Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-11-12
Pittsburgh.

The following, from Light, shows
what can be done under the partial re-
strictive laws of PENNSYLVANIA by a per-
severing organization:
At the summit of the incline which COM
mands a magnificent view of Allegheny,
Pittsburgh, and the country west and south
for many miles, was erected fifty thou
sand dollar house, provided with large
halls, verandas, with splendid outlook and
large bars. Immediately on the completion
OF the work, two years ago, the "Incline
Plane Resort" was opened and became the
most popular Sunday resort in the two
cities. From 10000 to 10000 persons were
reported as coming up the incline every
Sabbath, while thousands poured in from
other directions. Result: Our formerly
quiet Sabbath was no more. Our
streets were filled from morning till
night with noisy, drunken, vulgar
rabble. In some places the front of the
house had to be abandoned to escape the
vulgarity and profanity and lewdness that
shamed our streets. During the spring of
1885 an enterprising Cincinnati firm added
a new attraction in the shape of roller
coaster, which was built in close proximity
to the resort. The middle of May found
oil ready for starting in with added facili-
ties for cursing our community. Incl
dentally l learned from one of the bar
tenders of the place, that within a week
the whole thing was to be in full blast, and
that with o brass band on Sunday the
coaster and resort together would make
lively times. The news pierced my soul
like sword, and declared in his hearing
that il there was any law in Pittsburgh,
that thing should run against it.
went to work Immediately to form an
CTero To- ,rl,%%
it then confronted us, and in one week we
had got to business, issued our manifesto,
stopped the coaster SO that it never turned
q wheel on the Sabbath, and on very few
other days. and within six weeks it was in
the sheritf's hands, and three months after
there was noticing to tell its sad story, as
the lumber had been seized on carpenters
lien and taken away. We began prosecu-
tons at once against the resort and every
saloon (about forty) in the ward and vicin-
ity. They raised mobs at some of our
hearings" so that the lives of our wit
nesses were endangered, and guards were
necessary to bring them through the crowd
and protect them on the stand in the alder
mans office. We succeeded in making q
conviction in every case but one of over
thirty that went to court. We broke up tho
resort, and closed every saloon on Sunday.
Iuousa1dS OIL lines were cOllecCeQ, ana q
number of saloon-keepers spent month
or more in the county jail. We re-
organized in May last and have been push
ing the work. The resort opened under
new auspices, and has been running very
quietly; but We have five cases against
them which will come into court next week,
and if we win the proprietor will go to jail
for year, or several years. We have also
closed every cigar store, news stand, drug
store, confectionery, and grocery store in
the ward. It is for this kind of work that
our lives are threatened. AS Chairman of
the committee and President Of the Asso-
citation, have received two letters, one
with skull and crossbones and coffin, the
other inclosed notice of Rev. Haddock's
death, and informing us that the same thing
would happen in Pittsburgh if we did not
stop. Threats have been made on the
streets, and members of our committee
have been warned that it would be unsafe
for them TO walk the streets at night.
They have tried to boycott, and every
other method that towards and villains
could employ to turn us aside from our pur-