The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-06-20
LIQUOR CONSUMED
 WITHOUT REVENUE
Some Figures on Walker Coun-
 ty Conditions
PROFIT OF DISPENSARY
Number of Prisoners in Jail Now Is Double the Number Imprisoned When Saloons Were in Operation
BY WALTER HARPER

Jasper, June cial)-Thirty-on
 casks of beer were unloaded from one
 train last Friday afternoon in one of
 the small mining towns of Walker
 county.
 The stuff was unloaded in plain view
 of the people at the railroad depot and for a time passage to and from the wait ing room and the ticket office was ob- structed.
 I am told that this shipment is not un-
 usual for the place as well as other towns in the county, in the state as to that
 matter.
 Thirty-one casks of beer contain 372l
 bottles of beer, or 12O bottles to the cask
 This sold on the basis of b cents per
 bottle Git often sells for more) represents
 total of $55S And this does not include whiskies, wines and other beverages used in this town every day. The money for this stuff is going out of the Walker county town, out of the coun- ty and out of the state. It is all lost, yet Walker county and the mining camp are suffering whatever evil there is in
 the consumption of this vast quantity of liquor.
 Five Hundred Blind Tigers l am told that in another mining camp in Walker county there are in operation at least four drinking places on the main street facing the railroad that are well cials. l am unable to get figures as to the amount of liquor handled through
 these places every day, but I am told that you get the goods with the original labels
 and no questions are asked the pur- | chaser.
 My information on this place further is that there are not less than 300 men
 women and boys in the beat in which this town is located selling liquors at the present time.
 I will make no comment on this con-
 dition. I am giving the best information have without giving actual names and
 evidence for the benefit of those who are
 seeking some remedy, the best remedy for the liquor evils that infest the state Dispensaries Control Sale Before liquor was sold and drunk in this fashion six dispensaries in this coun' ty controlled the sale and returned to the county and towns for public improve
 ment and for the schools an annual sun of about $67,0O0 It is the opinion of those | familiar with the present conditions anC
 the conditions existing under the dispen- sary system that there is practically
 as much liquor consumed in most of the towns of the county now as when the 6ispensaries were in operation. | The difference is that the public nov
 derives no benefit. I During the campaign for prohibition | in Alabama the argument was made tha
 prohibition would greatly reduce the cos
 of courts.
 | rough estimate of the cost of thu courts of Walker county this year vii show an increase of something like 2 per cent over that of any other year. | A few figures on the number of mer committed to Jail in Walker county will | perhaps be of interest
 Jail Statistics | The dispensaries were closed December | g1, 1907 It will be remembered that dur | ing the closing week there was a grea rush to close out the stock of the dispen saries and everybody that wanted liquor ! stocked up for future reference. During
 the following month, January; 1908. t | people were incarcerated in the Walker county Jail on all charges. | One year later, after prohibition hat been in force for a full 12 months, ths
 number of persons incarcerated in the
 Walker county jail was A. This was during the month of January, 1909. This | is more than twice the number incarcer-
 ated during the month of January one year before when the county was flooded
 with the remaining stock of the dispen
 sarfes.
 | During December of 1907. the last montf
 of the dispensaries, p people were placed
 in the Walker county jail. This is Just | half the number incarcerated one veal
 after prohibition had been In effect.