The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-03-17
FIRST OF CAMPAIGN
CONTINUED from page fve)


great many people laid in an extra
supply of whIskey owing TO the TACT
that numbers of the bar rooms sold
cut their whiskey at public auction at
a very low price in order to get rid
of their stock. We also have the
Waynesyille and Marshall dispensaries
to contend against.
The disappearance of the saloon has
not proved detrimental TO the business
interests os Asheville. The merchants
the bankers the manufactures and the
srocerymen are still doing business
and are today upon much sounder
basis than they were before the first
OF January. The other day | visited
Our city market and interviewed
number of men engaged in business
there. The following statements will
prove interesting:
MIR. William Hill. one of the leading
meat merchants in the city of Ashe-
willie, says: Taking everything into
consideration, / would say that our
business has increased 25 per cent
since the first of January. This es-
Eecjally applies to the cash business.
Many people wh1 fornie;y
~ small orders of the cheapest meats
And this is true in spite Of the eff
feots of the panic which deprived
good many of our workmen of posi-
fions. The condition of the market
generally has also improved. Under
the old conditions we had to contend
with men and women on Saturday
nights who were under the influence
of whiskey and made the place eX-
freYue1x, Oraaahla to both
chants and customers alike. These
people would congregate in the market
house and stay until the place was
closed and they were forced to leave,
~aftenGmes creating nuisances that
were shock to the sensibilities of So
her minded people. Since the first of
January all this has changed and now
0ar Saturday night trade is better,
and more orderly one than we have
ever had before and as rule, 9 o.
clock at night finds the trading prac
gScally over and the men and women
gone home with substantial purchases
OF provisions such as many of them
Fad never had before.
Mr. Stradley, OF the firm of Strad-
ley and Lulher. one of our leading
-'grocIy firms, has this to say:
"Our business is much better. The
number of customers has increased,
and many of those who heretofore
dealt with US are now buying more
than they did during the reign Of the
fiar room. Altogether, I will say there
Ss a decided improvement in our busi-
ness"
Mr.. w. J. Gentry, of the firm of
Gentry & Reed, dealers in real estate,
fine dof business:
-tg3ur business is as good, if not bet
Ter, since the first of January, than
it was before, and most of the houses
that were formely used for saloons are
now occupied by parties engaged In
other and more legitimate enterprises
It was stoutly contended in Ashe-
viIIe that prohibition would be detri-
mental and the progress of our city;
that it would substantially injure Ashe-
willie as a summer resort and parti-
vsnlarly be injurious to our hotels. Yet
have a statement from one of the
proprietors of the Bttery Park Hotel,
r-our leading hotel, published on the
10th day of February, 1908, in our af-
sernoon daily paper, to the effect that
business has never. been better at this
season of the year. The article reads
AN follows:
''The Battery Park Hotel now has the
largest number of guests in it's history
for this time of the year. The book
ings are unusually good and the in
dications are that the great hotel will
have one Of the best seasons it ever
mad. Proprietor Alexander is devoting
his best efforts to improve the table
service and everything connected with
the hotel. and to this end has engag-
ed a we'll recommended French chef
from New York who is expected to
arrived this week.
These statements prove conclusively
I1aat Asheville, instead of being embar-
rrSsed from a busines sand financial
standpoint on account of prohibition
lis enjoying prosperity and is progress
ing with the added patriotic help OF
those who formely debaunched their
minds and expended their finances in
She saloon.
The report of the Commissioner
OF Internal Revenue for the year end
ing June 50, 1907, shows that 134,000,-
coo gallons of whiskey were produced
she tax on the same being $156,336,-
991.S9, an increase in tax over the
previous year of S12,942s SAG, which
SHOWS a large increase in the num-
her of gallons manufactured and dis
titled. 1t also shows that's the gov
,6rRment collected taxes to the amount
az S59,567, ,81S1S on fermented IL
aHors. consisting Of beer and other
like spirits showing an increase OF
100000 on this commodity and max
ing a grand total in increase of $16,-
942. .S46 Thus we have an increase
I'm expenditure 4or taxes ON these
aprOducvtS of the enormous sum OF
$16,942,846, and an increase in pro-
Duct and consumption of about 20,-
D0O, 900 gallons of the two intoxi-
eants, which shows an increase in the
cost to the American people of about