New-York tribune., 1919-07-17
$25,000,00O in
Stored Liquor
Is Endangered
Confiscation Section of Dry
Enforcement Bill Would
Wipe Out Stocks Here in
Homes and Club Lockers

New York homes and clubs now har-
Dor $25,ooo.ooo treasure that may be-
come contraband and subject to confis-
cation by the government in the near
future.
That is conservative estimate
placed upon the stores of alcoholic bev-
erages now held in the cellars and lock-
crs of the city's liquor consumers.
More generous statisticans said that
the value of hard liquor thus stored
would reach nearly $10o,000,000
Should Congress pass the proposed
amendment making it uawful for any
July /, all of this immense stock will
become contraband and subject to seiz-
ure by government officials. Just how
this amendment to the enforcement law
would be carried into execution nobody
in New York seems to know. But it
was admitted that favorable vote on
the measure would automatically rele-
gate the contents of such cellars into a
classification along with smuggled
jewels and hootleggers' wares.
Nearly All Have "Stocks'
The manager of one chain of stores
dealing in wines and liquors said that
the experience of every business house
handling alcoholic beverages had
of the city had been stocked with some
beverages that would become contra
band in the event of the passage of
this measure. Accepting the census fig
ures, based OH the belief that there are
100000 homes in greater New York,
that would mean that there are 5000
stocks of liquor subject to seizure un-
der such a measure.
To estimate the quantity of liquor
held in such stocks is far more diff
cult. A canvass of the stores showed
they intended only to have "a couple
of quarts in case of Sickness" There
were numerous wealthy men, however,
who invested small fortunes in their
private stocks of liquors. One New
York millionaire is said to have laid
in q $4,000 stock of wet goods. He
has constructed a separate storehouse
near his home for the purpose of keep
ing the liquor he expects to use in en-
tertaining friends, according to report.
Average Supply Small
~ think the average etock is nearer
ten than fifteen quarts" said a retail
manager. 81 think the value would be
around $5 a quart at retail"
That would mean that the liquor in
homes could be tabulated in this way:
Stocks heid in New YORK homes oo0,O0O
Average amount held (smallest
estimate) quarts ............. 10
Total quarts stored ............. 5000. 600
Value Of stocks. ks................$2 SIS, ,ooo, 900
These figures do not include the
considerable total of stocks stored in
lockers of clubs. Most of the big
clubs auctioned off the contents of
their cellars months ago to members
Representatives of several clubs
who gave these figures were as near
the facts concerning club lockers as
could be obtained:
Clubs holding auctions. .......... rs
Average number of quarts sold at
Total number of quarts sold. d..... 1s7.6o0
Value of liquor now in club lockers. .$937. 500
In addition to these stocks, the gov
ernment still holds in bond, according
to the internal revenue experts, more
than 500O0,O00 quarts Of whiskey, gin
and other alcoholic beverages. At an
estimated value of $5 a quart, this sup
ply is worth at least 50,000,000.
Under existing laws the bonded
liquors can be removed from bond for
| export purposes only.