The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-25
MERCHANTS ARE
MUCH STIRRED UP.
Rather Recent Enforcement TO
Letter Of Street Obstructing
Ordinance.
SCORES SUMMONED DAILY
SCORES SUMMONED DAILY
Each Morning Long List Of Al
legged Offenders is Reported
to Chief OF Police.

/ =
to Chief of Police.
More than a hundred merchants of
| Richmond are to appear AZ defendants in
| Police Court probably this week against
front of their premises with showcases
| or having In some other manner tech
nlcally violated the ordinances as laid
down by the City Council. The fiat went
1 forth few days ago that the ordinances
| should be strictly enforced. and Chief
| Werner's patrolmen have been diligently
at work serving upon business men and
!! merchants summonscs to appear In Po-
| lice Court and there show cause why
! they should not he fined as prescribed
| by the city's laws.
| Seventy-nIne sumfnonscs were issued
| Yesterday More will be sent out from
| the Police Court this morning. The pa
| trolmen. acting under direct orders from
| the chief OF police. are even going so
| far as to use tape-lines in measuring
| the distance from the wall of store to
| the line of the showcase on the side
| walk. II the showcase is more than
| three feet, the proprietor OF the store Is
| reported and the chief has issued from
| the Police Court Il summons for the per-
| son.
| Mayor Mccarthy is very deeply in
| terested in the enforcement of the ordi-
nance. He Is taking an active interest
in the work now being done by the
| patrolmen, and is giving them what as
| sistance he can. In several instances he
| has pointed out TO the officers such firms
\ that, in his opinion. We're obstructing the
| street with their rwares, and in one case
| measured the distance on the sidewalk
| that he might be perfectly accurate. Mr..
| Mccarthy will appear In Police Court
| this morning to give evidence of his con-
| nection with the order that has sent such
CONSERVATION into the ranks of the mer-
| chants.
| And the merchants are angry. This is
d mild expression, for If one talks with
| the scores of those who have been sum
moned to appear in Police Court and tell
why they have transgressed the cty's
laws. he will hear utterances OF protesta-
ton of the most select kind.
Work Hardship, Say They.
One and all. they are of the opinion
that Il rigid enforcement of the ordinance
| regarding the obstruction OF the sidewalk
| as applicable to them would at this time
work hardship and do something not In
tended when the law was placed upon the
city's. books They Will make their pro
| is the general belief that all will be SIS
missed with the admontion that they
| refrain from abusing the privileges grant
| ed them in the future,
| The ordinance on the subject says that
| Il merchant may display his wares on the
| sidewalk In front OF his store. but he
must not use more than three feet of
the walk. In the case Of suspended goods
or signs, not more than one foot must
be used. There were exceedingly few
! merchants who complied with the ordi-
summoned to answer the charge OF OBJ
structing the street in front OF their
premises only went an inch or two inches
was as much as "a yard inithe eyes Of the
officers. who were instructed to enforce
| the ordinance.
morning made it plain that he Gid not
| desire to fine any one who was sum-
| moned under the ordinance now being so
strictly carried out. Mr.. Charles I. Nc
Of Music. was charged with obstructng
the street with bill boards. The police
| on Sunday made q raid Of the bill boards
and captured scores of them, The attor-.
ney for the playhouses frankly admitted
that 1t was against the ordinance to
place the boards on the side walk, but
| said that In each instance permission had
been gotten from the owner of the store
or house in front of which the boards
were placed Justice Crutchfeld said
| that he had no desire to impose a fine,
| time immemorial. and that he would dis
| miss the case with the understanding that
the ordinance. should not be. violated
again. This it is believed, will be the
course pursued with the merchants I'M
| less a fight is made by them. and in this
IeventIa fine will likely be imposed, SO
| that a test case may be made.
Association Takes a Hand.
MI. 4. A. Miller, president of the Re-
)ftail Merchants Association. said yesterday
THAT the merchants would have a meeting
| within avery short time md then decide
| what to do regarding the advocacy OF q
i repeal of the amendment OF the present
| CITY law relating to the obstruction of the
sidewalk with showcases etc. City Coun-l
cilmen We're seen yesterday by many IN,
to do something that, would give relief
| from the present trouble
\ city official, in discussing the matter
| was inclined to be somewhat sarcastic
and very vehement n ms Cpl opinion lon about 24t
| said that the present crusade against
the merchants for violating an ordinance
| that had been on the books for years,
would mean more for the Republican
/ else possibly could.'s II this is what the
| business men have to submit to under
! a Democratic government, then ] fear
| that several will be persuaded to Join
the Republican party at the next cleo
| tion.''
In addition to those whose names APP
| peared IN Yesterdays Tlmes-D Dispatch
sl,mlnonscs were Issued this morning
against another large hatch, More sum
| all of the officers report to Chief Werner,
The Following We're, reported yesterday:
M. s.. Campbell, A. I.oubet Jasper Rove,
I, Fellheimer,, Dahney & Johnson, Kest
Il t1r,,x, kIa..,