The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-23
JOHN BARLEYCORN
70 DEPARTTAMELY
Hotel and Restaurant Men Re-
port Lack Of Enthusiasm
Over Funeral.
CITY IS DRINKING LESS
Herbert P. Connors Associa-
ton Arranges Picnic for
Thousands.
CITY IS DRINKING LESS

tire absence Of mourners. There have
s.eu reports for some time that the
8 ceremony Of putting booze away for the
las, time was TO be performed on that
night 10 the accompaniment of loud
rrosns and much music and singing and
general jollity, but inquiries at the lead
inc hotels and restaurants OF Broadway
failed to justify these reports.
On the contrary, such managers and
owners Of these places as could be
found in the city over the week end
. aid that so far as they are concerned
midnight OF June 80 will be just like any
oher midnight OF course there is
line vet for them TO change their minds.
None OF the hotels or restaurants, 20
ar as could be learned, has made any
Preparations for big celebration, and
n very few Of them have the patrons of
me place made any inquiries as to res
s-yations In Reisenweber's in Column
bus Circle, for instance. It was said last
night by an official OF the operating COM
pany that only two persons had spoken
about reserving tables for the funeral
And they spoke In a casual sort of way.
asking the manager to save something
for them IL II looked like a big night,
but making no definite reservation.
The same IL true of Healy's.
Churchll's and the other big Broadway
restaurants. z At Healy's II was said that
there had been a little talk OF having
farewell booze celebration, that no ar
rngements had been made and that
there didn't seem to be much enthusiasm
ever the idea. sy
Dearth of Enthusiasm.
As matter of fact, lack OF en-
thusiasm over a big time for June 30
seems TO be general throughout the
4 length and breadth of the Great White
Way The Claridge and the McAlpin. two
places where there are always parties
II there are parties anywhere, have
made no arrangements for a bigger
tine than usual on the last night Of
Shiskey's life in town. At the Hotel
Aston II was said that no arrangements
had been made for a big celebration and
that the Astor patrons had made no re-
guests for table reservations. Practically
the same things were said by the officials
Of all Of the hotels in the district east
Of Broadway from Fifty-ninth street to
Forty-second street.
At the Netherland, Savoy. Waldorf.
Plaza, Bitmore. Ritz-Carlton, the Man
TIE Otucf IfOttlS Ill IUl6
section It was said that there would be
no celebration. or at least that no plans
had been made for one yet. This was
also true of the restaurants in that dis
;rict. such as Days, in Forty-second
street. where large stocks of liquor are
on hand.
Hotel and restaurant men advance
many different reasons for this lack of
interest on the part of the public in
the passing OF booze, for II Is that lack
Of interest that has kept them from
arranging celebrations. Had their pa
irons shown enthusiasm the celebrations
would have been planned. Most OF the
hotel and restaurant managers say that
the public. like themselves, simply can
not believe that prohibition is coming,
and some Of them say they are not ar
ranging to celebrate because they have
the assurance of their attorneys that
something will happen before June 80
TO enable them to keep on selling liquor
Several hotel men pointed out last
night as one of the reasons for the lack
Of interest. the undoubted fact that New
York is not drinking as heavily as
year ago.
Some of the saloons up here" said
one of them. ARE starving to death.
People simply aren't drinking SO much,
what with high prices and inferior liquor
and other things, All of the places are
selling more soft drinks. such as ginger
ale and things like that, than they
ever have before"
One hotel man expressed the opinion
! that there will be many private burial
celebrations in apartments and houses
where the owners have stocked up with
liquors in anticipation of a long dry
spell. but there does not seem to be any
likelihood that Broadway will have any
thing unusual happen on it at all.
Connors Associations Picnic.
Probably the most interesting event of
the fateful day will be- the outing and
games OF the Herbert p. Connors Assoc
cation, made up OF the old friends and
neighbors Of the Second Assembly dis
rict, doubtless the last picnis Of the
sort ever to be held. The folk who
make up that association are middle
aged or elderly most OF them, and they
have lived their lives in the district
marked by the Brooklyn Bridge, the
Criminal Courts Building and Cherry
Hill, stalwart Tammanyites and bred In
The bone New Workers.. Their guest OF
honor, 1t may be, will be none other than
Nelghbor Al Smith Of oliver street. q
charter member of the association and
SUI "one Of the boys" Gov. Al has
promised to be here on Monday. June 80
ne can arrange his affairs at Albany.
The members and guests will assemble
al 90 Cherry street. where Paddy Whe-
lan-the Hon. Patrick ]. whelan. presi-
dent OF the association-frst saw the
Hght OF day more years ago than Paddy
cares to admit, and where he used TO
oobble little Al Smith up and down oil
MS Knee when the Governor was merely
frecke faced kid with an immence
genius for mischief. Also, 1t may be
remarked, the present Governor OF the
Empire State has been we'll spanked
upon this historic spot--which Is to say
mo site OF so Cherry street,
HOW president the Hon. Paddy ex-
poets TO mobilize the mourners for John
barleycorn in Cherry street Is difficult
70 ngure out, for not less than 5000 per
sons, maybe 5000. are going to attend
uie picnic up river: but PADDY knows
soout as much OF handling crowds al
George McCluslSy used TO know. Any
way, the association and friends. heade
Sy and mixed with bands, supported BY
brewery wagons stacked high with thu
-" stun land a little Of the old 4.25
=, Is whispered) VIII get in motion from
" Cherry street at a fairly early houl
W. The morning of June 80. with tn,
non PsSdy and his old friend Big Tin
'cIsy leading the parade.
n, ne long parade will march from 81
,nLreFry street TO the recreation pier a
Ue loot OF Market street. East River
,heTe the steamship Squantum (pro
n,uhced squam after the racket get
i.ns strong) will be straining at he
Ws,sh' and then they will sail UP I,
"'tztFs Grove at Point View Island
ana sometime that night, or II ma.