Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-04-28
Thank Heavings, the Lamr-Posts
Still Remain.

Still ReInaln.
A few days ago the Council acting
under chapter II, section 7, of the
General Ordinances, ordered the side
walks cleared of distractions, in
Guiding samples in front of stores.
The ordinance is as follows:
"Any person or persons who shall
obstruct the sidewalks, streets or al
leys of the city, or cause the same to
be done, with wood, coal, brick, NOR
tar, boxes, barrels, wagons carts,
drags, or other distractions, or shall
build or cause to be built any fence
thereon, shall be fined not less than
IS, nor more than $40 for each day
such Instructions shall remain I:
Provided, however, that this section
shall not apply to building material
intended for immediate use, and
which shall not occupy exceeding
one half the width of the streets from
the curbing oil the one side of the
building and which shall be removed
as soon as practicable in building"
There is also special ordinance
against hanging signs across the
pavements, which was passed in 1877,
but has never been rigidly enforced.
The order of removal recently issued
by the board embraced actual OBJ
structions, but on last Friday Sec
ond order was issued through the
chief Of police, which included every
thing in, on or above the streets, curb
stones or pavements. Under it ev-
cry sign upon the streets was
condemned; hitching posts
outside the curb-stoncs were ordered
up, boxed sign posts, bill-boards and
wooden awning frames, with posts
in the ground, were hauled down and
now nothing remains but the tele-
graph poles, lamp-posts and now and
then a tree. Some of the signs order
cd down were put up this year at an
expense of 1925 or $50.
The SoUTH KENTucKIAN is not dis.
posed to prescribe course of action
for our city fathers, but it claims the
right TO condemn the ordinance I'M
der which they acted in removing
signs that were in no sense obstruc'
tons. Many Of these signs were Of
great service to the merchants. They
served to designate and locate stands
with those who could not read the
signs over the doors. We believe the
business interests of the city viii
suffer by the rigid enforcement of thi'
ordinance. The absence of everything
that would serve TO act as a guide, OF
assist visitors or strangers in finding
their way in the city, will do but lit
tie to encourage trade and invite Gus
tom. The present Board cannot b,
blamed for enforcing an ordinanc,
already existing-though they may
be interpreting its intentions little
too rigidly-but there are many Othe
ordinances that are very loosely en-
forced and whose enforcement is NOR,
urgently demanded. There is al
ordinance prohibiting profanity OF
the streets, but when was any etlor
ever made TO enforce il? there is al
ordinance against vagrancy, but whel
was tramp ever forbidden the free
dom of the city? These are but sam
pies of the many ordinances that ar
practically dead-letters, the enforce
ment of any one of which would d,
good without doing injustice to tn
business interests of any taxpayer
But still there must be startin!
point and it may be that our "RefOrn
Council" will follow up the work be
gun and enforce all the ordinance
as rigidly as the one concerning
pavement distractions.