Chapter 315. To license billiard and pool tables in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes
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CHAP. 315.— An Act To license billiard and pool tables in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes. February 25, 1897. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, Districts of Columbia.Billiard tables, etc., kept for gain to be licensed. That from and after the passage of this Act it shall be unlawful for any person or persons to keep any billiard table, bagatelle table, shuffleboard, jenny lind table, pool table, or any table upon which legitimate games are played, in any saloon, room, or place of business within the District of Columbia for public use of for profit or gain, without a license therefor first had and obtained from the assessor of the District of Columbia.
Sec. 2. Fee.That every person taking out such license shall pay to the collector of taxes of said District a license fee of twelve dollars per annum Assessor to grant permission.for each table. Said license may be granted or refused in the discretion of the assessor of said District, and all licenses so granted shall date from the first day of the month in which the liability began and expire *Proviso*.Appeal on refusal.on the thirty-first day of October in each year: *Provided*, That in all cases of refusal of said assessor to grant said license, or upon written protest of a majority or more of the property owners or residents of the block in which it is proposed to grant such license, an appeal may be taken to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, whose decision shall be final.
Sec. 3. Penalty for use without license.That every person who shall own, keep, or use any billiard table, bagatelle table, pool table, or any table or board of the kind mentioned in the first section of this Act, for public use or profit without such license first had and obtained, shall, on conviction in the police court, be fined twenty dollars or imprisoned not exceeding three months for each offense, or both, in the discretion of the court. FIFTY-FOURTH CONGRESS. Sess. II.
Chs. 315–317. 1897. 595 Sec. 4. That it shall not be lawful for the proprietors of billiardTables not allowed in room where liquor are sold. tables, pool tables, bagatelle tables, jenny find tables, or other tables of the kind mentioned in the first section of this Act, shuffleboards and bowling alleys, kept for public hire and gain in the District of Columbia, to sell or to allow to be sold in the same room, spirituous, vinous,Sunday closing. or malt liquors, and all such places shall be closed during the entire twenty-four hours of each and every Sunday, and also during the hours that barrooms are required to be closed.
Any person violating the provisions of this section shall, on convictionPenalty. be punished by a fine of not less than five nor more than forty dollars, and shall in addition forfeit his or her license, in the discretion of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia. Sec. 5. That all laws or parts of laws inconsistent with this Act be,Repeal. and the same are hereby, repealed. Approved, February 25, 1897.