The Sentinel=record., 1913-12-31
NO LIQUORS WILL BE SOLD LAW. FULLY AT LEAST WITHIN
 FIFTEEN DAYS.
OFFICERS TO BE WATCHFUL
Saloon Men Generally Are Permitting Their Ice Boxes to Run Short and Preparing to Close Their Doors Un- til the Issue Is Decided.

Hot Springs will be "dry" for at least fifteen days, beginning with mid. night tonight
 The new liquor law provides that no liquor license shall be granted within this state until at least 51 per cent of the white adult people of s municipality have petitioned the county judge to issue licenses, and that the petitions shall not be filed until January 1. and then published twice within ten days, after which the county judge determines whether li- oense shall be granted or not.
 The petitions for liquor licenses have been secured it is said, to the extent Of about 65 per cent of the white adult population, and the names will be published tomorrow.
 There will be some names with. drawn from the petition, it is said. Some of the withdrawals will come from those who have changed their minds and become prohibitionists since signing for the liquor licenses, and some from the element who want ed liquor licenses granted in certain outlying districts. and when the coun- cil restricted the districts, became dissatisfied, and declared they would rather have blind tigers and bootleg ging.
 The officers generally declare for the enforcement of the law strictly. Mayor MoClendon said yesterday There will be no license for the sale of liquor until the petitions have been passed on, and during that time if any liquor is sold 1t will be done unlaw- fully. l will give strict orders for the arrest of every person who sells liq- uor nnlawfully."
 Township and county officers also joined in the sentiment that the law should be rigidly enforced. They seem to feel that there will be those who will endeavor to continue the safe of liquors without license. and they will be watchful and will make arrests wherever violations are found
 The filing of the applications for saloon license is usually made by this time every year. but under the uncer- tainty of the sitaution none of the ap- plications have been filed However many of the saloon men have their applications and their bonds made uo and have secured their script 10 pay the county and are prepared to take out a license at any moment the coun- ty judge passes favorably on the pc tition issue.
 The citizens committee, which had charge of the petitions, believes that it has a sufficient margin and even to spare, after some withdrawals rom the petition are made. They expect ed there would be some dissatisfac- ton and some withdrawals. and they do not believe these will in any man ner interfere with the granting or the licenses.
 When the midnight chimes are sounded tonight and there is revelry everywhere in greeting the New Year Hot Springs will not be the only city in the state dry. for every one Will be dry at least during the ten or ll- teen days or more necessary to set tie the petition fights.
 Hot Springs, Fort Smith, Helena Pine Bluff. Van Buren and Argenta seem certain to have saloons under the petition requirement. Little ROCK petitioners believe they have enough but thre is quite a feeling of uncer- tainty in the matter
 In Hot Springs the closing of the saloons will throw a number of men out of employment for awhile. There are fifty saloons in the city and prob ably an average of four white men and one negro make their livelihood from each. That means that about 250 men will be idle for that period until the saloon petitions are acted upon. Most of these. however are men who love outdoor life, and the greater part of that time will be spent by them in camp hunts out in the woods of Garland and Montgomery counties, where there is much small game and plenty of wild life to fur nish a change of scene.
 Some of the saloon owners, whost places are outside the new police zone, covered by special ordinance will not retire from business, but vii merely seek other quarters within tn, territory not restricted, This will