The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-22
BANK EMPLOYEES
ASK TIME
They Want Banks Closed at
l p. m. on Saturdays.
ARE WORKING LONG HOURS
Officers Asked to Consider
Matter in Friendly Way.

The employees Of the large banks OF
this city are quietly working UP senti-
ment in favor Of closing at 1 O'Clock on
Saturdays, and it begins to look Ike
they may succeed.
There are perhaps not a few people
who think the employees of these big
banks are working very short hours now
and that they do not have due considera-
ton for the interests Of the public, but IN
this they are wrong. When the banks
close at p. N. the employees are not
through. They have to work about three
hours after the bank closes, which takes
them up to 6 o'clock. Then they must
be on hand before the bank opens In
the morning, so that instead Of working
six hours a day as many people sup
pose. they are working nine to ten hours
while everybody is favoring the eight
hour day.
The employees are not thinking Of
strike, but they want to have their side
OF the matter presented so that people
viii see the justice Of their claim. They
claim that the banks in all the large
cities close at p. m. on Saturdays, and
what is the matter with Wichita being
metropolitan They say II the banks
would close at o'clock they could get
through their work by ( o'clock and
have Saturday evenings for rest and
locking after their individual interests.
A reporter for the Eagle last evening
called on the cashiers Of the three ma
tionaI banks by request Of some of the
employees of the banks and presented
their sldo of The case. The 4rst one
seen was Elsberry Martin, cashier Of
the Kansas National bank. Mr.. Martin
did not think there was any injustice
~ the claim of the employees. He
thought it would be very nice to have
st that way and close on Saturdays at
p. m, but ne said they could not do
It. He said they had great deal of
business with the farmers and they
came to the city very frequently Satur-
days in the afternoon and it would be
very inconvenient for them to find the
banks closed at that early hour.
c. ". Carey of the National Bank of
Commerce said that he had never
thought Of the matter before but he
was aware Of the fact that an arrange
ment of that kind would be very pleas
ing TO the employees of the banks. He
had never thought Of the matter before
but he did not believe the consent of tho
banks could be obtained to an arrange
nent Of that kind He thought there
was a good deal Of force in the claim
that 1t would inconvenience their coun-
try customers, but not having consid-
cred the matter he might change his
mind when ali the facts were consid-
cred
J. NJ. Moore Of the Fourth National did
not take any time TO consider the mat
ter, but he said emphaticaHy that he was
in favor of the proposition Re said
the employees Of the banks worked long
hours and he was in favor of this con-
cession because it would give them a
chance TO get out by o'clock on Satur-
day evenings When President Naftz-
ger asked him what they would do
with the farmers that came 70 the city
on Saturday afternoon TO do business
with the banks. Mr.. Moore replied that
they could take turns staying later and
attend to them. but it would not be nee
essary TO keep the whole force He was
inclined TO think that people would soon
learn that the banks were closed on
-| % a. T. H. anu lldN very rev
people would be Inconvenience by the
TWO hours earlier closing on Saturday.
The cashiers all considered the matter
IN a friendly way and the convenience
OF their customers was the only thing
that some Of them feared might be in
the way of the new arrangement which
the employees Of the banks have pro-
posed When the whole matter is talked
over between the officers of the banks
and their employees it IS more than prob
able that the banks Of this city will close
at I O'Clock on SATURDAYS