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Show Stores to Restore System of Keeping Open Until Nine 'Clock Saturdays A communication was, on Saturday, addressed to the Eov. P. A. Simpkin and tho committee of tho Ladies' Literary Lit-erary club by a number of tho largest mercantile establishments in Salt Lake City respecting early closing on Saturdays. Satur-days. Tho communication announces the intention of tho stores signatory of keeping their places' of business open on Saturdays and on the days beiore holidays until 9 o'clock, instead of closing clos-ing at tho hours now prevailing. This rule will bo observed by the stores at least until January 1. Tho communication communica-tion follows: Salt Laltc City. Sept. 9, 1910. Rev. P. A. Simpkin and Committee of Ladles' La-dles' Literary Club. City: Dear Sir and Ladles The iindcrslgned business houses wero called upon by your committee early last spring and requested to close their stores at G o'clock Saturday Satur-day evenings and during the heated months at 1 o'clock Saturday afternoons. Principally because of your earnest solicitation solic-itation and because we were willing to give tho early-closing Saturday movement move-ment a fair test, wo havo closed our stores ut G o'clock slnco April of this year and at 1 o'clock on Saturday aftor-noonn aftor-noonn during tho heated months. In support of your request you told us that the movement would be general, that there was a popular demand for early Saturday closing all over the country, coun-try, and that the stores of Salt Lake City ought to fall In lino; that the movement had tho support of the laboring clas'scs; that the retail clorks. particularly tho numerous women clerks employed in tho stores of this city, would obtain relief from tho long Saturday hours and that they would be benefited from the fact thai, having a half holiday on Saturday they would havo a day and a. half which could bo devoted to rest or pleasure, and that the clerks would be fully rested and ready for work on Monday mornings. morn-ings. You further strongly impressed upon us tho fact that It was necessary to have tho larger storos lead In this movement move-ment and that when it was announced that such stores would close their doors at G Saturday nights and at 1 o'clock Saturday afternoons during the heated months, that your committee, having the support of tho larger stores, would be enabled within a reasonable timo to close all the retail stores of tho city at the same hours. Wo wero told that the movement move-ment was to cover all lines of business, .nm Liiiic niciu .in iiu wish iu luusu any of tho stores agreeing to close to lose business on account of other stores remaining open, but that cffortB would bo mado to havo all stores close. Wo havo consistently closed our stores on Saturdays on tho lines suggested by your committee, notwithstanding the fact that since it was definitely known that the larger stores would close and did close, that tho Saturday closing movement move-ment collapsed and that the movemont did not becomo genoral. as wo woro assured as-sured It would be. Having given tho movement a wholo summer's trial, wo desire to say that so far as the undersigned under-signed stores aro concerned, that we have lived up to our agreement and that the result. In consequence of the movement not becoming genoral has been satisfactory satisfac-tory neither to our customers nor ourselves, our-selves, nnd that therefore wo fool justified jus-tified In annulling tho arrangement for Saturday closing. Numorous customers, mostly laboring people, have complained to us bocause they were unable lo do their shopping on Saturday afternoons .and evenings, that being the most convenient timo for husband hus-band and wife to shop together, nnd because be-cause Saturday Is pay day with most contractors and business houses In this city. Every one of our businesses has suffered suf-fered financial loss through tho dlvorslon of Saturday afternoon and evening business busi-ness to stores which did remain open, such loss of buslcnss to our houses exceeding ex-ceeding 5150,000 In volume Tho actual loss was the gross profit on that amount of business, because the expense of doing do-ing business was no greater when the stores wore remaining open until 9 p. m., and for that reason and In response to tho demand of numerous customers, commencing Saturday, September 17. 1910, our stores will remain open until 9 o'clock p. ni. on Saturdays and nights before holidays. We wish to say that wo appreciate the feeling for tho betterment of conditions of the retail clerks which Is back of your efforts In belmlf of the Saturday closing clos-ing movement, and wo regret that bettor bet-tor success did not attend your work. We all of us hold to tlio name opinion as lo tho desirability of making the hours, environments and associations of our employees as pleasant as possible, and assure you that plans are under consideration con-sideration which will more ttian offset tho extra time we shall reuulro of thoin on Saturday evenings. Wo wish to bo entirely fair In the matter, mat-ter, and if your committee can obtain the necessary support and the positive assuranco that all competing lines will close their stores at t o'clock Saturday evenings from, say, January 1, 1911. the movement to bo general, we shall be pleased to close our stores again at G p. m. Saturday evening, but in the meantime we shall act Independently and resume our former custom ot closing at 9 o'clock p. m. on Saturday evenings and tho evenings before holidays. Wo desire to thank your commlll'oo for the great Interest you have taken and the time you have givon to I ho betterment bet-terment of the conditions surrounding tho salespeople or this city, and assure you of our Intention lo Join In the early Saturday closing movement If you can make it general In this city. Yours respectfully, KEITH-O'BRIEN" CO.. W, 11. Walker, manager. AUERBACH CO.. If. J. "Wallace, assistant manauor. L. & A. COK.T. M. U. Unman, secretary. THE PARIS MILLINERY CO.. W. O. Carbls, socrotary. N. M. HAMILTON. ' .T. C Dwyor. CUTLER BROS. CO. GRAY BROS. & CO. J. Will Gray. R. K. THOMAS DRY GOODS CO., R. IC. Thomas. ZION'S CO-OPERATIVE MERCANTILE MERCAN-TILE INSTITUTION, T. C. Webber, general manager. |