Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-01-02


playing the following legend:
Hush, little harroom,
Don't you cry,
You'll be a drug store
BY and by.
Meanwhile GeorgIans are buying Wills
key as II possessed with the idea that
when prohibition goes into effect on Jan
uary liquor will disappear from the
earth. An endless procession Of bottles
and jugs has been moving from the 500
wholesale liquor houses Of Georgia for
the last three weeks
The liquor Is not being bought for i'm
mediate consumption, but Is stored away
in anticipation Of the great drought that
will strike George after the first day of
January. 1903.
A curious feature Of this whiskey buy
ing Is that 1t Is not confined to whiskey
users As a matter Of fact saloonists
state that persons who do not use whis-
key are showing more anxiety about lay
ing In a supply than those persons who
use 1t regularly. In many cases prohibit
| tlonists have stocked their closets vita
a supply of intoxicauts not for use as Il
beverage. but so that It may be handy in
case OF necessity.
| It is said that on last Thursday the
cash sales of one Atlanta firm which OPP
crates distillery ana sells any quantity
! from quart up aggregated over $4,000.
And nearly all Of this whiskey went into
the closets Of Georgia homes.
! 1t should he borne in mind that the
State prohibition law really affected only
a few countries In Georgia. Under the To-
cal option law tn prohibitionists had
| succeeded in votns whiskey out of l25
counties before they moved for a State
prohibition statute
| When the Legislature passed the gen
eral law saloons were in operation in
| Georgia only at Atlanta. Augusta. Ma
con, Columbus. Savannah. Albany, Amer
!cus and Brunswick. In few other
counties. possibly p. there were no ga
looms but dispensaries were operated by
the county and municipal authorities.
and the profits used for local govern
| ment purposes.
Although saloons existed in so few
counties they paid a great sum in taxes,
as since the prohibition forces became
strong there las been steady increase
| In the license
For instanco, in Atlanta there are 1872
saloons and each paid license OF s2on
to the city and 500 to the State. Tn"
| Atlanta license however, was the high
est in Georgia
According to figures given Mt the State
Capitol there are SC" saloons in Georgia
and they pay the state $4,000. The
municipal license paid by these saloons
amount to about $3.50 go. so that the State
and municipalities lose about Sl,0OO,hn0 in
revenue by tho prohibition law, In add
ton to these s1l saloons there are 1--WE
large hrewercs located at Atlanta. Ma
con, Augusta. Savannah and Columbus.
There are also six large grain distlleres
| In the State. And the brewer!es and dis
tileres 90 out with the saloons.
| It IL estimated that the 500 saloons AMI
the brewerics and dstilleries represent
an investment of about 100000. This
| estimate, OF course. excludes liquors and
beer on hand and applies only to bar
fixtures and 10 plant and appliances used
by breweries and distnleries to manu-
facture.
1t Is also estimated that there are 1000
persons in Georgia who are directly or
indirectly connected with the whiskey
business and who must leave the State
If they wish to continue In the liquor
traffic, or II they remain must engage in
other lines OF trade.
The wholesalers will move to other
States md continue the liquor business
The majority OF them have arranged 20
open at Chattanooga. Tenn. and Jackson
Vile Fla and they hope to DO rushing eX-
press business in Georgia. The ndica-
lions are that they will not be disap-
pointed some Of the retailers will go to
other States and open saloons but the
majority viii remain in Georgia and en-
gage in other lines of business. generally
cigars, tobacco and soft drinks.
The prohibition law falls hardest on the
brewers, who have invested largely in
valuable real estate and machinery. 1t
Is said that the brewers are experiment
ing with a "iagess" beer and will put il
on the market soon after January l.