New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-02
274 Barrooms and los
Liquor Stores End Bust
ness in Manhattan
Costs Now Prohibitive
More Than 5000 Resorts Win
Close Throughout State,
Says Official

Many n convivial person, thinking 70
drop into the saloon on the corner hse
a shock yesterday, for in hundreds o.
cases the saloon on his corner was
closed. The entente among rising
prices for beer and whiskey, hishst
rents. the prohibition OF the dis,illins
of whiskey, the new state surtsx And
vaccinations Of the Prohibtionis,s are
consuming 10 make the grand old trade
a losing game.
In other cities throughout the state
the onslaught on the dispensers Of
whiskey straight and light beers was
even more unbridled. The newly en-
acted Brown amendments 20 the s'sn
liouor tax laws which provided tina,
after September 30 there could be only
one saloon 70 every 500 inhabitants IN
political subdivisions having less thar
5000, yesterday drove 2,oOO saloons
throughout the state out or ouslne"
automatically.
Patrons Protested Raise
The situation in the retail liquor
business became such that only the
Gttest were able 10 withstand the 80.
ries Of crises this year and pay $1,000
for a license 70 sell liquor until sep,
TENDER 80, 1918. Owners OF the social
centres which were forced 10 90 out OF
business complained because OF the
fixed ideas Of their patrons, whose
number was rapidly diminishing. IN
irving TO explain their economic col
lanse. they declared that the invetersts
drinker believed five cents was ths
proper price for a glass OF beer ana
ten cents for whiskey, no matter now
the state and Federal governments
multiplied taxes and the Wholesalers
boosted prices.
But the gay White Way was not IN
affected. Dowling's famous saloon on
Seventh Avenue and Forty-thlrd street
Yesterday appeared among the institu'
tions that had fought against ten
dency and lost. Dowlng's was estao-
lished more than twenty years ago,
when Times Square went under the
rame of Longacre Square, and until
the war began was one OF the pest
known drink emporiums IN the district
Within a year the place was sold 70
syndicate for Sl50,0OO.
379 Close in Manhattan
William McClenahan, president Of
the Retail Liquor Dealers Association,
said last night that he expected l,5eo
saloons would be forced 20 discontinue
business throughout the state this
month. and that, IL the present situs'
ton continues, probably twice that mum
her will have 10 desist from serving
their customers within six months. The
new tax of 1920 and a rise Of So cents
in the wholesale price makes whiskey
cost $50 a gallon, he said.
In Manhattan, according 70 Deputy
Excise Commissioner John I. Mcneil
PA saloons and l05 liquor stores wer.
forced out of business yesterday, and
in The Bronx i15 fewer licenses for
saloons than last year were granted
and "a fewer licenses for liquor stores
Two hundred and fifteen fewer saloA
licenses and So fewer liquor stot'
licenses were granted in Brooklyn thai
on October /, 1915, Deputy Commits
sioner d. II. Ralston said. Similar De.
creases In Queens and Richmond
brought the number which failed "a
open as usual yesterday morning to
more than 1000.
Retail prices for the drinks are now
higher than ever before, and the deal
ers who will survive will have 20 keep
boosting tham, il is said. Whisky AZ
20 cents a glass and smaller glasses Il
common, and beer is frequently 10
cents. Rye highballs now bring 80
cents at the bar In most cases, instead
of 10.