Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-18
NO DRINKS AFTER MIDNIGHT
Mayor Jennings Issues an Order Relative to
Closing Of Saloons,
COUNCIL BLUFFS WILL BE DRY ON SUNDAY
Edict Goes out TO the Liquor Dealers,
but the Gambling Houses Are
Not Touched Reason
is Given.
COUNCIL BLUFFS WILL BE DRY ON suNDA'

Henceforth, or until such time as the
agitation looking toward the publication
of the moral atmosphere Of the city shall
have died down again, all saloons in Coun-
Gil Bluffs will have to close when the clock
on the Bloomer school building tolls the
midnight hour.
AS one result OF the petition now being
| circulated by the Methodist church people
for the suppression Of the gambling houses
Mayor Jennings yesterday issued an order
to Chief of Police Bixby to have all saloons
closed at midnight. Not only are the sa-
looms to be closed at this hour, but they
are to be vacated and no drinks to be per-
united to be sold after that hour until 5
o'clock in the morning, when the places may
be reopened. The order did not end here.
Like Omaha, Council Bluffs is to be from
this out a dry town on the Sabbath. Mayor
Jennings ordered Chief Bixby that on Sun
days the saloons are to be closed. The
front blinds are to be up, permitting a clear
view OF the inside, and not a drink is to
be sold over the bar.
The saloon keepers feel somewhat ag-
/ grieved over the order. They say that
no protest has been made against keeping
open nights and Sundays, as has been per-
mitted since Mayor Jennings assumed the
reins of government at the head of the
| utHOCTullC dulllulSllhllOu' AN 'ioo
ing the gambling rooms has been issued
by the mayor, and as far as can be learned
none will be. 1t is generally understood
that Mayor Jennings Was elected on a plat
form one of the main planks OF which was
that the gambling rooms be allowed to
open. They had been closed and kept closed
under the republican administration.
Each of the three gambling houses pay
5000 license, which Is collected as a fine.
Mayor Jennings yesterday said that as the
city absolutely needs this revenue he had
no intention of closing them. Until re-
Gently there were four houses, each pay
ing into the city treasury 5000 a month.
but one suspended business owing to a de-
p~letion in it's bank roll. Owing to the liti-
cation in which the city is involved the
revenue derived from the gambling rooms
is of vast importance and Mayor Jennings
says that until the church people can show
him how the city can manage to get along
without this revenue he has no intention
of ordering the gambling rooms closed.
Since Mayor Jennings assumed office the
wine rooms have become a general attach
ment to many of the saloons in the city
and no steps to suppress them have been
taken by the police, although complaint
after complaint has been lodged with the
authorities. These wine rooms flourish all
over the CITY, some OF unem being Wllnin
a stones throw of the police station. AL
though an official order was issued by the
mayor yesterday it is understood that the
saloons having wine rooms in connection
are to be given a gentle tip that from now
they will not be tolerated. Only a couple
of days ago the patrolman on South Main
street stated that he saw five young girls
none of them over 16 years of age, enter
a wine room resort on South Main street
When asked why he did not interfere he
stated that he had no orders to do so.