Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-01-20
THE BATTLE FOUGHT AND WON.

The result of the municipal election On
last Tuesday marked an important epoch in
the history of our town. Never was there
a greater interest manifested in any preyi.
Gus election. Many of the friends of prohibi-
bition were early at the polls and worked
with commendahle zeal. while some of those
on the other side manifested an enthusiasm
and desperation worthy better cause. The
futile and SILLY effort of casting double bal.
lots was resorted to by the "wets." But it
was of no avail. The colored voters, upon
whom they had hitherto relied, renounced the
rum sellers bad cause. and voted OH the side
of peace, law and order, for which they de-
serve great credit; and while all the better
class of the colored voters deserve praise fer
the Independent and manly manner in which
they cast their suffrage. we deem it but jnat
to partcularize in favor Of George Giles,
Robert Satterwhte and Henry Bailey, who
manifested a zeal and activity at once CON-
mendable and praiseworthy. The victory was
complete, and, we fondly hope, permanent.
In order to give our readers some idea OF
the enormous amount Of liquor sold in this
town during the past license year, we append
the following facts and figures One bar.
room proprietor sold fourteen thousand do'-
lars worth of liquor during said time, up to
the 10th instant, and realized net profit Of
sir thousand five hundred dollars from the
sales thereof! This is the business of only
one bar-room. There are seuen in the place.
Estimating the other six at only half said
amount, which is low, will give total Of
fifty sic thousand dollars worth of the useless
impoverishing. ruinous, death, causing stuff
that has been bought and drank in our town
during the short period Of less than one year !
Enormous, astounding, not to say digraceful
This, in community of churches, of boastei
refinement, of. intelligence, of religious and
literary culture! Is it not appalling? And
what has the poor slave Of the inebriate's
cup to show for this improvident, reckless
outlay? Nothing, literally nothing. save
poverty, rags, shame and disgrace, with i'm.
paired constitutions, mental and physical dis
ability. On the other hand, compare this pic.
ture with that Of the rum.seller, and behold
the contrast. While the former has suffered
in every way-lost health and property, o.:
his scant, hard earning, and in many cases,
even selfrespect-the latter has received 4
handsome income, and grown comparatively
rich by the reckless extravaganza and ruin OF
his customer.
The books at the depot show that tuo hun
dred barrels of whisky and one hundred and
torty:E :Eour casks of wine and cases of beer have
beenshipped to this place, by rail, during The
past wear. In addition to this, not less thar
one hundred barrels have been brought here
from Greenville and other places. But we
will cake only the two hundred barrels or
whisky (without estimating the wine and
beer) shipped here by rail, which, averaging
forty gallons to the barrel, aggregate eighs
thousand gallons, this amount sold by the
drink, and in small quantities, would OF
itself amount to the snug little sum of over
thirty thousand dollars The three hundred
barrels Of whisky, which have been gulped
down the throats Of the liquor-killers, il
placed end against end, would reach from
the depot to the public square-a distance Of
more than 300 yards or by taking the slaves
Of these 300 barrels, would build fence
nearly mile in length.
But thanks to the determined will of the
voters of our town we have rid ourselves Of
the blighting incubus of the rum shop for at
least one year, which has suggested these
"dry" thoughts.
We think Laurens is free.
We think this closing of the saloons is the
dawn of new era Of prosperity for our town
and county. 4
We think the gentlemen elected will faith
fully zee that Laurens is kept thoroughly,
perfectly, totally and entirely, dry.
We think our country friends can now
safely come to town without dread of their
lives or danger of row.
We think our ladies can walk the streets
without being greeted with chorus of oaths
and drunken epilhets.
We think our colored people are now more
secure in the enjoyment of all their rights
than ever before
We think the hearts of many citizens
throughout our county beat with warmer
and more hopeful'throb.
We think the prayers of many devoted
wife, mother and sister have now been an.
swered.
We think that our bar.keepers will now be
enabled to adopt some more commendable,
not to say honorable, svocation. -5Ie
We think the day of total prohibition for
the State of South Carolina is now near at
hand d.--LaurensriNe Herald, January IA.