The San Francisco call., 1905-05-14
HALF HOLIDAY
CAUSE OF JOY
City officials Gladly Obey
New Law Closing Offices at
II O'Clock on Saturdays
OLD CLERK SHEDS TEARS
Per Diem Employees May
Reap No Benefit From
Statute, as Funds Are Shy

OtUOiUCe oS \ uuuC AlO Oily
JOY unalloyed reigned yesterday
among the employees of the city gov
ernment for promptly at IL o'clock
noon the low. providing for a half
holiday on Saturday went into
effect. Probably no law on the statute
books was ever observed with the same
unanimity as the one mentioned. The
last stroke of IL had barely been tolled
on the big gong at the City Hall than
the overworked attaches in the various
municipal offices threw down their
pens and official cares and deserted
their posts for period ending at the
hour of $3.50 o'clock on Monday morn
ing. There were but two or three ex-
ceptions, for an inexorable fate in the
person of the head of a department
decreed that one man should remain
on duty in the offices of the County
Clerk. Assessor and Health Board
Il have been waiting for this happy
event every Saturday at IL o'clock for
the last twenty-three years." said John
Ryan. assistant clerk of the Board of
Supervisors, who began to work for the
city when the water came up to Mont
gomery street. THE realization of my
fondest hopes seems too good to be
true" continued John as he wiped the
tears from his eyes. All Of which goes
to show that "all things come to him
who waits John!
This is as it should be- said Colonel
John B. Garland, erstwhile legal ad-
wiser to the Board of Public Works.
But the lawmakers might as we'll
have made the whole day holiday for
all the business that is done Then
they could have thrown in a half-holi-
day on Monday forenoon for good
measure to enable the boys to recover
more fully from the severe strain of
the week"
TO ACCOMMODATE PUBLIC.
The Assessors office will have one
clerk on duty on Saturday afternoons
during the busy times of the next two
months to accommodate the public The
Health Office is open only for the is
suance of burial permits, as it is not
intended that the law shall serve as
an obstacle to any one desiring to
shuttle off this mortal coil. A man is
also detailed for duty at the County
Clerks Office in the event that an i'm
patient attorney may desire to file
suit. All the other offices will be closed
tighter than drum at IL o'clock Sat
urdays, even including that Of the
Sheriff. Deputy Sheriffs, however, will
not reap any advantage from the half
holiday, as Sheriff Curtis will press
them into service on Saturday after
Moons to serve all wrlts filed before Il
o'clock. The rush of attorneys to the
Sheriff's office yesterday morning to
file papers was equal to that of a grand
opera seat sale, as attachments must
be levied at whatever cost.
Then as to the other kind Of attach
ments, cupid" Danforth did not have
q very busy forenoon yesterday, de- |
spite the publicity given to the going
into effect of the half-holiday law. At /
IL o'clock Danforth had issued but ten !
licenses to embark on the matrimonial (
sea. Danforth had no sooner closed the ;
door of his Office than he heard ter
rife knocking. He opened the door and
bashful looking swain tremblingly
informed him that he desired to secure i
marriage license.
I'VE are closed for business" said |
law is in effect to-day"
PLEADS FOR LICENSE.
For Gods sake said the man, I've
been here six different times to get a
license, and each time my courage
failed me. Now the girl told me if
came back without the license she
would marry the other fellow that's
counting her.
Come in, my good man." said Dan
forth. You shall have your license.
The new law is not in much favor
with per diem employees Of the city.
If they lay off on Saturday afternoons
they will receive no pay, as there are
no funds available. The instrument /
makers in the Department Of Electric I
ity will appeal to the Supervisors to
provide the funds, as they do not care |
to take the holiday at cost Of their pay
The bricklayers employed by the city |
have notified the Board Of Works that /
If they are compelled to work on Sat
urday afternoons they must be paid I
double wages under the rules OF their
union AS urgent repairs to brick sew
ers must be made at all times the /
board is in quandary, as the funds
on hand are inadequate to comply |
with the demands of the bricklayers. |
The question is knotty one, and the
City Attorney has been asked for an
opinion as to whether the law applies
to per diem employees.