The San Francisco call., 1906-06-16
PROPOSES
A SALOON
MONOPOLY
Archibald MontroSe Bids
for Exclusive Trade
in Liquor,
Interesting Proposition Is
Made to Board Of
Supervisors.
Offers Million Dollars a
Year or Half Gross
Bar Receipts.

Archibald ]. Montrose. president Of
the California Liquor Association,
wants the Board of Supervisors TO ad-
vertise for bids for the exclusive priv
nege of selling liquor and conducting
saloons in the city and county of San
Francisco for the next twenty years.
in communication filed with the
clerk Of the board yesterday morning
he states that a corporation can be
formed which is willing TO pay ST.
000.OO0 year and more for the priv
lege. or give so per cent Of the gross
receipts. MOntroSe pleads that more
money could be secured by giving
monopoly Of the liquor business than
by allowing prOmiscuous franchises.
Numerous as have been the PROPOSE
tions regarding the liquor question
since the fire this is the most startling
that has been brought to the attention
Of the Supervisors. he proposes to
limit the number of saloons in the city
70 1000, or such number as the board
may direct. The company would be
willing 10 give 81, 900. 600 a year for the
first i've years. S1.250.OO0 for the sec
ond five. and s2.OOO.0O0 every twelve
months for the laSt ten. If this ar
rangement is not satisfactory the cor
pOration viii give so per cent Of the
gross receipts.
Nothing is said of the regulations
10 be made regarding the supervision
OF the saloons once they are estab-
lished. If the city should accept a
percentage OF the gross receipts il
would be necessary TO go into part
nership with the concern to the extent
that the receipts might'be watched.
The proposition from Montrose fol-
lows:
Your petitioners pray that a fran
chiSe be advertised for sale whereby
the liquor business of this city and
county he awarded 10 the highest bid
6ers- The undersigned is prepared to
bid on such d franchise and will give
sum of money for the exclusive priv
lege Tor twenty or more years. A
corporation would be formed and a
scale OF bids submitted. so that the
city would receive d sum of money ex-
ceeding one million dollars per year.
To make ourselves plain. we ask that
g franchise be offered for sale award
ing exclusive privileges for the sale of
liquor for twenty wears We are pre-
pared TO give $1,000. 600 for such privil-
ege, per year, for Ave years: $3.50 600
per year for the second five years, and
$2,000.00O per year for --.e last ten
years. or we viii give 50 per cent of
the gross income for twenty years.
We viii agree TO limit the number
OF saloons at 1000 or such number as
the board considers just and equitable
We further bind ourselves that all
California made goods shall be sold
We will manufacture all kinds of
liquors thus keeping the money within
the State and giving large number of
men employment
The time has arrived whereby the
industries of this State should be fos-
tered. and no business can be men
toned that would require the large
number Of men as that of the manu-
factUre Of sprituous liquors.
We believe that more money can be
obtained through our pronosition to
assist the stricken CITY than by grant
ing promiscuOus licenses. We there
fore pray that a franchise be adVer-
Used for sale.
ARCHIBALD J. MoNTRoSE.
Pres. California Liquor Association.
The California Liquor Association is
. newly formed corporation and has no
sfiliation with the formerly established
liquor organizations