Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-12
AZ AlNST ALL SALOONS
A1scost;a Citizens Association Makes q
Sudden Move
Protests as n BODY Against Granting
Any Licenses in Their Section
Other Business Transacted.

| President R. b. Buckley. This was one of
| the largest meetings ever held by the citi-
| zcns of AracoStia, and preparations were
completed for general reorganization OF
| the association. Mr.. Buckley called the
| meeting to order, after which the minutes
| of the previous regular meeting and special
| meeting were read and approved. Commit
| teemen Buckley and Smith, who were ap-
| pointed at the last special meeting OF the
| organization to act in conjunction with the
| East Washington and Northeast Washing
| ton Citizens Association regarding the con-
| tagious hospital site. presented their re-
port. Carroll w. Smith spoke against the
| site near the Jail, after which DIR. j. A.
Watson arose to disagree with the report or
| the committee regarding the health or the
community, as he thought AnacOStia was
very healthful
| Reports were called from the standing
committees Sergt. Kirby, committee on
! charity, reported numerous applicants, but
| that the funds were very low. Mr.Smith sug-
gested that public appeal be made to the
people for contributions and that hard bills
| be used for the purpose. Mr.. Tolson stated
| that he considered it a better plan to have
| the secretary insert in The Star notice
| asking for contributions from citizens.
New Constitution.
The committee appointed at a previous
| meeting to draft new bylaws. reported
through Mr.. Buckley, who presented
copy of the same. After he had read them
Rev. Hugh r. Stevenson arose and created
! some comment by illusions to the saloon
| and gambling element in Anacostia. In
part, he said: Mr.. President, believe In
every citizen Of Anacostia doing his duty
as a citizen. l have tried to do mine, but
I believe the proposed constitution does
| not go far enough. We should do more
| than seek the mere improvement Of streets
| and property. There are some things to be
| regretted more than the contagious hos
pital smallpox. 1 believe that bar
room ought to be feared more. We ought
to give better support to the police in
| their efforts to enforce the law. Some Of
| them have been faithful in the discharge
of their duty; others have been Negligent;
l have caught some while they neglected
| to perform their duty. l have called at
| tention to their neglect. l had mercy on
| them, as have been taught by our Great
| Master, and have overlooked their fail
ures. but shall never have mercy on an
| other that l catch remiss. but shall act
| at once. 1 have been informed by a man
who claims that he has drank liquor in
| each one of them, that there are thirty
| one Speak-easyS in AnacoStia and Hills
| dale.
"Sergt. Kirby is here, and 1 believe that
| he will agree with my statement that the
| police cannot enforce the laws unless pub
| lie sentiment is back OF them. We ought
| to give OF our time, and II need be, put
our ndnQS III our pockets, 10 assist the
| police in apprehending and lodging behind
| the bars every violator Of the law. Then
believe We ought to assist them more by
| destroying by lawful and legitimate meas
| ures every bar room or gambling den in
Anacostia which breeds violators of the
| law. 1 hope that we shall seek as an as
ISOLATION to not only improve in streets
avenues and sewers, protect our homes
from dangers without, as well as within
but also to care for that which means the
| most citiZenship-moral character. If the
constitution as proposed is amended SO
that we can consider the moral questions
which affect our town l would be pleased
| to move the adoption of the new constitu-
| ton"
New President.
| At the conclusion of this speech there
| was an ominous silence broken finally by a
! motion to adopt the constitution section by
section. There seemed to be some mis-
understanding among a number of men,
bers as to what constituted membership of
the old organization, and as to who would
have a right to vote on this question. An
inquiry was made as to the proposed re-
organization, and how it was going to be
| done. A motion to dissolve the old organi-
cation, made by Mr.. George Watson for
the purpose of adopting the new constitu-
ton by an entirely new body, was lost.
Hitherto Mr.. r. B. Buckley has been pre-
siding, Mr.. H. A. Linger not having yet
been installed into the office of president.
1t being finally decided to lay over the new
bylaws and constitution until the next reg
| ular meeting, Mr.. Linger was ushered to
| the chair. Mr.. Buckley made a few re-
marks the retiring president, after which
Mr.. James H. Dony moved that Mr. Buck
ley be rendered vote of thanks for his
service the head of the association for
the last two years. This motion was car
ried unanimously.
A BOOmshelI.
There being an interim, Mr.. Stevenson
again arose and brought up the question Of
the saloon in Anacostia. There was great
excitement when he moved that the secre-
tary be instructed to write to the excise
board the following: Whereas we, as a
citizens association, are DESTROYS Of pro-
noting the prosperity and improvement of
Anacostia in every manner, and
Whereas, We believe bar room or bar
rooms are not necessary and are objection
able to us; therefore, be it resolved that
the secretary be requested to notify the
excise board that We protest against the
granting of any bar room licenses in Ana
costa now pending before them, and re-
quest that they refuse to grant the same
or any hereafter in Anacostia." So sud-
den was this motion that though there
were some present known as friends of the
saloon element, nevertheless as soon the
motion was put 1T was carried with but
one dissenting vote, while the sound of the
ayes arose in almost q shout
other Matters.
Mr.. Linger then spoke of the sewerage of
Anacostia, particularly when ice covered
the river, and alluded to the backing up OF
the refuse matter into the sewers. Mr.
Buckley said that nine months ago a com
mittee had waited on Capt. Derby, who
stated the drainage would be carried sixty
feet further out in the channel, provided
Aracostians paid one-half the cost of the
same.
Notice was then brought to the associa-
ton of the necessity of having some one
lcok out for the needs of Anacostia which
might be brought before Congress. 1t was
then moved by H. F. l.. Allen that a COM
mttee be appointed to consist of five per-
sons to act as a congressional committee.
This motion was carried and the commit
tee appointed, consistn,, of Mr. H. A.
Linger, Mr.. Peter II. Moore. Rev. Hugh r.
Stevenson Frederick Douglass and Col.
Archie Bliss
There being no further business before
the organization it adjourned to meet the
fourth Friday in this month ut Haines'
Hall.
THE COURTS.