The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-27
DETROIT, LARGEST
DRY CITY, SATISFIED
Gloomy FOrebodings of Army
Of CrOakers Fail to
Materialize.
POORHOUSE LOSES TRADE
Only Half the Usual Number
Of Observation-Disclosures
rants Increase.

DETROIT. Jan. 26-while unsettled
and abnormal conditions due to the
rapid change from peace to war and
back to peace again make 1t difficult ac-
curately to determine the exact effect OF
prohibition on Detroit, largest dry" city
In the United states, II Is safe TO say
that sentiment here Is Overwhelmingly
In favor of the new conditions.
All of the bugaboos OF the vets.
shouted from every platform and ros-
trum during the hot campaign which
preceded Detroit's entry into the ,'dry
column. have failed to materialize, and
as far as the average man can see De-
troit Is hustling along as busily as ever
as prosperousiy as ever and apparently
not missing old John Barleycorn to any
marked degree.
Detroits big breweries are turning
out soft drinks and hundreds of former
saloons are selling them. with ice cream
soda, candy and cigars, and doing a
prosperous business.
Chain grocery stores. meat markets
jewelry shops and haberdasheries slid
quietly into many OF the valuable prop
critics formerly leased for saloon pur-
poses, and many OF the properties have
been turned into cafeterias and serve-seli
lunch rooms, some OF them with a min
imum OF alteration. and many OF them
being operated by the same men who
used to hold the liquor license.
Lunch Rooms Spring Up.
Detroit to-day has more Of these little
lunch rooms than ever before in its his
tory. and evidence that they are pros.
pering is best shown by the fact that
one may travel in any direction and see
dozens Of new restaurants opening.
One explanation by restaurant mar
Ia that the former thirsty" ones are
taking food instead OF liquor now ir
frequent doses. and where they were
wont TO satisfy a craving with a drink
OF liquor many of them now stroll into
some quick lunch for coftee and pie OF
a light lunch.
Hotels are doing capacity business
and have been. There was no SLUMP
when the dry law took effect. Hotel bar
rooms have been turned into serve-seli
lunch rooms. coffee rooms or moderate
priced cafeterias. run by the hotel In
addition to the regular dining room and
well patronized by both men and women
The rollicking cabaret has lost liz
hectic frivolity. but is still a big feature
of most OF the high class hotel dinine
rooms, and the after theatre supper IL
about as much of an institution as ever
though its devo,ees spend far less fol
the entertainment than In the days OF the
bubble water.
However. as the wine bill is shortened
the food check is Increased. and there !.
not as large loss OF income to the hote
cafe as might be expected.
Fewer Poorhouse Inmates.
War industries have, of course. proved
a big stimulus to prosperity in Detroit
but when II Is also considered that thu
war took 10000 men from Detroit
thousands OF them being from the class
Of young men who earned good pay anc
spent It freely on entertainment. th'
difficulty in accurately estimating th'
real significance OF any condition II
Detroit IL readily apparent.
AS to the economic effect OF prohibit
ton one showing allows OF only on,
conclusion. The Wayne county poor
house at Eloiee had only s22 inmate,
during the last year as against 112i
the year before, And out of the So:
there is hardly a man who is able &c
work steadily. The old time regulars
who used to spend a large part Of ever,
year in the "pogey' while liquor wa,
easily obtainable are now at work and
are proving good steady workmen, &C
cording to officials at the county house.
The family parties. strictly speaking
are a new institution. During the wet
season II was the man or the man ant
his wife who frequented night restau
rants Now 1t is the man and wife ant
the children. This was especially trli
during the New Year ewes festivities
for the parents could and did bring the
young folk to celebrate the birth of tbs
present year. where In years past the)
hesitated and finally decided the annua
affair was no place for children OF tender
years.
Detroit generally Is we'll satisfied witt
| wearing the honors of being the larges
| dry" city on earth.