New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-26
WHITE WAYS SOUL
) IT'S ELECTRIC SIGNS
CO. Mas Fears a Gloomy
Broadway if Big Boards
Are Abolished.
FOES OF ORDINANCE
ADDRESS ALDERMEN
Curran Says Measure Has Been
SO Misrepresented That Voters
Threaten Members.

II YOU limit the electric signs on
Broadway. in five years there won't be
any Great White Way and the city OF
ughtness and brightness will be city OF
gloom.
This depressing prediction was uttered
Yesterday at the aldermanic hearing on
the ordinance proposed By Alderman
Henry II. Curran. to regulate biiboards
nd big electric signs. by charles -
Mas. representing billposters, advertising
AGENTS. real estate men, property owners
ana theatrical advertisers. The alder
manic chamber was crowded.
When the curtain went up Alderman
Curran said there had been considerable
MISUNDERSTANDING of the measure IL Is
NOT aimed at present structures, he SAID
but at those to be erected Ana ne
wished 10 add that some persons mao
BEGUN campaign Of misrepresentation
which had placed the aldermen III such
had light that their constituents threat
cned to beat them at the polls unless they
voted against the ordinance.
81 want YOU to know" he said. that II
is not our purpose 10 abolish billooaros on
the Great White Way. or to destroy real
estate values
Five Chief Kenlon was called on. lie
was i'm favor Of the ordinance to some eA-
tent. the feature in which he had no
especial interest being that when COW
cred bilboards around vacant lots.
we go through them like paper, ne
so;d vhereat there was much laughter.
"Roof signs" he continued. are GER
s,,., n
stance. recent fire in Nandewater suee'
was disastrous because 6O-foot sign Was
nj the point from which we could nave
fought the fire successfully.
KENYON admitted he could not recall
ease where loss Of life could be dliec'iY
;ttlibuted to billboard.
Police Inspector Cahalane, saying mat
lie appeared AT the suggestion OF the fo-
lice Commissioner spoke for an arheHu-
n,ent TO Section 10 of the ordinance which
,eo,Iires that the name and license num-
ber Of the lessee be printed on the Dill
hoard CahaIane asked that the amend
n,ent require the lessee's business ADDRESS
also.
Nv Mas was next He said Alderman
Curran was victim of Misrepresentation
rot by enemies of the ordinance out Oy
Tho commission of seven men appointed
lbs the late Mayor Gaynor to look ihlo
the billboard question.
The Fifth Avenue Association starteu
this rumpus." said Mr.. Mas. Not one
man on that commission knows anything
about outdoor advertising, and the only
nan on the commission familiar with any
kind of advertising is ingalls, himpa1i'
who Is identified with newspaper auVer-
Using"
This caused the billboarders 10 cheer
and applaud so wildly that Chairman
Hamilton said a repetition would compei
him 70 order the chamber cleared.
Mr.. Mas denounced the ordinance as
Intended 10 "exterminate and not regulate
outdoor advertising.
There is too much Of this aesthetic IDEA
in the campaign against billboards
aestheticism runs all through the Gaynor
report You can't make the city oeauu1ul
At the expense Of the commerce OF inc
city. We have made considerable advance
in outdoor advertising in recent years ana
all our advertising companies are demon
strating the better taste of the community
by improving the signs. AS for Keeping
the billboards small, our purpose IN de-
string 94-foot billboards is TO give the
aesthetic greater play.
But if YOU are going to be carried
away by the aesthetic spirit then we may
as well erect everything in marble ana
make the city an enlarged Greenwood
Cemetery, good for the dead ones only
Mr.. Mas said that real estate interests
annually draw 100000 and laborins
people annually draw $4,000 900 from out
door publicity. Outdoor publicity is one
Of the hand maidens Of modern COM
MERGE"
The Rev Christian j. Reisner. pastor
Of Grace Methodist Church, 10th street
and Columbus avenue, said he favored
billboard advertising.
other speakers were Louis Runkie !
president of the chocolate concern; Law /
renee NJ. ID. McGire. OF the Real Estate 1
Board OF New York w H. Solomon and /
+ \. Frost. Of the Van Beuren Company.
The hearing was adjourned TO next
Wednesday afternoon. when those favor
ing the proposed ordinance will be heard.