Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-04
CHRISTMAS IN
 BUSINESS LIFE
Custom of Merchants and Bank CTS Who Reward Employees.
GUoH MONEY IS DISTRIBUTED.

MUOH MONEY IS DISTRIBUTED. (S4ast Year q Department Store Own Ger spent Ss,OOO I'm Giving Each of
 His Wagon Drivers s6O--How One sCommissiOn House Rewards Its
 Clerzxs-Lavaent of a Bank Clerk
 Who Received Present of Steel
 Stock. fs
 The following Is taken from an article on the observance of Christmas in busi- ness circles by Ralph D. Paine in the Worlds Work for December:
 Last year the owner of one of the largest department stores in the coun- try expanded his customary system of rewards by giving $50 to each of the drivers, of his delivery wagons. There were 150 of them, and they received $8,O00. They were paid for their over- time, but their work was so uncommon ly arduous that they deserved some thing more, and it came to them as a surprise. In the height of the rush the wagons were delivering from 10000 to 50,O00 packages daily. On, the day be- fore Christmas 100000 patrons visited the store, and it was promised that all purchases, including pianos, made be- fore 6 o'clock at night should be deliy- cred at their homes before breakfast Christmas morning. This immense un- dertaking was accomplished, and 1t was loyalty as well as wages that inspired these drivers to make good the promise of their employer To them the extra fifty dollar checks came as wealth un- foreseen and were accepted in the true spirit of Christmas. The Christmas spirit was in this transaction, although the employer was paying for value re- ceived, and this year he will similarly surprise some other column of his vast army of industry.
 This proprietor has on his payrolls during Christmas time more than Ill., 900 employees, and a system is in oper- ation whereby the majority of them re- ceive extra money in the holiday sea-
  yet 1t is so distributed that the Christ mas spirit is not wholly obliterated. Hsor ten days the store is kept open un- Jtil 10 o'clock In the evening, and for this work after regular hours the sales people receive a commission on their sales instead of fixed wages for oyer time. Last year saleswomen made as much as $50, $75 and S10O on these holiday commissions. ..
 One New York merchant has for many years presided over Christmas gathering of bis entire force. The cus- tom, begun when less than 100 guests were eligible, is maiRtained now when 1,0O0 employees, from managers to cash boys, meet on equal footing for one night of the year and listen to the sin cere greeting and recognition of loyal service which are spoken by the pro prietor as the head of the table. This traditional observance has done much to inspire ip this force a notable esprit de corps. It is genuine Christmas festival.
 In the words of n humble toiler of ahe house; Tt doesn't help pay my bills and 1t doesn't raise my wages, but the dinner is the real thing, for to hear the old man talk of his start as an errand boy In a country store and how he fought his way up to the top makes him one of us. And when we wish him Merry Christmas a thousand strong a good many of us mean it, and think he does when he shouts it back"
 In one commission house, whose his- tory is a part ot the coffee trade for Iour generations, the present partners aSre two brothers. both bachelors, who have added wealth to inherited for tunes. It has been their custom since they succeeded in control of the house to present each of their clerks with a Christmas gift, sometimes equal to half his yearly salary. The amounts are not fixed, however, and unlike most re- wards of this kind the partners take Into account not only the services rem dered, but also the personal needs of the recipient Tn other words, the friendly interest is not bounded by the office walls, and the. brothers find n quiet pleasure in Investigating the con- ditions which please or worry the young men who work for them. One of them who told me this story said
 If one of the office stan IS single and as able to live comfortably on his sal- ary he fnay get 5000 for Christmas. while young fellow who was threat- sARR na naatrlsnony laat year wae handed