Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-10-31
End of Four Years Contest for Pro-
bibition in the Old Dominion State
Which has Been .Wet" 800 Years.

l
of twelve tonight he will also ring
out of business Alcxandria's 80
places of business in which liquors
are sold and total number OF 6oo
throughout the state.
Tomorrow will be the first time
since the days of the civil war that
this city has not had saloons. Some
of them closed their doors for the last
! time on Saturday night but most Of
them will remain open until II o'clock
tonight.
Considerable business has been
done the past few days by way OF
disposing Of the stocks Of goods on
hand, so that the supply still left is
not large they say. In some places
raffles have been held and quite an
amount has changed hands in that
way, it is claimed. One dealer said
this morning that the price Of good
liquor had advanced from ten to
seventeen per cent since May 1st
and that there was no reason to sell
it at a sacrifice, providing man had
any left over. At two of the saloons
which have already closed, even the
door knobs have been removed, there
being no further use for them.
The fact that Alexandria is hor-
der town leads people here to the
conclusion that the state commits
sioner will watch it very carefully,
to see that the law is complied with
and especially for the further reason
that the city gave such large ma
jority in favor of license, 1853, when
the question was up for decision
year ago.
While it has been intimated that
cutie number of people here have
been laying aside supplies for use
after the drouth strikes the city,
the reports from other towns in the
state indicate that what has been
done here along that line is decided
ly small in comparison.
A report from the city of Rich
mond says:
With but few hours left in which
Intoxicating beverages may be sold
legally in Virginia, reports from all
parts of the State tell of vast guam
titles of the liquor being stored away
in the homes of citizens for future
use.
In Richmond today hundreds of
moving vans and delivery wagons
have formed an almost endless pro-
cession, and thousands of gallons
have been delivered to private homes.
The right of citizens to keep more
than the amount stipulated in the
new prohibition law remains to be
tested in the courts. Every city and
town in the State tells the same
story of liquor being stored away in
large quantities.
When the saloons and other liquor
houses closed their doors tonight
their stores were practically exhaust
ed. Many already have closed be-
cause they have nothing more to sell.
What stocks remain will be started
on their way outside the State to-
morrow morning leaving only enough
for counter sale today.
In Newport News and some of the
smaller towns all Halloween festiv-
tiles have been officially postponed
or forbidden in order to avert dis
orders incident to the closing of the
saloons. In Richmond the officials
have declined to interfere and Halo
we'en revelers will be unrestrained.
Churches and religious societies
will hold prayer meetings and watch
services and the church bells will be
rung as the saloons are closing their
doors for the last time.
In the private clubs and hotels
elaborate wakes" will be held to
mark the passage of liquor.
At midnight the 80 saloons in
Richmond and the $50 in the State
will be things of the past.
Z, Harrisonburg saloons did a land
office business Saturday, the patrons
coming not only from the city and
county, but also from Augusta. High
land. Rockbridge. Pendleton. ,Shenr
andoah, Page and Greene, says the
News-Record of that town. From
daylight to the stroke of midnight,
the bars were crowded with buyers,
whose purchasing power appeared all
but unlimited. There was a CONCERT
ed movement toward the saloons and
| the attack lasted nntil cloSinp time