The Washington times., 1917-10-31
BARS co DRY IN
nth HOUR RUSH
OF THIRSTY ONES

"Are you going to do your patrI-
otic duty and help the excise tax to-
night?"
, This is the rallying cry today Of
the convivial spirits who are plan
ming q last feast and farewell to
Bacchus in the District tonight. It
is being heard as much as the other
one. Have you stocked up YETI"
Booze prices held firm throughout
the day under a pressure of enforced
buying that offset the bearish influ-
ence OF forced selling.
Washington saloons and liquor stores
were crowded all day. by last minute
shoppers. Tonight q heavy outpour-
ing OF last minute drinkers Is expect
ed, all OF them anxious to celebrate
and take advantage of the last chance.
Preparations are being made by
every drinking establishment in the
city for a last minute rally. A ma
jority OF the bars have already been
closed. but other proprietors are stick
ing to the last bell to clean up their
stocks.
All the MOurners Present.
The entire family OF drinkers will
be at the bedside OF ]. Barleycorn
IuC uCIlll6c .. InGTe
Will be no opportunity for a wake.
Every drink emporium in town Is
lean in supplies as a result of a long
period of preparedness work In anti
cipation of the end. Some, no doubt,
will die q natural death before
booze is officially executed at the
midnight hour. Until the last, how
ever, the mourners will be plucking
at the shroud.
Hundreds of Washingtonians are
stocking up with glasses, decanters,
and other fixtures for the dining
room buffet. Some to be kept for use
and some to be cherished as momen.
toes. Almost without exception the
bars reselling fixtures and glasses
as well as drinks to their old patrons.
The bar in the Riggs building,
noted for its initisled glass wear and
cut glass decanters, sold all of these
to their patrons at a discount from
the original prices. In most instances
they were bought by mon whose
names permitted them to take ad
vantage OF the initial. A similar
course has been followed by most of
the saloons.
Many Sell At Auction
There were a number Of auction
sales about the city today, to clean
up stocks and fixtures of places that
are closing out early. There have
been many such sales in the past
twwo or three days. Others are Of
fering screens, cash registers, and
fixtures at private sale.
The hotels are conserving their
glassware and decanters for other
uses. Many OF them will utilize the
In Int
Those who are going downtown to-
night for a last drink may fnd IL
hard to get. II the days rush does not
let up.
The Raleigh Hotel is to close its
bar as soon as the stock is gone, or
at o'clock in any event
The Ebbitt bar closed Saturday
night The bar will be left as II Is
for the present, and the stock OF
glassware will be transferred to the
cafe. Drinks will be served in the
cafe until midnight tonight.
The Shoreham closed its bar Satur-
day afternoon, but will serve drinks
in the cafe as long as they last.
Gerstenbsrg's closed yesterday. Just
what is to be done with the bar has
not been determined
shoomaker's Goes the Limit.
shoomaker's Will keep open until
midnight tonight and will open to-
morrow as a soft drink establish
ment.
Every one OF the clubs will close
the bar at midnight. The Cosmos
Club may close little earlier. The
Press Club, the Metropolitan Club, the |
University Club, and others expect to
stay open until the last.
The Willard bar will close at mid
night.
AS a rule all of the bar rooms open
today will stay open as long as they
have drinks to sell.
Drinkers today found their choice
limited. Many of those who have
stuck to favorite brands for years,
were told that 1t was unobtainable.