of
Engand's feudatory princes whose do
mains lie to the west of Quetta and bor-
der on those of the ameer of Afghanfs-
| tan. The khan has organized camel
corps. Each camel carries two men,
and is fully equipped with spare rations
for men and beast, spare ammunition
and spare water.
This makes a most mobile corps,
which can transport itself readily and
rapidly. The country about Kalat Is
essentially a camel country, and the in
habtants are camel breeding race. So
! the corps is most suitable one for that
portion of the northwest frontier.
With such valuable allies the British
cannot fail to make strides.
The cold of the mountain seems to at
tack the vitality Of young men more
than that of men whose constitutions
are matured. Young soldiers and
The herald., 1898-01-16
Baron Pollock's Good Humor

The death of Baron Pollock at Putney
last week has removed the Oldest Judge
from the bench, and one of the most dis
tinguished men. The late baron bore
his "A years with a certain boyishness of
spirit. though his tall, gaunt figure and
parchment-pale countenance made him
look even older than his years. Not
many weeks ago, when somebody spoke
to him about retirement, he jocularly
offered to box any man Of his years. He
earned the right to retire on a pension
nine years ago. He was attached, how
ever, to his work. as was shown by the
diligence with which he continued to
discharge all his judicial duties. Dur
ing the twenty-four years he occupied
a seat on the bench he was never known
to sneer. He treated the youngest prac-
titioner with the respect which he
thought was due to the bar as whole.
He possessed a considerable fund of hu-
NOR; but his wit was never used to
wound. Perhaps the severest thing he
was ever known to say was spoken of
an eccentric member of the home cir
cult. Dear old fellow" exclaimed the
baron. "he is the happy possessor of a
mind unclouded by thought" Having
dined one evening with the college of
surgeons. he found, on leaving the han.
that his umbrella was missing. "Only
what one would expect" he observed,
that even ones umbrella would here
be 'boned.' London Figaro.
Japan's Growing Export Trade
Japan's export trade has doubled In
The herald., 1898-01-16

utation for gallantry at the storming Of
the Dargai Ridge, and now he was. a
member of the rear guard Of General
Kempsters force, which was retiring
from Waran.
He and four other men became sepa-
rated from their comrades in the dark,
and the enemy surrounded them and
rushed" them. Vicory had his rifle
wrested from him, but recovered it, bay
oneted one man, dubbed down another,
who had inflicted deep wound in his
foot, and eventually got safe back to
camp with two of his companions.
The Zakka Khels, whom General
Lockhart has summoned to surrender
The herald., 1898-01-16

If there was only one gun left in the
country of the tribe after the disarma-
ment the man having that one gun
would soon own the whole place and the
fruits thereof.
In many parts of the Zakka Khel
country land is titled only at night, as
the ploughman runs less risk Of being
"potted" by his neighbor in the dark
than he does in the daylight. The
Zakkas have absolutely no regard for
the sanctity of human life.
England has some nasty work before
her, but she is experimenting, and that
means much.
JOHN KAESTNER.
The herald., 1898-01-16
ENGLAND'S CAMEL CORPS

tom of these ruffians to shoot their
before spring under threat of having the
rest of their village destroyed, will prob
ably suffer anything rather than give UP
their arms. The life of Zakka Khel
would not be worth much If he did not
have his gun, for It is the standing GUS
neighbors on sight for personal gain.
The herald., 1898-01-16

young officers become listless and lose
all dash after being exposed for any
length of time to the peculiar cold of the
mountains.
The cold however, did not prevent
Private Vicory, of the Dorsetshire regi-
ment, from distinguishing himself the
other day. He had already made rep
The herald., 1898-01-16
Humanity Benefited

IT first gave a little to friends who were
suffering as l was. and In every Instance
a speedy cure was effected. The demand
became so great that l was compelled to
place 1t on the market, and today the REM
edy is In use In almost every city In Amer
lea, and ! always hear of the same good
results-ONE BOTTLE CURES"
ONE BOTTLE CURES pains In the back.
stone In the bladder. Brights disease. fe-
male troubles. incontinence of urine. brick
dust deposit. bed-wetting of children, grav-
Ell, gall stones, thick. turbid, frothy urine.
dropsy, diabetes, rheumatism.
The herald., 1898-01-16

to expend the money in introducing va
rious plants and grains best suited to the
climate and in sending a corps of spe-
cialists to Alaska to introduce the plants
and educate the people in their use.
The herald., 1898-01-16

cultural experiment station in every
state and territory. This was never eX-
tended to Alaska, and a special act of
congress has been asked for by the de-
partment of agriculture to set aside $15,-
The herald., 1898-01-16

900 for the purpose of increasing the ag-
ricultural possibilities of that territory.
The department does not contemplate
establishing an experiment station, but
asks that congress give the authority
The herald., 1898-01-16
one BOTTLE CURES
How McBurnsy's Kidney and Blad-
der Cure was Discovered

The writer, anxious to know few inside
facts relative to that grand medieine-Mc-
Burney's Kidney and Bladder Cure-cailed
upon Mr.. McBurney last week and asked
him for short account of the discovery
and success Of his remedy.
The herald., 1898-01-16

One of the largest property owners of
Los Angeles, and prominent banker of
Los Angeles and Bozeman, Mont, has
this to say about McBurney's Kidney and
Bladder Cure:
IT was great sufferer from kidney and
bladder trouble, and one bottle of your
medicine cured me. 1 consider 1t one Of the
greatest discoveries of the present century,
and words cannot express my gratitude for
the wonderful results which this medicine
attained for me-
NOTE BY McBURNEY-ThIs party has
bought at least seventy-five dollars' worth
OF medicine since he was cured and dis
tributed 1t gratis amongst his friends-and
as he says, HE can see no man suffer with
that dpeaded disease when he can so easily
get cured at such a small cost" The full
particulars can be obtained at the Office
Mr.. McBurney says: II only ask for
justice. I only want the public to interview
patients cured by my Kidney and Bladder
Cure; talk with them, see for yourself,
and you will be satisfied that McBnrney's
Kidney and Bladder Cure has done all
that was hoped for"
Inclose 25c in stamps to w. F.. McBur-
ney, 41S South Spring street, Los Angeles,
Cal, and secure sample bottle, together
with the history of medicine and testimo-
malls. Express prepaid on receipt OF price.
$1.25. For sale by druggists.