The Town That Voted to Keep Its Saloon
By a single vote, the town of Steilacoom decided to maintain its remaining liquor license in a special election.
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.
By a majority of one vote, the Steilacoom 'wets' were victors in the special election held in that town yesterday, and the town will continue to remain 'wet.' Ninety-nine votes were cast. Steilacoom formerly had two saloons, but one burned down recently, and the license of the other expires June 1. The vote was taken to decide whether the remaining saloon should be given a renewal of its license.
“By a majority of one vote, the Steilacoom 'wets' were victors.”
This vote reflects the intense, localized political battles that preceded Washington's eventual Prohibition in 1916. Today, Steilacoom is a quiet residential suburb, a world away from the saloon-centered politics of the early 20th century.
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