The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-02-05
OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
THE AMOUNT OF'THE SALES IN The
suB-DIsPENsARIEs.


port ofthe State Liquor Commissioner
,,,- 1ssnad Yesterday--Interesting In
formation.
COLUMBIA s. c., Jan. 81 The first
annual report of the State liquor com
missioner was issued yesterday and 1T
10 most interesting document, full OF
information of value to the public. In
the report the commissioner says:
"It is gratifying to me to be enabled
to state that the operations OF the dis
pensary have been profitable for the
period of my incumbency in office; a
net profit of $133, 467. ~ having accrued
from the sales of the past eleven
months, whilst the unearned profit
outstanding, December 31st, is $25,
571. .S5, making total earned and un-
earned profit for eleven months OF
$159, ,O39.62 on $s03, ,055. 63, total sales
by me for the corresponding period.
have saved the State onmy purch-
ases of mercandise for the past eleven
months the sum of $40, $685. In dis
counts. -
"I would state, that there have been
on an average "a sub b-dispensaries in
operation in the State for the past year.
The sales from these dispensaries for
the pasteleven months aggregate 81
076. 1853 .65, at net profit of $1O6, 13l. 70
TO the towns and counties. Some OF
these dispensaiss located in the small
Ter towns have been operated through
the dull season at a loss to the coun-
ties in which they are located, and l
would respectfully suggest that your
honorable board take such steps as are
necessary to prevent recurrence OF
these undesirable results during the
coming summer. I am impressed
with the necessity of an adoption by
yeur honorable board of stringent
rules and regulations for the govern
ment of the sub-dispensaries and a
rigid enforcement thereof. Iwould
respectfully suggest that the county
dispensers ba required to sign their
monthly inventories under oath or af-
firmation, as well as all other month
~ and quarterly reports.
"I would respectfully call the atten-
ton of your honorable board to the
fact that divers complaints have been
made by various dispensers on account
of my inability to I'LL their orders in
several instances. Your honorable
board will, doubtless, remember that
I foresaw this annoyance early in the
past spring, and to provide against
this contingency, suggested the i'm
mediate erection OF suitable building
ON the line of the railroads, that an in
crease in the working force might be
made advantageously, and handling of
goods greatly facilitated. And as a
provision against the impracticability
of the immediate adoption of the above
suggestion Ialso suggested, as an al
tentative, that your honorable board
empower the commissioner to pur-
chase in sufficient quantities to stow
away large stock through the dull
summer months, to meet the heavy de-
mands of the fall and winter trade.
But at the time litigation was of such
nature land for other causes, of which
your honorable board is fully advised)
It was not deemed expedient to carry
into execution either of my sugges-
tons; and, as a consequence, was
forced to meet the heavy demands
made upon me as best I could. Sta
toned as I was in inadequate quarters,
with q stock on hand far short of the
demands of the increasing trade, twas
q physical impossibility to keep alb
reast of the demands although I had
q full force at work night and day,
and every foot of available floor space
was utilized for storage purposes.
That I may tide against a recurrence
of these difficulties next winter, /
would suggest that your honorable
board take some steps looking to the
construction of a larger building near
the railroad line, and that the commits
sioner be vested with the power to
purchase supplies and merchandise in
quantities sufficient to meet the fall
trade. It is absolutely necessary to
provide increased facilities to meet
the requirements of this growing trade
and if the suggestions thrown out by
me are not adopted, will be impossible
to measure up to the expectations of
the public.
"Your attention is also respectfully 2
called to the beer sale privilege granted
certain parties. I am unalterably of
the opinion that it is fruitful source
of illicit traffic and would respectfully
recommend that your honorable board
withdraw all privileges thus granted.
"The 'personol accounts item of this
report represents 81, 526.43, shortages
due by county dispensers. Part of this
deficit is in process of settlement,
whilst the other part is now in the
courts, $212 80 of this amount is due
by the penal and charitable institu-
tons Of the State and Clemson and
Winthrop colleges for alcohol, whis-
key and wines. The asylum owing
the amount of $1S3.50 for goods pur-
chased by order of the board of regents
5000 is owing by the suspended bank
of Chester, and Snow & Co., of King
stree. These suspensions transpired
before I assumed the duties of commits
sioner. The remainder represents ad-
vances made by me to pay the govern
ment tax on whiskey at local distiller-
les, in order to remove it from the
bonded warehouses, and amounts due
by distillers and wholesale liquor deal
ers for empty barrels reshipped them
These accounts must, of necessity, ap-
pear in each report issued from this
Office, as outgoing shipments and in
coming payments for same are al
most daily occurrences. Therefore, it
is not to be assumed that these per-
sonal accounts' wholly repreSant