Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-14
Swiss Temperance Restaurants.
In 1895 the Frauenverein fur Mas
sigkeit und NolksWohl (Women's Tfn-

In 1895 the Frauenverein fur Mas
sgkeit und Volkswohl (Women's Tenn
perance and National Well being So
ciety) was founded az Zurich. The
organization has as its objpst the
establishment of restaurants and
cafes where only non-alcoholie
drinks are sold. The cafe habit"
of the Europeans is well known.
Cafes, restaurants and "bierhallen are
literally patronized in the afternoon
and usually crowded at night. The
on-alcoholic restaurants of Zurich
have been fitted up in the same at
tractiVe manner as the other cafes and
beer houses, and such low prices are
charged for meals and drinks that q
large patronage has been attracted.
Beverages are sold, but all are of a
non-alcoholic character and at prices
lower than those charged for wine,
coffee, tea, etc, in the other cafes.
The first establishment of this sort
was opened in 1894 in small room
that had previously been workshop.
Three Mattresses We're employed, and
the receipts of the first month We're
$4.25. In the year 1908 the receipts OF
the nine restaurants then established
We're $2S9,560 The number of employ
ees is now over 400, most of whom are
young girls who are thus given an OPP
portunity to better themselves. ET-
erything possible is done for their well
fare, even to holding classes and lee
lures and giving fun courses in sing
ing, cooking, sewing, French, etc.
There are at present twelve alkahol-
restaurants, in Zurich, three OF which
have been opened since November.
1910. The largest. called the Kurhaus
Zurichberg, is an attractive building
in the old Swiss style of architecture.
located on one of the hills overlooking
the city at an altitude of 5000 feet
above the sea From it's Inauguration
in 1901 the kurhaus has been one of
the most popular places in the city
Besides the restaurant and cafe there
are forty rooms which are occupied
the year round. and in the summer
months there are often many more ap--
picants for lodgings. than can be ac-
commodated The price charged for
board and room is 81 to 81 cents per
day ~
The other establishments are located,
in the business streets OF the city and
in the sections fretluented byths. labor
ing classes. One of these. The Blanen
Seidenhof, in the Seidengasse, has an
average daily patronage of over 1900
persons. A count taken during 1911
showed than an average of li,0oO per-
sons visit the "alcohol-free" restau-
rants daily Midday meals are served
at ten. fourteen. seventeen and TWEEN
ty-three cents Coffee. tea and milk
are sold at two cents per cup or glass;
These exceedingly low prices are made
possible by the fact that the rest1u9
rants are so managed as to pay only
the running expenses, and the society
derives no financial benefit from the
enterprise. The officers and directors
are prominent Zurich women who re-
ceive no compensation for their SER
vices.
The total receipts and expenditures
of the society during the past three
years We're: 1909. receipts s3i7,443. ex-
penditures s3l7.0l3: 1910. receipts $780,
ia. expenditures s346. 1911. receipts
$466, 273, expenditures S463,479. The So
ciety owns property. including seven oi
the buildings in which the restaurants
are located and furniture. to the val
ne of s2f2..2T5, and it's present inaei,-
tedness is $257. $50, leaving a favorable
balance of $14719. 1t receives several
thousand dollars every year in DON'T
tons.
The society is now operated under
the name of Zurcher Frauenverein fur
Alkoholfreie Wirtschaften. and the inn
mense amount of good done in Z4E&e1AsS
by this organization has attraeted
attontion-so much so stHaf
movements have been taken Sl3k Il!
other European scities Cor3
port. Hs IN q NJ 3;S$3z s ss