Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-05-05
That Ordinance.

Politics are forgotten, democrats ana
republicans put away all party feeling
and unite in wall of fear for the vel
fare of beloved Lancaster. Terrible
prophesies have been uttered and an
omnibus dread seems to hang over the
doomed city. Legislators tremble and
the masses are copyrighted and with
haggard faces discuss the impending
destruction.
For some time past the city of Lam
caster has been considering the adyisa-
bihty Of passing an ordinance regulating
our street and puolic grounds ard to
prevent persons from making the streets
their headquarters for the sale of GER
tain things unless they paid a license to
the city for so doing.
The Common Council took the matter
10 hand and after careful consideration
decided that TO permit the use Of the
streets for itinerant merchants and
others TO set up their movable stores
upon, would be fragrant abuse of the
cities rights in her streets and have an
unhealthy effect upon the solid growth
of the town. With this determination in
view. City Attorney II. w Brown was
ordered TO daft an ordinance covering
the use of the streets and other public
grounds of the city under Subdivision
80 of Section % of our Charter granted
TO rs By the legislature of this state in
1882 The ordinance was drafted, sub
mitted and passed unanimously by the
council present and was afterward duly
posted and published and then became
a law Of the city, providing for
the payment OF a so 90 license by
parties desiring to use the streets for
such purposes. The first man TO come
under the provisions of the law was W.
H. Fogo. resident of Richland Centre
who calls himself u pedler and who
ships his goods around by rail and then
hires wagon on which he hauls them
to the desired spot in the street where
ne intends to sell. Mr.. Fogo refused to
take out license and said that it was
always no license OF a law suit with
him. He was arrested, tried aud found
gui ty by the jury and fined $1,000 and
cos.s, which he paid. reserving the right
to appeal within 20 days.
The object of this information to the
public, is not SO much to give history
of the case. as to explain 10 whom the
ordinance applies.
Many persons who have not given
the subject much thought have jumped
at the conclusion that it applies TO far
mers and that they are all to procure a
ten dollar license every time they come
to town with basket of eggs. tub of
butter, a load OF hay, wood or farm
produce Can any thing be more ride
ulous, What would our city be without
the farmers at the back Of it, and vet
one can find men who will say. YES
SIR, it will drive away our trade, some
Will 20 to Bloomington and other places
where they won't have to pay len
dollar license
But none of the farmers have gone TO
Bloomington, Notwithstanding these
prophesies and none have had to pay
a $1,000 license, nor can they be
made to pay. Why? Because it
only applies to persons who bring
moyeable stores upon the streets
and sell ana deliver their goods there.
Another citizen Will be heard to say:
We'll if can get six pairs of socks for
a quarter. want to get them, the city
has no objection to any body buying 8
pairs OF socks for quarter nor 10 pairs
if he can get them. but ii does say this
to the person who sells, We won't
have you selling ON the streets, they
are not the places TO open stores on.
II YOU want to 10 business in our city,
rent il store and become permanent
merchant; sell as low grade goods as
you like, rs cheap as YOU like and rs
much of them Is en- can. but keep
YOUR business I'll cur streets ur pay
your license
Ii merchant is allowed 10 open a
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