Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-26
EARLY CLOSING.
II is More General Now Than Ever Be
fore in This City.

with the decision of Corporation Coun-
sci Duvall that Saturdays are half holidays
for all purposes within the meaning OF the
provision of the code, which fact was first
and exclusively noted In The Star. tho
present summer will go down in local his
tory as a record-breaker on the question OF
the early closing OF business houses on
the last day in the week in Washington"
said a prominent merchant. land should
the code amendment that Saturday is A
holiday be held by the Attorney General to
apply to the departments as well, II Will
be a red letter as Well as a hot season in
town this summer.
1T will be seven years before the Fourth
Of July will fall again upon a Friday. and
by that time, in view OF the rapid adjust
ment of matter, the question will be settled
for all time The fact however, that sew
eral Of our largest retail business houses
closed all day on the Intervening Saturday
indicates the tendency of the times and pre-
sages more general observance of such an
innovation when the Fourth next falls upon
Friday. Next year 1t will fall upon Sat-
urday, so the workers VIII be sure of two
successive holidays.
This summer the closing OF retail
stores at o'clock on week days other than
Saturday is quite universal for the first
time. the Instances heretofore having been
exceptional. and the same is true as re-
CARDS the larger stores closing at / o'clock
on Saturdays though the practice has been
in vogue as to Offices for years. But now
II is quite universal, and many dealers who
have held out against the popular move
ment have gradually fallen into line while
the public shows its approval by getting
home early, or going out of town, leaving
the down town streets quite deserted.
AS l stated, insurance, real estate and
lawyers Offices. and those Of similar bust
ness, have been In the habit OF closing
early on Saturday afternoon. but with ons
or two exceptions until this summer. 1t
has been rare for the retail dealers to close
up. Wholesale houses have closed but the
retailer remained open and did a struggling
business. Now, however the retailer has
learned that he is making money by
early closing. The movement is gem
orally popular with the public and tho
public feels more disposed to encourage the
practice. The clerks work more readily,
take greater personal interest in the es-
adjustment and in sales which make up
very quickly if imperceptibly substantial
profits.
the thoughtless and Indifferent, would shop
sixteen hours out of the twenty-four II The
retail stores remained open that long Just
as the public would condense its time and
does its purchasing within the hours known
as banking hours If these were as iron-cIad
as applied to retail stores as to banks m
the banks closed at o'clock instead Of
3 there would always be the beIated denosi
tor who would rush in frantically waving
his deposit book al 1859 pm 1t is SO with
the shops, but the great bulk Of shoppers
Would conform to known and infieNibla
rule. once 1t was agreed and fixed. and
would be only too glad to get through with
their purchasing, so home and give tho
Gle rks In the stores a chance to do like
wise.
Northern cities have long observed this
admirable n-Saturday-afte--
neon-rule but the southern cities have been
slower In adopting il. Its ramifications for
good are SO many and diversified that I
venture to predict that within a few wears
the practice will be very generally observed
In washington to the benefit of all con-
cerned."