Middletown transcript., 1907-09-28

year truck worth from SO,UO0 TO Szo,0UO.
This is a,trucking county, especially south
of US and along Wicomico River. But
there is where we lost most of our trade.
Those people used to come here by boat
loads and take back with them thousands
of dollars worth of goods. They rarely
come here nowadays. They take a two
days trip and sail to Baltimore. East of
us the farmers go to Berlin or Delmar.
But the town has been growing right
along, until this year and we have man
aged to pull cur business back to where
it was before prohibition was forced upon
us. We can do business here without
license, but We would be doing great deal
more il we had license We have great
deal OF Saturday night and Sun lay
drunkenness. The stuff is brought here
from Baltimore and Philadelphia in jugs
and the drinkers drink as usual, only
they get drunk oftener.
''The town speaks for itself, but I heard
a bricklayer say, the other day, that
there was only two jobs IN town. Yes, l
have no doubt that We have lost three
fourths of our down country trade, and
I wish to repeat that with all our prosper
ity We could do great deal more business
If we had one or two licensed and well
! regulated hotels"
Patrick Doedy, senior member OF the
wholesale grocery firm of Doody Bros,
who do big business, said that prohibit
ton Undoubtedly hurt Salisbury and in
no degree reduced drunkenness or improv.
ed the morals of the community. He
| said:
Our Eastern and Northern trade has
mostly gone to Delmar or Berlin, where
| liquor is sold. Most of our river trade
which extends 40 miles southwest to the
Chesapeake Bay, has gone to Baltimore.
That is the hardest blow of all. Sails
bury, as you can see, is a good town and
must do business. There is a good deal
OF money here and the town has been
growing e>er since the big fire of 90 years
ago. There is, however, very little build
ing this year,
"Then we have had several licensed
hotels, three right in this neighborhood,
fol. many years, while the surrounding
towns in the county were "dry." l vot-
ed for license and will do so again. We
have been in business here for l3 years
and 1 was never summoned asa witness
for any row or trouble, although three OF
the four licensed houses were right around
us. was not called upon in all those
years to put drunken man out of this
store aud we do heavy Saturday night
trade.
"There is just as much drinking here
as ever. The Sunday drunkenness is
something new. never saw it in the days
of license. A jng means drunk. Only
few Sundays ago man and woman
got drunk in car on that switch and
behaved scandalously. IL was the worst
thing ever saw in Salisbury. l am for
license. 1t brings business, and it brings
many of-the best people, when otherwise
they wonld go to some wet place to deal.
"Oh the election was bought. All
sorts of fellows were rounded up and paid
vel to vote for prohibition. Some Of
these topers who used to get quart of
whisky for so cents, sold their vote, and
are now paying $l.25 quart for the same
kind OF stuff, sent from Baltimore. One
fact, bear in mind: Prohibition has not
reformed single drunkard. The same
old fellows still hang around here drunk
as often, if not oftener than ever"
Hon. Charles F. Holland, the we'll
known jurist of the Eastern Shore bench,
Who resides at Salisbury, was entirely
frank in lis brief opinion on prohibition.
Judge Holland was born in Delaware and
takes warm interest in that State. After
explaining that the local option election
was held upon an order from Circuit
Court, based upon a petition from the
voters of the district, process directed
by general statute OF the State, he repli-
ed to the usual question:
"No, it does not prohibit. 1t may re-
strain, but never prohibit. There is
much whiskey drunk here. ] understand
that it is not a difficult matter to get
drink OF whiskey. There is such a thing
as walking barroom,' you know. The
i .etion ON this question appears to have
taken the handling OF intoxicants out of
the hands OF responsible men, restrained
by law, and placed it in the hands of ir-
responsible persons. Drunken scrapes
often occur. The murder committed here
last Saturday night was the result Of the
present traffic in liquor.
Il think city the size of Salisbury
should have well qualified and licensed
hotel if for no other reason than the COM
fort and convenience OF the strangers who
come here"
Captain Trader, one of the oldest nd
best-known citizens OF Salisbury was
asked if any whisky came to the town
these days. Smiling at the question, be
forcibly said: Watch the train schedules,
telephone an hour ahead of the arrival of
any one ofthem and you can get quart
of whisky either from Berlin or POGO
nloke City. Send your order this after
noon either to Wilmington. Philadelphia
or Baltimore and in "a hours your stuff
will be here. There is more drinking
here than there was four or five years ago
when We had license. Prohibition is
farce and humbug.
Harold C. Fifth, an oculist OF the town,
who formerly resided in Delaware, re.
CARDS prohibition as an obstacle to bust
ness and an incentive to intemperance.
He knew man, friend Of his, who used
to send to the local hotels for a dozen
bottles of beer Now lie never sends for
less than two dozen and sends just as
often as formerly. Prohibition stimulated
private drinking and was making drunk
81 rde ,i,,ht alofp was his Judgment