The Neighborhood Fight Over South X Street Saloons
Tacoma residents organize a standoff against local bar owners as the City Council debates liquor license renewals.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The question of renewing the liquor licenses of two saloons on South X street, which gained notoriety on account of strong protests raised by residents in that vicinity, was brought before the council last night. A lively discussion and clash between Councilman Conrad, chairman of the license committee, and Councilman Richards resulted. The saloons, owned by William Herd at 1204 South X Street and Kellogg Ford at 1105 South X Street, have licenses expiring on the 24th of this month. Councilman Richards requested that renewals be deferred for one week so neighbors could circulate a remonstrance, arguing that the licenses were being rushed through without public awareness. Chairman Conrad denied the committee was 'railroading' the process. Ultimately, the council voted 9 to 6 to postpone the renewals for one week.
“He said that the licenses were being rushed through the council and that the citizens were unaware of the fact that the matter was to have come up this week.”
Liquor licensing and neighborhood zoning disputes have been a staple of Tacoma civic life for over a century. The tension between neighborhood residential concerns and business owners remains a primary driver of city council meetings today.
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