Evening journal., 1907-03-21
EFFECT OF
PROHIBITION
Liquor Dealers and Business
Men Discussing What May
Happen

The effects of possible prohibition
Of the liquor traffic In this county and
state and city upon the nnancial and in
dustrial conditions Is subject that
is being given deep consideration, not
only by those engaged in the liquor
traffic but by business men in general
just what effect the cutting off of
the states revenue which Is now de-
rived from licenses and what effect
such action will have in depreciating
the valuations Of properties in whic.
saloons are located is yet to be de-
termined.
In the city Of Wilmington alone there
are l73 saloons and hotels where in
toxicants are sold. a slight Increase in
number over ten years ago. A decade
ago, according to statistics compi ed In
assessed valuation Of saloon properties
IN Wilmington was $1.11S.2O6 The as
sessed valuation Of hotel properties at
that time was s279,60O Brewers were
assessed S205.sO0; bottles s41 400 and
Wholesale liquor dealers at S63.315,
making q total assessment in the city
Of s1,774,221. The county assessment
on this class Of business places amount
ed to $1.40S 1872, while the amount paid
out for licenses weary, by liquor deal
ers at S63,3l5, making a total ASSESS
ment In the city OF S1,774,221 The
county assessment on this class OF
/ business places amounted to S1,4OS. 1892,
while the amount paid out for licenses
yearly by liquor dealers amounted to
4 S6S,779.27 The grand total, city ami
county assessment reached S3,1S3,613.
Kent County.
During the same period in Kent
county there We're twenty-one hotels
and saloons which were licensed TO do
business with total assessed valua-
tion OF s301,00 The amount received
in licenses was .S4,725. There was paid
TO help annually $4,000.
Sussex County.
decade ago in Sussex county thir-
/ teen saloons and hotels were paying
for the privilege of selling intoxicants.
their assessed valuation being S157, 600.
The license fees amounted to s2,925.
while SS0,5O0 was paid annually to help.
Conditions Have Changed.
! Conditions in Wilmington and the
State have changed materially, how
ever, in the past ten years A number
3 OF saloon keepers have dropped out OF
business, while others have taken their
place and still others have engaged in
/ business. At least two hotels have
sprung into existence in the city the
courts deeming the demand for such
places for the accommodation of the
public warranted the granting of a IL
cense to them. In the past few years
another brewery has been placed in
operation in Wilmington involving in
its construction and equipment the ex-
penditure Of thousands Of dollars. 1T
| is estimated that the value Of saloon
ana hotel properties In Wilmington in
the past ten years has increased thirty
per cent at least bringing up the pres
ent assessed city vniration of such
properties to nearly S2,5OO 0O0 while
the county assessment has Increased
accordingly. Figuring at the rate OF
$l5O per 500 it VIII be seen that the
taxes on saloon properties in Whining
ton should net the city a yearly in
come Of $8I5O0 IN taxes II is impos-
sible TO ascertain with accuracy the
Increase, If any in the valuation of
sa Don properties in rural New Castle
county or IN Kent and Sussex coun-
tics.
Effect of Local Option.
How far reaching for good or other
wise the effects of local option in
Delaware would be cannot be deter
mined until It is put in operation. It
is an admitted fact, however that pro-
+ perties in which saloons or hotels
now located In this city will depreciat,
fully seventy-five II not eighty per cent.
In valuation by the enforcement Of a
local option measure. A prominent
builder said yesterday that people who
own saloon properties and who are not
engaged in the liquor traffic could form
no idea of the result following such an
action. "They win find" he said, that
properties in which they are now in
Z terested ana which rent for perhaps a
1900 month or more will not bring
one third that sum with the sale OF
liquor prohibitod.'
/ A prominent hotel man Of the city
states that should local option become
effective he would have to suspend
business and go elsewhere to live. Il
could not begin to pay my rent and
keep my hotel running II my bar is
closed. such a proposition is entirely
out Of the question"