Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-05-22

investigation, and that all those who can
didly examine the condition of laborers in
Maine will admit that prohibition has done
a good work for them.
But liquor saloons are not confined to
the poorer sections OF New York. One
Sunday morning, recently, We took walk
down Fourth Avenue, and counted the
liquor saloons, for the purpose OF giving
our readers some facts regarding the same.
On Fourth Avenue respectable section
OF the city, devoted 10 general trade, resi-
deuces and hotels-wc found I'll liquor sa-
looms, in linear half mile. Beginning at
Eighth Street, we counted the saloons,
bearing signs as such, and found as stated,
forty-one Of them by the time Eighteenth
Street had been reached. But in this ter
ritory, one block was occupied by the b.
BILE Hous e, one by coal shed or something
OF that sort, aud three or four blocks on
one side, by the park-Union Square. So
that it was not very good territory for
LIQUOR saloons, after all. These were more
respectable places than those shown in our
maps, aud number Of them were connec-
ted with hotels or eating houses. Third
Second and First Avenues, make a worse
showing, while in going west, better
state of affairs prevails-as these central
avenues are devoted more largely TO gen
eral business. But after passing Sixth
Avenue, the scene again changes, aud the
extreme west presents nearly the same
condition as exists in the extreme east.
Everywhere in the city larger beer and
whiskey reign. In the wonderful growth
of New York, nothing is more wonderful
than the increase of breweries. Great
buildings, occupying nearly entire blocks
and rising five, six and seven stories high,
are numerous in the upper part of the city.
Even during the depressed times OF 1876
these breweres did great business and
continued to grow in size and number.
New Workers think no more OF this state
of affairs, than many OF our people think
of our different condition. People become
accustomed to surrounding influences and
scarcely give q thought to that which IL
usual. But If a Maine man will visit New
York. he will note with surprise and alarm
the condition Of the liquor traffic, and re
turn home with q wholesome respect fol
our prohibitory law, which has made sucf
a state of affairs impossible here.
1t is urged by some that this fee use Of
, liquor does not breed intemperance mol
drunkenness. We sat at dinner In hote
ON Fourth Avenue, with New York gen
tleman one day, and spoke to him OF Tn
prevalence of beer shops, two OF whlcl
could be seen from the restaurant window
He agreed that the business was too ex
tepsiye, but said drunkenness was not YER
prevalent. In an hour after, while walk
Ing in Union Square Park, we saw pc
lice man assisting an intoxicated man ou
, of the Park. In Maine, the party woult
e have been arrested and sent to the lock up
Here the officer of the law simply told tn
, man to move on, and left him. The fello'
t went a short distance and then desired
9 enter into conversation with pedestrian
8 The officer again started him along, ant
after considerable time the fellow reele
. out OF the park. This was about tw
b O'Clock when the park was alive with Iii
' tie children and their nurses airing them
y selves, and this disgusting drama was Ell
: acted before their curious gaze.
8 Unless one is unaccnstomed to the sigh
n of drunkenness, he does not charge b
q mind with the individual cases which IA
$ under his eye. This, we think, is the res
s son why New Workers believe there is Ii
J, tie drunkenness In the city. II man ca
It travel alone, he is not considered DRUM
= unless he creates disturbance, and n
8 future thought is given to his condition.
!. The hotel referred to above was owne
IT nv q member of Baptist church In II