The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-11-07
EFFECTS OF PROHIBITION
UPON MONTGOMERY

jury In Montgomery county meets
three times a year. The records of
the grand jury covering the offenses
committed while the saloons were open
are as follows:
Grand jury. October term, 1914, 1873
indictments: February term. 1915. 1856
indictments: July term, 1915, EOS in
dictments, total. 52e indictments.
Since prohibition went into effect:
Grand jury. October term. 1915. So
indictments: February term. 1916, 1928
indictments; July term. 1916. 113 in
dictments total. 329 indictments
showing a reduction in indictments
under the first year of prohibition
against the last year of open saloons
of 200 less indictments
The grand Jury of this county has
Just adjourned, finding less indict-
ments for the October term than for
1914. or 1918, and did not return a
single indictment for murder in the
first or second degree. a thing unheard
of during the open saloons.
For the first six months of 1916 end
ing with June 80. buildings valued at
1886. 423.0o have been erected and re-
paired in Montgomery. This Is an in
crease of s65,3s700 over the amount
of permits issued for corresponding
period In 1915. It is also nearly $780,
900 more than for the same six months
of 1914
Montgomery Is on the boom. Clear
ing house receipts for the first six
months of 1915. ending with June 30.
shows that the local banks handled
million dollars in excess of the amount
for the same number Of months end
ing with June 80. 1918 For the first
six months OF 1915 clearings for the
local banks were s2s35s, 1921, while
for the first six months Of 1915 the
ciearings were 325.31s,389.se, being
$1.o43. o53.25 in excess OF 1918, the
open saloon period.
A comparative statement Of the
State treasurer shows that the receipts
for the treasury departments for the
year 1914 t"wet') year. were s6,6o7.-
oo1.12, and for 1915 ("dry'D were
s7,13s,s74.ss. Increased receipt. over
1914 when open saloons were in ex
istence. of s544.13s.53.
The Mobile Register referring to the
prosperous conditions down In that
city, despite the boil weevl' and dis
astrous storms down on the coast.
says;
"PostofT7ce receipts In Mobile show
a big gain for the quarter lust ending
/ according to the report Of Postmaster
Thornton Bank clearinss for the
same period also went ahead of last
year. Port receipts for Mobile and
for the Mobile District show fine
gains Railroads entering Mobile.
particularly the Louisville & Nash
Vile, have had record breaking earn
| ings. and all the railroads entering
here have gained over last wear. New
stores are opening III the retail dis
trict and on all sides there is evidence
OF prosperity The Cuban Molasses
Co. is erecting another large tank to
care for its black strap business
through this port Plans are ripening
| for a big port development. A new
shipyard is soon to be built. All
| docks and ship repair plants on the
water front are crowded with work.
! Merchants report better business than
/ last year and some are. doing more
! business than ever at this season
! These are sign posts of prosperity
which mark the return Of better times
| TO Mobile. II is good to look at
| them"
| Managing Editor Johnston. of the
! Birmingham Ledger. recently said, in
reply 10 a query from Richard Fl.
! Fdmonds of the Baltimore Manufac-
turers' Record:
| birmingham has profited so much
| by abolition of the open saloon that
even local optionists express their
all corporation heads in the industrial
! Aeld agree In the benefit. such as min
| ir,izins accidents and loss of time and
| increase In efficiency. The loss OF the
saloon money has been more than Off
set by the increase in buying power
! of individuals
| j. 6 Dunn, local manager OF the
Ballard Mills, says.
| Bank clearings are showing de-
al
mills are running night and day with
orders in hand to run through the
entire year and far into 1917. Ma
chine shops and foundries are running
| full day time and many day and
night"
| In view Of the boil wevil and the
| disastrous storms that swept the State
! during the summer months that de-
, stroyed those crops the boil weevtl did
not destroy. II is marvellous what pros
| perity exists In the cotton bait Of the
! State
| OF course Montgomery has always
| largely II not wholly. depended upon
| her cotton receipts for her prosperity,
! and Mobile Was even more dependent.
and yet the cotton crop has been cut
| from forty to sixty per cent and SO
| far little visible effect is witnessed or
| felt in either city BECAUSE of the dis
aster to the cotton crop.
| The open saloon in neither city is
any longer considered as a remedy for
short crops or for the evil effects of
| the boil wevil
! They are not regarded as essential to
bring prosperity, but a clog in the
| wheels.
! Still In Northern States where hot
| prohibition campaigns are going on
there is an effort being made on the
! part Of the liquor trafic to make 1t
appear that Alabama cities are in dire
financial distress and that distress is
| due. not to the boil wevil. but TO the
statewide prohibition.
! 1t Is hardly probable the liquor
| forces will convince ANYBODY but
those who want to be convinced.
DRINKS AT BIER.
Man Who Takes Liquor At Casket OF