The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-16
TUSCALOOSA HAD
MODEL D|SPENSARy
Made Money and Avoided the
Open Saloon Evils
SOME FACTS AND FIGURES
Committee in Charge, Is Inter-
viewed-Dispeusary Would
Garry In County
BY WALTER HARPER

| Tuscaloosa, June 15.-(Special) 1.-The
Tuscaloosa dispensary was established
by direct vote of the people of the coun-
ty January l., 1902
| 1t was operated for six years and was
voted out under the local option law In
the fall of 1907, disseminating business
December 81 of that year.
The majority vote establishing the dis
pensary was 125. The dispensary sup
recalled as one of the most memorable in
the history Of the county. The style of
the election was For Dispensary," For
Saloons
The majority vote for prohibition in
1907 when the dispensary was voted out
was sos. Two years later Tuscaloosa
county gave a majority of 7e5 against the
adoption of the prohibition amendment TO
the constitution.
The claim is now generally made by
people on both sides of the prohibition
question that the county would vote to
re-establish the dispensary. Many claim
that the majority would be larger than
that cast against LIS diiciioiiiehs.
Dispensary In Favor
Scores of the leading prohibtionists of
the town and county freely admit that
thew believe the dispensary would carry
as against present existing conditions I'M
der prohibition, but that the majority
would be small. Many of these people
declare that they would not vote for the
dispensary, preferring to stand by thelr
principles, but confess that 1t Is their
opinion that majority of the people are
dissatisfied and would vote for the ols-
nensarv. All of them are positive In their
choice Of the dispensary in preference to
licensed saloons.
Tuscaloosa had an ideal dspensary 1t
was a. success both financially and as a
regulator of the sale of liquors. All de-
clare that the dispensary minimized tne
objections to the open saoon, entireiy
eliminating some of them.
The town and county were fortunate IN
having good, high minded men to manage
the affairs of the dispensary. There was
never well-founded hint of graft, the
feature that seems to offer the most
ground for objection. The officers OF the
town and county and business men gem
orally declare that the dispensary offers
No better opportunities for graft than any
other public office.
MIR. Blair's Work
The dispensary was under the oiiec'
management of a dispenser VINO was
under the control of a special committee
Of the city council f. g Blair, who was
later mavor of the town, was chairman
Of the finance committee at the time OF
the establishment of the dispensary anu
was put in charge of the organization Vi
the new establishment
Mr. Rlair is a business man OF Wlos
exnerience and of unimpeachable lnteg-
r;ty He undertook the difficult task
Ell, conscious of the difficulties ana
onposition that he would meet. fer
sonally he favored high license anu
omen saloons. But he was deteriniheu
to make a success of the dlspensars y.
He wanted to give 1t fair and honest
trial and his success Is attes'eo ny
every citizen of Tuscaloosa.
Jobn M. Daniel was elected AS dis
nenser. This was a most fortunate
Selection. Mr.. Daniel stood high as
a business man and citizen. He was
an official of one of the leading
churches of the city and a Christian
gentleman OF course he was censured
and criticised. for time for MS con-
nection with the liquor business, and,
believe. was allowed to retire from
his official position in the church, but
in his administration of the dispen-
sary he won and retained the high
esteem of all the people. F. H. Wal
ter after a time was made purchasing
agent for the dispensary, though the
committee of which Mr.. Blair was the
head still supervised the buying and
counter-checked all the bills.
The system of purchasing stock for
the dispensary Is worthy of attention.
The purchasing agent made out dupli-
cate orders One was forwarded to
the house from which the goods were
purchased and the other went 1mmc'
diately to the city clerk for the com
mittee. Duplicate bills of lading were
always demanded from the shipper. One
to the dispenser and the other to the
city officials These bills and orders
were all checked and re-checked With
the dispenser. Every days transao-
ton was made to stand to itself. In
other words the dispenser made a re-
port to the chairman of the commit
tee of every transaction every day.
which was followed by weekly and
monthly reports.
The dispensary opened every week
day morning at o'clock and closed
at o'clock In the evening. 1t was
never opened at any other time ex-
cept for emergency to get liquor for
medicine and then 1t was under the
direct supervision or order of the chair
man of the dispensary committee.
Result of Dispensary
No liquor was allowed to be drunk
on the premises and no lettering about
the building was permitted.
Sixty per cent of the net proceeds
went into the city treasury and 40
per cent was paid over to the coun-
ty. The city's part was carried to the
general fund.
The county divided its share into
three equal parts. One was used to
supplement pensions for old soldiers,
another went into the general road
fund and the other went into the pub
lie school fund.
The net profits of the dispensary for
the six years of Its operations were
about 100000.
Following is table of annual net
profits for the six years of its oper-
alton.
1902. $4,000
1908. $4,000
1904. S0,226
1900. ......... $1,000
1906. 36,403
1907. 39.101
Money Was Help
1t goes with out saying that this
u-o. neod ~ oroat oouo n oro