Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-23
A THOUSAND ARRESTS
To Be Made Of City Merchants Who
Fail to Obey the Order to
REMOVE STREET INSTRUCTIONS
One Hundred Informations to Be Entered
This Morning.
LIBERTY STREET DEALERS GIVE IN

At least 1000 informations will be en-
tered before the various Police Magistrates
of the city against merchants who failed
yesterday to obey the sidewalk obstruction
ordinance. These figures we're given by
Superintendent O'Mara last night They
are based on the report of the officers all
over the city.
Of course it would be physical impossi-
bility to have all these suits entered In one
day. 1t is the intention of the authorities
to enter at least 100 of them to-day, and the
same number each succeeding day until
every merchant or resident of the city COM
plies with the sidewalk ordinance.
1t seemed yesterday that the majority Of
sidewalk obstructionists paid no attention
to the order. Under the order issued by
Chief Brown all the police in the city noti-
fed all the merchants on their respective
beats last Friday and Saturday that on and
after yesterday absolutely nothing in the
way of display of merchandise, signs or
other distractions should extend beyond
the house line of the street in front Of their
places of business.
The Notice to Be Enforced.
luls uOIiCC was SiNSu Al SOou 'oi1h, ouu
the police burea intends to fully enforce it.
The text of the ordinance requires that not
even an inch of the sidewalk shall be OBJ
structed from the ground up, and, obnoxious
as it NAV be, no exceptions are to be made
Probably the strict enforcement of the law
will result In its repeal, but, be that as it
may, the officials declare their intention of
obeying it to the letter.
All day yesterday Mayor Gourley and the
police headquarters were besieged with
merchants Of all kinds, from every section
of the city, desirous of further information
regarding the law. Some wanted to know
if they had not the right to occupy the out
side or the inside edge, or all but six feet of
the sidewalks. Others asked if they were
not privileged to have shelves extend from
their show windows three or four feet over
the sidewalk. Some came to inquire if
there was really any serious intention to en-
force the ordinance at all, whether it was
not only bluff, as had been frequently the
case in the past, and whether the order
would not be relegated to the rear and for
gotten within few days
Everything Must Go.
To all the answer was the same. Every,
thing on the sidewalk must be taken off
everything over it taken down. A man
from sixth street, VINO mas small snow case
niled with collars ana Guns, ABOUT loot
square and set mp about three feet above
the pavement, wanted to know If it must
come down. He said that when Chief of
Police Gus Braun made his famous raid on
street signs ten years ago, an exception had
been made In favor OF his little show case
and 1t was allowed to stay. Similar appeals
came from other parties with similar state
ments OF defense, but all received the same
answer: Their little distractions must go,
Notwithstanding the orders OF previous
police officlals: Even barber poles must go
If they are placed on or project over the
sidewalk.
The only place where the sidewalk order
was observed to noticeable extent yesterday
was on Liberty street. Mayor Gourley,
who started the present agitation, allowed
the commission merchants there six feet,
and Chief Brown Will recognize the Mayors
limitation
Making Room for Pedestrians.
Yesterday there was broad sva+b
through the forest of baskets and niles of
melons on that street. in most places being
fuIlv eight feet wide The observance Of
the order was general there and unIess some
of the merchants on other streets comnlein
of uninst di,crimination and insist on the