Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-02-26

required tnat the department OF fuDllC
Safety have three days time to enable it to
judge of the character of such entertain.
ments and that all balls pay fee of SIS fol
each "a hours of their existence, fine and
imprisonment to follow infractions.
Mr.. Mckee raised the point that corpo'
ration could not be imprisoned, and that
the ordinance to be effective must make the
parties representing the corporation fneabls
and imprisonable, and he offered an amend
ment to that effect.
Mr.. Lambie further offered to amend Mr..
Mckee that SIS fee should be charged fol
masked and but S. for other balls.
Mr.. Shelton wanted an ordinance that
would not permit masked balls at all. He
wanted to avoid even the appearance ol
evil. He was opposed to all balls, as officers
could not be depended on to do their duty.
He denounced the license provision as
blood money. City officials were in attend
ance at the Mark Twain Rod and Gun Club
ball lending their sanction.
Mr.. Robertson interrupted tosay that Mr..
Shelton stopped short of the logical conclu-
sion and wanted to know why he allowed
license of any kind, and Mr.. Shelton said
that he would not if he had the power. Mr..
Robertson concluded by offering an amend
ment that the provision should not apply, to
purely social affairs.
ONE REASON FOR IT.
DR.. Evans thought the ordinance q good
thing, but he could not understand why the
police could not have suppressed the disor-
der at the NJ. 7. r. & G. ball.
Mr.. Sullivan came back with the argu-
ment of like priest, like people. He under
stood that the conduct of city officials at the
ball in question was fully as disgraceful as
that of other people present. He would
have no masked balls at all. The organiza-
tion in question could pay $500 Incense as
easily as some poor young men could pay 80
for innocent relaxation of this kind.
Mr.. Robertson defended the ordinance on
the ground that it placed responsibility for
such things on a department that could be
reached.
Mr.. McKee's amendment was defeated by
a vote of IL to IL, so that it left the Stand
ard Oil Company liable to imprisonment if
if held ball without license and refused
to pay its fine.
Mr.. Lambie pressed his amendment and
demanded the ayes and noes, saying he
wanted to know who were and who were not
in favor of morality. This raised quite an
animated protest. as Mr.. Sullivan coupled
houses of ill-fame in connection, and both
Mr.. Skelton and Mr.. Getty took exceptions,
though not exactly assigning the same rea-
sons. Mr.. Lambie's amendment was de-
fested, 15 to IL.
Mr.. Robertson next offered an amendment
that the ordinance should not apply to
private or charity balls, the authority
designated to be the judge of the character
of the entertainment proposed.
Mr.. Lambie offered an amendment to the
amendment to exclude masked balls.
The amendment prevailed, Is to II, Mr..
Sullivan voting for it.
Mr.. Frew next came in with an amend
ment to strike out everything relative Ito
masked balls, and also to strike out the
provision requiring a license of SIS, leaving
the matter simply under the control Of the
Board of Public Safety.
This brought out Mr.. Getty in full
strength. In the first place, he gave the
city officials bill of moral health, and said
politicians were obliged to attend such
balls or get left. They will go to church or
to the masked ball to get votes. Said he:
II would have been there if 1 deemed it
necessary in my canvass. In well-regulated
to 60 to balls where they will be marked and
twained (contaminated).
AS TO POLICE SUPERVISION.
DR.. Evans held there should be police su-
pervision of public balls and people who
want them should pay for it, and Mr..
Hollands and several other people assured
him that at present they were required to
do so.
Mr.. Robertson moved an amendment to
SIS, but his amendment was voted down.
Mr.. Getty came to the fore again and told
what good times he and the other old BOYS
had in their youth when they took their
sweethearts to masked balls 20 and % years
ago, and demanded that the youth of the
present day should be allowed equal privi-
leges with their progenitors.
Mr.. Frew finally called for the ayes and
noes on his amendment. and it prevailed, II
to 10, amid an expiring kick from Mr.. Skel-
ton. At this juncture motion was carried
to adjourn, and as the ordinance now stands
it simply gives the Board of Public Safety
control, and thus places the responsibility,
should it pass.
A special meeting of Select Council is
called for tomorrow afternoon to clear the
desks of last years business.
The financial report of the Department of
Public Safety for the month of January
was presented and adopted:
Police Bureau-Expended, s29, 7S5 6S; balance
in appropriation February i. SlS5S0 7S Fire
Bureau-Expended, SIS, 43S "a; balance in an.
preparation, Sll, l04 S. Bureau of Electricity
Expended, 81, ,2l8 l9; balance in appropriation,
81 80. Bureau of Health-Expended, $3.50 80;
balance in appropriation, S735 9S Building In
spector-Expended, 1851 "a: balance, S32l "a
Bureau of Plumbing-Expended, 1897 So; bal.
ance, S67 20. General ofhce-Expended,S $500 81;
balance, $l7 so General approDriation-Ex-
pended, s66,6A 81; balance in appropriation,
$Sl, $50 10
In Common Council on the call of the
wards Mr.. Binder presented an ordinance
for relocating Industry street. This was the
only paper presented and was the one
thousand one hundredth that has been con-
sidered in Common Council during the
present term.
On consideration of the ordinance giving
the East End Electric Light Company right
to erect poles and string wires, Mr. Fergu-
son raised the point that Councils could not
give the right to erect poles on the side
walks, but the ordinance was passed by
vote of "A yeas to Mr.. Ferguson's no.
ANOTHER ENGINE HOUSE.
Mr.. Bigham called up the ordinance for
the purchase of a lot in the Thirty-second
ward for an engine house, not to cost more
than s., 200 President Halliday (Mr. Big
ham in the chair) moved to amend by pro-
viding that the lot shall be at or near the
line Of the Thirty-fifth ward. The amend
ment was agreed to and the ordinance was
laid over for printing.
Mr.. Wightman called up the ordinance
giving the Squirrel Hill Railroad the right
of way, and moved to amend by providing
that the road shall start from Forbes and
Boquet streets instead of Fifth avenue and
Boquet street, and shall be completed in IL
months instead of Is months. The amend
ments were agreed to, and the ordinance
went over for printing.
Mr.. Magee presented petitions from
number of business men. asking for the re-