Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-08-12
EuGorcing the SUNDAY Laws.

There is a manifest CONSERVATION IN
the community incident to revival OF
the attempt to enforce the laws OF the
State and city concerning conducting
business on Sunday, The action OF the
Alexandria Retail Merchants Assocla-
ton in transmitting a resolution to
Mayor Simpson requesting him to en-
force said laws so far as grOcerymen and
meat dealersare concerned, and the order
of his honor TO the police force calling
the attention of the latter to the fact that
they are sworn to enforce the laws of the
State and the ordinances or the city,
have caused the officers to notify all
persons who have heretofore conducted
business on Sunday to keep their stores
closed hereafter on that day. Ice and
milk dealers, as we'll asthose engaged III
the sale of Sunday papers, have Deeh
brought under the ban, and there Is no
little dissatisfaction apparentina all dlrec-
tons. The law of the City Council
reads as follows:
"That no person in this city shall,
from II o'clock Saturday night Of each
and every week. until u o clock of the
succeeding Sunday night, sell, depose OF
or barter, any tobacco, cigars, candy,
soda or mineral waters, or other
goods. wares or merchandise whatever.
Any person violating the provisions OF
this act shall, if convicted, be fined
for the first o0ense the sum of two dol
lars, and for each subsequent ollense
shall be fined the sum of five dollars.
Provided, That this act shall not apply
To milk or ice dealers in supplying their
customers or to apothecaries when put
ting up bona fide prescriptions or selling
necessary medicines.
The State law Section 1899 is as fol-
lows
at a person, on a Sabbath day, be
found laboring at any trade or calling,
or employ his apprentices or servants IN
labor or other business, except in house
hold or other work of necessity or
charity, he shall forfeit two dollars for
each offence. Every day any servant or
apprentice is so employed shall cOnsti-
tute a distinct offence"
Section $500 is as follows
'The forfeiture, declared by the
preceding section, shall not be incurred
by any person who conscientiously be-
lieves that the seventh day of the week
ought 10 he observed as a Sabbath, and
actually reirains from all secular bust
ness and labor on that day, provided he
does not compel an apprentice or ser
want. net of his belief, to do secular
work or business on a Sunday, and does
not on that day disturb any other per
son.
All persons meeting trains and boats
for the purpose Of carrying bag age OF
passengers, livery stabekeePer and Others
will be forbidden to ply their vocation
next Sunday. Justice Cation would
give no opinion concerning the matter
today. On Monday next, however, test
cases will DOUBTLESS come up in the
Police Court, as some persons have, it is
said procured counsel and will conduct
bu mess as usual on the preceding day.
When Mayor Simpson was asked this
morning concerning the Sunday closing
he replied that he had given no order
for closing, but had simply turned the
retail merchants petition over to the
police and directed their attention to
the law. He said that if the police
officers we're notifying people to close
their places of business that was
matter with which he had nothing to do
1t is understood that a meeting of the
druggists will be held this evening to
take action concerning the Sunday clos
ing matter.