New-York tribune., 1901-11-17

unoer that provision there have been estab
hshed thousands Of ''Ranes law hotels in the
city Most Of these hotels" consist of
saloons on the ground floors of tenement houses,
with some apartments upstairs under the control
OF the saloonkeepers. It has been necessary in
most cases to turn out families from rooms
over the saloons and fit up ten rooms for guests
al each place. The temporary letting Of the
rooms at night has made a den Of vice of nearly
every such hotel in the city. At the same
time, the law has been violated, both in letter
and in spirit, because there has been failure TO
comply with the provisions relating TO light.
ventilation. thickness Of walls, height Of ceilings
and arrangements for safety in case of fire. such
as are demanded for real hotels.
Every dealer who takes out a liquor tax Ger
tificate intended to permit the sale OF liquor on
Sunday at q hotel is required to make an
affidavit. in which he answers yes TO the fol-
lowing question:
Does such building contain at least ten bedrooms
aboTs the basement. exclusive Of those occupied
furnished 10 accommodate dodgers, and separated
by partitions at least three inches thick, extend
ing from floor to ceiling with Independent access
TO each room sby door opening into d hallway
less than eight SQUARE feet Of surface opening upon
street or open Gsur light shaft or open p ar az nn1 SnG
area, and at least six hundred cubic feet Of space
hnrad aS9 e 9 0o4 Th Which, af faf IS no
part of the barroou1. with tables, and having suit
least twenty guests therein at one the
time and a kitchen and conveniences for cooking
therein sufficient to provide bona hde meals at
one and the same time for twenty guests?
Ninety-nine out Of one hundred keepers of
''Raines law hotels make themselves liable to
conviction for perjury in their affidavits, but
they know that the State officials will not in
vestigate the hotels" and they pay for protec
ton against interference by the Police. Health,
Fire and Buildings departments. A complaint
by q sanitary inspector. by inspector OF build
ings by a fireman or by 4 policeman would CON-
pei the revocation Of any tax certificate for
fake hotel" and put an end the sale OF
liquor at the place on Sunday or any other day.
In fact the maintenance of thousands of such
dens Of vice depends the combined inactivity
Of four departments of the city government.
It has become well known that many keepers
se11blance of complying with the ten beds"
provision of the law. They have allowed fam
flies TO reoccupy the rooms over the saloons.
They have signs with the word hotel on them,
but these signs are kept behind the bar week
Sundays. The keepers Of such places say that
they do not want TO be forced 70 let rooms TO
people they don't know
The Liquor Tax law lays upon the police in
this city the direct duty OF making complaints
for violations Of the law, and Section IS Of the
law declares:
Any officer who shall neglect refuse to per
form his duty under the PROVISIONS OF this act
shall be liable a penalty of 500 for each and
Treasurer District Attorney ne shall he removed
from office by the Governor after hearing and de
termination thereon and decision that such neglect
charges 10 the Governor under this section