The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-05-05
IT'S UNSPEAKABLE
That "Corkage' Business
Soon to Be Started.
One Seeking an Explanation OF the
Mates Bumps Up Against!. "Teg
Tue Mac LET 10y
Gnihton."
Especial to News and observer)

Greensboro, N. c., May 4.-The
new city mayor and board of alder
men take charge of the city govern
ment Friday night, and from what
was gathered by this representative
yesterday they will have to begin
right away Saturday morning, good
and early, testing the prohibitiveness
that Mr.. Tom West contemplated
opening up a "corkage" business in
the city caused Mr.. West to be look
ed up to see what new form OF busl-
ness enterprise it was, and how much
a corkage business would add to the
already wondrous variety and extent
of the commercial activities of the
city.
Mr.. West was very courteous and
accommodating, explaining what a
corkage business was like. He pilot
ed the CORRESPONDENT over to the east
room of the building on Sycamore
street, formerly occupied as Vests
saloon. The room had been fitted up
with a large number of lockers about
big enough to hold a forty-fvd pound
baby or five gallon jug. Each lock-
err has a key. Mr.. West is going to
rent these lockers to any party de-
string them, the renter keeping the
key and keeping anything desired in
the locker. Mr.. West will be on the
premises all the time, and will have
a soda fountain for the dispensing of
soft drinks. There will be q large
refrigerator, of course. Parties rent
ing the lockers might desire to keep
bottles of whiskey or beer in them,
the whiskey and beer being previous
ly bought by them in a distant State
and shipped in here under the inter-
State commerce law. The party
having this private whiskey might
come in and be hot, needing ice, or a
cork screw or both. Mr.. West will
for small stipulated sum supply the
ice and he will pull the cork out of
the bottle for his tenant and there
is where the business gets the name
of "corkage,'' and if there is no i'm
pediment to it. it will surely be a
corking good business in Greensboro
these dry times.
Asked if he didn't think the Law
and Order League would get after
him, Mr.. West said he had no idea of
violating any law or he would not
embark i'm the business; that he had
thought it might be opposed by pro-
hibition sentiment and he had con-
suited some of the best lawyers in the
State, and was told it was all right,
as he only rented lockers and waited
on customers, furnishing them moth
ing but ice or pulling corks for them.
He said he would open up business
Saturday morning and would treat
everybody right, especially at his soft
drink and soda fountain, where the
best fruit syrups and all the latest
soft LIQUID allurements would be dis
pensed.
After seeing Mr.. West and going
through his establishment, the press
representative sought interviews OH
the subject with the city authorities
who have been pretty steep on the
prohibition law since it went into eff
feet. Mayor Osborn would say moth
ing until the correspondent was taken
into the presence of City Attorney
Scales. When Mr.. Scales was found
in his office in the Southern Loan
and Trust Company building, the
mayor used the following language,
or gave out the following interview:
"Mr. Scales, 1 told you that when
went out of office there would be the
devil to pay, and right here now
when | stop Friday night, here comes
Tom West, Saturday morning open
ing up a corkage business"
After the novel nature of the
business was explained to the faith
full city attorney and attorney for the
Law and Order League, he said: Il
have not investigated the question
sufficient to state wherein it violates
the law but there will be no doubt
found means to prevent its multiplying
the effects of prohibitive legislation"
Mr.. Scales said he did not care to be
quoted further as he never crossed a
bridge until he came to it.
A lawyer having no official connec-
ton with the city government, said
that it was novel proposition, but
he had no idea the business would
be permitted. He said the city chart
er provided that any one who gave
another a bottle of whiskey should
be considered prima facie the seller,
but he admitted that if the proprie-
tor swore the bottle was the individ-
ual property of the locker tenant, it
would rebut the prima facie presump-
ton. He said though that the board
of aldermen could pass a law making
a Drohibitive tax on certain classes
of business, and in this way stop the
carrying on of any business that had
been officially declared a nuisance
When asked if a man were to buy a
glass of soda water and himself
dash it with nip of whiskey out of
his own pocket flask, it could be de-
clared a nuisance, the lawyer add
II1ftttu lIIdl llllS pUCSbIOt1 InlSnJ prove
a corker to some judges and even
some aldermen.
Determined to get something defi-
mite from some one of the officials
Alderman-elect Leon Brandt was in
terviewed as to what views he enter
tanned on the subject, as he will have
to pass on it officially. He was ex-
tremely reticent. He was pleaded
with to outline his policy and would
only say: IF somebody would open
up a business here that would cork
up some people | know and some
newspaper reporters | do not know,
it will never be interfered with by
the board of aldermen"
Mayor-elect Thomas j. Murphy.
when asked for his construction of
lne law in the premises and his prob
apie course in the matter should it
come up before him for trial. most
opngingly and promptly replied ::
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