Braintree, Vermont, USA (Peth) (Snowsville) (Braintree Hill)
1908 - THE BRAINTREE SALOON

The saloon in Braintree was opened last wek, and it is really marvelous how many people from this town, says the Randolph Herald, have been able to find business to take them in that direction ever since. A few were surprised and indignant to learn that they were enrolled on the blacklist of 20 names from Randolph with which the saloon keeper has been provided, but the greater number came back with cloves in their mouths and apparently more or less happy. Saturday night the advantage of location next to a license town was more fully appreciated. According to reports, parching thirst was a prevailing epidemic and caused a general rush to the fountain of alcoholic delight with the results that later some of our citizens on the strength of their breaths would never have been credited to a dry town.

As an effort to regulate the liquor traffic, the black list would serve to better purpose possibly if the saloon keeper were allowed to sell ony to those whose names it bears, ont ehe priciple that you can't spoil a bad egg. Old topers, whom there is no hope of reforming might as well swallow the liquor, which would otherwise make more old topers out of citizens now given to temperance and sobriety.

Another outcome of the licensed saloon is seen in the action of F. C. Batchelor who proposes June 1 to abandon the credit system in his general merchandise store in Braintree and conduct business thereafter on a strictly cash basis. His reasons for the change he gives as follows:

"The installation of the saloon has made me decide to take this course. If the people of Braintree had not wanted the saloon and did not intend to support it, the would not have voted for it. They cannot support the saloon and pay their grocery and other bills, and I am sorry to say there is quite a class that will have drink if it can get it, and all other bills can wait. Hence my decision to change my mode of business."

Argus and Patriot
Montpelier, Vermont
May 20, 1908

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