The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-14
THE D|SPENSARY
AND THE SALOON
Dispensaries Would Mean
More Revenueto Raleigh.
VAST INCREASE IN THIS
TheFigureS From the Columbia, South Carolina
Dispensary Compared With the Revenue
Raleigh Gets From the Saloons
Doing Business Here.

There is going 10 be great movement
for dispensaries all over North Caro-
lima after the Watts Bill goes into eff
feet on the first of July.
After that time on the petition of one
third OF the registered voters of any in
corporated city or town an election must
be held to determine whether saloons
dispensaries, or the manufacture of wills
key, one or two or all be or be not al
lowed.
VIII Raleigh hold an election on dspen-
saries, saloons or prohibition? That is a
story that is to be heard of later. In
the meantime here are some figures that
go to show that with the dispensary III
operation in this city there would be Q
great, vast increase in the revenue
This calculation is based upon the
profits of the dispensary in Columbia, S
c. The population of Columbia is given
at about $21 10S, and Greater Raleigh
with it's suburbs will measure up with
Columbia. comparison between the
two cities on the liquor question will be
an eminently fair one.
The profits on the dispensaries in the
city of Columbia for the three months of
December d90D. January and February
0902) were $10.201.06 For December
0902), January and February C903)
these amounted to $9,52S.25 These
amounts can be said to average about
$4,000 a quarter. or in round numbers
$4,000 a year. There are in Columbia
four places at which beer alone is sold
two of these being hotels, and four dis
apin ha oil Of
In Raleigh there are twenty-fou sa-
looms, two Wholesale liquor dealers and
one beer bottling establishment. From
these the city receives yearly for the
twenty saloons at $500 each 81. 200
for the wholesale establishments and the
bottling works 800 each, or $500 making
n total of 81 500 In addition there is paid
to the county for school purposes 500 a
year on each of these, $1,000 in ALL This
makes a total of $4,000 year that the
county of Wake and the city of Raleigh
receives for the sale of liquor, about
one-fourth of the sum that Columbia re-
ceives from it's dispensaries
In other words, Wake county receives
in one year from the saloons in Raleigh
5000 year more than $4,000, while Co
lumbia, s c. and the county of Rich
land receives in the neighborhood of
$4,000 a year, conservative estimate, the
revenue for Columbia itself during the
past year having been in excess of $780,
600, as it receives half of the profits
The dispensary, it will be seen, will I'M
questionably bring a vast increase in
ervenue, even if difference in popula-
tion is urged. The twenty-four saloons
in Raleigh must produce above the cost
of the liquor q very large sum of money
and from this must come the salaries of
the employees. the rents for twenty-fou
places of business, the lights and many
other items which would not be borne
by four dispensaTies open only in the day
and with a limited number of employees.
Of course. it is not expected that there
would be the same great profit to the
dispensaries as now come to the saloons.
for the matter of mixed and fancy drinks
would be cut out and the heavy night
sales would be reduced, neither is there
any calculation made here concerning the
amount of money. directly spent in the
saloons, which would not be spent if dis
pensaries We're the rule, but which
would find circulation in other lines of
business.
It's startling array of figures whether