New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-01
YORK OF THE EXCISE BOARD.

ROUTINE OF GRANTING AND REFUSING I1cEN-Es.
Han ~ New-YorlS that Is the half which travels on
the Third ave. elevated railroad, knows whore the
poar, 81 Excise has It's Offices. They familiar with
the big lit signs which adOrn the building at Bohdst'
aud the Rowcry But there not many citizens.
even among thos" who pass tho place every day VINO
h,ve any idea Of what the wOr; ~ the Excise Board i
or ~ nov, it Is conducted There are Just Two classes
NJ ..,,l, WHO are familiar with the Interior ~ tie
Excise ofcc-those who want to get licenses and those
who don't want others 10 get licenses. In the hr't
class ar. the 10000 hiuorselcrs of New York CITY.
their attorneys and "noNt frcnds" The second class
f. mainly composed Of members Of the Society for the
Prevention OK Crime, the CITY REFORM 'iuo anu Il"
proc ing property holders.
Tho Excise Board consists Of three Commissioners
nput,d ly the Mayor for terms Of three years each
The law provides that their salaries shall not be more
ran r. 900 cach and the Board Of Estimate sees to
IL that they not much less The law also provinces
for -ecrcarg. cashier and an attorney ana ior mum
n.r ~ inspectors, The New-YorlG Board has seventy
,, n,.n,ctor, There Is A vast amount Of clerical
work 10 b. done In keeping track OF 10000 licenses
and many Of the inspectors are detailed for TINS work
I'm ON the third floor OF the building containing the
offices +, the application room, whetc half dozen
clerks ar, sitting behind row Of desks. There Is 4
limo Of desks along the opposite side of the room al
which the applicants and their boadsmcn sign their
r,mc, 10 papers of vurious kinds. and then wander
y,tiou, statements are true. The room has the gen
.~l appearance Of postal money order Office at
Christina, time. These applications set forth the facts
or the citizenship Of the applicant, his freedom from
tho various dsquallncatons mentioned in the law,
tho kind II license he wants, and the locality of his
place Of business.
Tho papers when nel. go into the hands OF another
et OF CLERKS and are entered the books Of the
office inGcxcd, and turned over 10 the inspe tors.
The inspectors divide the city up into thirty i've pre-
clncs and each Inspector looks up the history OF
nach applicant whose is referred him. and hands
i'm "A report on ID. on the back OF the Application
uapr is an outline map three four city squares.
and ON this is marked The applicants place OF bust
ncs, and the relative positions II other places within
a r,,Au, of a block or two which have licenses, and
tho classes 10 which those licenses belong.
There are four or hop kinds OF licenses. An hotel
keepers license is granted TO an establishment renting
ten or more bedrooms. A storekecpers license is 10
sell stuff which Is Lot % De drunk on tho premises
\ druggists license has this limitation. ana the
further one that sales 10 be made only on a
physicians prescription, to be used only once An ale
and beer license Is limited TO those beverages. \
saloon license permits the lcensec TO sell any kind
Of sprltuou, liquors IN quantltIc. OF less than five
gallons, TO be drunk on the premises. except
between the hours OF l ana a.
The applications having been entered and indeXed,
and the inspectors report with any protests from
n,Sioncrs, sitting board, and on considering the
facts, the board, by resolution, decides 10 grant or
refuse the license. II granted, the applicant Is toll
10 come and pay his fee and get his certificate. The
latter Is An engraved sheet Ot parchment with come
ornate specimens OF pcnmanshso ana the signatures
Of nc Commis soners on IT, The average license ice
/, 500. more and some loss. In n busy
day the cashier will take in rs much aS 10000.
There about $500 licenses IF all kinds granted
each yenr. For the last three years the board has
been cutting the number about eighty each year
The new law which permits licensc to he transferred
ON permission from the Commissioners. makes II pos
,iblc have greater average Of licenses III force
though smaller number should be granted. 'ndcr
the old law, when n licenscc died or went out OF
business. his license expired Now. Ms admin stfior
or executor carry on the business or the LICENSE
can b sold the remainder Of the term 10 any one
who can satisfy tho Commissioners that ne Is NJ
person. In this way, all the licenses granted In any
one year are in force throughout their entire Terms
whereas. under the old law. many OF them lapsed
The present law gives the biz brewers and disleIs
strong hold the poorer liquor sellers, since, by
taking an assignment Of his license for money or
ma; crals advanced, they have the power to drive
man out OF bnsluess II hc patroniz-s rival brewery
or otherwise dspcascs them.