THE SECOND SATURDAY OF THE MONTH

by Pam North

It's almost the second Saturday of the Month.  So what, you say?  While
it has no real significance in modern-day Central City and Black Hawk,
there was a time in the history of the two cities that the second
Saturday of the month was a day of impromptu celebration and excitement,
and an important social custom.

Gilpin County's economy in the later 1800s rested squarely and solidly
on the mining industry.  Thousands of men were employed by hundreds of
small mining companies (rather than by any one major mining operation),
and those companies usually had their main business offices somewhere
back in the eastern part of the country, in larger cities where capital
could be raised to support the mining operations.  The local managers in
Gilpin County were in charge of organizing the bills and recording the
payrolls due, sending all the information to the main offices where the
checks were issued, and then awaiting the arrival of the checks covering
those accounts.  This procedure usually took anywhere from seven to ten
days, and the checks were drawn on local banks.  In order to deal with
this time-consuming operation, the second Saturday of the month was
designated as the common payday.  Even the leasing system of mine
operation, whereby miners working for themselves and paying the mine
owners a royalty from the ore's value, adjusted itself to this common
payday.

In between these monthly paydays, the county's economy functioned on a
liberal credit system.  People charged nearly all their purchases, and
then settled up their accounts on the second Saturday of the month.
Families looked forward to payday nearly as much as a holiday.
Typically an early meal was prepared, with the wife and older children
dressed and ready, and when the husband arrived at home, they all left
as soon as he had changed his clothes and eaten.  The common financial
arrangement in those days was for the man to turn over his paycheck to
his wife, who was the one who ran the household, paid the bills and
tried to save some of the leftover money.  The required first stop in
town was always at the bank, to cash the check for payment in gold
coin.  The husband would usually take leave of his family at this point,
after pocketing a few coins, and head for the nearest saloon to indulge
in a few beers and conversation with his peers.  The wife was left to
attend to everything else.

Since the second Saturday of the month was payday for nearly everyone,
the streets were crowded with people in good spirits, happy to have
money in their pockets again, to be able to meet their obligations and
to establish new credit.  Stores and shops were visited, and purchases
were made.  Children used the opportunity to try to wangle a sweet or an
ice cream, or perhaps a small toy.  Often an extra item, free-of-charge
and known as "something over the bill," would be bestowed by a
storekeeper as thanks for a customer's business.   The shopping,
bill-paying and visiting generally consumed the entire day, and it often
wasn't until late in the evening that the women and children rejoined
the men to return home.

The day was more than just receiving wages and paying bills.  It was an
entire social custom.  Pleasantries and news were exchanged; friendships
were refreshed and strengthened, and acquaintances were made.  Women
caught up on the latest gossip and discussed the newest fashions, and
men spent time together in happy camaraderie as they nursed their beers
and smoked their cigars.  Children felt grown-up to be included, and
learned valuable lessons as they participated in the intricacies of
maintaining a household, doing business and interacting in society.
Memories, to be fondly revisited in later years, were made.

The custom of having payday on the second Saturday of the month went by
the wayside in the early 1900s, when the Colorado Legislature enacted a
statute providing for twice-a-month paydays.  While people still went to
town when they had money, apparently it just wasn't quite the same.


Resource:  Yesterday Was Another Day, by Louis J. Carter.