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1915 Kalispell Ordinance: Licensing

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with eXp Commercial, Referral Divison RRE-BRO-LIC-75443

I recently found an online directory of Kalispell City ordinances and thought it’d be intriguing to see what some of the ordinances of the past were. If I can find enough interesting material, I hope to share at least one ordinance from each year. My last post covered 1913, and I'm going to skip 1914 which mostly dealt with establishing water meters and a Water Works department. This post pertains to 1915, specifically relating to an ordinance that established licensing requirements for various professions.

Ordinance #316 was approved on March 1, 1915. This ordinance was put in place to regulate and license certain industries and occupations, and to provide penalties if licenses were not taken care of as required. Specifically, this ordinance required that the following license fees would be required (my comments are in italics):

  • Any business or person who sold liquor in quantities of more than a quart must pay a fee of $5 per quarter, but anyone who sold in quantities less than a quart would pay a license fee of $137.50 per quarter. Possibly the much higher fee was because bars made more money selling drinks than establishments that sold bottles of liquor (such as a town store)

 

  • Any brewer of malt liquors must pay $10 per quarter. If you made malt liquors you paid more than if you sold liquor someone else made. Did the city collect double for that liquor? Once from the maker and once from the seller?

 

  • Billiard/Pool/Bagatelle proprietors were required to pay $2.50 per table per quarter. Sounds like a way to reduce number of tables - these owners probably also had to pay liquor license fees.

 

  • Meanwhile, a bowling alley owner would have to pay $5 per quarter.

 

  • Pawn brokers paid $30 per quarter and had to allow the Chief of Police to inspect records of transactions.

 

  • An employment bureau fee was $5 per quarter. In addition, the employment bureau had to keep records of what they charged for their service and allow monthly inspections by the Chief of Police.

 

  • Shooting gallery owner? $5 per quarter.

 

  • Roller skating rink manager? $5 per month. Not sure why this was a monthly fee when everything else was per quarter - perhaps they were outside and only operated a certain number of months per year.

 

  • Anyone who sells "oleomargarine, butterine, or imitations of cheese" must pay $15 per quarter. Butterine was what margarine was originally called and both oleomargarine and butterine were 'fake' versions of butter. Apparently "fake" cheese and butter required license fees.

 

  • For cigarette sellers? That cost $10 per quarter. That fee was double the fee to sell bottles of liquor - interesting.

 

  • A traveling merchant would have to pay a fee of $12.50 per quarter. If that merchant used a wagon with one animal it would be $20. $30 if there were two or more animals.

 

  • Restaurateurs? It was $3 per quarter.

 

  • $20 per quarter if someone sold utensils, articles, wares, merchandise from a stand, vehicle or other temporary structure.

 

  • The motion picture business also had a fee - $25 per year which could be paid annually in advance.

 

  • And then there's the circus. If one ran a circus, "menagerie, dog and pony show or other tent show with seating capacity for 1,000 or over" they'd have to pay license fees for each day. If they charged 25 cents for admission, the fee was $50 per day. If they charged 50 cents, then it was $125 per day but they'd have to make sure they did not have more than half their seats as reserved. And they could not charge attendees more than 50 cents per seat. If they did, no license was provided.

 

Before a license was issued in any of the above cases, the ordinance called for any structure to be used to be inspected by the City Health Officer to make sure it was sanitary and proper for the specific occupation. The city would inspect at least once a month.

The mayor could revoke any license if "in his judgment the business, occupation or avocation sought to be licensed may be detrimental to the public morals or health, or liable to provoke a breach of peace." Refunds were not provided if a license was revoked.

Anyone who ignored the licenses requirements will be found guilty of a misdemeanor and fined up to $100.

 

What are license fees in 2023?

As for how things are in 2023, certain businesses still require licenses and license fees.

For example, an annual traveling vendor permit is currently $50 but selling something at a special event is $10 per event. I think that would compare quite well to the traveling merchant of 1915 who paid $12.50 a quarter which interestingly enough equals $50 a year!

