The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-10-04

Commissioner Munford's deputies -
Messrs. wilkins and Wilkes-completed
their work OF examining and reporting the
state OF the liquor-registers yesterday. They
make the first returns under the law. Their
progress was slow because in many IN
stances they found it necessary to stop and
test the accuracy OF the instruments. Not
a single register was found out Of order.
The registers working badly were removed
and others put in their place, from time to
time, before they started out. The result is
considered quite satisfactory, taking into
view the fact (Which all dealers seem to
agree upon) that for the first week OF the
registers, and after the prices OF drinks
were raised, trade was unusually dull, and
that the law is a new one and is known to
be avoided by some dealers, who prefer to
take the risks Of detection rather than turn
the crank.
WEST OF TWELFTH STREET.
Mr.. wilkins, in the district west OF
Twelfth street, examined - malt registers,
where $4,000 drinks were sold, and 1872 al
coholic registers, where the number OF
drinks was 1903. Tax on former, $3.50 !;
on latter, s1,S77,0S-total tax, s2,3O!os.
Total number of drinks and half-pints,
1G1,0 ,0S3. There were five small registers
that he could not get to yesterday-the par
ties having their places closed-and they
will probably increase the tax $3.50, giving
an aggregate Of say S2,319.5S.
The following figures show some OF the
largest malt registrations: 11,133, 1909,
G,S2G, 6,G04, 1000; largest alcohol, 2,506,
2,241, 1000, 2,056, 2,025.
EAST OF TWELFTH STREET.
Mr.. Wilkes's returns for the district east
OF Twelfth street give the following re-
suits:
Fifty-scven malt-liquor registers, 49,55G
drinks at 4c.-S247.7S.
One hundred and twenty-three alcoholic
registers, registering 1,757 drinks at 2sc.,
81, 1882. Total drinks, 101, 1913; tax there
on, 81 1,541.10.
The largest malt-liquor registration in the
eastern district was 5,505, next 1864, next
8, 800, 3.1G1, 3,07l. Largest alcoholic 2,032,
next 500, 1920, ,424, 1,473, 1887. Smallest
malt 81, next 81, 81, IS, 73. Smallest alco-
holc "a, next 81, So, 53, 70.
EXPERIENCE.
It appears that the respectable dealers
both in the business portion OF the city and
in the suburbs are recording their sales
quite fairly; but many small dealers, who
have little at stake. are not making a salts
factory showing. II what they register is
correct they are doing too little trade to JUS
tiiy their continuing in business, since their
profits cannot be enough to pay the usual
license-tax. Liquor-deaers OF good repu-
tation daily complain that these unreliable
dealers are underselling them, being able
to do so by cheating the State OF its tax.
There is, too, a wel-grounded complaint
that as the law is not in operation in Hen
rico, city dealers are thereby made to
suffer.
There is no doubt about it.
Many bar-keepers and grocers doing buSi.
ness Just within the corporate limits are un-
dersold by dealers in Henrico Just across
the line. 1t is the intention Of the Auditor
to give Henrico the benefit OF the registers
as early as possible. He can do it none too
soon. Perhaps the fact that some city trade
has been driven into Hennco will account
for the remarkably small business done by
some few of the dealers having their places
near to the corporation line.