New-York tribune., 1919-07-10
and
Saloons Faced
BY Dry Death
Cannot Subsist on Income
Derived From Sale of
Food. and Soft Drinks. Is
Revealed by Investigation

Prohibition spells the end Of caba-
rets and saloons, investigation yester-
day indicated.>
Cabarets cannot conduct a success
full business upon the sale of food
alone and many of the city's famous
eating shows will be discontinued ow-
ing to the advent of prohibition, throw
ing about 800 chorus girls out of en-
ployment. The Palais Royale cabaret
will close Saturday. Captain. Jim
Churchill was about the only cabaret
proprietor whc reported undiminished
receipts and expressed hope for the
future
Sixtyfve of 104 saloon keepers in
terrogated by The Tribune declared
they would have to 60 out of business
because they were forbidden to sell
whiskcy.
Practically all of the cty's hotels
have decided to continue the operation
Of their bars for the sale of soft drinks
and 2.75 per cent beer.
OF 104 saloons visited, the reports Of
owners may be classified in this way:
Cant exist without selling whiskey 80. s.
Will try to do business under present
conditions for few weeks ..... %
Present business would pay if licenses
and taxes were reduced materially :. II
Onueclded ................
Want Fees Reduced
The saloon men, who were Of the
opinion that they could continue in
business if licenses were reduced to
such an extent that they could COM
prise were in busy sections where
thriving trade in sandwiches and soups
is possible. They admitted that their
side issues were such as to give promise
Of profits entirely aside from their
ability to cater to the thirsty.
Most of the saloons that will
try to continue in business for few
weeks, in order to test out the temper
of the public, are owned by men who
refuse to be deceived by the extraord-
nary thirst developed in New York
during the hot period.
1T will take many kinds of weather
to show just what can be done with
soft drinks and 2.75 per cent beer, they
said.
Hotel keepers said they would keep
their bars open, at a loss, if necessary,
in order to accommodate guests A
bar, no matter CHAT i: might sell, was
nece ssary in we'll regulated hotel,
they argued
The large hotels were found to have
been divided in this way yesterday,
on the beer question:
SELLING '2.75" SELLING NEAR BEER"
Astor Waldorf
R;tn. Ralctsr5Gener Ear1fen NlIsa;ddn MsAlRin
Commodore Vanderbilt
Bltmore Majestic
Ansona Murray Hill
Pennsylvania
What Saloon Men Say
The attitude of the average saloon
keeper is disclosed by .hese statements.
taken at random from those made dur
ing the day:
J. j. Dempsey, Dempsey's Cafe,
Twenty seventh Street and Madison
Avenue-"My receipts have decreased
about half. The saloon business would
not pay if the profits depended on the
sale of beer and diluted wines. I am
losing money here, but am waiting for
developments"
Fred Asendorf, los West Eighteenth
Street.-The average corner saloon
will not be able to exist. Saloons
might pay with the help of restau-
rant business, but this bar would not
pay for itself on the profits of beer and
light Wines
William Ross, Sixth Avenue and
Fifteenth Street.-The saloon could be
run with the help of restaurant bust
ness. but profits would depend entirely
on the volume of beer sold"
Michael T. Flood, Twenty sixth
Street and Lexington Avenue Saloon
keepers cannot make a profit selling
beer and light wines alone. Expenses
are too high, including the license.
This saloon would not pay in the sum
mer, and there is even less consump-
ton of hecr in the winter months"
Christian Luckey, Luckey's Cafe
Broadway and Duane STREET. could
not make Il living in this saloon selling
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