The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1914-04-17
The SiSsetOn Plan.

The SissetOn Plan.
An Account Of How the One Saloon
Plan Is Worked In Our Neigh
boring Town.
The following from last Sun.
days Minneapolis Journal is a
very clear and correct statement
of the one saloon ilea put in force
by Sisseton, which has attract
ed attention all over the country
as we'll as proving a great finan-
cial help to the taxpayers Of the
community:
A sentiment in favor of municipal
saloons in the smaller towns of South
Dakota where q majority of the votes
have declared for the granting oi
saloon licenses, has resulted from an
interesting experiment which is being
made at Sisseton with municipal
saloon.
While some of the license towns no
larger than oiSseton receive only a
few thousand dollars a year from Ii.
censeS, it is estimated that the NUM-
cipal saloon at Sisseton will for the
first year OF it's operation pay the
town a revenue of between 3l7 900 nd
$4,000. The saloon was opened Jul y
l Of last year.
When the municipal saloon was ar.
ranged for it was provided that the
profits should be equally divided be-
tween the city general fund and good
roads fund. For the first of the year
each of the funds will receive "a, 200
and in addition 1000 in profits will
be carried toward.
Up to about eight years ago there
were eight saloons in Sisseton. A
proposition to reduce the number
caused q bitter controver sy among
the proprietOrs none of whom would
consent to retire voluntarily from busi-
ness. The voters then took the matt
or into their own hands and voted the
town ''dry,
LOCAL SYSTEM EVOLVED
The town remained ''dry'' up to
July l of last year when acting upon
the result OF the annual
town election the previous April when
saloon license carried by q majority
of Is, out of q total vote of ISL, it was
decided to install . municipal saloon
The legislature early in 1913 had en-.
acted law fixing the number of SAL
oons In any South Dakota city or
town at one for each 1000 ofpopula-
ton. Under this law Sisseton was
entitled to only two saloons.
A municipality in South Dakota is
not authorized by law to engage In
the liquor business therefore it be.
came necessary for the authorities to
devise some plan by which the city
could receive the profits of the busi-
ness without directly engaging In the
retail liquor business.
A committee composed OF two busi-
ness men of the town entered into a
written agreement with w. E. Bollen-
beck, one Of the applicants for license
Under the management made the licence
for the two saloons to which Sisseton
was entitled, were granted to Bollen-
beck. They advanced the 81, POO IL
cense to the city and $500 to the county
secured the necessary government Ii
cense procured place OF business for
the municipal saloon and made it
operative in all its details.
Mr.. Bollenbeck the manager receives
q salary Of 81 800 q year for conduct
ing the saloon. Every night the two
having the management of the saloon
take the days receipts and bank them.
Duplicate book accounts OF all money
received and bills paid are kept and
properly audited.
Mr.. Bollenbeck conducts the bust.
ness strictly in accordance with the
state liquor license law and according
to such further regulations and res
trictions as the city council may from
time to time impose. After taking
each days cash receipts the two busi-
ness men pay the bills and have
charge bf such funds as remain on
hand; during the busy season six bar
tenders are required. Manager Boil
enbeck is required to police his place
of business without extra expense to
the city.
LATE OPENING EARLY CLOSING
The regular expenses Of the munich
pal saloon are e1, 800 q year for the
ryices OF the manager; $40 week
for bartenders e75 . month for q por-
ter and e65 month for rent and the
cost Of fuel, lights and incidentals.
The doors OF the saloon are not open
cu lOr UuSlucSS uutll D.. Ii. coCu
weekday this being an hour later than
the time allowed by the state law.
The doors are also closed before the
legal closing hour which is 9 p. m.
On last fourth Of July the municipal
saloon was closed at 5 p. m. on
Thanksgiving day and New Year day
atnOon. and on Christmas was not
opened at all.
The saloon is the only one Of its
character in the northwest and one
of the few in the United States. Be-
cause OF the great success of the ven-
ture, the authorities Of many other
towns have started movements to
have similar saloons established in
their communities.