The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-09-12

the main street, In large store room,
the front part Of which is separated
from the rear by railing. The dis
penser sits at desk behind this with
filling out one OF the blanks as he
makes each sale, the liquor being
slowed on the shelves behind.
The conversation that takes place is
something like the following:
"I want to buy some whiskey."
RYE or corn?"
"Rye."
GLOW much ?"
whats it worth ?"
| Zone x rs cents, two X 90 cents"
| "Gimme one x"
broken only occasionally by demand
for beer, or the choice Of corn whiskey,
which Is more generally asked for than
rye. One cannot buy less than half
pint and it is not to be drunk on the
premises. The stuff sold is only a fair
quality of spirits, 50 experts say, it's
greatest fault being it's lack of age.
The rye whiskey is from Kentucky
and pennsylvania and the corn from
North Carolina. The latter costs SO q
| gallon, whereas the saloons sold about
| the same quality for $l.35. Since the
dispensary has been open its business
has gradually increased until now the
dispenser sells about 5000 worth q day
| when trade is brisk and $3.50 worth at
| other times. Just now the United
States Court is being held here and
the demand Is increased by the pres
ence of witnesses. Last month the
profits of the dispensary were only $64,
of which the city and county each re-
ceived half.
1t is too early to determine whether
the new measure as a moral agent is a
success. Friends of the Governor are
positive that it has worked q great i'm
provement in the morals of others.
People are awaiting developments be-
fore deciding. 1t was put into opera
tion here only about six weeks ago.
Seventeen saloons were closed at once.
Most of the proprietOrs fingered around
for a while in the hope that the law
would be declared unconstitutional,
but they soon began to drop off to other
States, one by one, their barkeepers
going with them. OF the half a dozen
| still here one or two have gone into
| enough to be appointed State dispenser
here, and another, negro, proclaimed
his conversion and was duly bap-
tized last Sunday by the Baptist par
| son. The rooms which the saloons oc-
| cupied are still vacant, with few ex-
| ceptions, but this Is considered to be
due in a great measure to the hard
times. The stocks of liquors on hand
were disposed of at cut prices, and
scores of old patrons laid in enough to
| last them six months.
With the closing OF the saloons came
q decrease in the labors of the police
| Fewer arrests were made in July than
have been recorded in the correspond
ing period for several years, and the
city clerk does not remember any other
month when there was only one case Of
drunkenness before the mayor. The
total amount of fines during the month
was $40, against $l58.72 for July, 1892,
and before the mayor, who tries all
such cases, there were eighty-seven
persons charged with disorderly con-
duct in the latter period, as compared
with thirty in the month just gone by.
The police report less trouble with the
negroes, who, however tractable when
sober, are often violent and unmanage-
able when intoxicated. They used to
gather in front of the saloons, particu-
larly on Saturday evenings, blocking
the sidewalks and indulging in loud
language. BY common consent they
were not interfered with so long as
they refrained from quarreling. Now
the negroes go homo earlier and the
grocers report an increase in sales to
this part Of the population.
1t Is also stated that large number
OF habitual drinkers, especially young
men, seem to have dropped the habit
to q great extent. There are now nc
lounging places for the boys who "go
down town" at night except in the
drug stores, whore the sale of few
glasses of soda water is not profitable
enough to make the prOprietors en-.
courage these visits. Minors cannot
purchase at the dispepsary, and any
one who acts for them under false
representation may, upon conviction
be fined and imprisoned. They may
obtain a supply from "blind tiger,
of which there are several in existence
but the keepers of these are too much
the, good nature OF the youths to holt
their tongues. Occasionally bolt
moonshiner will come down from
the mountains with barrel of corr
whiskey concealed In the bottom of hi,
large covered wagon. But the State
, constables are on the lookout for sucf
characters, and the purchaser fares
I nearly as badly as the seller when de
, tected: These officers carry on -theii
work like secret service detectives
and though they have generally beer
III SpOJUtU III u low Dy
men in every town they have visited
!. the countrymen are usually ignorant o
} their identity.
: The women--white and black alike
have welcomed the law as q mos
wholesome measure, in spite of Ike fac
; that many men argue that there Is a
much opportunity to drink now as be
l fore. Any wife, mother, or sister, an
: near relative, may go to the dispensar
Q and ask that a certain man be refuge,
0 when he applies for liquor, and he can
not thenceforth get 1t. The dispense
Is personally acquainted with nearl
, every man In the county, and wher
= he suspects one person OF purchasing
= for another he requires an oath fror
!. him that 1t will not be consumed b
!, others than his own family. Reall
this exceeds his authority somewhat
but by roundabout ways the State ca
enforce practically the same require
r ment. 'Farmers' wives have latel
" been heard TO say frequently that Ribl
r lous husbands now return home sober
t when, before the closing of the ba
8 rooms, they invariably came home th
II ..,<<,..s. f.,r vi tha \,