The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-03-09

the Marriage Bureau is busy. Never Is It
the same. New combinations Of people and
costumes and dialects appear. proSdic now
to the three clerks. but replete with delight
TO the outsider who happens 10 wander in
Though TO one knows the reason why.
Thursday is the banner day in the City
Hall basement for marriages. More come
on that day than on all the other days or
the week put together. Next TO Thursday,
Mondcy and Saturday are given the prefer
ence. but the grist even on these days Is
comparatively small. Friday. strange TO
say. witnesses hardly a wedding.
Any Alderman may perform the mar
rage eremony. but for the past twenty.
seven years. or ever since the founding of
This is the more curious. for the fees that
belong by right to him the Alderman never
takes. They are passed over to the clerks
who make out the certificate and the re-
ports that are sent up TO the Health Board.
supply the stationery and pay for having
the room cleaned. The city furnishes the
clerks get their pay from what the happy
bridegrooms are willing to hand them
Some $3.50 a year divided up between the
each year seeing a different city father at
the task as a rule. though some Aldermen
have had the honor for much more than one
administration
The Marrying Alderman.
Such a celebrity was the noted Sober
Flynn. alderman OF the First Ward for
many a year. who was proud OF his title of
MARRYING Alderman" When the "SojeT'
ko@SNA 'oN u ~ ~, 40 80 hso
Marriage Bureau of the City Hall remained
untitled. and for several years the clerks
had 20 hunt for whom they might. But with
the beginning of 1902 a new marrying al
derman" has appeared on the scene. who
rivals 'rSojer" Flynn in all his glory. This
IS young Leopold Hamburger. a son Of the
celebrated politician. Julius Hamburger. an
attorney. with an office down in Nassau
street. who will hasten at the ringing OF
the telephone to unite In the holy bonds o.
matrimony all the couples that may be on
hand. The bureaus system-that Alderman
Harburger's patience may not be too much
tried on busy days-is TO walt until the
brideg-ocms and then about noon to send
over for him. Thus the business of the bu-
reau Is greatly expedited and the happy
couples. though they are kept waiting long.
are finally sent away in short order.
Leopold H~arburRer's Record.
Thus far Marrying Alderman Harbur-
ger since he entered into office. on the 1st
OF January. has performed not far from
Isaac Marks. but Marks is far behind. hard
ly more than a score being placed to his
credit. Already Hamburger. in the minds
of the Italian colony Of New York. is grow
ing TO be q far more important oficer than
the Mayor himself. and the suave and ele-
rant way he takes the platform and reads
the brief service. with the bureau interpret
sights that. alas! only the Italians and .
few other0 have had q chance to witness.
The fees these bureaS clerks get are
. cent. Two dollars Is probably the average.
There II enthusiasm when q bridegroom
produces from his pockets 8 and hands 1t
But ave ana ssn-doiisr occasions .re alike
very rare. There Is . tale told by Henry
van Pelt. q bureau clerk for twenty-four
years. hat enc day in 1873 q Portuguese
the eremon was over his valet came for
ward with many . flourish and handed cut
~. Such . Tee has never been repsated In