“Harry
Lawry had his horse seized by the head and turned around, greatly endangering
the horse and occupants of the cutter. Mr. Lawry himself was assaulted by the
ruffians. The coasters kept up a torrent of foul and blasphemous language. If
the coasting cannot be stopped, the police certainly have the power to stop
such rowdyism.”
Rowdyism
and Coasting”
Hamilton
Spectator. December 17, 1885.
It was
an editorial that was prompted by an incident which had occurred on a hilly
portion of John street south. A recent heavy snowstorm had left the Hamilton
streets in perfect shape for tobogganing, or, as it usually called, in 1883, coasting
:
“A
resident of Barton township undertook to drive up John street road to his home
on Tuesday evening, but fell among coasters on the way. These not only blocked
his way and frightened his horse, but fell upon him, attempted to beat him,
stole his whip, assailed his wife with vile and brutal language and compelled
the pair to return to the city. The gentleman applied for protection to the
police, but there were none to protect him, and he was forced to remain in the
city.”1
1
Coasting”
Hamilton
Spectator. December 17, 1885.
The
editorial strongly declared that the public streets were not for the exclusive
use of coasters:
“The
streets are for the use of all – for those who ride or drive for pleasure, as
well as for those who have business on them.
“Those
who make use of the streets must not monopolize them. They may use them freely,
but they must not interfere with the right of others to do the same. And they
must observe certain rules necessary for safety.
“Experience
shows coasting on the streets to be dangerous. It is dangerous not because one
or more persons ride on a sleigh, but because they ride at a furious rate, and
because the sleigh is not under their control. They cannot stop it when under
full headway, and they cannot always guide it. Many accidents have happened in
consequence of this sport.
“The
SPECTATOR is not opposed to sport. It heartily approves of harmless enjoyment.
There is plenty of work, plenty of care, plenty of sorrow in this world : let
us get all the pleasure we can. But it does not follow that we must break
people’s necks in the pursuit of pleasure.
“The
rowdyism, obscenity, violence and robbery resorted to by the roughs on John
street on Tuesday evening are not necessary incidents of coasting. But the fact
that they were resorted to supplies another reason for enforcing the law and
securing to travelers on our streets
free course and safety.”1
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