The Washington times., 1904-05-22
FIOHTOF MILLIONAIRES
NOW ON IN NEW YORK
John Jacob Astor Wants a License for His
Hotel-Some of His Rich Neighbors
Object-A Bitter Contest

Apparently this is what is TO be done.
Mr.. Ham has announced that thee
would be no public bar IN the hotel,
ana the entrance on Fifth Avenue
would be closed in difference to the op-
position Of the Fifth Avenue Presby-
terrain Church at Fifty-ffth Street.
MY Hasn said that he never intended
10 have bar in the hotel. and wine
and liquors are % be served 10 the
guests in the restaurant from an un-
derground room
According 70 this arrangement Mr..
HAN declared the law viii be strictly
complied with and there will be no IL
quor sold within 200 feet Of the church
entrance.
Mr.. Ham says he has obtained the
consent Of the necessary number OF
property owners 10 conduct the hotel n
there Is no public bar. He IS satisfied
even II the hotel were operated as a
temperance hotel IL would be a paving
| investment
The syndicate of property owners. IN
GLIDING DR.. Robert F. Wen. Henry s.
Redmond. William Rockefeller. and
/ John r. Drexei. who have objected %
the hotel. declare that the fight against
/ the sale OF liquor in the hotel viii be
/ maintained. and that Mr.. HAN has
not obtained the consent Of the prop
erty owners to violate the law.
] Mr. Ham denied that he or anyone
| connected with the St. Regis Hotel had
! endeavored to have law passed per-
hitting liquor TO be sold in a hotel
/ within the 200 feet limit Of a church
provided the church gives its consent.
DR.. Weir said he had heard Of such
proposed amendment to the license law.
/ but did not know who was back Of it.
| The Rev DR.. Ross Stevenson said that
neither he nor the board OF trustees. had
/ taken any action in regard. TO the L.
cense of the st. Regis Hotel. and the
opposition had come from property
holders.
Law Hard to Unravel.
The law referred to by Mr.. Ham az
fords an interesting additional complica-
ton 70 an already complicated case. This
virtually provides, as far as is appar-
| ent to the naked eye. that liquor NAV
be sold within the prohibited distance OK
a church If the church itself consents.
II provides that the law in question shall
not apply TO any place within the above
| prescribed limits of a building occupied
exclusively as church If. simultaneous
ly with the fling of an application state
ment descriptive of such nc, there
shall be filed consent in Wi az that such
traffic IN liquors be so carried on during a
I term therein stated. except by the corpo-
I ration, association. or society using such
building as church or the duly author
lied agent thereof, and Acknowledged Al
are deeds entitled to be recorded"
| 1t was well known when this bill was
before the Legislature that it was meant
10 cover a Particular case. No one knew.
4 however, what building ana what church
were aimed at. The measure seemed
harmless, however. and it slipped
! through. The enemies OF the ST Regis
now assert that both properties will be
found at the corner OF Fifth Avenue and
| Fifty-ffth Street. At first this seemed
rather doubtful, as 1t was understood
that the church was also opposed to the
license. 1t is said now, however. that
the Astors are bringing every pressure
to bear upon the church, and that there
is some possibility that it may give the
needed consent.
Niger in the Woodpile?
It would seem, however. that even I'M
der these circumstances the neighbor-
hood was secure, as the law requires the
/ consent of two-thirds Of all residents
]
nervous, however. over the possibility
that there may be a hitherto unperceiv-
ed joker in the present bill, whereby the
consent Of the church may end the ms {
/ ter. 1t is pointed out that the law. II
/ Governor Odeu signs the bill, excerpts
from the prohibition amy place within
the above prescribed limit" etc, il the
| consent of the church is gained. Does
that mean that. in such situation, the
consent of the property owners may be
waived? That they are deprived OF their
rights, provided the church assents to
/ the Hcense2
There are thus endless subtleties in the
present situation, which none but an ex-
pert would pretend 20 adjust. II the case
ever gets into court many points in a
| confused section OF the RaInes law viii
be decided Meanwhile the property
] owners are firm in opposing what they
| claim would be only a second Sherry
in what hitherto was one OF the quietest
and most expensive parts Of the city IL
is essentially a battle OF the millionaires.