The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-02-05
The Sales in the Sub
Dispensarles.
The Annual Report of the
State Liquor Commissioner
MiXSOn.
State, jan. 81.

liquor commissioner was issued yes.
terday and it is most interesting
document, full of information Of
value to the public. In the report
the commissioner says:
"It is gratifying to me to be ena.
bled to state that the operations OF
the dispensary have been profitable
for the period of my incumbency in
Office; a net profit of SlS3 46I u
having accrued from the sales Of the
past eleven months, whilst the un-
earned profit outstanding, December
31st. is s25, ,57l IS, making total
earned and unearned profit for eleven
months of $3.50, ,o39 81, on $9o3.o55
63, total sales by me for the CORE
spending period. have saved the
State on my purchase Of me' chan
disc for the past eleven months the
sum of $2O,939 81 in discounts.
81 would state, that there have
been on an average, 81 sub dispensa
ries in operation in the State for the
past year. The sales from these dis
pensaries for the past eleven months
aggregate S1,076,963 IS, at a net
profit of Sl06,l3l % to the towns
and counties Some of these dispen-
saries located in the smaller towns
have been operated through the dull
season at loss to the counties in
which they are located, and | would
respectfully suggest that your hon
orable board take such steps as are
necessary to prevent recurrence of
these undesirable results during the
coming summer. | am impressed
with the necessity of an adoption by
your honorable board of stringent
rules and regulations for the govern
ment of the sub dispensaries and a
rigid enforcement thereof. | would
respectfully suggest that the county
dispensers be required to sign their
monthly inventories under oath or
affirmation, as we'll as all other
monthly and quarterly reports.
Il would respectfully call the at
tention of your honorable board to
the fact that divers complaints have
been made by various dispensers on
account of my inability to fill their or
-ders in several instances Your hon
orable board will, doubtless, remem
ber that I foresaw this annoyance
early in the past spring, and to pro-
vide against this contingency, | sug-
gested the immediate erection Of a
suitable building on the line of the
railroads, that an increase in the
working force might be made advan-
tageously, and handling of goods
greatly facilitated. And as a pro.
vision against the impracticabihty of
the immediate adoption of the above
suggestion. l also suggested, .as an
alternative, that your honorable
board empower the commissioner to
purchase in sufficient quantities to
stow away large stock through the
dull summer months, to meet the heavy
demands of the fall and winter trade.
But at the time litigation was of such
a nature (and for other causes, of
which your honorable board is fully
advised it was not deemed expedi.
ent to carry into execution either OF
my suggestions and, as conse-
quence, | was forced to meet the
heavy demands made upon me as best
/ could. Stationed as I was in made
quate quarters, with stock on hand
far short of the demands Of the in
creasing trade. it was physical i'm
possibility to keep abreast of the de-
mands, although i had full force at
work night and day, and every foot
of available floor space was utilized
for storage purposes That | may
tide against a recurrence Of these
difficulties next winter. would sug-
gest that your honorable board take
some steps looking to the construc-
ton of 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. 1t 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, it will be
impossible to measure up to the ex-
pectations of the public.
"Your attention is also respectful y
called to the beer sale privilege
granted certain parties. I am un-
alterably of the opinion that it is a
fruitful source of illicit traffic and
would respectfully recommend that
YOUR honorable board withdraw all
privileges thus granted.
"The personal accounts item of
this report represents S4,526.43,