New-York tribune., 1896-03-30
PLENTY OF WET OUTSIDE
EXCEPT FOR THE RAIN, BROOKLYN HAD
DRY SUNDAY.
THE NEW EXCISE LAW oBEYED BY THE LIQUOR
DEALERS-GENERAT. COMMENT THAT IT

WAS A GOOD THING ALI. AROUND
o'clock last night not single arrest for ntoxl-
cation was made In the city OF Brooklyn Be-
tween IL o'clock on Saturday night and o'clock
Sunday morning there were fifty-three arrests
for intoxication but these arrests were ALL as
near could be learned OF persons who were
drunk at II o'clock Saturday night or had
bottles with them with a sufficient quantity Of
Nquor TO make them drunk. About 200 of the
400 saloonkeepers failed to obey the clause Of
the new law with reference to leaving unob-
etructed view of the interiors Of saloons from
the streets Two liQuor-selers were arrested for
keeping open.
When Superintendent McKelvey was asked by
a Tribune reporter at 10 o'clock last night If
there had ever been a Sunday in Brooklyn be-
fore with no arrests between and 6. he said:
NO. there never has been. to my knowledge.
II is unprecedented and phenomenal"
What about keeping up the record?"
THE Raines bill will be rigidly enforced so
long as IL Is constitutional and on the statute
books
The police demonstrated yesterday that they
were held in respect when they are known to
be in earnest
No matter how many excise measures Senator
Raines may formulate. he cannot make Sunday
dry In Brooklyn when ]. Pluvius. esq., has other
nlans to carry oIt. At midnight SATURDAY
Raines the Senator apparently master OF
the situation. A hasty inspection OF the saloons
within u half-dozen blocks Of City Hall showed
pretty conclusively that the new Excise law
was being observed TO the letter.
The won't go-home- TIL l-norning" people were
being promptly hustled out. front and side doors
there was kicking" and some cursing, but the
crowds which had gathered in front OF the big
saloons to see the fun guyed the evicted most un-
r,ercifullv. and soon good -natured laughter over
the situation prevailed. At 3 a. m. the reporter
made another tour Of the same district. The
crowds had gone the streets were comparatively
deserted and the bars were closed. Within
stones throw OF Police Headquarters is DIE
place much patronized by local politicians ana
men about town. The doors and windows are OF
ground glass, and only imperfect views OF the
interior can be obtained through the decorations
Here where the night attaches OF the different
municipal offices have been wont 10 refresh
themselves with a glass OF beer ana sand
wich will be a chance 70 get In. thought the re-
porter As he neared the side door the souno OF
footsteps and the appearance OF shadowy form
inside seemed 70 confirm his opinion. He tried the
against the entrance OF the thirsty. Going back
10 the front door. place was found in the elao-
orately decorated glass which afforded a toler-
ably good view OF the interior The situation
disclosed was pathetic. Leaning up against the
counter opposite the bar. was the proprietor him.
self fork in hand slowly demolishing the last
relic Of the old regime. the remnants OF his free
lunch No curtain could be dropped upon the
hrng picture, Twas against statute F..
Further up Fulton-st-- two all-nght restau-
rants doing q thriving business in hot coffee.
The tables were fairly we'll filled with men whose
faces showed they were night laborers Most OF
them were slowly slipping their coffee, which was
certainly palatable and served In generous cups
Say John" said one. this is a good brew
Yes" grcwled the other. but it takes so long
20 drink It,"
Il was then 4 O'Clock. The Inauguration OF
Raines vas complete. so far as the procuring
OF brewed or distilled drinks was concerned. the
region from Jamaica Bay TO the East River
from Grayesend Bay 70 Newtown Creek, was as
arid as a Texan desert.
At O'clock a few drops Of water fell upon
the dry pavements. and within an hour another
rain had begun. and despite the new law. Brook
lyn had a wet Sunday. AT 10 o'clock Sunday
morning the City Hall section was again inspect
ed. but the cniy change noted that the drug
and hot clam BROTH and were well patronized.
AT the Clarendon Hotel big placard said bar
closed" and a broad grin the face Of negro
who stood near when the door was tried showed
that he was alive the humor Of the situation
In the afternoon the rain ceased. and as If to
make up for lost time, everybody came out to
See how the new law worked.
During the afternoon the reporter thoroughly
covered the Sixth Ward and the Navy Yard dis
trct which have more saloons 10 the Dlock than
any other portions of the town. In the entlre
territory only two places were observed which
were not open to observation as the law requires.
These were both on Atlantic-aVe.. ana the on
Ger on post said both cases had been reported
Only one intoxicated man was seen ana ne ss was
also on the same street Every oHcer on pos.
was nterrogated about the new law ana ohly
one opinion was given. A gray -nalred Ponce-
man who has been on duty among the long
shoremen In the Sixth Ward FOR seversI year.
said: IF 1t (the Raines bilD Will make every
Sunday quiet as this mas peeh IL 10 ''e 'e'
law ever passed.
On the next corner was little group OF long
shoremen do you know where reno" ca"
get a quiet glass OF beer?" was asked
Faith do.. was the response Have yeZ a
sit av boorgiar's tools wild ye? II yez nave IL
show yez plinty Of places where ye can si ,.d ~,
Further conversation with this group showeu
that with one exception they were all gla1 that
the saloons had teen forced to close. Said one
The dollarh be In my p2eket poke n.iran, was re-
peated by more ti.an ore group OF men VINO weIe
coryersed with. A Smith-st. liquor deaer salu ana
II have been In the saloon busir ess since lo's
and iris has been a welcome day to me.
have zen, INV saloon open Sunday, but never
from inclination. and l never want to open IL
on that day again c..,r-
The arrests for irtoxicaton from p m Satur-
Aav toe m Sunday were &c. as agairst * 1or
the same period a week ago. The First ana
Eleventh Precincts had arrests each; the FiItn;
&: the Fifteenth and Twenty-nrst. each and
the Second 8 The only arrest for violation OF
the new law was that OF Thomas F. Carey nar-
tender for John Gallagher. OF NO szo frankin,
Precinct. made the arrest at p m. Three or
fcur men were in the place when the officer en-
tered. ,,., ,
men in town yesterday. The Alderman recently
onened p saloon at Hicks and Harrison SITS. and