Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-15
Under New Excise Law Bust
ness May Be Done From
IL to | Monday Am. !
STRICT SUNDAY CLOSING
ONE OF THE PROVISIONS
Limit Of Four Barrooms in Block
Taken to Mean Many Buildings
Will Be Vacated.

Although Washington will be a prohib-
ition city on Sundays under the, new ex-
else law which is to become effective July
next, saloons may be. permitted to keep
open for at least one hour after mid
night Of each Sabbath. according to in
depreciation given the law by District
OF Columbia officials. The law provides
that saloons shall be closed all day Sun
days and between the hours of and
am. on secular days. 1t is pointed out
that, under this arrangement. barrooms
will be forced to close at midnight Sat
urdays and remain closed for twenty
four, hours. but that they may open at
the stroke OF IL Sunday night and tran
sact business until am.
This ID a question that will not have to
be considered by the present excise Of
Metals. inasmuch as the law provides that
the excise board members shall be APP
pointed by the President. Congress failed
to make an appropriation at the session
just closed for carrying out the law. The
to the attention of Congress shortly after
1t convenes April 4.
Some Buildings May Be Vacated.
1t Is anticipated that many changes
will be made in the uses OF business prop
erty on account of the new law reeulat-
ing the sale Of liquor. Buildings now oc-
cupied by restaurants will become vacant
In compliance with the new regulation
that forbids the location of more than
four saloons In one block In some Sec
tons there are many more than this num-
Der within the prescribed area and the
additional ones will have to be closed UP.
In other blocks the saloons will be af-
fected by the clause in the law which
fOrbids such q place being within 400 feet
of a church or a public school, college or
town section where there are now six
saloons It is planned by the proprietors
to close two OF them and by partnership
arrangement run the other four.
Buildings for Other Uses.
At the same time. even with such q
plan, two Of the buildings will be left
vacant. available for other uses. and
1t 10 this side of the situation that is
Of interest to property holders. AS
compared with the entire holdings OF
business property. II is recognized that
q comparatively small percentage Is
used for the liquor business At the
same time, owing to conditions con-
nected with securing a license and other
causes, the right to carry on this busi-
able than in others. and this. of course.
has an influence on rents. A change OF
the character made by the new law win
have an effect on property values. real
estate men point out, but the extent
OF such an influence and its exact eff
feet can only be determined by ak
perience.
1t IL quite evident that with the
growth OF the business interests Of the
city, which is causing the erection of
larger buildinR0. as well An the increase
Of structures devoted to such uses, say
those who watch the conditions. that
there will be slight chance of build
ings remaining idle. The supply of
store buildings IL not in excess OF the
demand, az 10 evident from the current
amount of building of this character as
well as the extension of the business
area