The morning call., 1890-11-24
TEMPERANCE REFORM
Interesting History of the Dash.
away Association.
Its Rise and Fall-Schemers Who Compassed
Its Dsstruotion-A New Society to Rise
From Its Ruins.

A petition is before the Superior Court to
permit the dissolution Of the Dashaway As
sociation and a division of its funds, which
now amount to about S27, 900.
This short announcement heralds the be-
ginning OF the end of an association which
was power for great good in its day. Its
history is one Of absorbing interest, and,
briefly stated, is as follows:
On cold and dreary day in December,
1859, nineteen old firemen of Howard En-
CINE Company 8, all whole-souled fellows
as we'll as hard drinkers. met in the engine
house on California street, near Sansome
(where the Pantheon saloon now stands,
and resolved to dash away" the bottle for
a period of six months, their season of alb
Stinence to end on the anniversary of their
compaDy's organization. The late Frank E.
X. Whitney, then Chief of the Volunteer
Fire Department, was the prime mover in
the affair. A pledge was drawn up and
signed aud the gathering broke up to meet
again in one week. The weeks abstinence
was hard trial for some Of the signers
and one related that to appease his appetite
for strong drink it was necessary for him to
keep sage-tea in the chowder-room for days.
On the second meeting fresh accessions
joined the ranks and it was decided to form
an association.
FIRST PUBLIC MEETING.
Whitney caused many to enlist in the
service, the clergy lent helping hand and
in few weeks the Dashaways held their
first public meeting in an old iron building
on Pine and Sansome streets. Meetings
were held every Sunday afternoon and even
ing, which were crowded at all times, and it
was not an unusual thing at them to see
hundreds sign the pledge.
At the end of the six months agreed on not
a man left the association, and the society
had become so popular and so strong that its
founders determined to provide a house Of
their own for meetings and social purposes.
Accordingly the Chief went to work with
his accustomed zeal, aud in short time pro-
cured the lot on the south side of Post
street, where Irving Hall is now situated,
penditure of $4,000 The building con-
tanned a reading-rO0m and library, which
were open at all times TO members aud their
friends, large hall and gallery capable of
seating 1000 people and several smaller halls
suitable for club-rooms, etc. Here for over
sixteen years the association worked and
proSpered
NEW HALL ERECTED.
In 1877 it was determined to tear down
the original structure and put up more
pretentious building, with stores UNDER
meath, from which q handsome revenue
could be realized. This was DONE the
building the present Irving HalD, was
erected. the year following it was formally
dedicated. the name, "Dashaway Hail." be-
Ing given TO il, and the work of temperance
reform was resumed. But about this time
a lack of earaestnesS was noticeable among
the membership. Tine meetings were not
as well attended as they once were, and very
frequently not even quorum was present.
A small band of schemers took advantage
of this state of affairs, and when a favora-
BILE opportunity presented itself so amended
the constitution and bylaws that rules gov
erning the admission of new members were
made uBduly severe, the presence of only
three black balls in the ballots debarring
the candidates from admission. By this
means the association fell into the hands of
ring, and no proposition for the good OF
the cause could ever afterward be put
through.
DECLINE OF THE SOCIETY.
In the latter part Of 1879 the society dis
continued holding its Sunday night meetings
to the astonishment of the public, and moth
ing again was heard of it until two years
had elapsed, when petition was made to
sell the lot and building, which was granted.
Some time afterward one member, Eagan,
shot Charles Ashton at private meeting OF
the association. which at the time had
wind led down to some tllirty-fve members,
because Mr. Ashton denounced as infamous
a plot to give each member $500 and put
away $4,000 for the purchase of another
site and the erection Of another building.
The plot succeeded, and every member but
Mr.. Ashton eagerly accepted $500 apiece.
1t is needless to remark the $4,000 was
never expended in buying lot or building
hall. 1t is this sum, and its increase, that
the "chosen few" are after, and which they
hope to obtain when the court grants the
prayer of their petition. Mr.. Ashton. how
ever, will endeayor TO prevent this. He has
already tried TO compel them 10 disgorge
their il-gotten gains, but so far has failed.
THE HOME OF THE INEBRIATEs.
The plan now proposed by the ring is to
leave the Home of the InebTiates in the con-
troll of q few men who will bind themselves
never TO turn it over to the city, though it
has been sustained for years out Of the
Police Court lnes to the extent of thou
sands of dollars.
II is singular fact that Chief Whitney
predicted the downfall of the Das haway
Society over twenty years ago. When he
left 1t to organize the Temperance Legion,
in card published about that time he said
he did not desire to be associated with men
whom he had picked from the gutter, and
who were then aiming to destroy the asso-
citation for their own selt-aggrandizement
The legion held large public meetings twice
week, in various halls and for over ten
years in the hall of the Young Mems
Christian Association. When Moody and
Sankey raised fund to pay off
the debt of said hall in 1881, the legion was
compelled to suspend operations for want
of a suitable meeting-place Its members
tried to obtain Dashaway Hal, which was
vacant on Sunday evening, but that assoca-
ton would not rent it for temperance
meeting. though willing to do SO for any
other purpose. Chief Whitney, who was
the President of the legion, declared the
legion would get a hall, and he was nego-
tiating for the building of one on Sixth
street, when he was taken i'll and was never
afterward able TO take hold of the move
ment The legion, in consequence, never
held meeting afterward, and finally
dropped out of existence.
NEW ORGANIZATION.
At a gathering recently held of several of
the former members nf the Dashaways and
the legion the feasibility of organizing So
ciety which would be conducted on the old
plan was discussed, and NEE Ting is shortly
to be held to further consider the matter III
enough Jealous advocates of temperance can
be brought together, and a President or
leader secured who will have the public
confidence, such society will be immedi-
ately organized, and its first public meeting
will be held on New Years eve.
1t is contended that great good could be
accomplished and intemperance greatly de-
creased by SO doing. A few believe in
strongly urging and agitating high license
and the framing Of such an ordinance as
will separate a btr-rOom from grocery.