The Constitution, Atlanta, GA. Tuesday, July 21, 1885
The General Council Closes Barber Shops.
The General Council Convenes in Regular Session – The Barbers Send in a Petition Which is Granted – A Batch of Petitions – Mr. Middlebrooks on Bill Board Pictures
There will be no more shaving and hair cutting in Atlanta on Sunday.
The general council has so decreed it.
During the regular session of the body yesterday afternoon Mr. Cooper, chairman of the ordinance committee, presented an ordinance prohibiting barbers from keeping open doors on the Sabbath day or working behind closed doors.
The ordinance was drawn by Mr.Cooper in accordance with a petition from the Atlanta barbers. That petition was signed by sixty-six of seventy odd barbers in Atlanta, and urgently requested the general council to pass an ordinance prohibiting barbers from working on Sunday.
A DEBATE ENSUES.
The ordinance created a warm discussion. Mr. Van Winkle opening the fight.
Mr. Van Winkle wears side whiskers and when the lather is applied to his face the razor covers only the small surface of a chin. Mr. Van Winkle has but little use for the tonsorial artist, but he was opposed to the ordinance. He thought that a man ought to have a shave when he felt inclined to invest fifteen cents in the luxury.
Mr. Garrett, whose large, round face has never been hidden by a beard, did not know just how he stood. He was perfectly willing to take his shave Saturday, so he said, as he ran his hand across one cheek, out of which a Saturday’s shave was showing itself. “But,” he continued, “I don’t think
EVERYONE WILL AGREE WITH ME.
Now there is the traveling man. He may reach Atlanta late Saturday night, and may want a shave Sunday morning. This ordinance would then work him a hardship. Suppose we pass this ordinance and exempt the hotels. Let the barbershops at the hotels stay open on Sunday. How’s that, eh?”
“That won’t do, Mr. Garrett,” said Mr. Grambling, another gentleman without a beard. Now, I shave as often as anybody, but I am willing to take mine Saturday nigh or do without until Monday. But let us close all or none.”
“Them’s my sentiments,” said Mr. Beatie whose face has never known a razor. “I’m in favor of closing them all. Shut up the shops and give the a rest on Sunday. They ought not work anyhow on that day.”
MR. BEATIE’S BEARD.
“You don’t need a barber at all. That beard of yours shows that,” said Mr. Van Winkle, smiling.
The entire council laughed and Mayor Hilyer joined in.
“No, I’m glad I don’t,” said Mr. Beatie, “and I think barbers will go out of fashion some of these days and we’ll all wear beards.”
“Well, I move to amend that ordinance,” said Mr. Mecaslin, who sometimes wears a delicate beard and sometimes presents a clean face. “I want to change it so that the hotels can keep their shops open on Sunday.”
“Oh, that ain’t fair,” said Mr. Cooper, who has shaved off a heavy, luxuriant beard recently, and now wears a small nut brown or
OLD GOLD MUSTACHE.
“That ain’t fair, I say. The object of the petitions sent in here by the barbers was to have all shops treated alike. Don’t close part and leave part open. That would be to ruin those who close. The patrons of the barber who shuts up would leave him to go to the shop that stays open. You see what that would result in. Then, again, the barber works hard from Monday morning until midnight Saturday. He wants Sunday to rest in. Don’t exempt the hotel shops, but pass the bill as it stands or defeat it. I have no personal interest in the matter. The barber, on an average, is a good citizen, and I am here to represent any class that asks for a measure.”
“I move,” said Mr. Beatie, “to table Mr. Mecaslin’s amendment.”
IT WAS DONE.
The amendment was lost.
“Now,” said Mr. Mecaslin, “I move we table the ordinance.”
The motion to table the ordinance was lost.
“Well, I’d like to have a whack at this,” said McAfee, whose rosy cheeks have never been hidden by a rough unkept beard, “I move the adoption of the ordinance.”
The ordinance was adopted.
Mr. Bill Mickleberry, the beardless, was not there to vote.
Mr. Mahoney, who wears no beard, and Mr. Middlebrooks, whose blushes can’t be seen on account of a heavy beard, took not part in the debate.
Mr. Stockdell and Mr. Hutchinson were absent, but both are regular Sunday patrons of barber shops.
STEPPING STONES OR CROSSINGS.
Mr. Mahoney, of the street committee, offered a resolution, directing the contractors putting down belgian block on Decatur to sink crossing at the intersection of the streets.
Mr. Beatie opposed the resolution vehemently. He said among other things that a street paved with belgian block had no more right to the crossings than a brass monkey had for a new shirt.
Mr. McAfee supported the resolution.
So did Mr. Cooper, who claimed that the general council had nothing to do with the work, but that it was a matter in the hands of the street commission.
The mayor differed with Mr. Cooper.
The resolution was sustained.
The police committee made reports upon the
TWO SALOONS ON MITCHELL STREET,
near Broad. The reports recommended that the saloons be given a license until August 1st, and that after that no license issued.
One of these saloons is run by a widow lady, a Mrs. Mangum. Mr. Robert Hill appeared before the council and argued against the report.
Mr. McAfee through the committee had right to debar a person from applying for a license hereafter. He made several ineffectual efforts to have the report amended.
Mr. May coincided with Mr. McAfee.
The report was adopted.
Mayor Hillyer sent in a lengthy paper, which when read proved to be a veto of the five-feet sewer between Houston and Wheat streets. He assigned as his reasons the inadequacy of the sewer to the demands made upon it.
THE WATER WORKS.
Mr. Kirkpatrick, of the special committee on the water works, stated that his committee had made progress. He then said that letters had been received from a great many civil engineers who were willing to make the survey contemplated, but that the committee found trouble in selecting. He then suggested that a member of the committee or two members might be sent to New York and have a conference. The suggestion resulted in the adoption of a resolution authorizing the mayor and a member of the committee on general council to visit Richmond, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York and examine the water works system and employ an engineer. Two hundred dollars was appropriated for the trip.
BILL BOARD SENSATION.
Mr. McAfee presented a petition from Darly, the bill poster, asking to be allowed to put up some bill boards.
The resolution was about to go through when Mr. Middlebrooks secured the floor and said:
“I don’t know about that. He might put up a picture we would—–.”
“Oh,” said Mr. McAfee, “the law already covers that point.”
The petition was granted.