When Whisky Was In Marion 1894-1906

In January of 1894, the newly elected Marion board of trustees, held their first meeting on January 2nd.  The board was composed of J. P. Pierce, J. H. Clark, S. Gugenheim, W. D. Cannon and H. H. Loving.  After the organization had been completed, C. E. Doss appeared before the board and requested a coffee house license be granted to his company of C. E. Doss & Co.  

A slip of paper was handed to each member of the board, and when the slips were collected four were for granting the licenses and one against; hence by a vote of 4 to 1, C. E. Doss & Co., was granted licenses to sell spirituous, vinous and malt liquors.  His tax license cost $500.00.

After four years of Marion being a dry county, ti was once again to have saloons by a vote of 4-1.  Since January 14, 1890, there had been no saloons in Marion, local option having been voted the August previous and since that there had been a standing fight between the wets and drys and when ever occasion offered in the courts or at the polls each had taken a whack at the other.  For four years the drys had practically held the long end of the string, but now it seems that the wets are to have their running.

Soon after this first granted request, several more appeared before the board and asked for license.  Here are some of the other business that were granted licenses to sell liquor.

                                                                           

 These are a few of the ad that appears in the old Crittenden Presses.

Once again in 1906, the vote came up again for staying wet or going back to being dry.  The people voted dray.  This topic being a controversy as long as can be remembered.

No 'legal' whiskey was sold in Marion after than although it wasn't until 1919 that prohibition came into effect.