The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-04-05
Many Engaged in Liquor Selling.

Whiskey is now sold in about 80 Of
IL counties. Before the dispeneary
days there were more "dry countless
several more. Whiskey is sold from
about Is dispensaries. There are
probably ss many more beer privi-
leges' and tourist hotel privileges. In
considering the success Of the dis
peusary scheme account must be had
Of the "tigers. In Charleston the
number is estimated at from $50 to
500. Large and small, there are
probably an average Of from % to 80
in Greenville and Columbia. Judg-
ing from the number of seizures re-
ported each three months by the con
stables there must be at any and all
times from five to ~ men engaged in
handling "contraband. But take
the coast and border towns--Beaufort,
Port Royal, Georgetown, Conway and
villages along the North Carolina and
Georgia lines-is there any in which
whiskey is not always to be had for
money and at all hours? Unless con-
ditions have changed, whiskey is sold
freely by tigers in Greenyille and
Columbia.
We know that it was few years ago.
Several thousand dollars worth OF
whiskey was seized in Greenville
county at one place about two years
ago. An average of FIVE tigers to
each of 39 counties aggregates i90.
Add $50 for Charleston, Columbia and
Greenville and you have $40. Include
$50 dispensaries Of one kind or anoth.
er and you have q total of $50 places
where liquors are sold.
Meanwhile large percentage Of the
people are patronizing the barrooms
and liquor stores beyond the State
who formerly bought within it. Our
opinion is that there are perhaps L.
600 "tigers," big and little, amateur
aud professional, black and white, in
the State.
AS to the men employed. The sub
dispcnsaries employ about 300. The
tigers" perhaps 500 to 1000 part
or all of the time Of each. Indirectly
engaged in the whiskey business are
1913 members of county board of con-
trol-about 20 regular constables.
How many extra oonstables, paid by
the job, as informers, etc., we can't
guess. Add the members Of the
State board of control and the EN-.
ployes of the bis State dispensary,
and you have some hundreds more.
Due solely to the existence of the
dispeusary is distillery in Colum-
bia, the expenses Of which are said to
! 30 about ten Thousand dollars work
ing day. One-third Of this goes to
the government for stamps. We do
not know how many men it employs.
Besides there are number Of smaller
distilleries, largely supported by dis
pensary patronage.
If the iispensaries and tigers mum.
Der about as many as did barrooms,
the number of employees are about the
samo. Meanwhile we are support
ing many barrooms in other States
and paying town policemen and sher-
ifs to give good part of sheir time
to protecting the States liquor bust
ness from competition by individ-
uals.
We think Georgia has closed more
than -tenths of its barrooms in 10
years. Outside of the large cities it
has closed nearer 100 per cent. we
think.
AS to the night closing. A young
man drops into tho dispsnsary about
sundown. He must buy at least one
bottle-half- pint, pint, quart or more.
He and his friends usually drink the
| supply during the night. In o bar
room he may take one drink or dozen
by IL O'Clock. From dispensary he
cannot buy one drink at time. He
must buy at least six. ordinary drinks
if he drinks at all.-Laurens Adver-
tiser,