The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-06-30
After An Existence Of Sixteen
Years or Since April In
the Year, 1893.
SPEAkEASIEs RECALLED
To the Number Of Fifty-Ei1lt
or More before Saloons
Were Opened Here.

When the clock strikes the midnight
hour tonight, those standing at the
bar with feet propped on the rail wilI
blow on the foam, heaye heavy sigh,
and gulp down the last beer, or other
intoxicant, purchased from a licensed
saloon in West Virginia. Doors will
close, signs will come down; stocks,
II there are any left, will be moved
out, and the signing ones will wend
their way homeward with thoughts Of
the days gone by; for West Virginia
will have gone dry.
Thtrty-four saloons and six brew
cries or agencies In this city will be
thing Of the past
No more will you hear the clink
OF glasses as the bartender .sets .em
up" no more will you order "a leetle
half and hall" no more will you swing
the swinging doors-for the will &c
the people, who voted by q majority
of over $1,000 that the state should
be dry, will be carried out.
The effect Of prohibition on Clarks-
burg is problematical; II you listen at
the vets, Clarksburg will be AZ
dead as q doornail within a years
time; II, on the other hand, you be.
slieye what the "drys" tell you, we viii
have city without peer. The wise
one will make his guess after he has
waited and seen the effect.
In connection with the going into
efect OF the prohibition amendment.
1t is interesting to recall BIT Of his
tory of the licensed saloons in Clarke
burg, which have been operated under
licenses granted by the city for over
sixteen years.
In April, 1893, licensed saloons took
the place Of ffty-eight we'll known
speakeasies, which POSSESSED govern
ment licenses, and many others which
had no license.
AT meeting OF the city counoiI an
April 81, 1898, soon after The erantiu i.
OF me new charter to hte city, licenses
were granted to the following persons
70 retail liquors: T. F. Gill, John
Lyons. Mrs. M. Ross, Annie McBon-
nell, Virginius Jasper, T. P. Brannar,.
william Burke, Thomas B. SeeIey and
James Boyle. At this same meafiug
tne application OF Foley ana Welch +
Tor a wholesale beer license was Iaid
over until the next meeting, and TIA
application Of a Mr.. Frank, 81 PARK
ersburg, for a retail liquor license.
was denied because OF the fact thaf ~
was a nonresident
The cause Of the granting Of The
new charter was in order that fine
traders hotel. which had Just been
pullt and which, at that time, was con-
sldered one Of the most masniicefit
MOTEL buildings in the state. might ia
granted license to sell liquors. soon
after the new charter was GRANTED
the hotel was granted its license and
the other persons named above also
secured Licenses.
This practically spelled the doom M
lne speakeasies and from that day
full sway. - 1ss ~
= After hearing statements made 81
Tax Commissioner Blue, Governor
Hatfield, other state officials and CITY
and county authorities, there rs NO
one that doubts but that the law VIII
pc rigidly enforced. There will IS
some bootlegging, OF course; that win
come in the course of natural events
but those caught at 1t are going 10 "a
punished severely. At least, It is moi
thought, that bootlegging will flourish
as 1t does in many dry states. some
OF which are said to be so wide omen
that stranger could not tell whether
they were dry or wet.
Many local saloon men will transfer
their business to other states. while
others will go into other lines Of bust
ness in this city. Most OF those who
are moving to other states have AZ
ready closed their places of business
IN this city, after reading Tax Com
missioner Blues Interpretation that
NJ liquors could be moved into. an.
other state FOR the purpose of selling
them there after 70 O'Clock tonight.
So after 10 o'clock tonight the
saloons of clarksburg and Of west
will pass into history. Fond
memories of the polished raii, the man
in white and myriads Of bottles and
glasses will be retained by some.
There are very few who believe that
these will ever become reality again
for the people have spoken in no I'M
mistakabie terms and the voice or the
naAnIa T.,