Evening journal., 1919-02-26
D..IyK PRICES CD
SKYWARD IN CITY
AS TAX RESULT
lcontInned som pase one.l

fve cents a glass. There are some
places. however, that have raised the
price 5 cents drink on beer and ten
cents on other liquors.
Members OF the "old guard" who
have marked time before their favor
Ife bass for half century, wore sor-
roNful countenances today. Drinks
came fewer and further apart, while
treats almost seemed a thing OF the
past. Altogether, II struck most OF the
faithful followers Of Bacchus as being
a bad day to select for quenchlng a
thirst
An Intimate view into the condition
Of affairs was expressed by an lmbiper
when ne tersely remarked:
Yea. they've not-0nly raised the
price OF beer but holy smokes, yuh
ought TO see The collar they're puttins
on itr'
Gee" complained his friond In re-
piy. "a feller has 10 start In saving on
Monday 70 buy a drink saturday"
Bartenders throughout the city ad-
vlsed the patrons 10 abolish the old
system OF treats" and let every man
drink on himself Taken as a whole,
the dispensers were not nearly as
downhearted as their customers. Many
OF them said that the Increase In prices
VIII eliminate the troublesome class
from their trade and will help to eie-
yaie the standard OF the saloon. They
admitted that any loss in trade which
they might suffer IN this respect would
ha made up by the increased piohts
accrulng from the Increased prices it
was pointed out that the new advance
viii practically Insure the saloonkeep-
er ninety per cent. on each drink hs
sells
some saloons are changing the size OF |
tbeir bepr glasses. instead OF advancing
the prlce. Where a ''mug OF suds
could once be purchased for dime, thin
fumhlers have been substituted. Ihere
are few places. however. where beer
once was sold for a nickel. that are IN
sialling slightly larger glasses IN an
effort 10 compensate for the increase. |
when detection was at its height this
mornine one man was almost mobbed I
when he poked his head in the door
of a Market street saloon and said mat
An officer OF the Water Department had
announced that the clty's water was in !
good condition for drinking purposes.
Saloonkeepers also announced today
that they expect the prices on cigar
ettes and cigars to advance either To-
night or tomorrow. Many declared mat 1
they would simply sell out their STOCK
on hand and then discontinue to handle
tobacco entirely.
owners OF tobacco stores said they /
expect the new rates TO arrive al any
time. According TO them, cigarettes,
which are now selling for ten cents
pack. will Jump to twelve cents; hfteen
cent packages TO eighteen cents. Ihe
same average Of advance IS expected
in cigars. Il is not thought that chew
inc tobacco will be Affected IN price,
Although the size Of the cut or pack
bgc Will probably be smaller.
The concensus OF opinion among the
male inhabitants OF Wilmington today
seemed 10 lean toward thinking that
sherman should have included another
opinion together with his famous one
on war.
The situation has decided advantages /
for the saloon and cafe owner. because /
almost any raise that he may add to The
rrice of drinks will not only give tie
give a substantial additional profit ~
the seller The new law adds $50 20
the lax on every gallon OF liquo'. II 4
each gallon there are sAty-four drinks,
as computed by the gov ,rnment. and II
the price OF each drink we're Increased
8 cents that would add 1920 TO The
price that the saloonkeeper gets fo- the
liquor. OF Just enough TO pay the new
Sax. So that when the retailer adds
as much as 20 cents 20 tbs Irlce OF
each drlnk-and that has beer done IN
many sections Of the cltY-he sells 4
gallon for $40 50 more than ne got for |
Il before the new law wen, into effect /
and that means that he INCREASES his !
profit by 50 GO after he has paid the
government the additional tax OF $500.
In addition 10 raising the price OF
DIR nix many OF the saloons have begun
deIetlng their liquor with water and re-
ducing The proof" TO as low as sew
enty and eighty. The only protection
The law gives the customer In this
matter is that the dealer may not add
coiorlng matter, and II a customer IS
exper enced or carries with him
chart showing the different colors o.
liquor he may be able to tell what he
Is getting Otherwise II will be neces-
sary to drink more of It in order to
gel the proper kick.
Most OF the retail liquor dealers have
let Their stocks run low so that the
task Of making an inventory win be
lessened. but they wiz have TO pay the
tax to the wholesaler when
they buy again Several wholesalers
'aid they would add not only the new
AK to their prices but that they would
ark on a little more for business rea-
onc -