The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-18
Littleton and the DiSpensary.
Especial to News and Observer

Especial to News and Observer
Littleton, n. c., Feb. 1.-THE town of
Ltttleton lies in both Halifax and War
rem counties. About nine .enths of it's
business is carried on in Halifax county
territory, including the two drug stores,
the postoffice, the Postal and Western
Union Telegraph offices, al the hotels
except the Spring Park which is barely
across the line, the Henderson Telephone
Exchange, the dental and law offices, the
mayors office, the cotton market, where
between five and six thousand bales are
sold annually, and besides these places
Of business there are over twenty gen
tral stores on the Halifax side of the
town while there are only five or six on
the Warren side. Heretofore This divis-
ion line has been more imaginary than
real. Our good people were seldom re-
minded of the fact save wllon some
transgressor of the law woulG evade a
justices writ issued by the authorities
in one or the other counties. But now
this invisible line promises TO be a
source of controversy among Chose who
are interested in the liquor question and
trying to minimize the obnoxious features
of the sale of the same by the establish
/ =
at the same time receiving the bentfit
arising therefrom in the way OF taxes to
maintain the town government. improve
our street lights, etc, and others of diff
ferent views as to which is the better
plan to deal with the question 1t will
be remembered that in July, 1901, the
board of commissioners of Halifax coun-
ty refused to grant license to anybody
to sell liquor in the town of I.ittleton-
all of the bars at that time and always
therefore being in Halifax county terri
tory.
This action by the commissioners was
based upon the petition OF the qualified
Y oters of Littleton and upon the advice
that the territory was already prohibited
by a statute prohibiting the sale and
manufacture within one mile Of Littleton
College and this view has since been
sustained by the Supreme Court in the
case of State VS. Knots.
No sooner had the people rid them"
selves of the saloons than The authorities
of Warren with a branch dispansary pro-
vision, established and has ever since
maintained a branch dispensary in the
town of Littleton drawing its revenue
to very large extent if not four-fifths
of all its income from the people of Hall
fax county, while the town OF Llttleton
nor the county of Halifax has not re-
Ceived one cent of the profits from it.
At the February term of Warren coun-
ty Superior court the keeper of this dis
pensary in Littleton was presented to
the grand jury and true bill found foi
selling whskey in territory prohibited
by law Now, when the proposition is
made to the Warren people to have a
dispensary for the town of Llttleton, with
a fair division of the profits among war
rem, Halifax and the town OF Llttleton,
the position of the Warren county au-
thorities seem to be by their refusal to
make fair terms, that they already have
business which is paying them a hand
some income and therefore they DO not
care for any partnership. II absolute
prohibition" did actually pronlblt the
people of this town would favor that.
But experience here teaches to the con-
trary, therefore business men have de-
cided to ask the Legislature for char-
ter for a dispensary for the town.
With nearly all the business IN hall
fax, two-thirds of the population ana
two-thirds of the territory IN HallIaX we
residents of Littleton on the Hall1aA
side shall look to our Senator and Rep
resentatives in the Legislature TO take
care of our interests and the interests
of the people Of the county Inc aooNe
ia the true conditions of things here