The Wilmingtonian. (Wilmington, Del.) 1882-188?, 1883-06-23
SUNDAY DRINKING AND
EXCURSION STEAMERS.


Whatever may be the issue of the argu-
ment between the partisans of the Lords
Day observance and those of the Free Sun
day system, there can be no question in any
rational mind that the privilege allowed to
Sunday excursionists to purchase intoxicat-
ing liquors on board the steamers is at vari-
ance with law, with decency and with pub
lie policy. Every Sunday afternoon during
the season three steamers leave this city for
Philadelphia, carrying an average of 200
persons each at fare for the round trip of
25 cents. All or any of the persons SO con-
veyed are free to procure on board as much
liquor as they thinl. proper-the limit of
supply being regulated only by their pow
ers of suction and the depth of their purse.
1t is fact, of couse, that not one or two,
but a score at least of licensed saloons in
this city sell Intoxicating liquors on Sum
day; their customers merely entering by
the back door instead of the front. But
the thing is illegal, and heavy penalty is
supposed to be attached to violation of the
law. Yet this law permits on the river
what it declares to be punishable in the
city. Why?
Is it because the liquor is necessary on
board vessel, and not on shore9
Is it because the people who patronize
the excursion steamers really want it ?
To the first question no answer is neces-
sary To the second we might promptly
answer no-the people do not want it.
A representative of THE WILMIsGToNIAN
desrous of testing the question, went up to
Philadelphia on the steamer FELTON, on a
Sunday afternoon trip The ship carried
about 800 passengers. of these about one
fourth were Germans, who from national
custom and instinct are staunch advocates
of the free Sunday OF the entire number
who stepped on board at Wilmington not a
single one came under notice as having
been drinking; in fact until the vessel
| reached Chester not half dozen persons
had entered the bar At Chester, however,
number of noisy youths boarded the
steamer and during the balance of the trip
amused themselves with professional jokes
and mild horse play. At Philadelphia there
was general rush to the various saloons,
which were open, without the smallest
show of disguise as freely as in the week
day. On the depaitu Of the steamer DO
minutes later the effects of the liquor were
apparent in number of cases. The ma jor-
| ity of the tipplers got off at Chester
The special officer on the vessel had no
| trouble with the party after the vessel left
Chester and when Wilmington was reached
there were but two of the passengers who
could be said to be in any way the worse
for liquor.
The conclusion arrived at by the repre-
sentative of this journal was that SO far as
the patronage best owed on the bar by viii
minstonians was concerned, there wa'
nothing to reward the enterprising seller 0
rum for the loss of his Sunday rest The
customers who patronized him seemed t.
belong to the class who will go whereve
liquor is to be had, on sea or on shore, ant
whose only pleasure in the excursion con
sisted in the facilities for procuring dram
The large majority of the excursionist
let the bar severely alone. The spe cia
! officer on duty in the company-interest sai'
: that there was some drunkenness on boar,
J now and again during the trips but it wa
almost entirely at the Philadelphia end 0
the journey.