The morning times., 1896-06-14
MAKES It HARD on CUPID.
New Law Makes Getting Married.
a Thing Of Difficulties.
FOUR LICENSES AN HOUR
That Is the Limit and II One Is in
Hurry 1t Causes PrOfnnlty-Ffrst
One Issued Yesterday and How 1t
was Done-One Man Objected and
Left.

The new law governing the Issuance OF
marriage licenses went into effect yes
terday. Strangely enough the first appli-
cants for a license were non residents.
Up to yesterday ii has been nothing more
than pleasurable pastime to secure a
license TO marry. In fact all requirements
necessary after the young man had made
arrangements with his sweetheart was a
dollar and Courage enough TO apply for the
passport To matrimony.
No questions were asked. He was given
the little slip OF paper bearing his Da.le
and the sooD- be changed name of the
young woman and dispatched with speed
TO the nearest minister. Under the old time
system it was easy enough for the staff of
industrious clerks at the city hall to issue
anywhere from one to hundred licenses
q day.
Not so easy OF speedy will it be. low
ever, under the new regime. The issuance
of a marriage license in tile District of
Columbia will hencefOrth be "A deliberate
piece of business requiring SO long
period that the young man will have suf
ficient time for reflection and repentance,
If lie desires, before he gets what he
goes after.
PRICE is THE SANE.
In but one thing are the new and old
alike-the price is the same. Whatever
embarrassment there might have been un-
der the old law is Increased many fold now.
The young man must undergo such an ex-
animation under the y rays of the clerks
office that IL may yet prove a matter Of
serious complaint that So many weddings
will be delayed until the groom RECEIVERS
from the shock.
On summing up the time consumed in
the Issuance The IitanSas /
found that just fifteen minutes is the
average time that will be required in each
case. Four could be issued in one hour
The clerks office is open seven hours
a day, thus demonstrating that under the
new law but twenty-eight licenses can be
issued by the hardest kind of work in
one day. The young man who applies
before uoon should take his lunch with
him.
ltisvery evideutthat about Thanksgiving
and Christmas time, when the maria ge
business Is on a boom, an extra session
of the clerks office will be necessary each
day. Young people who propose getting
maTried should apply for the license some
days in advance in order to avoid the
rush liable to occur at any time.
SOME QUESTIONS ASKED.
The applicant for the paper must make
oath TO the following questions: Namesrf
the parties. ages. color, relationship, num-
ber OF previous marriages and citizenship
of contra citing parties. When he has an
swered these questions completely he is
given an order on any duly qualified person
to perform the ceremony.
The first applicant this morning went
away without the license.
I'm not going to be the first under a
new law on the 18th of the month" he
said, as he departed with set expression
on his face and firm resolve to begin
his hone ymoon later.
The first license was issued to Robert
Thompson, a frie nd of the contra citing par
ties. He made oath that Burt W. Andrews
of Orangeburg, s. c., and Addie Thomson
OF Backyille. s. c., have decided to get
married. Both are white and each is
twenty-four yearsold. Neither has ever been
married before: they are not akin. and both
are citizens of the United States.
The next license was to Harry H. Cross,
twenty-six. and Franc NJ. Small, twenty
three, both Of Washington.
The third was to James v. Kirk, forty
eight. married twice, of this city. and Ida
May Dyer, thirty-one, of A Arlington Heights,
Va.
The fifth application was made by a
colored man who did not know the age Of
his girl and could not get license.