‘At 6 o’clock tonight, the ban again goes into
effect, and will close theaters, schools, churches, public halls, billiard and
bowling rooms, public assemblies and public funerals, and street cars will not
be permitted to carry more than five persons standing.
“Stores and offices will
have to close at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, all employees to be dismissed at
that hour.”
Hamilton Herald. November 30, 1918.
The first editions of the
Hamilton daily newspapers, the Spectator, the Herald and the Times, all
featured front page stories, arising from the Board of Health decision to re-impose
restrictions on public assembly. The restrictions, for the most part, were the
same as had been in place earlier in the month. However, in addition, the board
of health decided that all stores and offices in the city would have to send
their employees home and be closed by 4 p.m.
The purpose of the added
restrictions was to help avoid with the overcrowding on the street cars :
“The order for early closing
is made to relieve the congestion at the later hours. It will make it possible
for people to walk to their homes or wait until room has been provided on a
street car for them, thus getting home from work at a reasonable hour.”1
1“Ban
Goes On at 6 O’Clock Tonight : Schools, Theaters and Churches Must Be Closed,
and Public Meetings of All Kinds Are Forbidden By the Board of Health : Stores
Close at 4 O’Clock : All Employees in Stores and Offices Are to Be Dismissed at
This Hour, and Crowding in Street Cars is Forbidden””
Hamilton Herald. November 30, 1918.
The reaction of store owners
was immediate and critical. It was demanded that an emergency meeting of the
board of health be called, and that a deputation from the store-owners be allowed
to make a presentation.
The Herald assigned a
reporter to cover that morning meeting. His coverage was not only written up
but was ready to be published in the paper’s afternoon edition. With bold
lettering, the basic details of the situation were laid out for readers to
quickly see :
“ SPECIAL MEETING CALLED
A
full meeting of the board of health, which will be held later this afternoon or
tomorrow, will consider the request of a deputation of retail merchants, that
they be allowed to keep their places of business open from 10 o’clock in the
morning until 7 o’clock in the evening, instead of closing at 4 o’clock in the
afternoon. The deputation waited on Dr. Roberts this morning.
OPENING OF STORES
“The
order of the board of health provides that any store in the city, no matter
what its character, may remain open after 4 o’clock if only the proprietor or
an assistant is in charge.” 2
2 “Merchants
Say Order Defeats Its Purpose : Shorter Hours Will Cause Congestion That Is to
Be Avoided, and They Propose That Hours Be From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. : This Will
Give Relief : Longer Period Will Prevent Crowding In the Stores and Give
Shoppers More Time to Reach Homes and Thus Prevent Jamming in Cars”
Hamilton Herald. November 30, 1918.
The argument against the
early closing order were presented as follows :
“The merchants of the city, while willing to
obey any regulation of the health authorities in the public interest or safety,
think that shopping hours as set by the ban will defeat the object sought by
the board of health. The new regulations make it necessary for stores to close
at 4 p.m.
“That means that a majority
of the shoppers will be forced to do their buying between the hours of 10 a.m.
and 4 p.m., and instead of keeping crowds from congregating will really result
in the stores being jammed during those hours.
“Not only will it
result in causing a jam in the stores at those hours, but will also work out so
that the crowds will be ready to go home about 5 o’clock at the rush hour on
the street car lines, and will increase instead of decreasing the congestion on
the cars.
“What the merchants propose is that the hours
for the stores to keep open be from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. Their argument is that
allowing shoppers a longer period in which to do their buying will not only
stop the danger of congestion in the stores, but will also relieve the
congestion on the street cars, since the shoppers will not then be compelled to
travel on the street cars during rush hours. With these strong arguments, they
think that they will have no difficulty in convincing the health authorities
that the change will be in the interests of the public.”2
One of the most colorful and
opinionated storeowner was L.R. Tobey who ran a popular clothing store on James
street North:
“L.R.Tobey today made the following statement
regarding the closing order as it applies to store :
‘Last night’s paper, with
the order closing stores at 4 o’clock, is the final stroke that killed father.
‘There is not one man of
this board of health, as far as I know, who will be affected financially by
this order. I am not finding fault, but one or two of the merchants should have
been called. Plans could have been made that would not have throttled the
business just at the busiest time of the year.
‘I, for one, as far as my
business is concerned, have a lighted, well-ventilated store, and the people
could have been regulated so that no more than a certain number would be
allowed in at any one time from 4 o’clock until closing and there would have
been no more danger from the ‘flu’ than closing at 4 o’clock.
‘The merchants have bills to
meet and goods to selland this drastic measure will frighten the whole country
so that there will not be a farmer come near the place, and will frighten the
people who live here, and fear, I imagine, will bring on disease. The people
are going downtown anyway, and there will be just as big crowds on the streets
as there ever were.
‘It is going to work great
hardships with clerks. Merchants who are forced to close their businesses at 4
o’clock Saturdays cannotpay the wages unless they do the business, and there is
no need of help, so lots will be dismissed.
‘I do not think you can
force people to be good, but it is like the boy who leaves his newspapers in
front of a building. You put your cent there and take the paper, and I will
guarantee there is not one paper stolen in a year. Take Hamilton people on
their honor and they will make good.
‘Men, whose businesses drop
from $100 to thousands over this 4 o’clock business, send your bills and see if
they will settle them for you.
‘As a boy, I always used to
envy a banker and his hours and the wages that he made. In my life, I felt like
a school teachers, that is, as far as the salary they get, but I have never had
the privilege to feel like a banker; but this 4 o’clock closing proposition
will give me that glorious feeling.
‘The merchants who have big
stores would be delighted to pay policemen to regulate the crowds, and they are
willing to co-operate with the health authorities in every way they can.
“I would not have taken
three pages in the papers yesterday had I known about this 4 o’clock closing,
and I think that Dr. Roberts ought settle my account with the Spec., Times and
Herald. I am sending him the bill.’2
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