The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-06-07

meeting OF the common council Menday
night, Councilman Hansen called atten'
tion to the fact that the ordmace pre-.
scribing the fire limits and m.shingling
roofs in the prohibited district was and
has been openly violated, Roots have
been partially destroyed by fire, and
notwithstanding that they were in the
fire limits, they have been allowed to be
re,shingled in open violation of the or
dinances of the city, Not only has this
been so during the past two or three
months, but during the past five years.
Even city officials have re.shingled build
ings within the iire. limits, but they prob
ably offered as an excuse, that the ordi'
nance not heing enforced against others
it should not be made TO apply TO them,
The ordinance was passed immediate
ly after tre when there was prevail
ing wind that carried burning shingles
all over the city and set the roofs of
many buildings on fire. Although there
has not been such a fire since that time,
it is not sign that there will not be
and the ordinance was deemed neces'
sity, or it would never have been enact.
ed. Officers draw large salaries for en-
forcing the laws and ii they could find a
few spare moments each month aside
from the time employed in going to the
city hall to draw their warrants, to en-
force the ordinances of the city 1t would
not necessitate so much uniavorable COM
ment and charges OF political favorittsm'
Councilman Robinson also wanted 10
know why the SlOO wholesale liquor Ii
censes had not been collected. The ordi'
nance was passed over two months ago
and only two white men and one China
man has paid it. The United States In
ternal revenue office OF Portland shows
that over twenty firms in Astoria take
out United States government license
to sell liquors, each one OF whom Is la
ble to the SlG0. Some OF them offer the
excuse that they are going out OF ousi'
ness, as the profits ON whiskey will not
Justify taking out the license. 1t might
be a good thing for Astoria ii some OF
the retailers entertained the same opin'
ion. Under the ordinance drug stores
and blind pigs" are liable for the tax
but as to whether it can be made appli'
cable to a drug store where liquors are
only used in prescriptions, and not sold
as a beverage, is a mooted question. OF
course, none of the drug stores sell the
liquors except upon the prescription of a
reputable physician, but, Judging by the
barrels rolled into one of these dispen-
saries, nine out of every ten of these
prescriptions contain about three finger
of red liquor TO one of roots and herbs,
thereby attesting the fact that whiskey
is cure-all for all the ailments OF man
kind, from the apothecary's point Of
view. A prescription usually costs IS
cents, and, according TO this chemical
analysis, there is three cents worth Of
whiskey and one cents worth Of roots
and herbs, besides the cost of the bottle
and the label, making the profit compare.
lively small, thereby preventing them
from taking out city license.
There are other ordinances which are
not enforced, and it is possible that the
police force will have to be enlarged to
enforce the catipillar ordinance. The
trees are full OF them. There is an ordi-
nance prohibiting the distribution Of
hand bills on the streets. 1t is never en-.
forced. There is an ordinance prohibit.
ing the throwing Of rubbish upon the
streets. 1t has been forgotten. The
principle fault lies with the property
owners, who also have duty to perform
under the circumstances and they usually
plead ignorance, which, under the cir.
cumstances, and the character Of the
pleaders, is very applicable.