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| BRISTOL 1874 |
This poem or ode was published in the Bristol News
of June 1880:
Oh, Sir Charlie Harmeling came out of the West
Through all those wide borders, his beer is the best.
It foams like new milk from the clover distilled.
And it costs but a trifle to have yourself filled.
(Harmeling operated a Saloon on the corner of Cumberland &
Front Sts. and would later construct The Harmeling Opera House on State St, and relocate his Saloon inside.)
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| BRISTOL 1894 |
1) Bristol,VA.
went " DRY" in 1886.
From June
17, 1886 to June 22, 1888, it was illegal to sell whiskey ( alcohol) in Bristol,Va. BUT, perfectly legal to do so in Bristol,Tenn.
From
Nov 1909 to Nov. 1916, it was illegal to sell whiskey in Bristol, Tenn., but perfectly legal to do so in Bristol,Va.
The National Prohibition Act- enacted in 1916 "dried" up the Nation.( Except for the criminally minded, who made
vast fortunes from selling illegal alcohol.)
This item was published in the Bristol
News of Dec.1906:
Local Temperence people may be
interested to know the vote of Bristol, Va., June 17th, 1886 on the question of licensing saloons to sell intoxicating liquors.
The Temperence people carried the issue by a vote of 364 to 216, despite the fact that at the time, saloons were legal in
Bristol,Tenn. At the time of the vote in Bristol,Va. there was a tacit understanding between the Temperence people on both
sides that Bristol,Tenn. would vote out saloons at the next opportunity, which was a year later. When this vote was held,
whiskey was voted out of Bristol,Tenn. and Sullivan County by a vast majority, but the fight lost in the State, and , consequently,
its sale in Bristol, Tenn. could not, under law, be prevented.
On June 22, 1888, another vote was held
in the four precincts comprising Goodson District and Bristol,Va. on the saloon question. Though Bristol, Va. voted to license
the saloons by 184 to 115, (the main of the former Temperence people not casting a ballot), the District went against whiskey.
The Corporation Court of Bristol, Va. was then organised and Judge Wm. F. Rhea placed upon the bench. Upon application by
the whiskey people for a license, Judge Rhea held under law he was compelled to grant the license.
(**Note: why did the "main of the former Temperance
people" not cast a ballot?)
2) 1891...The Supreme
Court of Tennessee has decided against Mr. John M. Crowell in his suit against the Town of Bristol for $5000.00 damages for
failing to close the doors of J.W. Jett's liquor Saloon on Main Street. It decides that a Town cannot be sued for failure
to remove a nuisance, the proper remedy being by indictment.
** was Crowell related to Charles T. Crowell who owned
a saloon in 1904 at #21 4th ST. ?
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| BRISTOL 1904 |
3) Dec. 1906...E.L.
Whiteaker, a youthful miscreant, was arrested on a charge of hurling a missile through the plate glass front of The Phoenix
Saloon on Front St. The large glass which cost $40.00 was smashed. The boy was taken before the Mayor, who fined him for promiscuous
throwing. It is stated that the saloon owner will demand damages from Whiteaker's father.
4) July 1907 -
A Saloon Owner's Open Letter to the Bristol News.
CARD FROM MR.KELLER
Regarding
the extension of the Adams Law, will say I have confidence enough in our Representatives in Nashville to feel sure that no
legislation will be enacted with reference to Bristol,Tenn. that will give Bristol,Va. any advantage of Bristol,Tenn. , and
that if such a law was passed, as is now being talked of, the tax-paying citizens of Bristol,Tenn. would not be foolish enough
to adopt it; not withstanding the fact that Bristol,Va. no doubt would furnish the necessary amount to help make Bristol,Tenn.
dry - in order to further their own pet scheme - a Dispensary.
Much has been said
about the saloon men in Bristol in some of the papers, about them keeping dives, joints,dens,etc., by people, some of whom
have never been of any advantage in any community they have lived , and who have left other communities for the public good.
I do not propose to
make any attack on anyone that would result in a newspaper controversy. I have probably traveled as much as the average citizen
of Bristol and I have never seen more honorable, upright, and reliable men in the liquor business anywhere than are the whiskey
men of both Bristols. The 10 o'clock closing ordinance has been in effect some years now and I have yet to hear of some violation
of it, much less a conviction. It has been said that so much money was spent for liquors in Bristol; if so, what have the
liquor men done with the money, except help build up Bristol. None of them have taken any bankrupt laws or left the town.
