Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-07-31


il, however, mach less than these figures will
indicate, - viii be hereafter shown.
But where the lsw il 90 well enforced
throughout whole country that hardly .
dram shop exists in the rural sections. it is
inevitable that sub persons as have the ap-
petite for liquor fastened upon them, will
seek TO crafty il 10 the nearest city where
the traffic can hide. For example. the United
States Revenue returns show l56 dealers in
Portland, all conducting their business more
OF less secretly. Bot these l56 dealers sup
ply not only 33,sl population in Portland,
but also the sc, $50 in tie country, as there are
only IS dealers in Cumberland county out
side Of Portland. Further, there are only 8
dealers in the adjoining county of Oxford
with population of 32.6l6 and il is proDa-
bic that Portland is the source of supply for
at least half that county, az well as parts Of
other counties. In other words, it Is probs-
bic that Portland is the source Of supply for
a population Of nearly l20, 600, giving one
dealer TO about 700 inhabitants.
In Lewiston and Auburn, with population
Of % 500, there are sfty-seven persons who
appear on the Internal Revenue books as
dealers, including such of the druggists a.
haze paid the tax. Yet there is not single
open dram shop in these cities, and a careful
inquiry shows that the number of persons who
sell liquors secretly fer beverage, and all
in small quantities under frequent proseeu-
tions, does not probably exceed thirty But
there are only five dealers in AndrOscoggin
county outside OF those in Lewiston and Au-
burn to supply the 45,0i4 population OF that
county. Moreover, a part of the adjoining
county Of Oxford, which has only five dealers
and some Of Franklin which has only eight
dealers, find at Lewiston some of the small
IL, HI rH.1r
ulation secures Probably the dealers in An
droscoggin county supply for the most part
population Of over 60. 900, making one dealer
10 more than 1000 inhabitants, and every one
OF these dealers does small and secret bust
ness under great difficulties.
The revenue returns show that in fourteen
cities and fifteen large villages and sea-shore
resorts in Maine, with population Of about
80, 900. there are 593 dealers in liquor. includ-
ing the druggists who pay the u. s. tax,
while in the 40 other towns and plantations
in the State, with population of about 49,
900. there are only 220 deaiers-0r one to
over 2 1000 inhabitants. There 355 towns and
plantations in Maine, comprising the bulk of
the exclusively farming towns, in which, ac-
cOrding to the L. S returns, there is not
single open or secret dram shop.
Circulars have recently been sent by
Bile citizen in every town in Maine, asking
for information as to the extent of open and
secret dram selling, the number of arrests for
drunkenness during the past year, and other
facts bearing on the question of the practical
working of prohibition in this State. Ans
wers have been received from every city, all
the large towns, ard large portion of the
rural towns in every county of the State, which
we have heen permitted to examine. Assuming
that the towns yet to come in will show the
same average as those already returned, and
there are 45 open dram shops in Maine out
side of Bangor and these in only fifteen towns
and 4i3 secret or suspected places in which
liquor may be obtained as a beverage with
more or less difficulty making 622 in all, or
one 10 ever 1000 inhabitants.
The result of this inquiry shows that not
withstanding 1876 persons paid taxes as deal
ers in the fourteen cities of Maine, yet the
whole number of known or suspected dram
shops reported in these cities is oniv 1872
1876 of these being reported as practically op-
en- in three cities, (l34 of them in one city,
and 276, as secret or suspected places" In
the remaining 1856 towns only 1870 dealers are
reported, and these, with 20 exceptions in
twelve towns are all put down as only "secret
or suspected"