Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1894-12-27
AND OUR NEiGHBORS.
Speedy Reform Needed to Suppress
the Liquor Trade.

the Liquor Trade.
A few weeks ago we had occasion to
point out some needed reforms in this
town. We merely called the attention
of the public to certain things that, in
our opinion, needed correction. Now
it becomes our duty to call the atten-
ton of North Walpole officials to the
fragrant violation of the laws by the
liquor dealers at that place. 1t is not
our custom to look into other peoples
affairs more than the condition de-
mands, but when such occasion occurs
our opinion is expressed without re-
serve.
From the best and most reliable
sources at our command, we have
learned that there are in the neighbor-
hood of 80 saloons in North Walpole.
Perhaps, strictly speaking, there are
not that many saloons, but werefer to
places where Intoxicating liquors are
sold. There are all classes frern the
well appointed bar room to the kitchen
joint where beer is bought by the single
key and whiskey by the gallon, to be
retailed to chance customers. AT a lib
eral estimate there is one drinking
place to each rs inhabitants, which is
far in excess of the number allowed in
the license states.
To come briefly to the point, the
hard times in this town which have
been talked of the past year are due
solely to the prevalence of the drinking
habit and the large number of saloons
| in North Walpole. At low estimate
there is a weekly sum of at least $500
passing into the Golfers of the saloon
keepers across the river and that is
probably too low an estimate. How,
then, can you expect good times in a
place of this size when such large per
cent of the weekly wages goes for such
a purpose? Our merchants rely on the
trade of North Walpole, as the citizens
there rely on this town for work. If
the money is spent for liquor, that
means no trade for the merchants or
else unpaid bills. But the people rof
half the amount that passes over the
bars every week; more than half comes
from this side of the river. A party of
young men will go over there in the
evening for drink and stay for several
more. 1t is too long walk to take for
a glass of beer, so they remain and
drink enough to make the walk an OBJ
ject. They seldom get drunk, because
they know they must walk home; but
it means several dollars for each one of
the party every night they go over.
During the past year there has prac-
tically been no effort to keep the sa-
looms closed. TO be sure, Deputy Sher-
if Griffin exacted promise from the
keepers that they would close at 1890
p. M, and not open Sundays, but cur
tains are cheap and who knows what
time they actually do close? There
have been very few raids during '94 and
the saloons have made lots of money.
Men who few years ago were practi-
cally penniless, are now comfortably
well off. They have taken their
chances of arrest, and got well paid for
it.
The merchants in this town have
been doing little thinking lately and
have realized the extent of the liquor
traffic there. If there was anything
they uld do, perhaps they would act.
But North Walpole is in another state
and their hands are tied. We under
stand some of the citizens of North
Walpole are also waking up, and say
they are going to close up the saloons
now for good. If they can succeed or
even partially succeed, they will have
the thanks of every merchant in Bel
lows Falls.