Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-04
Discuss ACCESSIBILITY
Closing, Stores Sunday
at CITY Council Meet

The regular monthly meeting of
the City Council was held last eve
ming with Mayor McNaughton in the
cnalr and Aldermen AmeSpury,
Chase, Goodspeed, Harris, and Trat-
ton present. The meeting was open
ed by Rev. II. A. Clark OF the Free
Baptist church. The report OF the
last melting was read and accepted,
and Chief Dunn was called upon to
give his report on the opinions OF the
merchants who keep their stores
open on Sunday.
Chief Dunn declared that he had
interviewed these merchants and
that the majority said That they were
willing to cloSe their stores on sun
day, Ii all places of business We're
closed, including garages land the
book stores. Mayor McNaughton
then called upon Hon. E. l.. Good-
speed to give the law in the matter.
Alderman Goodspeed declared tnat
if we were to abide strictly by the
present law, 1t was unlawful for
an electric car on Sunday, and he
said that he did not think there was
a person in the room who had not
done this and thereby they had vio-
lated the law and were criminals.
He said that ii the laws were en-
forced cur industries would be al
fected, as the paper mills are run
ming "a hours "a day. lie declared
that he had talked with number OF
citizens on the matter and that lhey
all admitted that 1t was not practical
to enforce the Blue laws in the 2Otn
century, as the laws are not possible
or practical as written on the statute
BOOKS. lie said that a law should
and probably would be presented at
the next legislature which would
provide for the closing OF stores on
Sunday, and that it would be rea-
Sonabie one, that all could i've up TO.
lie turtner sad that it was not
fair for the City Government to take
up the burden of the enforcing OF
the law, that 1t was the business OF
the salaried officials to attend 10 this,
and he pointed out that there was
remedy IN the courts, that any clti-
zen could go to the Judge and take
out q warrant for the arrest or any
ViOlatorS of the law.
He recommended that the matter
be dropped until an adequate law
was passed by the Legislature, and
ended by saying that he wanted
Gardiner to be Il clean city six other
days in the week besides Sunday.
Alderman Goouspeeu's remarks
were favorably received by both
sides for even those who did not
quite agree with his views were OBJ
hged to admit that he was in the
right on the matter. Alderman
Amesbury then said that he had been
hoping for a mutual agreement
among the merchants in question,
and lie said that in his bellef they
would lose practically nothing by
closing Sundays.
Mayor McNaughton called upon
the citizens present for opinions, ana
Rev. Clark answered him, saying that
he had started the movement as
citizen, and had to admit that he was
disappointed in the outcome. He
said that contrary to reports he was
not trying to embarass the City
Government, and in saying that the
matter had come to an issue, he de-
clared that he thought that they
We're losing the issue to the expense
of industry Mayor McNaughton told
| the Council and audience that both
| he and the other members felt that
Mr.. Clark came to the meeting with
a sincere motive, and with no inten-
| tiCn of trying to embarass the Coun-
| Gil. Others who spoke on the matter
were Mrs. w. I. Guild. who spoke in
| the interests OF the w. Z. L. L., ana
who declared that the stores should
be closed Sundays for period of six
months to try the things out, and
they should do this to please some
| of the people who were in favor of
! the closing Llewellyn Libby agreed
with Alderman Goodspeed in leaving
the matter to the Legislature.
The routine business of the meet
! ing was then taken up. several petit
tons were read, and referred to the
heads of the respective departments.
1t was voted to allow the Free Bap-
fist Church to use the schoolhouse on
! Winter Hill as an addition to their
Sunday School and Hon. 0. B. Cla-
son who presented the matter praised
the church and said that it was to
their credit that they needed addi-
tional room. f. D. Bailey who owns
the building on Church Hill opposite
to the City Building was ordered to
have the building fixed up within
ninety days so that 1t would pass
the inspection of the Building in
spector and the Chief of Police. The
budget for 1924 was read and ap-
proved. The following We're the i'm
portant items, schools, s4S,7T3, High
ways, $4,000, Library $4,000. sewers,
$4,000.