The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-02
CITY INT LLIGE CE.
''THE ROUNDERS."


Yesterday morning there appeared in the
Personal" column ot one OF our papers notice
to this effect
this evening at Mntzer Hail. Business OF urgent
necessity will be transacted
In the fulflment of our obligations to the
public, one of our reporters was despatched
to the place of meeting to inquire into the
nature of that society which sailed under the
vague title of The Rounders." 1t was with
unspeakable satisfaction that he discovered
after q searching glance through the assem-
blage, that no other local Knight of the Quill
was present. and the luxury of beating his COM
peers out OF good "item presented itself iu
all its delightful forms. Our reporter was sur
prised TO discover in this assemblage, which
numbered not less than one huudred that while
the majority were mserably clad, and charac-
terized by that Tepulsive look which has grown
from brazen- facedness, Incidence, and dtsslpa-
tion, there were present quite number OF law
yeTs galaxy of State House Row politicians,
a coterie of Market-street business men, aud
(regretiully we reveal the dreadful truth) u
couple of that class who are regarded as the
moulders of public opinion viz: newspaper men
What these gentlemen could desire with such
gaunt faced, foul smelling, and bleary-eyed tel-
lows who made up the balance of the whole
assemblage was now become the burden of our
reporters inquiries; and that he might obtain
ali that was said, he drew out his notebook and
forthwith proceeded to point his pencil Hardly
had he done this than with that instructive sus-
picIon which inspires some souls that stand ia
continual dread of exposure, a member tapped
him on the shoulder ard said:-"WhaJs that
for (pointiUg to the nOte-book). You want ter
blab do yer 2" accompanying z this exclamation
with meDaciug frown Not at all, indig-
nantly replied our faithful scribe. II am going
to write out resolution" With an "Oh ah!
excuse NE, his inteTlocutor fell int painful
letbargy. But in fear of ultimate discovery, our
TepOrter-as many similarly crcumstanced
scribe hath done before-took shorthand notes
OF the proceedings on his finger nails and this
is not to be wondered at seeing that u large
sentence may, by the skilful photographer with
a slight movement of the pen be at once re-
corded and with astonishing minuteness.
After considerable confusion, Mr.. Hugh
Larkin was called TO the chair, and, having
returned his gratitude for the honor conferred
at once stated the object of tie meeting, thus:
"Gentlemen:-We have suffered long. We have
endured-l must say unmanfully endured the
continued insults of bar-tenders aud hotel
keepers. (Cries of ''Yes, yes," "Silence" etcO
We have for a long time honored the eating aud
drinking saloons of our large, well as small
"Louder,") with our patronage! We meet to-
night to resent the perfidious conduct of their
owners, who have recently ordered the abolish
"Shame :" Its too bad !'D Gentlemen, / tell
you the free-lunches are to be stopped. Shall
we endure this (Vehement cries of ''No!"
even from the cold comfort of crackers and
cheese. Must we stand this CA thunder of
Days) Then, gentlemen, if we are ever to vim
dicate our title to exalted manhood; if we are
do it now! Nol1. | say" (Sensation, loud APP
plause, and three groans for the hotel-keepers.)
James X. Nc Blather Esq, a member of the
bar, and who has considerable repute for his
legal eruditiOn, then said:-
''Mr. President:-Th sad condition of affairs
has for long time troubled me. was yester
day forcibly struck with the dshonor which has
been heaped upon us, when | entered a certain
bar-room, ordered the man behind the counter
to pour me glass of water, and then cut
piece of cheese and took half a dozen crackers
or so, for my refreshment And as [ was turn
ing to leave the bar tender-l will not call him
what he richly merits s-cried out iu o loud voice,
purposely raised to publish the insult Ain
you going TO buy something" To this l
witheringy replied and the miserable creature
bent in agony as my burning sarcasm touched
him:-'Haven't | had one drink (Applause.)
In view, sir, of the turn bar-room sentiment has
suddenly taken towards the members of this
society, have thought fit to prepare state
ment of what we are TO lose by the short-sighted
policy of hotel-k keepers and resatrGteurS, thus
We can now take whenever we go in to look
for a friend or to get a drink of water, or
when we are inUited to drink
Al the American .....................Cr Crackers
continental. .......... go. .CrackeTs
" Bingham. m..............B Bread aud cheese
" Green's. Chopped bread and cheese
Riegles. Broken pretzels
McCrystals. ................B Broken crackers
BeTgnef H. a Duscm utead ~
.in ie ,he fSinre If NV snsnicons prove Correct
we are to be cut off from these little luXuries;
and what is vet worse / hear that one of the
hotel proprietors has bought up some musty
hard tack, that has been condemned by the
naval authorities, with which to furnish his
free-unch bowl Can we calmly and passvely
brook such offense? Have we no spirit nor
dignity left?" (Cries of 'We have" ''We
have.m
Now arose one of the journalists we have
mentioned and his impassioned eloquence at
this moment on the subject of free lunches
caused the utmost enthusiasm, and amazed
our reporter that he was able to catch only the
concluding remarks, as follows:-"Shall it be
said my friends, that in this untrammelled
country, whose Independence was established
by the fervent unyielding, and never-dyiug
patriotism of her sons-shall il be said in this
city, whose name for broad philanthropy, libe-
raj education, limitless benevOlence and mercy,
that mercy which droppeth
AS the gentle dews from heaven,
is worldwide; this city of Penn, the immortal
Franklin, and the aggressive PaIker-shall it be
said that within her boundaries free lunches are
no longer to be tolerated Shame upon such
short-sightedness !" echoes of ''Shame,"
shame !'O Here the speaker was forced to cease
from sheer exhaustion.
another member then called the attention of
the meeting to the fact that in consequence of
the degeneration of the free lunch system he
had several heretofore lucrative routes which
he would sell out at a disastrous loss to himself
As there were no bids, the offers were with
drawn.
The following preamble and resolutions were
then adopted nen.. conf
Whereas, IL appears from common report that the
owners OF restaurants and drinking bars of the cty
OF Philadelphia are about stopping the Free Lunch
SYSTEM" which has become so popular among the
lrequenters Of their establishments, and
WEeTe1s, Such proceeding, in the opinion of this
meeting, will deterlorate from the good name our
city hath hitherto enjoyed for hospitality and drive
our business to other places OF resort therefore