The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-07-13
TALKED OF At CITY HALL.
Chief Child Will Cooperate With the
New License Board,
THE DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY
or suppressing Illegal Liquor Selling
The Nuisance Complaint the Most
Effective Means OF Reaching Keepers
of Kitchen Barrooms.

When the old board of license commits
sioners went out of Office they had not
furnish ed the police department with
list Of licenses granted. This, however,
Chief Child says has not seriously inter-
fered with him, as he was pretty well in
formed as to who had obtained permis-
sion to engaged Ia the liquor busin ess.
When asked as to whether he would
work in harmony with the new commits
sion in suppresslng the illegal sale OF
ment would give the board all the assist
ance in its power.
"There is" he said, "no doubt that
illegal liquor selling Is going on, but
whether to the extent that some people
claim he was disposed to question.
Whatever its extent, however, tue mem
bers OF the department. were Watching
out Tor .infractions OF the law, and those
guilty OF them were being punished with
all poe sible speed"
Great difficulty IL experienced in reach
ing some Of the unlicensed dealers. For
the most part they carry on the tramc Ia
paratively sale from interference because
the police eau make no search without q
warrant, and before this can be obtained
the chief must make oath that intou-
eating liquors have been delivered at the
place and to che best of his knowledge
are kept there for sale.N The dealer is
snrewd and as rule carries In his sup
ply In baskets and pack ages that are not
likely to arouse suspicion. IL any bulky
pac kage comes co him he generally taxes
care that IL Is delivered under cover OF
night or when the day patroiman II at
the other end OF his beat
Nuisance Complaints.
The chief says the most effective means
he has found to employ against
unlicensed liquor dealers Is
the nuisance complaint Where
It il suspected that liquor is being sold
lin a dwelling house, a careful watch Is
kept upon IL. The number and charac-
ter of the people who frequent it is care
fully noted and II the parties prove to be
drunk and disorderly, complaint for
maintaining n nuisance Is made out
against the owner or keeper Of the place.
This generally results In the breaking
up OF the kitchen bar-room and the de-
fendaut is ready to make the most pro-
Life promises Of reform TO escape So
iourn at Cranston.
In certain qu irters the back rooms and
secret places about grocery stores are
utilized as drinking places, but as soon
as the police get an in cling OF this they
promptly make raid. 1t 10 pretty hard
to yet sale against the owners as they
are careful to part with their liquid
brain lubricator only to those Known
to themselves. but an unexpected raid
takes from them their stock In trade and
guarantees their obedience to law Tor
some time to come at least.
Three Jobs at Once.
A good many people who are
compelled to cross Weybosset street
between Turks head and Dorrance
street these days are disposed to
prumble on account of the Inconvenience
they are put 10 because of the tearing up
or that thoroughfarc. So ne ask why
the whole stretch OF roadway was torn
up at once, whv the work couldn't have
been done in sections. etc.
The fact is that Commissioner Smith is
killing any number of birds with the
same stone. First, the conduit for the
telephone wires is being laid second, the
new track OF tue Union Railroad company
is being put down; and third, the city Is
putting in the block pavement which is
to rest on q bed of cement.
The building of the sewer
In Dorrance street cut off communica-
tion with lower Weybosset street and
Commissioner Smith decided to take ad-
vantage of this to get all the improve
ments through at the same time.
Passengers on the Brook, Governor and
Adelaide avenue cars are compelled TO
walk quite q stretch on Wickenden street
now. A pipe sewer is being put in there,
and when this is done the street from its
junction with South Main to Brook
street will be paved with granite blocks.