Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-03-04

granted a license. The testimony
shows that the Philadelphia House is a
place of resort for colored prostitutes
and for men and women of question
able character.
, "13. The law also provides:
That the personal representative OF
any deceased licensee may within
thirty days after the death of such
licensee transfer said license in ac-
cordance with the provisions of this
law touching transfers of license
I'm violation of this provision the
board permitted Mrs. Gordon to oper-
ate the bar of her husband long after
his death. although the attention of the
board was called to the violation of
the law, and they did not act to pre-
vent such violation until pressure was
District Commissioners. and although
the corporation counsel had rendered
an opinion that the bar was being OPP
Grated contrary to the law.
Bars Are Screened.
"a. The law. provides:
THAT the interior of every barroom
shall at all times when selling is pro-
hibited be exposed to full view from
the street. without obstruction by
screens, blinds. curtains, stained glass;
bottles. boxes, signs or other material
except in the case of clubs licensed un-
der this section and hotels having only
an interior barroom. which shall pc
exposed to full view from the cOrrt-
doris or passaseways leading to the en-
trance or entrances to such barroom.
The committee found on tour of
personal observation that but little at
tention is paid to this provision of the
law. Glass doors and windows are
stained, are INSTRUCTED by curtains. par
titionS are frequently erected across
the barroom, a short distance from the
entrance, and the only compliance with
{1n l.,, ocf &c
was the drawing aside for just short
distance of one curtain.
Is. The law provides:
"Par. 3. That the said board shall
appoint a clerk at salary Of $1,000
per annum and an inspector with police
powers at a salary of $500 per annum.
Said inspector shall make inspections
as may be requierd by this section, I'M
der the orders of the board, and make
full report of such inspections to the
board. He shall wear a badge indicat-
ing that he is such inspector of the ex
else board.
No Inspection of Bars.
Instead of appointing an inspector
whose principal duty. as contemplated by
the law, is to inspect places of license
holders, the board appointed a stenogra-
pher under the name of inspector, who
does the stenographic work of the board
and makes stenographic record of the
proceedings before the board, and his
principal time is occupied by clerical
work. He inspected only 100 places prior
to November IA, 1914, and has made no
inspections whatever since that time.
This official testified before our commit
tee that no orders or instructions regard
ing inspections had been given him by
the board, but that he has been made
nj al IL t.fa N1ar~ Nt1a
saloons have been allowed to run prac-
tically without inspection and without
supervision.
Licenses have been granted for bar
rooms on the sides of a square or block
where there is no other substantial
business, and in many cases where it
is evident that there is not so per cent
of the frontage used for business pur-
poses. Plain violations of this pro-
vision have been permitted by allowing
the saloon entrances to be changed
from one side of the square to another
side of the square without any change
in the saloon itself or it's location.
In some instances it is apparent that
buildings have been consl. ucted of u
very unsubstantial character for the
purpose of making business frontage
in order to secure a barroom license
and the board has apparently approved
such action by granting the license
"A frontage occupied by a board
fence with business sign on top. but
with the ground occupied only by brick
or thing or boards or old barrels, or
not occupied at all. has plainly been
counted as frontage used for business
purposes in order to grant barroom
license.
Schools Unprotected.
"16. We regard it as significant of
the attitude OF the board that it has
not exercised it's discretion in favor of