The age-herald., 1899-01-20
FULL TEXT OF THE
 DISPENSARY BILL


 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Alabama as follows, to-wit
 Section l. Each incorporated town or city which is a county seat, and in which the sale of liquor is not now prohibited by law, ehall have authority, and it shall now be its duty, to conduct and carry on in its corporate name, in it's corporate capae- ity, and through its legislative body, the business of buying and selling spirituous, vinous, and malt liquors, subject to the conditions and restrictions hereinafter men, tioned. The place at which said business is carried on shall be called dispensary. In each of said towns or cities which has a population of ten thousand or less, there shall be one dispensary, and only one. In towns or cities having a population greater than ten thousand, and not exceeding twenty thousand, there may be two dis pensaries. In general, there may be in each city dispensary for every ten thous- and of its population. Cities whose popula- ton is over twenty thousand, and between mutiples of ten thousand, may have a dis pensary for every ten thousand of it's pop ulation, and an additional dispensary for the excess of it's population over the lowest one of the said multiples. The population of towns and cities shall be determined by the last preceding census. These dispens- aries shall be carried on only within the corporate limits of such towns or cities. Each of said municipalities shall invest in said business sum of money not less than three hundred dollars, nor more than twenty-five hundred dollars, for each dis pensary 1t may carry on. The liquors bought and sold as herein provided shall be of the purest and best quality.
 Sec. 2. The office of dispenser is hereby created and there shall be a dispenser for each dispensary that may be established. ha 6iSppnSarS thirty days after the approval of this act, and their terms of office shall begin on the first day of the calendar next succeededing their election, and shall continue until Jan uary l, 1901. The terms of their successors in office shall be,two years. Each dispenser shall hold office until his sue ocessor Is elected and qualified.
 Sec 3. For the purpose of aiding in the selection of dispensers, meetings of the court of county commissioners or board or public revenue, of each county al whose county seat the sale of liquor is not pro- hibited by law, shall be called when neces- sary at any regular or called meeting of said court of county commissioners, or board of public revenue. that may be held within twenty days after the approval of this act and at any regular or called meet ing of said court or board that may be held between the last day of September, l90O and the tlrst day of January, 1901;
 
 of said court or board that may be held between the last day of Setember and the 16th day of December. prior to the first day of January, every two years thereafter; said court of county commissioners or board of public revenue shall furnish to the mayor or other chief executive of the town or city which is their county seat, the names of three times as many men as the number of dispensaries to which the county seat is entitled These men shall be resi- dents of the county by whose court Of county commissioners or board of public revenue, they may be selected, shall be twenty-one years of age, and shall be es- teemed as honest, temperate, law-abidins and competent to carry on a dispensary at their county seat Before the first day of the first term of office, and before the first day of each succeeding term of office, here- in provided for, the Legislative body of each of said towns and cities shall, from the names so furnished elect a dispenser for their town or city. Said dispenser, under the direction and control of the town or city in which his dispensary is situated shall buy and sell liquors and carry the dis pensary for the term of two years and until his successor is elected and qualified. Fla ch town or city having a dispensary shall pro- vide its dispenser with whatever money within the aforesaid limits that it wishes him to use in conducting the business. Be-
 
 each dispenser shall make affirmation be- fore an officer authorized to administer oaths. that he will obey all the laws of the state of Alabama and of the town CT city of which he is disenser. relative to the salep, giving away. or delivery of liquors of any kind He shall also. before begin ming business execute to his town city bond conditioned for the honest and faith ful discharge of his duty as such dispenser. Said bond shall have two sufficient sure ties and be approved by the mayor or other chief executive, of said town or city. For neglect of business incompetency, misfea g. ance or mafeasance in office, a dispenser may be mpeached by the legislative, or governing body of said town or city of which he Is dispenser. and for cause, to be may be removed from ofllce Whenever a vacancy occurs in said office. from any cause whatever. the mayor or other chief executive of such town or city shall certify that fact to the judge of probate of the county in which said town or city Is stu- ated Said judge shall immediately cali a | meeting of the court of the county com- missioners or board of public revenue, and said court or board shall furnish to the said mayor or chief executive for selection | as aforesaid to fill each vacancy the names of three men having the aforesaid oralin- | cations for a dispenser, and from these three | names the legislative body of said town or | city shall elect disonser to fill the va {! oaney.
 l See f. The legislative or governing hody | of the towns and cities in which dispen- | surios may hereafter he carried on shali pay 1 10 their several dispensers a salary which ! shall be fixed by said body before the dis | ensers are elected Said salaries shall not 1 be less than $l0n per annum nor more tl1ar; l s9.ooO per annum and shah hs payable monthly. Said legislative body shall not :! make ur permit the amount of said salary