Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1918-05-04
MICHIGAN NOW AMONG
THE DRY STATES.
Over Three Thousand Saloons and Six
ty Breweries Went Out of Bust
ness at Midnight Tuesday.

hard blow in Michigan the first of
May, when the dry law went into
effect. AT midnight Tuesday over
three thousand saloons and sixty
brew weries went out of business i'll
Michigan as far as Intoxicating
liquors is concerned. And the dry
law in Michigan is non elastic and
means but one thing absolute pro-
hibition, for not only is the manu-
facture and sale of Intoxicating
liquors prohibited but it is also
against the law to have it in ones
possession. In view of the strin-
gent regulations it is said that there
was a great scramble among saloon
keepers in particular to get rid of
their stock of wet goods before the
lid was Clamped on, and. no doubt,
in many communities the passing
away of old John was properly eel
ebrated.
A number of the men engaged in
the saloon business in Ironwood
will go into the soft drink business
says the Ironwood Times, some OF
them occupying the same buildings
in which they have conducted their
saloons, but probably over half of
them will take a rest for a time, or
seek employment with which they
are familiar. The closing of the
saloons is expected to give a great
impetus to the business of the soft
drink parlors, and it is expected
also to increase the business of all
places of amusement, including the
theatres and pool rooms.
In the state 3,285 saloons were
closed the night of April 80, and
sixty-two breweries were put out
of the business of manufacturing
beer. The most important upper
peninsula interest hit by the law is
the u. P. Brewing company in
Marquette, whose plant is the most
extensive III the district. Some of
the breweries will manufacture
soft" drinks and others, it is un-
derstood, will turn out distilled
products not prohibited by law. A
few beer plants will be converted
into ice factories.
According to claims made by the
Anti Saloon league organization in
Michigan. approximately 2, 2,338 900
bushels of grain have been used in
the yearly output of Michigan
breweries.
The internal revenue report for
the year ending June IS, 1917,
showed that 2,338,524 barrels of
beer were brewed in Michigan that
year. Each barrel contained thirty
one gallons and it has been estimat-
ed that a bushel of grain is used to
make a barrel of beer.
The latest figures from the cen
sus department concerning the
liquor industry in Michigan give
the following details: Capital in
vested, S12 1874 900; salaries paid,
S558, 900; wages paid, Sl,073, 900;
cost of materials, &, ,421 900. value
of products, 50, $40, 900; value add
ed by manufacturer, 81, 900.
One of the Anti Saloon league
arguments against the liquor in
dustry in Michigan has been the
amount of coal consumed. Last
winter when Michigan industries
were operated under stringent coal
conservation rules, many schools
throughout the state had to close.
II has been claimed that Michi.
gan breweris used more than
quarter of a million tons of coal
during the last year covered by the
internal revenue report. This esti-
mate is partly based on a statement
credited to L. D. Leach, assistant
state fuel administrator of Ohio,
who was quoted as saying that re-
ports indicated Ohio breweries CON
sumed practically a pound of coal
to brew pint of beer.
Ifit is correct Michigan brewers
would have consumed about 28O,
100 tons of coal to turn out SOL =
245, ,040 pints of beer in the year
siIo16. II.