The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-07-08
A DICKER WITH SATAN.
The Salvation Army to Join
Hands with the Bottlers'
Association.

The Salvation Army Is engaged in a
branch of the liquor business.
Startling as this statement may appear
it is nevertheless true. The Salvage
Brigade of the Salvation Army, with its
headquarters at No. 337 Newark avenue,
is aiding in the liquor traffic, which the
spiritual part of the organization is en-
deavoring to wipe out of existence.
Negotiations are now pending between
Lieutenant William Range, who is in
charge of the Salvage Brigade, and the
officers of the Hudson County Bottlers'
Protective Association, which, If success
full, will lead to the regular employment
of the brigade by the bottlers. Lieutenant
Range was invited to confer with the
bottlers at their last meeting in Pras-
ser's Hall on Central avenue, but was
unable to be present owing to a business
engagement out of town. He has
promised, however to be present at the
next meeting. when it is expected deal
will be effected by which both organiza-
tions will be benefited. The scheme is
that the Salvage Brigade shall be paid
stated income by the Bottlers Protective
Association, in consideration of which
they will undertake to collect empty
bottles belonging to members of the asso-
citation.
The negotiations were started by De-
tective Knoop of the Bottlers' Association
who has his headquarters In ST. Paul's
avenue, near Oakland avenue, and are
being engineered by him. When seen by
a reporter for "The News he said:-
"The Salvation Army Salvage Brigade is
a good thing, as it gives employment to a
number of men. They are well meaning
enough but unwittingly, perhaps, they
have been violating the law ever since
they started in Jersey City. For several
months had been receiving complaints
every day from members of our associa-
ton who reported their bottles missing.
In all there were over a thousand bot
ties gone no one knew where. AS soon
as learned of the leakage investigated.
l searched the. whole city and finally came
across the Salvage Depot of the Salvation
Army. AS soon as ! learned the nature
of the place I felt that my search was
ended. I went in and almost the first
thing saw was several barrels of bot
ties. examined some of them and found
that they had our marks on them. The
law is that bottlers can claim their bot
ties wherever they find them and
take them without paying for
them. There is clause in the
law which prohibits the bother from
buying his bottles. but he is permitted
to pay for the labor of collecting them.
We have regularly appointed collectors
in the employ Of the association. told
the officer in charge of the Salvage Bri-
gade that he was violating the law by
collecting the bottles for the purpose cf
selling them. He said 1t was through
ignorance that the bottles had been col
lected and said he would turn over to
me all he had in his possession. have
already taken away two wagon loads. r.
laid the matter before the Bottlers' As
sociation and suggested that the Salvage
Brigade be compensated for their trouble
in collecting the bottles, and that it be
permitted to continue the collection at
a fixed compensation. I told the Lieu
tenant to be at the last meeting but he
didn't show up. The bottiers are will
ing to encourage the work and would 4
probably have made him present of
s25 or so If he had appeared,
Lieutenant Range was also seen. He
said he was sorry he could not be pres
ent at the last meeting of the bottlers
and expressed his determination to at
tend the next meeting. IF there is any
money to be made by it, he said, II
shall certainly meet them I don't see
why we shouldn't be.paid for collecting
and cleaning the bottles. as it entails a
do not use much discrimination in col
lecting the bottles and lots of those be-
ionging to the Botalers' Association get
tective called have told the men to be
more careful in collecting bottles; If the
bottlers pay them for their labor, how
hnxy royr arr fjt,11n m on11 J.