The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-07-29
COMMITTEE VOTES
CASES MUST co
Protests of Many Broad Street
Merchants Fail to Defeat
Ordinance.
FIGHT NOT YET ENDED
Matter to be Agitated in Hope of
Causing Defeat by Coun-
ellis.

That showcases projecting on the
sidewalks of Broad street must go
was the decision Of the Committee on
streets in the first definite vote on
the question Thursday night
The decision was bitterly contest
ed, and was reached in the face of a
Yeritable storm Of protest from a
large delegation OF representative
Broad street merchants. OF these
latter fally sevehty-tive we're prss-
ent at the committee meeting, the
number comprising dealers both large
and small. Several made earnest
pleas of protest. the speakers includ-
ing Messrs. l.. q. Miller, OF the firm
of Miller & Rhoads, Leon Dettel bach.
/ representing NJ. Arnold d Co; H
Karl Boschen, representing the Rich
mond Trunk Manufacturing Conn
pany; Eugene Kass. of the millinery
! firm OF kass s. Co. II. Levy, of Jacobs
I x Lazy, and w A Clarke. Jr, secre-
! tary of the Retail Merchants Associa-
ton.
The tenor of the various protests
was, in the main, the same. All called
primary attention to the large none
tary investment the showcases rep
resent. This sum was conservatively
estimated by one OF the speakers at
$4,000, which amount. it was de-
clared, would be almost practically
an absolute loss.
IL was also strenuousiy denied that
the showcase obstruct the passage of
pedestrians to any appreciate extent
| In this same connection. too, 1t was
| urged that the cases proved of Joint
( benefit to store proprietors and to
the public, In that they enable the
former to display small goods which
otherwise would remain practically
buried in stock and that they en-
able the public to see these goods
and purchase articles frequently Of
fered at an unusually low price.
Other Cities Discussed.
Other cities were referred to by the
merchants. 1t being declared that in
Washington. .. c., showcases are al
lowed to extend three feet out on the
sidewalks. without inconveniencing
pedestrians in the slightest noticeable
degree. In reeutting this statement,
however. Mr.. Lynch declared that In
Baltimore the extension of showcases
Is restricted. and that so far as he
could notice during a recent trip to
that city the business done by mer-
chants did not seem to be on the de-
cline.
After the merchants had voiced their
objections, several of the committee
members expressed their views on the
subject. That the protests had not
been weighty was proved by the fact
that Alderman Grundy. bearing in
mind certain claims to the effect that
1t would be unfair to place a restric-
ton on Broad street merchants with
out reference to those located on other
thoroughfares. offered a substitute or
dinance providing for the removal OF
all showcases on all streets of the
city. This did not meet with favor, ii
being the general opinion that action
Of this sort would be followed by such
a wave Of protest that the measure
would probably be defeated In councils
and that hence nothing would be ac-
complished.
After considerable more debate Mr.,
Grundy withdrew his substitute, and
the original ordinance introduced by
Alderman Zimmerman WAS voted on
and passed by vote OF 10 4.
Will Still Fight Measure.
In spite of their defeat at the hands
of the committee members, 1t ia said
that the merchants Will continue to
fight the ordinance in the hope of de-
featlng ii when 1T comes up before
councils In almost every instance
they consider it an imposition.
THE showcases are money getters,"
said Mr.. Miller. In addressing the com
mittee. They enable us to display
si1all goods that we cannot possibly
advertise in the ordinary window.
Rents have increased all out OF pro-
portion to business on Broad street,
too. Traffic is not congested by the
showcases.
That the men and boys who line the
street in front OF the showcases are
more Objectionable and should be re-
moved. rather than the showca SEES
themselves is the opinion Of Eugene
Kass. "They are the Objectionable
ones" said he, They make remarks
as ladies pass and otherwise make
themselves obnoxious. They should be
removed, and the police department
ought to do it.
Mr.. Clarke. who voiced the final
protest of the merchants. declared that
a petition signed by 215 merchants
had been sent to tho committee urging
that the ordinance be rejected. Sure
ly,' said he. "the x-paying merchants
should have some consideration shown
them"