Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-27
THE POCKET FLASK.
Andy Robertson Opposes a
Rule FOrbidding Drink
ing in the Parks.
WORSE THAN BLUE LAWS.
But the Sale of IntoXicants Will Be
Strictly Prohibited.
POLICE FORCE TO BE INCREASED.
BIG Tilt Over Reimbursing Mckee Place
Property Owners.
WORSE THAN BLUE LAWS.
FORCE TO BE INCREASED.
A LOT OF NEW BUSINESS INTRODUCED

A temperance discussion, including q
reference by John Lambie to the notorious
''Yellow Dog Socials, which were once so
numerous in this city, was feature of yes
terday's session of Councils Chief Bige-
low had presented set of rules governing
the CITY parks, which he desired adopted as
an ordinance. No opposition was devel-
oped to any of the rules in committee, but
when they were read in Select Council
Mr.. Robertson promptly discovered de-
feet in rule 10, which, among other things,
prohibits ''the introduction of any spirituous
liquors within the limits of the park either
for private use or for sale.
Mr. Robertson moved to have the words
s'either for his own use Or" strick en- out.
''Whenever Mr.. Bigelow wants an appro-
priation for parks or authority to buy more
land said Mr. Robertson, "the fact is i'm
pressed upon us that these beautiful parks
are for the benefit of the workIngman and
his family, that he may go out there and
lie down under the pretty shade trees and
drink in the beauties of nature and the
fresh. pure air which heaven has SO abund-
antly provided for park purposes.
A Plea for Digestion.
'Now, why should not the workingman, if
he chooses, take out with him a bottle of
wine, or beer if you please, to drink in
with his pure air and assist in the digestion
of his picnic dinner. think that provision
an infringement on the rights of our citi-
zens 1 don't believe the selling of liquor
should be permitted, but a citizen should
have the same right to drink little beer
there, if he wishes, as in his own home"
Mr. Lambie was quick to respond. "It
you strike out those words" he exclaimed,
''you might as we'll strike out the whole
list of rules In my opinion, rule 10 is the
only one worth anything. Without it, in
its entirety, there is nothing to prevent
Yellow Dog Social or any other similar Or
ganization from taking beer and whisky out
to the parks and distributing it among its
members, producing drunkenness and
rowdyism, and rendering the parks unfit
for decent people to go to-"
Nh. Warmcastle followed, defending the
original rule vigorously. "Public decency,"
said he, demands that this change should
not be made. whenever you allow indis-
criminate drinking in place of this kind
you invite drunkenness and rowdy-
ism. You make the park a place where a
man of responsibility won't care to take his
family or to go himself
A Liquor Dealer Against Liquor.
Mr.. Donahoe, although a liquor dealer
himself, took the same view. 'If you
strike out this provision said he, 'tyou
will Kill the effect of the whole bill. No
man wants to take his family out where
several thousand people are congregated,
every other man with bottle of whisky in
his hip pocket"
Mr.. Robertson again took the floor and
repeated what he had just said, adding:
''The gentlemen who insist on making that
restriction are worse than the men who, in |
1874, passed the blue laws In this dav to |
prohibit man from taking a drink is a |
worse intrusion Oh his freedom, his liberty, |
than all the laws passed in 1894 were then. |
claim rowdyism will not follow by strik- |
ing out this obnoxious clause. There has |
been no rowdyism in the past without it, |
and there is no reason to expect it in the |
future"
The vote on the amendment was carried |
by 10 to II, but the ordinance as |
amended failed for want OF a legal majority, |
the vote being 9 against and 1S for.
Another tilt occurred in Select Council |
over the resolution appropriating S25, 600 |
for the payment of damages incurred bv the |
opening of Mckee Place. A communica- |
tion from the City Attorney stated that as |
the case stands the property holders on Nc |
kee Place have action against the city, and |
the compromise offered would save the city
money.
DIR. Evans Asks Question.
DR.. Evans demanded to know whose fault |
it was that the city was in this position and |
why.
Assistant City Attorney House explained
that the street had been opened under the
act OF 1889 and partially improved when the
act was stricken down by the Supreme
Court. The property owners were willing
to pay for the $40, 900 to $50, 900 of improve
ments, but they wanted pay for the property
taken for the street, and were in q position
to get il.
Mr. Warmcastle-It looks to me like a
Shylock game these people are PLAYING on
the city. They want the street, admit its
necessity, but want to be paid for it. 1t
seems like very dishonorable proceeding
to take a mean advantage like this on a
of the law.
DR. Evans-If taken to court this matter
would come before jury, and there are fey
men who would decide in favor of such a
grab as this. l am in favor of fighting the
scheme to the bitter end. The whole street
is not worth $50. 900.
The resolution was finally called to vote
and passed by vote of II tot.
Object to Employing Extra Counsel.
In Common Council brisk fight occurred
on w. A. Magee's resolution to employ
additional counsel for fighting the Iitiga-
tlon on the last triennial assessment, Mr..
Bigham asked why this was necessary with
a city attorney and three assistants.
Mr. Magee said the question was yery
important. The department of law had a
great deal of work to do. The citv nays
for law, but not as much as the
Lake Erie Railroad, with its little line
from Pittsburg to Youngstown. The city
never had an assessment thoroughly de-
tended in court, and he wanted men engaged
who had nothing else to look after except
the question.
Mr.. Righam had been looking after these
tax suits and he thought the City Attorney
was attending to them very we'll He did
not think the resolution should be passed,
especially as the City Attorney had not
asked for help. He moved to refer the res
olutlon to the Committee on Finance.
Lacked a Quorum.
Chief Browns ordinance to prohibit per-
sons from depositing garbage and filth in