Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-02-17
Nearly Five Thousand We'd
dingS In Seven Months.
CUP|D'S MUNICIPAL BUREAU.
Too Cheap to Be Good, Some Bridal
Couples Think as They Make Their
Way to New York city's Marriage
Department-Fat Bridegroom Breaks
Down.

sometimes they come in giggling
and chewing gum. Sometimes they
are serious, and l have even seer Il
$50 pound maj break down and cry.
But We treat them all alike, whether
they are rich or poor. We line them
up at the door and pass them through
as fast as possible, and we have start
ed Oh the road Of life as many as fifty
a day"
This is the way Matthew Dobbins,
who has charge of New York city's
marriage chapel in the municipal build
ing, described his work. The chapel
has been i'll existence seven months,
and 1889 ceremonies have been per-
formed within it, an average Of over
700 a month, or about twenty-three a
day.
ut is hard to make some of the
couples believe we have given them a
good ceremony" said Mr.. Dobbins.
because we charge only 10 cents, and
that is for the revenue stamp. Some
people appear to think that a ten cent
marriage is not as good as one that
costs IS, but there is none better at
any price. Besides, we keep a record
OF all witnesses, and at times this rec
| ord is very useful.
Putting Them Through.
when we get ready to perform the
ceremonies we line The couples up u
side the chapel door. We give them
numbers, so that the first corners will
be the first served. We pass the cou-
pies in one at 81 time, and after they
are married they are sent out through
another door. We fill out the record
for the department of health, have the
witnesses atiN their ame and ad-
dresses, and the job is done. By get
ting the addresses of the witnesses
we have found ten missing girls for
the police. II no witness is present
with the couple one of the boys in the
office acts as Il witness.
when the chapel was first started
under the city's direction there We're a
number of hangers-on who made a lit
tie money on the side by telling couples
who wished to be married that they
Sou1d SSL IL dohC cISlV lllt luiCAlS.
We have put a stop to that.
THE Italians are the most serious
during the ceremony. The people come
up here because it is convenient, after
they have secured their licenses down
stairs. more than because it is cheap.
/ believe, though. we do get many be-
cause it costs nothing. We do not
want any couples who are not old
enough to get married, and the alder
men have been strict in this respect.
They refuse to marry girls under eight
cen unless the parents are present to
| give their consent. Many who get mar
ried here come from out of town. We
had fifty-five out of town couples the
first month, and the number has kept
along about the same. The charge to
the out Of town couples is the same as
to New Workers.
Alderman Holds Record.
There are plenty of opportunities
for taking money for performing GER
emonics. but no one here ever takes
Il cent. At times the aldermen. when
offered money, have it passed over to
the bride as Il wedding present.
The first ceremony in the city's W
marriage chapel was performed by
City Magistrate Norman NJ. Marsh on
June o. Alderman William f. Quinn
holds the record. with $40 ceremonies.
Alderman Sidney c. Crane has officiat-
ed ut S24 and Alderman James "A. Mil