Evening journal., 1907-09-09
Watervills Sentinel investigates th'
Local Liquor Conditions.

Local Liquor Conditions.
Liquor is freely sold in the city
OF Biddeford. Investigation shows
Mill City to be wide open with
State police force doing nothing
toward enforcing the law"
The Sentinel says:
The city of Biddeford, with a police
commission controlled by Governor
Cobb and directly responsible to him
and no one else, is wide open so far
as liquor selling is concerned, more
open in fact, than it has been before
since 1902, when open meant worse
than license. SO much attention has
been called TO Bangor that the Queen
city has gradually come 10 have the
reputation of being the boldest Of her
sisters in the liquor business, but Bid
deford has been quietly forging to the
front and, at present, the conditions
in the business there are nearly, if not
quite, as bad as they ever We're down
on the Penobscot and that too with
the whole police machinery right in
the hands of Governor Cobb.
100 Places Selling,
At present there are as many as 100
places in the city where liquor can
be purchased including the drug
stores. There are also from so to GO
/ kitchen harrooms and some pocket
peddlers. Beer and ale are on draft
and sold in bottles, il being possible
to get several brands in many places.
Several express companies are appar-
emily doing a large business and it is
possible to order a case of beer of some
of them at 1880 in the evening and have
IL delivered before 9, although there is
no train arriving from the west, be-
tween those hours
In short Biddeford Is wide open for
strangers or citizens and no man with
the price need thirst and with a little
trouble he can find nearly any brand
of beer he wants and many straight
drinks. The dealers have not quite
reached the stage where they will
serve mixed drinks, but still, on a
pinch, they might make YOU up some
thing pretty good, for they have bar
keeps dressed in white aprons and
coats who look as if they milAt be
lpretty good mixers if they were asked
Police Do Nothing.
There are, to be sure, Sheriff Athorne
and his special liquor deputies three
In number. These men are supposed
20 make a speciality of liquor law en-
lforcement. but also do some civil work
They make an occasional seizure, but
no one seems to be especially afraid
of them and while they are watched
more or less their presence does not
seriously check the business being done
In the various places about the city
In addition 10 these officers, there are
lof course, the regular police officers
which are under the direction Of the
police commission and Chief Charles
b. Harmon.
Biddeford's police commission is Z
unique feature in Maine municipal life
II is child of politics and was calcu.
lated 10 serve its purpose as such Il
Is made up Of the mayor and two
other members appointed by the gov
} ernor. AT present all three members
are Republicans, and beside Mayor Gil.
man +, Littlefield are Henry G. Hutch.
inson and James +. Tarr
It is common knowledge that Charlie,
b. Harmon, who has been chief OF
police since the police commission
scheme was put in force, dominates tn,
board and that il will grant any re.
quest in reason that he may make
The chief holds Office during good be.
havior and his Office is worth i'm legiti.
-
and $4,000 a year. Chief Harmon /.
known as the political boss OF Bidde
ford and is an old campaigner, crafty
cool and a splendid fighter. Playins
politics day in and day out, in sunshin,
and storm, summer and winter he ha,
built up an organization that has beer
well nigh invincible. But a revol
b against his rule has been slowly grow
h; ing from year TO year until last sprin,
the Democrats managed to get con
r troll of the city government, although
they could not quite elect their mayor
3 This left the police commission who'll,
Republican with Harmon in the saddl,
! as before. he and his hoard takinl
> orders and instructions from Governo
! Cobb and no one else There are in
) dications that the next assault ma,
be wholly successful and Harmon b
unhorsed at last
1t may be that Chief Harmon an,
I his board have seen the handwrltin,
on the wall and are making the bes
Of official life while il lasts, takinl
the lid off and throwing II in the rive
where IL cannot be found very easily
Lid Has Been Lost
Talk with most any citizen who 4
doing business in the city and n,
will soon indicate that he is thorough
ly familiar with the fact that the II,
has been lost. They all know the cit,
is wide open, for IL they go aroun,
any at all they can't help knowing il
Among those who drink you can hea
discussions as TO which place keep
the best beer or has the best bar ten
der, just as you will in a license city
Thus far there have been no bargain
booze sales, still one might be pulle,