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Telephones Fitzrov{5600 5601 5602 5603 5604
“To conserve the highest and best interests of the Fifth Avenue section”

The Fifth Avenue Association 
(Incorporated)
358 Fifth Avenue, New York City
At 34th Street

Officers
John H. Towne, Chairman of the Board
Robert Grier Cooke, President 
Michael Friedsam, First Vice-President
Ancell H. Ball, Second Vice-President
Douglas L. Elliman, Third Vice-President
Harris A. Dunn, Treasurer
William J. Pedrick, General Manager
Thomas W. Hughes, Secretary 

September 8, 1924

TO THE MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS OF THE FIFTH AVENUE ASSOCIATION, INC.:

Under date of August 26th, we wrote you, enclosing a petition addressed to the Board of Aldermen requesting the amendment of the Code of Ordinance to restrict the practice of holding an increasing number of parades on Fifth Avenue.

We pointed out how every parade held on Fifth Avenue represents a direct monetary loss to Fifth Avenue merchants and business establishments and to all who do business in the adjoining streets and avenues.

The increase of these functions during recent years has gravely threatened the interests of our members, and our Association has been endeavoring to secure the enactment of an amendment to the existing law, in order to effectively and permanently curb this evil.

The present law was intended to accomplish this purpose, by restricting parades on Fifth Avenue to those held for 10 years prior to 1914, and the necessary movements of the Army, Navy, etc., but there is an exception under which permits will be granted, upon authority of the Mayor, for occasions deemed to be of “extraordinary public interest”. It is this provision that has been invoked to grant permission for many parades, despite the opposition of our Association.

The enclosed petition has already been signed by more than a thousand mercantile and business establishments, in this section. It definitely prescribed routes for parades and functions, which take them, which the exceptions noted above, out of the congested business centre of the City. The amendment was prepared after conferences with the Police Department and has been before the Board of Aldermen for several years, upon request of our Association. Thus far that Board has refused to definitely consider the matter. We hope now by means of these petitions to secure action.

We presume that our previous letter was mislaid or did not reach the proper person. We hope that this communication will be immediately referred to one authorized to sign the petition and return it at once to The Fifth Avenue Association, 358 Fifth Avenue.

Very truly yours
Wm. J. Pedrick
Wm. J. Pedrick
General Manager

1 enc.