The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-26
REPLY TO THE MAYOR.
Defense or the Proprietor OF Madison
street Pavilion.


A letter has been addressed 20 the mayor and
city council in reply to the message OF Mayor
Ronald recommending tina. the license OF J. +.
MeCay for selling liquor at the Madison stree.
pavilion be cancelled, as minors had been al
lowed TO get drunk on the premises, and that
the sale of liquors attracted cisorderiy persons
20 the resort. J. +. McCay makes his own de-
Tense, and after referring TO some points OF
the mayors message, says:
You labor under q misapprehenson as
g the control and ownership OF what
is known as the Madison street park
| This property IL all private property, and
could be fenced in with high board fence
should the owners so desire, leaving to the pub
lie the use Of the dusty streets only. But they
have seen III to make il az attractive pace by
stocking It with wild animals, leasing the
water front to boGtmen who have invested
many thousand dollars in pleasure boats, and
have leased the pavilion TO me for the purpose
OF having the pubic furnished with beer,
wines, lunches etc. The Madison stree. park,
while open to the public, s. entirely private
institution; the public are invited TO come and
he welcomed with such entertainment as we
can give them. Knowing that liquor IS sold on
the premises no one need frequent them should
he object 70 the liquor traffic This is = matter
each must choose tor him elf. Any and every
wellbehaved person who enters the pavilion is
Il welcome guest, but nevertheless guest He
is entertained free OF charge and at areat ex-
pense to myself with concerts by the
finest military band in the Northwest. Some of
my quests like cool glass of beer and lunch
and try 80 furnish them with the best the
market affords az reasonable IT4ces: that
is what my establishment Is IOr, and for
that purpose my license grautej; otaer OF
my guests DO not drink: they do not have TO
buy anything to entitie them to all the privi.-
eyes OF the place and are just as welcome.
But surely ii is iil-bred that such guests who do
not drink should complain because other OF my
guests 10.
The presence Of lewd women on our avenues
ard public highways and parks is something am
Powerless 10 proyent-tha; IS matter LOT your
honor aud the police To regulate. 1t lewd
women AZ times frequent the Madison street "a
v!iion All can say Is that 30 they 90 every pub
lie or QuaSl-pubc resort in the city; they are
part OF the public, ana so long they conduct
them selves properly they permitted on the
streets in street cars, IL the public theaters, on
excursion boats and wherever the public CON
grcgates, bat here emphatically deny that they
have ever become intoxicated at the Madison
street pavilion or have ever been allowed to re-
main there IN such II condition.
The fact that nine minors came home from the
lake last sunday drunk, and noisy that one
had to be elected from the car, is no evidence
whatever that they became drunk at my place,
and here emphaticaliy deny that any minors at
any time have ever been furnished with any
liquor OF any kind a the pavilion since the
same was leased by me. Ii such is the TACT it
has been against my strict orders. and any en-
ploye OF mine would be discharged upon salts
factory proof 10 me that he has sold liquor TO
any minor on my premises.
Your statement that the public travel to Ma
drona and LeschI parks has increased since the
granting OF my license is not borne out by facts,
and your conclusion that ii is on account OF the
granting Of said license is an illogical one That
travel has become heavier to Madrona and
Leschi parks since the granting of said license
on April % last, II sucn Is the case, is no. Tor the
reason named by you, but because the summer
season has only opened since that date and the
weather been such to enable the public TO
spend their sundays in the open air The man.
sger OF the James street line, running t. Ma
drona park, is my authority for stating that the
travel to Madison street park exceeds the travel
To Madrona ana Leschl parks combined. Ii the
popularity of these different resorts is to be gath
cred from the travel, then Madison street Is un-
doubteity the most popular. An in my opn-
ion "A Wcliregulated and respectable resort,
such as Madison street park claims 10 be, ana
Is, is one OF The elements oil that popularity.
My place is at all times open TO inspection by
city officers, and / court the closest scrutiny as
TO the manner in which business is there con-
Quoted
The matter has been referred to a committee
for inquiry and report.