But other fees are much different now than they were in 1915. Take liquor licenses for example. In 1915, it cost $550 per year to be able to sell drinks. Today, that cost is between $400-800 with a processing fee of $400. So $800-1200. That's definitely more than in 1915, and in fact, if you sell beer and wine in a restaurant now there is also a one time fee that could be $5-20K. If you manufacture beer, it now costs about $500 per year but in 1915 it was only $40 per year.

So this ordinance was probably the start of the current licensing fees although most fees today are higher than they were back then. Which does make sense since businesses make a lot more money now.

And there you have it, another blast from the past of Kalispell Montana. I wonder what I'll find the next time I peek into the Kalispell Ordinances? As always if you have any real estate related questions, feel free to give me a call on 406-270-3667 or email me at kat@thehousekat.com.

Originally published at thehousekat.com.

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Kalispell, Bigfork, Lakeside and Somers areas. 

Are you getting ready to sell or purchase land or a home in Kalispell  or the surrounding vicinity? Let’s talk!

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Comments (15)

Leanne Smith
Dirt Road Real Estate - Golden Valley, AZ
The Grit and Gratitude Agent

Very interesting, give people in politicies a little control and they go crazy with imposing fees all for the good of the people instead of the good for their budgets. Wisconsin for years prohibited selling "oleo" in its grocery stores.

Apr 30, 2023 07:50 AM
Kat Palmiotti

Leanne Smith - I found the taxes on fake butter and fake cheese to be a bit strange. Why that in particular? Maybe farmers who churned butter were complaining?

Apr 30, 2023 08:23 AM
Leanne Smith

My sense is farmers complained that cheap butter had a negative impact on their dairy farms and their businesses.

Apr 30, 2023 08:25 AM
Will Hamm
Hamm Homes - Aurora, CO
"Where There's a Will, There's a Way!"

Good Morning Kat, I find this history of your area very interesting and thank you for sharing this with us here in the Rain.   (Wish I had a picture of the house after it was painted)

 

Apr 30, 2023 07:58 AM
Kat Palmiotti

Will Hamm - I bet it was very unique!

Apr 30, 2023 08:22 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Kat - I say it often and it's likely I'll find a way to say it again:  follow the money.  And where there's an ordinance, there's likely to be a fee following it too. 

Thank you sharing more about the history of Kalispell.  There seems many tales to follow.  And much wagging continues. . .   

Apr 30, 2023 08:07 AM
Kat Palmiotti

Michael Jacobs - Yes, it's all about the money!

Apr 30, 2023 08:22 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Hi Kat... these old ordinances are just so much fun to read about and think about how life "used to be."

Apr 30, 2023 08:24 AM
Kat Palmiotti

A lot could happen (or not) in 100 years Nina Hollander, Broker !

Apr 30, 2023 11:02 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker

Kat Palmiotti 😺

Apr 30, 2023 02:23 PM
Lawrence "Larry" & Sheila Agranoff. Cell: 631-805-4400
The Top Team @ Charles Rutenberg Realty 255 Executive Dr, Plainview NY 11803 - Plainview, NY
Long Island Condo and Home Specialists

Once again your Kalispell Ordnances are a fun read Kate. Looking back at licensing ordinances from years gone by do provide insights into the values, beliefs, and social norms of the time.

Apr 30, 2023 08:33 AM
Kat Palmiotti

Lawrence "Larry" & Sheila Agranoff. Cell: 631-805-4400  - I'm almost to the period of the prohibition. I can't wait to see what they said at that time.

Apr 30, 2023 11:03 AM
Joan Cox
House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO
Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Kat, I think this series you have started has been SO interesting, and the licensing fees WERE interesting.

Apr 30, 2023 11:00 AM
Kat Palmiotti

Thank you Joan Cox - I thought it was interesting also!

Apr 30, 2023 11:03 AM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

Some of those are funny, especially the difference paid by bars against liquor sellers. They might have done better to just out in a few chairs and invite their buyers to sit and drink a while.

