The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-08-26
IT'S THE CURFEW, FLY.
When the Children Hear the
Bell They Scatter.
All the Small Boys Pay 1t Strict
Attention.
Two Boys Visit the Jail and Ask to
See %Where the Kids Will be Put
ifThey are Caught"

The new curfew ordinance is now in
/ force and every evening when the fire
| bell sounds those nine slow taps the
| youngsters can be seen making a hasty
/ trip to their homes.
The fire bell is rung nine times slow
" at S:45 every evening and that is a
signal to all children under the age of
16 years to vacate the streets within Is
minutes
The ordinance was opposed by some
people on the ground that in a few
months it would become a dead letter.
But the best citizens of Topeka en-
dOrse it now, and it would seem that it
is one of the reforms which reduces
juvenile crime.
The first evening that the Curfew was
rung there was more than the usual
number of children on the streets. They
were evidently up town to hear the
bell and to enjoy the experience of
skipping home as fast as their legs
would carry them.
When the bell is rung there is usual
~ a crowd of persons who run toward
the fire department headquarters ex-
pecting to see the fire trucks spring out
of the building toward a fire. When
the second toll comes, and then anoth-
< I'll
few
The children on the street break into
a run as the first tap is given. On the
corner of Third and Monroe streets the
other evening there were something
less than so kids playing about,
throwing dust at each other, guying
people as they passed, ond doing other
things which are not uncommon to boys
of ten years, when the fire bell rang.
Fire" they shouted, and three or four
of the larger ones started toward Kan
sas avenue. They hadn't gone far
when one of them realized that it was
the signal for them to get home. They
ran back to where the crowd was and
crled- 'CuFteW, hits de CurfeW. De
coppers is COMM There was a scat
tering of the boys which was amusing
They ran north, east, south and west. |
They ran fast, too. In less than a min
ute every boy in that neighbOrhoOd was |
safe inside his own yard
AS yet no arrests have been made,
the officers merely warning those whom !
they saw that they must be out of |
sight in Is minutes. This was suffi- |
Gent, for they Seemed glad enough to |
escape arrest.
Yesterday a couple of small bows |
came to the police station and asked to |
be shown around. I'VE want to see !
what kind of a place the kids will be
put into if they are caught out after |
the Curfew,' they said.
A young lady who lives in the west
eTn part of the city says that every |
time the Curfew rings, some of the /
neighbOrS call over to her and tell her
to send her visitors home as it is time
they were going. This makes her very
indignant, for she says that all the
young gentlemen who call on her are
old enough to stay up later than nine
o'clock
The police commissioners have or
dered Chief Gardiner to see that the
new ordinance is strictly enforced.
Chief Gardiner thinks the ordinance |
is good thing, and that it is great |
help to the police in dealing with peO-
pie who run about the streets late at
night.
I think it is a good thing said the
chief to State Journal reporter cal
though it is a little early vet to see how |
it viii work. Most of the people think |
1t is good thing. My orders to the /
men are to see that the ordinance is
enforced. Lots of people are glad
enough to get US to help them keep |
their children off the street. No, I don't |
think it will become a dead letter.
Sergeant Donovan also thinks the
Curfew ordinance is a good thing I'll
-el you, said he to the reporter, I am
n favor of it. If you could have seen
he kids run when that bell rings. Down
1n Third and Monroe when the bell
'ang the other night there was big
7rOWd Of children playing around in |
he dust and they scattered like there
was a policeman after each one of |
hem until they got inside of their own
I
hing. Sometimes up at the opera |
house when there was a play there
here would be a crowd of little boys |
IS late as IL o'clock waiting to get a
'assOut check from someone
Patrol Driver Bundy: There aren't !
nearly as many kids around on Jack
ION street as there were. It is a good
hing" Jaider Disbrow: Il think it is
I'll right. I don't know whether it is !
egal4 Out on Western avenue where I !
i've when the bell rings they fairly fly |
4ast evening they were playing around |
md when it rang my little girl yelled,
Curfew' and you ought to have seen
hem fly 8
Under the ordinance when a child Is | {
.rrested for being on the streets after 5
he bell has rung, the parent is held | i
and can be fined accord
ngly. At present the bell is tolled at
As p. m. Beginning October first the
'ell will be toIed at 8:15 and the chill :
rem will have to vacate the streets at ,
80.
20 Colorado, Montana, Hot Springs {