The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-24
EXCISE LAW ENFORCED.
Saloons and Hotel Buffets
Strictly Guarded by
the Police.
ROOSEVELT MEANS BUSINESS
Places That Had Not Been Closed
Minute in Years Forced
to Submit.

NEW YORK, N. Y, June 23.-Those
persons who have doubted the sincerity of
Police Commissioner Roosevelt in declar-
ing that ne would not only close every
saloon in New York on Sunday, in COM
pliance with the excise law, but would also
shut up the buffet-rooms in the various
hotels, had ample demonstration of the
earnestness of the new president of the
| Police Board to-day.
To say that it was "dry" Sunday in
| New York is only citing an absolute fact
| The oldest citizen in the metropolis with
bibulous habits, which are generally as
much in evidence on Sunday as other days
! in the week, after making the usual rounds
pronounce the day to be a record breaker.
Seldom in the history of Manhattan Island
so say these, has such condition of affairs
been known to exist upon Sunday.
When Police Commissioner Roosevelt
said some days ago that he intended to put
| stop to the sale of liquors in the buffet
rooms in the large hotels, even if he had to
break few captains in attaining this end,
the public, and especially the public who
live in or frequent these large hotels and
have heard just such threats many times
matter little thought. To the members
of the police force, and especially the
police captains, the word of Commissioner
Roosevelt had more significance.
The blue-coated and gold-striped men,
bers of the police force have at last awak-
ened to the fact that the new president is
not man to be trif1ed with, and that when
he makes an assertion he means every
| word of it. The result was that to-day all
hotel proprietors were decisively informed
that they must shut up or undergo arrest.
The measures adopted for the enforce
ment of the excise law by the police, while
| they did not succeed in stopping ali sales
| of intoxicating drinks, came so near ac-
conlplishing it that the day was the dryest
| of any known for long time.
The plan of stationing a policeman at
the side of most of the saloons was fol-
lowed as far as possible in most of the
precincts, but as the barrooms outnumbe
the police force, even were the officers all
on duty at one time, there were many
places left unguarded.
Along the Bowery and in the streets ad-
joining, saloons which have not been
| closed minute in years were strictly
guarded, but little farther along Third
avenue little difficulty was encountered in
getting drink. The topers of the Bowery,
however, did not know this and their
sufferings were plainly evident as they
| went from one to another of their regular
haunts only to have admission refused
them and to be told that no business was
being done.
Down town the tension was nearly as
great and one well-known tavern near the
Brooklyn bridge which for years has ad-
Sunday and during the prohibited hours
of night was tightly barred.
In the crowded East Side sections down
town the enormous number of saloons
gave the police much trouble in their ef-
forts to keep an eye on all of them and to
see that they did not violate the law.
Among the largest hotels the law was
observed almost to the letter. In the past
when some spasmodic wave of reform has
barred the doors of the saloons the
tippler has always found relief in these
buffet rooms, but it was different
to-day. To be sure the cafes were open,
but tn ere was something in the demeanor
of the white-aproned walters that told the
story without inquiry. Anything in the
line of food was cheerfully served, but
drinks were not to be had.
At the Hoffman House, the Holland
House, the Brunswick, the Waldorf and
many of the other big uptown hotels in
the buffet-rooms the chairs were turned
up against the tables and no guests were
visible.
In case person wished to order meal
and some liquid with it, the privilege was
extended. This was largely taken ad-
vantage of, and the restaurants did q
rousing business during the day.
Those eating-houses up and down
Broadway which are open on Sunday
caught great deal of the trade that was
turned away from the hotels and were not
molested in the sale of drinks.
One hotel in upper Broadway did not
heed the new order of things at all. This
hotel has large open summer garden in
the rear, where meals and drinks were
served. This garden was well patronized
during the afternoon and evening and
steady stream of walters passed between it
and "blind" bar, carrying heavily laden
trays.
Many guests of the hotels were told
when they came downstairs in the morn
ing that they could have drinks served in
their rooms if they SO desired, and as a re-
suit many at once returned to their apart
ments to secure the morning "bracer."