They are citizens, property owners, and have made their business a success, while some people have failed to make good anywhere,
at anything. Probably, jealousy has caused some to fight us. I've been here nearly eighteen years in the liquor business and
have no investments in any other town or state and could probably stay here, (even in a dry town), as long as some of those
who are leading the fight against us have been citizens of this place. Bristol is filled with merchants from dry towns, from
East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, and why they left these towns is a question that they could probably answer better
than I could. Bristol is the best town I ever was in for its size and has as few arrests as the average town of its size.
Notwithstanding the fact that it has to contend with many disadvantages arising from its peculiar location as regards the
State Line. I live here and I am going to stay regardless of business.
S.G. Keller,Jr.
** Keller's father was
long a saloon owner in Abingdon.
5)...Jan 1907 - Heller Bros. Buy
Macon Liquor House - Heller. Bros., wholesale liquor dealers of Bristol & Knoxville, have just purchased
the wholesale whiskey business of The James Co. Inc. at Macon, GA., and will operate the business in the future. A.B. Heller,
of the local branch of the firm, has returned from Macon, where he went with his brother, M.A. Heller of Knoxville,
and closed the deal.
6)...Oct. 1907 - Chattanooga Now
A Whiskey Mecca - A number of Bristol whiskey dealers will move to Chattanooga, as a result of the decision
of the Supreme Court holding their abolition in Bristol Nov. 1st as valid.
A.B. Heller, of Heller Bros., one
of the largest of the local mail order concerns, returned last night from Chattanooga and announced that his firm would consolidate
the Bristol, Knoxville, and Macon houses, and move to Chattanooga. While there, Mr. Heller leased a building near the Central
Depot on Market St. expecting to occupy it and be ready for business by Nov. 1st.
Other whiskey dealers of Bristol
will move there also, but they have little hope of that city remaining wet longer than the meeting of the next Legislature.
As a result of the statewide prohibition
laws just passed in Georgia, dozens of whiskey houses in that state will move across the line into Tenn. and locate in Chattanooga.
7)... Oct. 1907 - Saloon Keepers
Make Known Their Plans - A number of those now in business in Bristol, will move to other places after
Nov.1st. The Saloon men of Bristol have nearly all made preparations to move to other cities Nov. 1st., the date set for the
new charter under which they are abolished, is to take effect.
A number of them have not yet made
public their plans, while others are announcing their headquarters beginning the first of next month.
Heller Bros. will consolidate their
Bristol & Knoxville houses and move to Chattanooga. They have just leased quarters at no. 1122-1124 Market St. in that
city and are having the building stocked and prepared for occupancy by the latter part of the month.
John C. Brady & Son have leased
a building on Salem Avenue in Roanoke, VA. and have already opened a house at that place.
Shere's Plans Uncertain - L.
Shere, who conducts one of the largest saloons in the city, corner 4th and State Sts., has not yet decided on his future location.
He has just returned from Richmond and may relocate to that city.
Walter O. Trenor, who formerly
conducted a saloon in Bristol, is now in business in Roanoke.Other liquor men have yet to announce their plans, though
it is said that most of them contemplate leaving the city and opening up elsewhere.
To Run Penny Arcade - L. Mack
Mantz, who formerly conducted a saloon business on Front St., is opening a penny arcade in the building adjoining the Citizens
Bank of Bristol.
The majority of the whiskey men
are heavy holders of Bristol real estate and it is expected that some of them will remain here and enter other business.
E.Gouge & Co., Distillers &
Rectifiers, will also leave here on account of the abolition of the saloons, though they have not decided on a location.
Heller Bros. will move their Macon,
GA. business to Jacksonville, FL. , on account of the prohibition laws recently enacted in the former state.
8)...Feb 12, 1909...W.O.
Trenor Suffers Fire Loss in Roanoke
The Casper-Trenor Company
of Roanoke of which former Bristolian W.O. Trenor is a member, suffered a loss of $8000.00 there in a fire early Monday
morning. The Company's business which is liquor distilling and bottling was insured for $10,000.00 thus was fully insured.
9)...Oct. 1909...Claude
H. Brady Sells His Business.
Returns to Roanoke - Sam & W.E. Bryan Purchase
the Stock.
Claude H. Brady has just
disposed of his saloon and mail order liquor house, on Front & Cumberland Sts., to Samuel N. and W.E. Bryan. Judge Kelly
granted a transfer of the license to the purchasers in court Wednesday.
Mr. Brady has a large liquor house
at Roanoke, and following the victory of the "Wets" there a few days ago, he is determined to return and personally look after
his business there. He accordingly sold out to Bryan Bros. the entire business, which is one of the largest of its kind in
the city.
