The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-24
SALOON LICENSES.
How They Range in Various Cfttes-s2'ooo
the Highest Fee.

int
Two methods have been tried In various
parts OF the country, with different de-
grees Of success for reducing the num-
Der OF licensed liquor places. fhe hise
and most familiar of these is the apph-
cation Of the principle OF high license, So
called, under which the rates OF IL
cense fees are so far raised as to De-
come almost prohibitory TO the Mirror
number OF saloons. while the local rev
enue Is not reduced Substantially "hhe
the number of saloons is.
The highest license fee charged any
where In the United States Is at Haver-
hill, Mass, where IL costs s2,0r TO get
a license for n saloon. There are twenty
eight saloons I'm Haverhiil, town or
about fifty thousand inhabitants. or In
the proportion OF one saloon 10 about l,l"
persons. Several other Massachusetts,
towns, particularly Lowell. New Bed
ford, Springfield. AMI Worcester, have
the hgh-license principle in operation,
and there is also stated license fee OF
1900 in these cities. I'm other parts or
the country: Philadelphia, Pittsourg.
Minneapolis. Atlanta (where the EXPOSE
ton now Isl. Duluth, and st. Joseph.
In Boston, with a license fee OF S,oo'
there are fewer than so saloons, and IN
Atlanta, fewer than 100. in the propor-
ton Of one saloon TO about every l,o IN
hab.tants. In St. Louis a license costs
$500, and in Denver the fee is the same.
In Chicago and Detroit IT Is 500, and all
cities in which that rate is eHacted
from saloons are put usually In the cat
egory OF high-iicense cities. Among
these high-license cities, Chicago, win
more than 500 licensed places, STANDS
first: and then come ST. Louis. with 200;
ii.
speak-easies); and Detroit. with l,3".
The number of saloons TO the whole
population Is greater in Detroit than In
any other large city IN the country In
which a license fee of 500 is charged.
The proportion there Is one saloon TO
30 OF population.
Seven large cities or the United States'
Washington. Providence, and New Haven
among them, have a license fee of siVv.
A dozen large cities have a license fee OF
500 Then follow fifty large cities with
a license fee Of $3.50, and then come New
York and Milwaukee, two towns IN wnlcn
the consumption of beer and liquors is
very large, with a license of 500. The
cost OF a liquor license In this city, s1",
puts il low down In the category OF
low-license cities, for the few which
charge as little or less are, nearly all OF
them, In the South, where the rate or
business does not Justify a much higher
figure. Besides this, many OF the South
ern cities, in which a low license rate
Is charged. are in districts or counties
which contribute many thousands of dol
lars 10 the Federal Treasury, in the form
OF internal-revenue duties. Up TO a
year ago. Brooklyn had license fee Of
500, but it has been raised since. There
is $50 license in New York for the
sale of ale or beer and hotels pay either
500 or 500, their classification being reg
ulated by the number Of rooms they have
for guests. New York has 5000 liquor
saloons, Of all characters and descrip-
tions, and this is nearly one thousand
fewer than the number of licensed places
in New York nine years ago. The popu-
iation OF the city has very greatly in
creased during that time and the proper
ton Of liquor SALOONS TO the whole pOpu-
lation has, therefore, been steadily de-
clining.
The present Board of Police Commits
sioners believes that a still further de-
crease in the number of saloons can be
brought about without inconvenience TO
customers, and without radical injury TO
the retail liquor business, for II Is well
known that the number OF saloons In
town is larger than the present condition
OF lfdUt JuSllltSs anu tiidA many VI NA'hA
have been in financial difficulties in con-
sequence. New York has about one
liquor saloon to 200 OF population. Mil
waukee, with 1870 saloons. has one to
1GO of population. In the city OF Buf-
falo the number Of saloons to the total
population Is greater than I'm any other
city Of the country. The present Board
OF Excise Commissioners believes that
5000 saloons would supply all the needs
OF New York customers. and that, be-
ginning on December lst. the number
could be gradually reduced. until the re-
duction reached 5000. This view Of the
case finds some support among the liquor
men themselves. Who know that the
present competition Is gradually depriving
the retail trade of the profits which were
formerly thought 10 be assuer ID TO any
proprietor who had thorough knowledge
of the business, and thoroughly attended
to il. Should the number Of New York
licenses be cut down to 5000. Chicago
would exceed this city in the number OF
its saloons. though Chicago drinks in
year only 2.60OD barrels of beer to New
York's $4,000. with Whiskey in proper
tion-Chicago men say.-New York sun.