The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-04-05
THE GREAT DESTROYER
SOME STAR FLING FACTS ABOUT
THE VICE OF INTEMPERANcs.

Interesting Figures in Answer to the
Question, "Does It Pay to Danish the
Saloon From q Community 9"-Pros-
perity of Towns That Are Dry.
The Fishkill IN. " Weekly Times
has a correspondent in California who
has been investigating from a business
standpoint the liquor problem as af.
fecting the cities and towns Of that
State. In his letter to the Times this
correspondent (Mr. L. c. Wood gives
some interesting figures in answer to
the question, Does it pay to Danish the
saloon from a community" After
naming a large number Of tie cities
and towns in Southern California that
voted "dry," and thus banished the
saloon, he says that ali these show a
prosperous growth and some of them
phenomenally so. He then instances
some, Long Beach, for example," l
spent three months at this place the
past summer, and have seen 2 5000 peo-
pie drop down there in one day on
pleasure bent brought in and carried
out by the steamer and electric roads,
all without accidents, with no DRINKS
and no arrests. Long Beach was a
saloon town a few years ago, and when
its better citizens were wrestling with
the problem of no saloons, all the
saloon sympathizers in Southern Cali
fornia predicted that it would kill the
place. During the last few years it
has spent $4,000 for sidewalks, as
much more in extending its sewer sys-
tenn, put up $40 new buildings, spent
$106,000 in new school houses and in
the enlargement of others, built a new
dock pier at a cost Of $10o, 900. I'm
proved its streets all owe the city at
a large expense, also its park. Be-
sides, the Pacific Electric Railway
Company has spent in new lines and
buildings in the city limits $750,O00,
which shows a confidence Of money
men in a town that a few years ago
was going to die. Pasadena, another
dry and dead city, has spent during
the past year about 100000 in new
buildings, and has now a population
of $4,000 to 10000 and an assessed
valuation Of over $15,00O 900. Ocean
Park has added 1000 to its population
in two years. Whittier has added 1000
to its population in two years, and
spent for new buildings in the past
year 100000. Monrovia has increased
its population by 800 the past year.
Hollywood has doubled its population
in eighteen months. Santa Anna voted
the saloon out two years ago, and is
now growing faster than ever before;
1t Is the county seat of Orange 'County.
Wilmington has doubled its population
in twelve months; it voted dry the last
election. d
In the wet cities and towns, Los An
geles and San Pedro are the only ones
that are prosperous in the list. The
Government is spending a vast amount
Of money improving the harbor at San
Pedro, which gives it a boom. Chepo
was a dry town, but voted wet some
six years ago; it has had three murders
since, two Of which were in saloons,
and it has cost this county thousands
Of dollars to prosecute the cases. Los
Angeles has 200 saloons and 145
churches. 1t will have spent in new
buildings by January 1, 1905, for one
year, about $14, 900. Its population
is about 10000. It's per capita growth
will not equal Pasadena or Long Beach,
out II is making wonderful strides. Its
criminal costs are very large. In an
address, a short time since by a GRIM
inal attorney (Mr. Rogers, before the
Mems League, he stated that seventy
five per cent. of. the crime in the city
was caused by the misuse of liquor.
If the saloons were wiped out, seventy
fire per cent. Of costs would not be
ere; he further stated that Of forty
murder cases he had been engaged in,
in the past four years, all but four
were caused by liquor. 'One MURDER"
said Mr.. Rogers, was over a key of
beer, worth $1.25, and it cost Los An.
geles County $4,000 to prosecute the
case" There is a tremendous strong
sentiment against the saloon in Los
Angeles city, and the wise one pre-
dict it will be a dry city in five years,
Reader, does it pay?