Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-08
Crowds Throng Downtown to
Profit of Stores and Amuse-
ment Places.
TRAFFIC GETS KN0TTY
AT POINTS DURING RUSH
Libraries, Zoo and Other Non.Com'
mercial Attractions Record Larger
Number of Visitors.

Washington took stock last night OF
the first Saturday half holiday OF the
year for Government employees, and the
general verdict of all concerned pro-
nounced It q sweeping success.
Traf1ic in the downtown section was
tied in a dozen different knots during
the peak of the rush hour between
noon and / 80 o'clock as thousands of
released clerks, advancing like an army
on foot and on wheels, bore down upon
the shopping and theater districts from
all directions. It was q happy-go-lucky,
jostling crowd, such as Washington sees
only on special fete days and around
Christmas and police were kept busy
directing its flow.
Perhaps the most congested corner
was Fourteenth and F streets, where a
sound movie" was installed to mirror
for people all over the country the
scenes and noise of the first results of
the new all-year Saturday half-holiday
law which released approximately 70, 900
in washington alone. Even during the
late afternoon the crowd, somewhat
thinned out, were still milling about r
street on business and pleasure bent.
Some Kept at Work.
Scenes at the various Government
departments at noon and O'Clock were
during the past Summer, when the en-
ployes we're released. Young folks made
"whoopee" as they made a rush down
the street. With few exceptions every
one regularly employed in the Federal
and District services was released after
four hours work. A small force was
kept at the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing to do some emergency work,
and the, special force handling the
bonus loans at the Veterans Bureau
likewise were unable to avail themselves
Of the half holiday. But these un-
fortunate ones, as they were regarded
by many, win be given extra freedom
at some other time to make up for their
sacrifice
Washington department store man
ayers reported yesterday afternoons
trade as actually exceeding their own
expectations Of the increased trade for
which many of them had made spe-
cial provisions. Attaches of the the
aters also were busy keeping the lines
OF patrons in orderly form all during
the afternoon. One large department
store reported not only a decided in
lot OF new customers whom veteran
salespeople had no recollection Of see
ing in the store before
1t was the general opinion of mer-
chants and retail storekeepers that the
first Saturday half holiday has had
a very wholesome and vitalizing effect
on trade.
Steady Flow Of People.
It was noticeable on some Of the
busiest streets that as hundreds Of
persons disappeared others speedily
took their places in the ranks, new.
corners arriving either from lunch o.
home. Street car companies and bus
lines we're ready with extra cars II
take care of the peak load.
The Public Library and the Library
of Congress, where the more serious.
minded preferred TO read in the sur.
rounding quiet, had a considerable in
crease in the usual number of Satur.
day afternoon visitors. These institu-
tons, as well as other public places
frequented by visitors and tourists, re-
manned open during the day.
Hundreds took advantage Of the
chance to see the new snake house
at the Zoo about which they had heard
so much, and the lions and the
monkeys must have wondered why all
the extra crowds were nocking 70 their
cages. They didn't know anything
about new Saturday half holiday law,
but win probably get used to it before
the month Is out.