The herald., 1897-11-09
HITcHERs HAD TO uNHITcH
AND ACCOMPANY THE POLICE
40 THE STATION
Much Dissatisfaction With the New
Law Expressed-Some Of the
Hardships Revealed

pdSScu ny tue CITY COuuCiI was Ii6iuiy
enforced yesterday with the result that
by sundown the names Of eighty-five
men of high and low degree ornamented
the big blotter Mt the police station. No
one was locked up. Every man arrested
was invited to put up IS cash bail, but if
he did not have the money his address
was taken and he was released on his
own recognizance.
The full afternoon watch went on duty
in the morning to assist in clearing the
streets. Fourteen men were stationed
on Spring street, twelve men on Main
and ten men on Broadway. Instructions
had been given to carry out the pro-
visions Of the ordinance to the letter.
How well these instructions were
obeyed was soon shown by the fruits of
the policemen's labors. Between and
9 o'clock First street in front Of the police
station looked like a corral. Almost
every variety Of vehicle was represent
ed in the heterogeneous lot. There were
laundry delivery wagons, phaetons, Chi
nese vegetable wagons, surreys and bug
gies Of every description.
1t was amusing to watch the crowd
as it thronged around the station. The
captured citizen; put up their S. or were
released on their own recognizarce in
various mood :. Some laughed and joshed
about their arrest. but the majority was
distinctly mad, and few stood around
outside and vociferously denounced the
police department, the police commits
sioners, the city council and last, but
not least vehemently, the particular off,
Ger who had happened to arrest them.
About noon spme maH with a certain
sense of humor tied diminutive toy
wagon with a big rope to the telegraph
pole at the corner of First and Broad
way. A crowd was soon attracted and
every policeman who happened to pass
was called upon to place the offender
under arrest. Most of the officers were
taken in by the joke and pushed their
way to the front Of the crowd only to get
the horse laugh when they arrived
there.
After the ordinance had been operative
a few hours the streets presented vast
ly improved appearance, the number
Of vehicles standing by the curbing hav-
ing been diminished by nine-tenths Of
the usual number.
Those who were arrested in the morn
ing were told to appear before Justice
Owens at 2 o'clock. At that time sixty
five complaints in all had been filed. All
the cases were continued over to next
Friday at 2 D. m.
The wholesale arrests of the drivers of
delivery wagons seemed yesterday to
threaten a temporary disruption of the
Merchants and Manufacturers asso-
citation. A number Of members have
stated that they will tender their resig-
nations at the next meeting unless the
association now takes steps to have
the new ordinance repealed. They say
that If Its provisions are enforced 1t will
work no end of hardship upon those
firms who use delivery wagons.
While Mail Carrier j. N. Hicken, who
Is known as No. 80, was making his
rounds through the business portion of
the city yesterday he was warned that
unless he left some one with his horse
when he went into buildings he would
be arrested under the provisions of the
new ordinance. When Posta! Inspector
he grew excited and gave utteranc, to
SoiuC tCiy tCAcIicut ldISu udSc. InHy
arrest one of the mail carriers we'll take
the letter boxes out of every public
building in the city," he said,
Late yesterday afternoon the follow
ing petition to the board Of public works.
asking for the repeal of the new hitching
ordinance, was circulated among Main
street merchants. In short time twen-
ty-eight signatures had been secured
The text of the petition is as follows:
''rhe undersigned. business men. tax
payers doing business within the limits
prescribed by what is known as the hitch
ing ordinance recently passed by your hon.
orable body. respectfully petition the hon.
orable board that said law be repealed. As
1t now stands it materially conflicts with
the transaction Of our business, and will
end in a serious loss to all business men
doing business within the prescribed lin
its of said ordinance"
No arrests were made yesterday of
bicyclists for standing their wheels on
the streets, although the supreme court
has declared a bicycle is vehicle, and
therefore owners Of wheels are amenable
to the new ordinance, as is seen from the
following paragraph of section / OF the
ordinance:
1t shall be unlawful to leave standing, not
In the immediate care of some person. any
vehicle. with or without animals attached,
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