The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-04-17
Lodge and Owen, of
First Ward, Change
Their Policy
HOPE TO CUT
OUT BAD CAFES
Insist That Only Saloon
Men With Good Rec
Ords Be Considered

Contingent upon the liquor COM
mittee making a complete cleanup
Of the undesirable cafes in the First
ward, Aid. John c. Lodge and his
colleague. Aid. George A. Owen will
reconsider their decision against
the transfer OF licenses into the
First ward.
For several years the First ward
aldermen have. by gentlemen's
agreement, kept outside saloonkeep-
ers from invading the downtown
district on the east side OF Wood.
wardAve. A. a result, the price
Of saloon licenses In the ward has
advanced. In some instances H.
censcs have brought ~ much rs
37S. 900.
Undesirable cafes that were
closed BY previous liquor commit
tees have remained closed. Aid.
Lodge turned down q score OF peti.
tons for the reopening OF the old
Dresden and Kaiserhof cafes. The
alderman promised First ward con-
sfituents that neither OF these
places would ever have a liquor H.
cense again during his term In
once. Aid Owen ha. stood with
Aid. Lodge in all saloon matters.
The First ward aldermen are par
ticularly DESTROYS OF cleaning up the
more notorious cafes In their por-
ton Of the downtown district. They
are willing to have saloonkeep ers
from the outlying wards, preferably
the residential districts, come down
town and replace undesirable cafe
proprietors. The only qualification
necessary Is that the applicant for
transfer to the First ward be listed
~ good saloonkeeper."
Aid. Lodge and Owen will insist
that only those applicants who have
clean records need apply for per.
mission to transfer.
Aid. Lodge believes that much
GOOD can be accomplished by let.
ting down the saloon bars in the
First ward. In the first place, N Is
better to have a saloon In the down.
town district than in q residential
and manufacturing district, they
contend. Also a downtown saloon
keeper with n valuable lease on his
hands will be more careful OF his
license. and by divorcing the cafe
from the saloon. the worst evil that
the liquor committee has 10 com bat
yearly will be overcome.
There IL every indication that the
liquor committee. now meeting In
secret session, will eliminate q
number OF downtown cafes, includ.
ing the notorious Cafe Roma The
committee intends to hold few pub
lie hearings. preferring 10 have the
decapitating done silently. and with
a. little embarrassment TO the vic.
Tins as possible.
They are getting hot on the trail
OF the committee members said
Aid. Jacob Guthard. referring to the
cafes proprietors who have reason
10 believe that they will be put out
Of business. May 1. They bother
me a lot, bu. tell them all 10 wait
until the skommittee reports TO the
council, q ! then they can Hnd ont
just where they stand-or where
they don't stand"
The number OF saloon licenses for
the coming license year will be re-
duced TO about Zoo.
Licenses from outside wards will
be transferred TO the locations for
merIy occupied by Charles Church
III, John Stilwill and August Voss.
First ward saloonkeepers who died
during the year.
II is understood that the Church
III estate has purchased the liquor
license now in the nam eof Edward
X. wirth. No s07 Mt. ElIiott-ave.
An application has already been
made TO transfer this license to No.
1853 woodward Fave. The estate OF
Otto Hunrath has also made pro-
vision TO transfer q license into
Richters bar. II Is said that $1,000
was paid for the card. and former
aldermen acting a4sa&ents between
the parties.
Aid. Charles Kocher. OF the Thir-
teenth ward. has made application
for the saloon license now located
at No. ass Elmwood-ave. The II.
cense is now in the name Of mike"
MtIIer former alderman.