It is rumored that a large bonus was
paid by the purchasers for the place. Mr. Brady was the only saloonist in the city occupying his own property and will lease
it to the purchasers.
License Transferred
The license of Hessberg, Son &
Company, Inc. , was transferred in court to Otto D. Heldreth. Walter D. Everett retired as Manager to go into other business.
10)...April 1910....Shere Liquor
Company Going Out of Business
Manager Denies, However, That High Licenses Forces Concern Out
- Returns to Richmond, Va.
The L. Shere Liquor Company will not apply for
renewal of its license. It is just learned that the company will withdraw from Bristol on May 1st, at which time its license
expires. It was reported the company decided not to apply for renewal on account of the $3500.00 tax, but this is stoutly
denied by the local manager, who states that there is no other reason than that he is needed in Richmond, where the company
had a very large business. He says that the sudden death of the principal man at Richmond, necessitates the closing of the
Bristol place, adding that he had already prepared to renew his license.
One and probably two other saloons will open
shortly, so that the number here will not be lessened. It is understood that the Shere Bar , which is on Cumberland St., may
be sold and continued.
11)...Dec. 12, 1912 -
Court Grants Beer License -
The Martin
Lynch Co. Inc. applied to the Corporation Court on Bristol, Va. Monday for a malt liquor license. The license was granted.
The annual tax is $1000.00 per year. The only other license of that kind is held by Heller Bros. , which recently bought the
malt liquor agency of Jere Bunting.
12)...April 1914 -
And Still They Come - Five years ago the Bristol Herald Courier closed its advertising columns to the
whiskey trade. It was one of the first newspapers in the country to take this step, but since that time scores of newspapers,
large and small, have done likewise. And still they come. The latest newspaper to bar whiskey advertising from its columns
is the Chicago Record-Herald.
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| BRISTOL 1905 |
13)... During Prohibition, Bristol
was a rich market for bootleg liquor, distilled corn and some foreign liquors smuggled in. One ingenious bootlegger brought
his goods in gallon glass bottles painted white, to give the impression they contained buttermilk. ( He did market a little
buttermilk.)
14)... During Prohibition one could
only obtain whiskey two ways: illegally or via a written Doctor's prescription. Thousands were issued at so much per. Reportedly
the "rag-tag" of the medical profession went into the indiscriminate sale of prescriptions and the drug stores did a landslide
business. One Abingdon business got into the business so deep, it kept a nondescript but licensed doctor on duty with a desk
in the store to write whiskey prescriptions.There was generally a waiting line of persons whose medical need for alcohol could
be determined by a mere glance.
15)... After the Repeal of Prohibition
in 1933, a liquor store was opened in Bristol,VA.
Mack Frazier,
newly appointed head of the Virginia ABC Board, established a new liquor store in front of J.D. Faucette's store on State
St. The newly opened store in no time built up the largest volume of sales of any store in the Sate of Va.
Faucette, a prominent Bristol leader of the Prohibition
cause and a strong opponent of the sale of liquor even by the State, took the location of the liquor store "in his front door"
as a personal affront. He brought in the fire-eating evangelist, Dan Graham and established him in a large tent to start a
campaign to vote out the liquor store.(** The Law stated that a store could be voted out within 6 months of opening).
The election was called by a petition signed by over
50% of qualified voters. And it was a walk away for those who opposed the store. It was swept out of business by an overwhelming
majority.
Some said that if the liquor store had been located in a less conspicuous location, ( other
than across from Faucette's), it may have remained in operation.
Meanwhile, the Abingdon,VA. store continued to operate
and has been one of the highest in sales in the liquor store system for many years.
** Years before ( 1907-1909)
when both Bristols went "Dry", Abingdon adopted a Dispensary System and garnered hundreds of thousands of dollars in retail
liquor profits for the town coffers.
(*) "Whiskey Helped Build Bristol
"
**I was quoted as having
said this in a 1995 newspaper article.
View
the Census figures below:
1880...Bristol,VA. 1562 Bristol,Tenn.
1647
1890...Bristol,VA. 2902 Bristol,Tenn.
3342
1900...Bristol,VA. 4579 Bristol,Tenn.
5271
1904...Combined populations of both Bristols ...15,000
1910...Bristol,VA. 6247 Bristol,Tenn.
7148
1920...Bristol,VA. 6729 No figures for
Bristol,Tenn. (yet)
Both Bristols "Dry" 1907-09
Bristol,VA. "Wet" 1909 - 1916
National Prohibition 1916
From 1880 to 1910, both Bristols populations increased
by thousands.
From 1910 -20....Bristol,Va.'s only increased by a
few hundred.
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