The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1907-02-14
al business.

| Inere Is decided Strengthlng IN realty values
and quite an increased demand for property
since the Lid question was agitated here, tho
am not IN position to say the result is the
sequence of such action. One thing is very
evident and that is the putting on of the lid has
not caused any shrinkage in Values He also
quotes nonresident owner: ''The sooner
your laws are enforced, the sooner will your
city be made the home of many who have conf
dence in your natural advantages and when that
time comes and not till then can hope for an
increase in my Superior holdings
gentlemen prominent in banking circles
writes "Our bank deposits show a gain of
$500, 600 for the year. two thirds of this gain be-
ing during the past six months and largely in
the savings accounts, while an increasing mum
Der of our wage earners are acquiring their own
homes''
A city collector for a Duluth firm told me:
''Men who use to pay only $500 or $500 per
month on account or beg off entirely are now
paying $500 to $1,000 per month without diff
Guilty They are men who have spent their
earnings in the Sunday saloon"
prominent city official writes: Certain
it is that the past four or five have been the
most prosperous in business way in the his
tory of the city. The holiday trade has been
the largest ever known here. and even after
Christmas the stores have been filled with Gus
toners unusual thing. Without doubt the
volume of business has been swelled by the saw
ings from Sunday closing"
A letter from one of leading merchants says:
'The business Of the last six months of 1906 as
compared with the last six months of 1905 show
ed an increase Of "a per cent. AS stated per-
sOnally when you were in the store some time
ago we believe the ''Lid' has not injured our
business any, although we do not give it credit
for having caused the increase as shown"
The Lake Superior Mission is a good barome-
ter of saloon conditions. The men about the
Mission railroad men, lumber jacks, and
homeless fellows who find it good shelter.
The Superintendent says: ''When the Lid
was off, on Sunday November II, 1905. out of
$50, the average number of transients who stop
ped with us nights, "a we're under the influence
ofliquor, while out of Ito transients who stopped
with us Sunday night, November 49, 1906, but
two were intoxicated, and the average number
of intoxicated persons we have lodged on Sun
day nights since the Sunday closing ordinance
has not exceeded FOUR
The Assistant Superintendent writes: ''Our
Gospel meetings on Sunday nights since the Lid
has been more largely attended then when
the saloons were wide open. The Mission on
Sunday is crowded with men reading, talking
and writing Thank God for the Lid!''
The report of the Municipal Court furnished us
by Judge Parker shows 80 arrests for violation of
the order Three of them were discharged by the
court, two by jury and two, against man
dismissed by the City Attorney with view to re-
vocation of license, which secured Twenty
three were fined from $500 and to $25.O 90 and
costs. Judge Parker says in this connections "The
Monday dockets to drunkenness are about so per
cent, smaller since the lid than before
Chief Of Police, Vincent McKinnon, writes:
"For the Fl Sundays just preceding the Mayors
der the department made IS arrests for drunkenness
and for the next 81 Sundays after the Lid was put
and up to the first of the New Year the depart
ment made IS arrests for drunkenness. Trust this
will look good to YOU
We have presented evidence from court and
police department, from banks and real estate deal
ers, from merchants and city officers, of whom
were opposed to the Lid movement. [ could null
tpy witnesses, but further omment is unnecessary.
Back of all this throwing the whole weight of
ais personal influence and official position the side
Of law and ORDER is Victor Linley, Mayor of Super
or. We thought him slow to act Once convinced
however, that it was right and that the time had
come to act with fine disregard for political