Apr 30, 2023 11:26 AM
Kat Palmiotti

Ed Silva - that would have worked!

Apr 30, 2023 11:28 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Thank you very much, Kat, for sharing this interesting post.

Have an outstanding week.

Apr 30, 2023 11:58 AM
Kat Palmiotti

The same to you Roy kelley!

Apr 30, 2023 12:49 PM
Sheri Sperry - MCNE®
Coldwell Banker Realty - Sedona, AZ
(928) 274-7355 ~ YOUR Solutions REALTOR®

Hi Kat,

I wonder how big the Licencing Dept was back in 1915.  It seems that there were quite a few areas to police and audit.  Very interesting!

Apr 30, 2023 02:15 PM
Kat Palmiotti

I'm thinking it was probably pretty small Sheri Sperry - MCNE® - there were only about 8,000 people living in the entire Kalispell township - less than that were in the city.

Apr 30, 2023 02:41 PM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Kat the $5 per quart was pretty high, even for today.  I would be a good reason to fill bottles just under a quart.  ☺️

Apr 30, 2023 02:19 PM
Kat Palmiotti

Actually George Souto - it was only $5 per quarter, or $20 per year

Apr 30, 2023 02:42 PM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good evening Kat Palmiotti ,

I love reading about the ordnances you are finding in Kalispell! Licensing requirements can become a case cow for revenue. I agree with Leanne Smith "give people in politics a little control and they go crazy with imposing fees all for the good of the people instead of the good for their budgets. 

Apr 30, 2023 06:02 PM
Kat Palmiotti

Thank you for your comment Dorie Dillard Austin TX - I hope you are having a wonderful Spring!

May 01, 2023 04:57 AM
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

You are finding some really interesting stuff in the ordinances!  So much regulation in the world, haha.

May 01, 2023 05:27 AM
Kat Palmiotti

Yes, and it's been around for quite a while Brian England !

May 01, 2023 06:03 AM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP
DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX
Selling Homes Changing Lives

Kat Palmiotti - several years ago I was hired to work as a Paralegal for an Attorney who handles Liquor licenses in all states of the United States. You'd be surprised how much work goes into knowing, understanding, and issuing liquor licenses. It is tightly regulated. 

May 05, 2023 04:32 AM
Kat Palmiotti

I believe it Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP - We have a limited number of liquor licenses in several towns here - someone told me that in Lake County (the next one down) there are so few licenses that if you want to purchase one, it could cost $1M. I don't know if that's true or not but it blew me away. Wish I had one to sell. Hahaha.

May 05, 2023 05:00 AM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP

Kat Palmiotti - for many years in Flower Mound only a very few establishments could serve liquor. I was amazed because each one asked each person ordering a drink to hand over our driver's license. They did not give it back, until we received our checks. I felt like I was being carded! I often wondered if a person got drunk, would the police be called in and take our DL?

It wasn't until more recent years that limited liquor choices became more available to more restaurants in Flower Mound. Even now, grocery stores can sell liquor, but only beer or wine and of course, depending on time of day, there are time restrictions when people can make liquor purchases.  

May 05, 2023 05:23 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Kat- I love this series. It was interesting to read your take on why some of the fees were charged. I can picture some appointed politician getting his or her first taste of power..."Let's see how much we can charge !!"

May 06, 2023 05:42 PM
Kat Palmiotti

Kathy Streib - I'd love to know how this was received by the people in these positions!

May 15, 2023 08:19 AM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Oh my! How fascinating, Kat! I got a chuckle out of the fake cheese & butter licensing law. That had to come from the dairy farmers who, at that time, were important to the agricultural communities. Now, not so much - sadly.

And, now there are so many health issues (i.e. allergies) due to preservatives - and we wonder why!

May 15, 2023 07:22 AM
Kat Palmiotti

Debe Maxwell, CRS - I used to use margarine and went back to butter. Nothing like the real thing (and much healthier!)

May 15, 2023 08:19 AM