New-York tribune., 1919-07-01
Thousands Of Persons in
Big Rusl, TO Lay In Supply
of Bottled Goods to Keep
Them 10 the End of Time
Expected Price Cut Fails
Biggest Single Purchase Re
corded Is for 100000
Worth: Small Buyers Busy

Thousands Of customers swarmed
into wine and. liquor stores yesterday
and fairly swept the wet goods from
the shelves Dealers agreed that it
was the biggest selling day OF their
history. They estimated that tne bust
ness was LOCO TO 1000 per cent greater
than that of normal day
1t was q day of disappointment to
the thousands who had put Off their
purchases until Prohibition I've, beiiev
Ing dealers would sell at big sacrifice.
The expected slump did not appear.
Some Of the dealers who have been
reducing their prices during the past
few weeks restored their quotatiors TO
the 70, mer level
The sales varied from the pint flask
Of whiskey sold by NJ. Shobin on West
Broadway to the $4,000 single sale
maye BY the Charles Bishop Company.
The wealthy did not corner the cellar
supplies Elderly Jews in black caps
were observed all over the East Side
laying in their "little schnapps.'
Many Orders from Distance
Telephone calls from all parts of the
country to thu larger establishments in
New York City swelled the sales total.
Persons who had gone on vacations,
overlooking preparations for the grea.
draught, crowded the wires with their
orders Mr. Bishop reported one sale
each, 70 business man now in the
AdlrondackS-
Although most Of the wine and lIquor
stores VIII ch cater to the -bottle trade"
will be closed tomorrow, they have
retained skeleton organizations to be
ready to resume business should the
ban be lifted
Bernard Hammerschlag, secretary Of
Flegenheimer g. Sons, one of the larger
firms, said that his concern, which runs
three stores, would be closed to-day
The heavy sales, ne said, made large
tnroads into the company's stocks, but
did not exhaust them
Some OF the liquor in bond probably
can be exported, he added The vine
yards OF Europe were not productive
during the war, he said, while wine
and liquor manufacture was almost
stopped, even in Spain and other neu-
tral countries
Everyone Gone Wild
Mr.. Bishop declared that everyone
seems to have gone wild" AT o'clock
he reported that evcrv gill of available
stock had been sold. with orders still
well-known lawyer for the dry forces
bought $1,000 worth Of assorted
liquors. Prices ascended slightly, lie
said. as the firms reserve grew mere
SLENDER
At the Offices OF the Upgrade Wine
Company. which conducts a chain Of
Afty stores, il was said that pract-
cally every branch had reported the
complete disposal Of It's goods. The
final rush. II was said, exceeded all
expectations.
The manager Of Workman Bros. Com
pany, which operates four stores, said
orders were pouring in with such ra-
pidity that clerks We're unable 10 fill
al of them. A. O'Clock, 1t was said
supplies were rapidly nearly the last
pint.
NJ. Anster. Of Amster and 1nst,ort.
1926 Amsterdam Avenue. announced
that his business was create. in volume
than that OF any other single day with
In his memory. Sales were growing
more numerous and larger as the las:
hours cf wet times slipped by, he said.
Few Reduced Prices
Alfred Abeles, 1858 Second Avenue,
declared that few, If any, of the deal
ers we're reducing their prices Bust~
ness could scarcely be better, ne
pointed Out. than az tne normal hErre.
Fred Hallfeid, owner Of three large
stores. echoed the reports Of other
dealers by YEARLY rcmar.lng that
business had climbed to unprecedented
heights.
'lost Of the stores bore placards on
the windows, announcing that the knell
Of drink had sounded, but few carried
announcements OF sales. On the East
Side several dealers told their Gus
toners in large varicolored type that
none Of their stocks were watered.