Blaine's Dry-Town Experiment
The city council refuses liquor licenses, forcing the town's saloons to shut their doors as the temperance movement gains a local victory.
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.
Blaine is once more without a saloon. The last one closed its doors last night as a result of the action of the city council in refusing to grant any liquor licenses. The temperance question did not enter into the election of the present council, but it was understood among the temperance people that as constituted it would refuse to license any drink establishments. About eight years ago, when this locality was all Semihmoo voting precinct, the people adopted prohibition under the local option act. Later, the International hotel at Blaine opened a bar, followed by eight more saloons, which closed one after the other as dull times came on. In anticipation of this, clubs have been in running order at which members could satisfy their desires. These clubs are conducted very quietly, but the issue in the next municipal election will probably hinge on the question of license or no license.
“The thirsty crossing the line into British Columbia, where a hotel was supplied with a bar.”
This struggle over local control of alcohol licensing mirrors the modern, ongoing debates regarding zoning, nightlife regulation, and the shifting social character of Washington neighborhoods.
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