The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-05-04
CONFER WITH MAYOR
SALOON MEN HOLD A CONFERENCE
WITH MAYOR AND AID. CURTIS.
N REGARD TO SUNDAY CLOSING
Saloon Men Bring Their Strongest Men to-
the Front and From All Indications the
Mayor and Alderman Think the
Action Would Be Impracticable.

A quiet little meeting was held at the
Council chamber Tuesday evening, at
which we're present the Mayor, Aid.
Curtis and nearly all the saloon keepers
and brewery agents in the city. The
purpose for which the meeting was
called was to attempt to reach an
agreement between the Mayor and the
saloon men on the subject of early
closing and open saloons on Sunday.
The meeting was called at the request
of Aid. Curtis, who, it seems, has taken
upon himself the championing of the
closing of the saloons on Sunday. The
meeting was simply a conference and
no positive agreement was arrived at,
but it is safe to say that as a result of
the meeting the saloon men feel as
sured that none of the rights granted
to them under the previous admins
tration will be in any way rescinded,
and the rule which allows them to keep
open until o'clock on Sunday evening
will remain in force.
The attendance at the meeting was
general and saloon men were present
from all parts of the city. Ofcourse all
of them we're interested and all of them
were willing to talk on the subject for
the enlightenment of Aid. Curtis and
the Mayor. All of the saloon men
urged that if the saloons were closed
up tight on Sunday it would increase
the amount of drunkenness on urday
and the drinking bouts would be trans
ferred from the saloons to the homes in
all parts of the city. They claim that
clubs will spring up in all parts of the
city and more liquor will be devoured
On the Sabbath than ever before.
Mr.. Greenwald, the agent of the
Racine brewery said, that while Sunday
closing had been in vogue some years
ago, it had made his trade so large
that he could hardly handle the bust
ness. On Saturday night great amounts
of beer had been ordered to be deliver
ed on Sunday morning in out of the
way places and in the evening when
the entire crowd had become intoxicat-
ed they would return to the city and
make trouble for the police.
The saloon keepers also urged that if
the saloons of the city were closed on
Sunday the drinking population would
go to Racine and spend the money
which should remain in the Golfers of
our saloon men. Nearly every man
present said something, but not one of
them advocated the Sunday closing.
Some of them admitted that during the
past year they had not lived up to the
law requiring them to close at 8 o'clock
Sundays, but all of them stated that if
this law was continued in force they
would make every effort to have it OBJ
served both in the letter and in the
spirit Of the law. None of the saloon
men asked for increased privileges and
none were suggested.
The meeting ended with the matter
no nearer a settlement than it was
before. The matter is wholly in the
hands of the mayor, and it is not
thought that he will see fit to issue any
new rules for the government of the
grog shops. 1t is not known whether
or not Aid. Curtis will seek to take any
further action in the matter, as the
saloon men seem to think that they
succeeded in convincing him that Sun
day closing would result in nothing but
failure in Kenosha. The matter will
probably never be brought before the
Council and the care of the saloons will
be left entirely to the Mayor and Chief
of Police.
The question arising from the pass
age of the ordinance providing against
the sale of Intoxicating liquor within
300 feet of any church or school build
ing, was not discussed.