Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-05-08
THE LAST STRAW.
An Effort to be Made to Adopt Prohi-
bition in the County Of Tarrant
Fort Worth Included.
A Petition to be Presented to the Com.
missioner Court Asking for an
Election ct Once.
This Election Will be the Most Exciting
and Holly Contested Ever Wit
messed in this Oity.

propose TO test their strength in the
confines OF Tarrant county by having
local-option election held. When
this fact leaked out yesterday there
was genuine sensation all over the
city. Liquor dealers had always felt
secure In their business, believing
that local-option election held
here would mean certain defeat to the
prohibi ionists, and such would prob
ably be the result, but the wise heads
OF the anti-whisky element In this,
appreci,.ting the difficulty, have taken
step which will bring the hundreds
OF voters In the county to their aid In
driving the liquor traffic from Fort
Worth. In every precinct rave this
local option prevails. One after the
other have been captured by the pro-
hibitionists, and now the grand bat
tie is to come The great majority Of
voters north OF the river would take
infinite delight in forcing the measure
on Fort Worth, even II opposed 70 1t
personally, and there 10 no denying the
fact that heavy vote for the measure
would he polled In the city itself. The
mode of procedure In local.optlon
elections Ia as follows:
Article 1927 1t shall be the duty Of
the commissioners court OF each coun.
ty, upon the petition OF Mt least fifty
qualified voters or said county, or upon
such petition by at least twenty quail
fed voters OF any Justices precinct,
town or city therein, to order an cleo
ton to be held by the qualified voters
Of said county, Justices precinct, town
or city, as the case may be, TO deter
mine whether or not the sale OF intox-
icatipg liquors and medicated bitters
producing intoxicstion shsll be- pro-
hibited in such county, Justices pre-.
cinct, town or city.
Art. 1928 The preceding article
shall not be construed to prohibit tho
sale of wines for sacramento purposes,
nor alcoholic stimulants AZ medicines
In cases of actual sickness, when sold
upon the written prescription o. q reg
ular practising physician, certifying
upon honor that the same Is actually
necessary as medicine.
Art. 1920. 1t shall he the duty OF
such court, at its first regular session
after the filing OF such petition with
| the clerk thereof, to order an election
to be held at the regular voting place
or places within the proposed limits,
upon day not exceeding thirty nor
less than fifteen days from the date OF
| said order; and said order shall express
the object Of said election
Art. 1898 Said court shall hold q
special session on the eleventh day
after the holding OF the aforesaid cleo
ton, or as soon thereafter as practi-
cable, for the purpose OF opening the
polls and counting the votes; and II a
majority OF the votes cast are "For
Prohibition" said court shall imme.
diately make an order declaring the
result OF said vote, and absolutely pro-
hibiting the sale OF Intoxicating
liquors within the prescribed bounds,
except for the purposes specified In
this title, until such time as the quail
ned voters therein may, at legal
election held for the purpose, by ma
jority vote decide otherwise.
Art 3229 When any such election
has been held and has resulted In favor
OF prohibition, and the aforesaid court
has made the order declaring the re-
suit, and the order Of prohibition, and
has caused the same to be published
rs aforesaid, any person who shall
thereafter, within the prescribe
bounds OF prohibition, sell, exchange
or give away, with the purpose OF
evadlng the provisions OF this title,
any Intoxicating liquors whatsoever,
| or In any way violate any OF the pro.
visions OF this title, shall be subject 10
prosecution by information or indict-
ment, and shall be punished ~ pre-.
scribed In the Penal Code.
Tho penalty provided by the last
! section il as follows, taken from the
Penal Code:
Art 1878 II any person shall sell, ex-
change or give away any Intoxicating
liquor whai ever, in any county, jus
| tees precinct, city or town in this
state, after the qualified voters OF such
county, Justices precinct, city or town
have determined at an election held In
accordance With the laws Of this state,
that the sale or exchange OF intoxicat-
! ing liquors shall be prohibited in such
county, Justices precinct, city or town,
and the commissioners court has
passed an order TO that effect, which
order has been duly published in &C
coIdance with law, he shall be hned In
sum not less than twenty Ave MOI
more than two hundred dollars. -
IL will be seen from the above that
this election will be held sometime In
June, or possibly as late as July, when
| the natural heat OF the season will
probably be augmented by the fever OF
\ campaign, the like OF which has
never been seen by our people. The
money invested in the liquor business
in this city can be counted by thou.
sands, and ~ the passage OF lOcsl-op'
ton Law, enforced by fearless county
attorney like Mr.. Bowiin,
means the closing ND OF the
business, one may easily be convinced
that the men who have their money 30
invested will fight hard for the defeat
OF the measure. Men who are la the
habit OF drinking moderately say they
will vote for local option. The staunch
friends OF the measure say Rev. Mr.
Pearson aud his co-labOrens at the tab
ernAcle have awakened the consciencee
OF thousands who will aid them, and
that the thunderboits OF the evangelist
will be hurled at the Ubiquitous traffic
Said one OF the movers IN ths
matter yesterday: 1--WE will have the
aid OF every true and noble woman