Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-08
THE TANKS RUN DRY.
The Penny-in-the-Slot Scheme Beats
the L. and O. League.
ONE SUNDAY OF SALES FOR CASH,
When the Sellers Couldn't be Found at
Work by officers.
DRUGSToREs AND MILK SHAKES AGAIN

Captain wishart was interviewed yester-
day afternoon at his cozy residence on Mt.
Washington for the purpose of ascertaining
the temper of the Law and Order League in
the matter of the drop-a-penny-in-the-slot-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. machines, which
have been put up all over the two cities,
and which reaped generous harvest yester-
day. The myrmidons of the L. & o. gazed
longingly at the machines, but were at sea,
as it was a new wrinkle in the line of eva
sion of Sunday law. Modern enterprise
seemed to have the blue laws on the hip.
Captain Wishart seemed rather cautious
about expressing an opinion upon the nat
ter. Eyes," said he, 81 have seen the
water machines, but our Executive Commit
tee has net had any legal advice upon the
implied or express violation of the Sunday
selling laws. Oh, yes, we shall look the
matter up, for the society keeps right up
with the procession. Should beer or whisky
be furnished in an automatic manner, L
have no doubt that our courts would con-
strue such sales as evasions or violations of
the law. am not prepared to say what we
will do until we have further knowledge.
1 uphold DIR. Ramilton's opinion that river
water without ice is the healthiest drink, for
warm weather. Besides, much mineral
water is manufactured"
AS HOSTILE AS POSSIBLE.
"Wnat attitude does the Law and Order
League assume in regard to 'speak-easies?'
was asked.
"We had % cases before a magistrate
last month, under the act of 1855. All of
the cases were for Sunday selling. Several
defendants were fined the minimum amount,
$50, with the understanding that they were
to quit selling on Sunday. As an alterna-
tive 1 threatened to prosecute under the
Brooks law, and thus they would receive
heavier punishment and fines; and in this
manner quite a number of speak-easies have
been permanently closed. 1 don't believe
that there are hundreds of these places in
the two cities, as see claimed.
''The speak-easies do very little harm, by
the way. Their clientele is very limited,
for every man who gets in must be vouched
for. L know of one place We raided where
the entire stock of beer on hand for Sunday
was a quarter keg."
Chow about suppression of these places?"
1T is hard for our agents to make out
strong cases, because of the secrecy which
surrounds them. The Department of Public
Safety could close every speak-easy in Pitts
burg within ten days. But the public can
not very we'll ask of officials why they do
not attend to their duty"
"Do the saloon keepers desire the speak
easies closed?"
"If they do, there are no indications Of
such desire. have heard it stated that
the saloon men have more business now
than they can accommodate, and do not feel
that the illicit traffic injures them. The
L. & o. will prosecute all the speak-easy
cases we can get hold of. simply in the line
of supplying official shortcomings"
PITTsBURGERs KICKING.
"This pennv-in-the-slot scheme is pretty
chilly for us Pittsburgers, remarked man
who has stood in the forefront of many q
valiant battle with Captain Wishart. "Here
a lot of rank outsiders from Minneapolis
come in here and sell their mineral water
all day Sunday, and we are forced to keep
our soda water fountains shut and see others
making money. If there is such a thing as
consistency about the L. & o., they should
move actively against this new scheme"
The Waukesha mineral water machines
did an immense business yesterday. and
were all exhausted by 2 o'clock in the after
noon. 1t is only fair to say that the ma
chine is prevented from being bunko game
by the fact that, when the contents are ex-
hausted, a piece of metal descends and
closes up the slot, so that no one can lose by
experimenting to see whether drink can be
secured or not.
The movement among the druggists, out
lined recently in THE DISPATCH. showing
that it was proposed to sell soda water and
other articles on Sunday in defiance of the
Law and Order League, was inaugurated
sold as in the days before the L. and o. One
Federal street druggist in Allegheny, and
some others, were doing rushing business.
Among the sidewalk men Martin and the
man at the Casino Museum ventured into
the old style. The extreme heat of the day
insured lively patronage to those who had
the temerity to brave the blue laws.