A look back
By Staff
The campaign dealing with legalizing liquor sales in Hartselle is heating up as referendum day approaches. The following stories show how controversial liquor merchandising was many years ago in this area as well as in more recent times.
1899-October 31, Morgan Representative Greene is on a legislative committee which may consider a dispensary system for selling liquor in Alabama. It would close saloons.
1911-November 1, It is commonly known that at many of the so-called soft drink stands in this county liquor is much more important as an income producer than is Coca-Cola.
1916-November 2, Under current Alabama law an adult resident is permitted to be shipped a maximum of two quarts of liquor within any two week period. Any person who receives more than this amount in less than a fortnight is subject to a fifty-dollar fine plus court costs.
1909-November 3, Frank J. Wilson, a Birmingham detective, is currently being employed by the Law and Order League in Morgan County to investigate and get prosecuted all infractions involving the liquor laws. Critics of the League contend that they would rather let murder, burglary, assault, etc., go unnoticed if it meant that violations of the liquor laws would go unpunished.
1918-November 4, Acting upon the advice of Judge Robert Brickell and Judge O. Kyle, the sheriff has given out a hundred gallons of whiskey to influenza sufferers. This whiskey was seized about three years ago by law enforcement authorities. Physicians' prescriptions are required before flu victims can get the booze.
1972-November 6, Dry forces are very optimistic that they will prevail in the liquor referendum tomorrow. (They did.)
1999-November 5, State Sen. Tommy Ed Roberts, D-Hartselle, has a bill in legislative committee requiring that each bill include an objective synopsis describing the bill's impact. Recently a bill covertly authorizing Sunday liquor sales was advancing through the Legislature until members became aware that this was indeed its objective.
(Researched by Dr. Bill Stewart)
