Alcohol Liquor and Saloons
Mission Beach Dance Hall Tuxedo Orchestra, circa 1925
Ordinance No. 14, June 22nd, 1850
That the City Marshall be and is hereby authorized and required to call upon The Keepers of all Bar Rooms, all vendors (sic) of Spirituous Liquors and all Store Keepers for the amount due for License.
Regulations, licenses and communications relating to the sale and consumption of alcohol have been a common theme in American cities since the 1630s, and San Diego is no exception. Governments licensed and regulated alcohol in order to mold the behavior of its citizens to create a revenue stream to fund governments. In 1920 the 18th amendment prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcohol until its repeal in 1933, but the speakeasy and smuggling emerged during the roaring 20s. By WWI, over thirty percent of the federal governments revenue derived from the alcohol tax. The passage of the federal income tax in 1913 created source of revenue and allowed the prohibition of alcohol sales.
Researchers note; this section is word searchable. The following historical documents pertain to various San Diego public interests including some of the records related to Saloons, the Stingaree District and the regulation of alcohol.
Requests
Undated_Request_of_Saloon_Keepers_and_Owners_Asking_to_Keep_License_of_Mrs_Maginn
23_May_1904_Mothers_Request Council to Revoke Licenses of Saloons in Violation
20_June_1904_Petition_WS Snyder_Requesting to_Leave_Saloon_District_Ordinance_Unchanged
Letters
Undated_H Fritz_Letter_re_Saloon_Doors
Undated_Womans_Christian_Temperance_Union_to_See_Ordinance_Passed
9 December 1907 San Brewing Company re Letter of Deed
5 October 1910 US Grant Hotel Letter to Mayor & Council Protesting Saloon
Liquor Licenses
10_February_1894_City_Liquor_License_Certificate
26_April_1895_Resident_Protest_Not_to_Grant_Liquor_License
9_November_1896_Petition_of_San_Bernardino_Wine_Company_for_Reduction_of_Liquor_License
1_March_1897_Petition_of_San_Diego_Brewing_Company_Requesting_Liquor_License_Reduction
7_June_1897_Jr_Green_Gives_Thanks_for_Refusal_of_Liquor_License
Closing
Undated_Petition_of_San_Diego_Resident_re_Closing_Saloons_on_Sunday
7_March_1900_Citizens_Endorse_Mayors_Position_of_Closing_Side_Doors_of_Saloons
16_December_1901 Special_Election_Closing_Saloons_on_Sundays
6 January 1902 Establishing the Time for Closing Saloons on Sunday
6_January_1902_Ordinance_Regulating_Closing_of_Saloons
9 March_1904_Wagenheim_Company_to_Withdraw from_Petition
9_March_1904_Petition_of_Merchants_for_Saloons_to_Keep_Open_Until_2am_During_Carnival
Leagues
9_May_1904_Purity_League_Opposes_Stingeree_Saloon_License
23_May_1904_Anti-Saloon_League_Against_Granting_License_to_Anderson_Brothers
Minority Report
14_August_1905_Petition_of_Property_Owners_Protesting_Against_Renewal_of_Imperial_Saloon
31_October_1910_Minority_Report_Revoking_Liquor_License
Petitions and Protests
29_November_1891 Petition_of_Joseph_Goldthorpe_for_Violation_of_the_City_Liquor_Ordinance
26_October_1897_Petition_of_A Duncklee_Withdraw_Name_from_Petition
28_October_1897_Protest_Against_C Butlers_Petition_for_Saloon_License
26_February_1900_Petition_of_James_Schachtmayer_for_Authority_to_Move_Saloon
2_May_1904_Mothers_Protesting_Saloons_on_K Street
9_May_1904_Petition_of_D Vail_and_Property_Owners_Asking_to_Grant_Saloon_License_on_K Street
23_May_1904_Protest_of_R_Still_Against_any_Saloon_License_Vicinity_of_2nd_and_H Street
22_December_1904_Protest_of_United_Presbyterian_Church_Against_Saloon_on_D Street
30_December_1904_Protest_of_South_ME_Church_Against_Saloon_at_1419_D Street
14_August_1905_Petition_of_Property_Owners_Protesting_Against_Renewal_of_Imperial_Saloon
14_August_1905_Petition_of_HM Funk_Protesting_Against_Renewal_Imperial_Saloon
16_September_1910_Petition_of_Residence_on_5th_Street_Saloon
26_September 1910 Petition_of_Property_Owners_Protesting_Location_of_Saloon
28_September_1910_Petition_of_CB Daggett_for_Rear_Door_Entrance_at_Hotel_Brewster
Free Lunches
3_July_1911_Petition_of_Saloon_Men_for_Abolition_of_Free_Lunches_in_Saloons
5_July_1911_F Bradley_Letter_re_Free_Lunches
16_October_1911_Petition_of_Property_Owners_in_Protest_of_Granting_Saloon_Licenses
Police Reports and Traffic
20_June_1904_Red_White_and_Blue_Saloon_Charged_with_Violations
11_April_1910_Police_Department_Responses on Prostitution_in_Saloons
29_January_1912_Police_Report_re_Boun_Gusto_Restaurant_for_Loud_Profane_Language
8_August_1917_Ordinance_No_7123_Regulating_Traffic_in_Intoxicating_Liquors
Record of Saloon-Licenses 1906
1906 Record_of_Saloon-Licenses
Minors
31_October_1910_Minority_Report_Revoking_Liquor_License
4_December_1912_Petition_of_Liquor_Dealers_Ordinance_Prohibits_Minors_from_Entering_Saloons