The Washington times., 1911-10-20
PINE BOX BAR At
RIGGS HOTEL TO
GAIN VIDE FAME
Hundred Dollar Drinking
| Emporium In Midst Of
| Office Palaces.

Late this afternoon, perhaps not un-
til tomorrow morning, seekers for
thirst-quenching fluids will be able to
find them In any and all quantities In
the little pine box affair which gradual
ly is taking shape on the southeast cor
ner of Fifteenth and @ streets north
west. where will rise the million-dollar
Riggs office and theater building.
Threatened with having his license re-
voked IL he does not make use Of the
transfer accorded him several days ago,
when he purchased the permit to oper-
ate a saloon at that corner. formerly
held by Adolph Loehl, J. M. Biddle, who
paid an enormous sum for the bar and
cafe privileges of the Riggs building,
thinks he has discovered the answer to
the question. Hos having erected
saloon on that corner, a building which
is even more Western In appearance
and spirit than anything seen in the
cowboy moving picture scenes. ,. .,
the structure late this afternoon, ano
then the matter of stocking the estab-
lishment, which will be an easy one, VIII
be begun.
Famous Drink Emporium.
The Fifteenth and G streets saloon
promises to be the most famous drink
emporium in the country. In the very
shadow of the United States Treasury.
and In the heart OF Washington's firan-
cial district, surrounded on all sides by
millions Of dollars worth Of buildings,
and In the very path of ore OF the
busiest thoroughfores Of the Nations
Capital. will be located the little pine
structure which, at the most, will cost
less than $1o6.
In this little structure, which Is be-
ing erected in one corner and above
the mammoth hole in the ground on
that correr. where foundations for the
city's largest office building are being
laid, drinks are to be served. and the
excise laws are to- be lived up to the
letter, Mr.. Biddle says.
1t all came about in this way: There
is a section of the excise laws. which
stipulates that no new saloons can he
started within 300 feet of a school
building. and when an existing saloon
10 expire on November 1, the beginning
of the license year, that license is au-
tomatical'y Cancelled. No new one will
he issued in its stead.
What the Law Provides.
&c. when Mr. Biddle had transferred
to him the license formerly held by
Loehl. there was nothing at Fifteenth
and G streets that even resembled a
saloon. The law stipulates that before
the 1st of each November saloons with
In a 30O-foot radius Of a school must
be in operation. Albert f. Shoemaker.
attorney for the Washington branch Of
the Anti-Saloon League, appeared be-
fore the Excise Board yesterday after
noon and confided in the members that
Mr.. Biddle stands an excellent chance
Of having his license revoked. He told
them why. But he reckoned without
his host.
For. at the very moment Mr.. Shoe
maker was telling the Excise Board
his opinions on the matter, Mr.. Biddlc
was herding together a bunch Of car
penters and lumber wagons, and within
an hour construction work on the
unique building was under way.
Just as soon as the crevices between
the pine boards in the building are
stopned up. and the leaks In the roof
mended, Mr.. Biddle will transfer a
waiting supply Of drinkable fluids into
the pine box affair. and will throw the
building open to the public.