The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-01-14
THE LIQUOR QUESTION.

THE LIQUOR QUESTION.
The mayor took up the petition Of r.
5. Usry for license to sell liquor from
asked what disposition should be made
of it.
Mr.. Knott moved that it be not allowed
Mr.. Currin seconded the motion.
City Attorney Royster read the law
! IN the case. The law is substantially
| that if the commissioners are satisfied
that the applicant possesses q good
| moral character they shall grant him
| license.
Mr.. Gooch said the commissioners had
| no right to refuse license to Mr. Usry and
the other applicants. The community
has not said that it wants the saloons
closed. No local option election has been
held. The board represents the town OF
Oxford, and the commissioners are acting
not as individuals butfor the community.
He was opposed to whiskey, but he
would under the circumstances vote for
license
The motion was put and carried.
The petition of other applicants were
taken up and read separately; they also
were not allowed.
INFORMATION ABKED.
Mr.. Usry arose and said he wanted
some information. How were the bar
keepers to dispose OF the goods they had
on hand? He had heavy stock and il
they closed him up right now and he had
no chance to dispose OF it, it would be a
heavy loss to him. Mr.. Williams made
some remarks on the same line.
Then there was a good deal OF infor-
NAL talk. The commissioners who voted
in the affirmative said to the saloon men
that they had nothing against them
personally-in fact, liked them as men,
but they are out and out against the
liquor traffic and would never vote to
license a barroom. But they thought
the saloon keepers ought to have q
reasonable length of time allowed them
in which to get rid OF their stock.
So Mr.. Knott moved that they be
given sixty days to sell out.
DIscovERY.
Suddenly something new was sprung
on the meeting.
In looking over the minutes of tho
board some one discovered the following
recorded as part of the proceedings of
the May, 1891, meeting:
"Ordered, that license on all barroOms
be issued from the first Of May to the
first of July at the rates of two hundred
dollars per annum, and from the first
of July, 1891, to the first OF July, 1892"
Did this change the status of affairs?
Some thought SO.
1t was explained that it would be hard |
for several of the barkeepers, operating
on small capital, to pay the $500 an
nual license tax at one time, and the
same was divided into two six-monthly |
payments OF 800 each. All had paid
the first 800 and held receipts. They
we're under the impression that it would
be only required of them, to continue
business after the January 1, to pay the
other 800 when the collector called for |
it. and that presenting petitions for
license now was merely a matter Ofform. |
The commissioners concluded that they |
would take night to think over this,
and 80 adjourned to meet again at S:45 !
this morning.
THIS MORNINGS SESSION.
In further proof that the liquor license
issued last summer were good for twelve |
months, two of the applications made at |
that time were read. Thep plainly asked |
for license from July / 1891, to July l,
1892, and were marked ''granted" and |
signed by l.. G. Smith, mayor, and We're
also endorsed " allowed with the sigma
ture of I. d. Waller, chairman OF the
board of county commissioners.
That settled it.
The duty OF the city commissioners was
plain. |
They could not go back on their action
Of last May.
All agreed to that.
On motion of Mr.. Currin the action OF
the board yesterday in regard to appli-
cation of parties to sell spurious liquor
was reconsidered, and ordered to be
stricken from the records and declared to
be Of no effect.
NEW ORDINANCES.
On motion of Mr.. McGuire thefolIowing
ordinances were unanimously passed:
Ordered, that any barkeeper or any
other person who shall sell whiskey or any
other intoxicating drinks, or permit the
same to be sold, to any intoxicated per-
san be fined for every offense 425. |
A~Ordered, that the barkeepers remove
all screens ard distractions from the
doors and windows OF their places OF
business, and keep same open and clear
from all such obstructions, that the in
terror OF such places ofbusiness bs plainly
in view OF all passers-by. Every viola
ton of this ordinance shall be subject
to fine Of $25.
THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE
LIQUOR QUESTION.
The board OF county commissioners
met again this morning. Only three
were present, as follows: I. ID.
Waller, chairman; A. s. Peace and n.
BlaIock
They, too, aad wrestle with the liquor
license question.
They had licensed the saloon keepers