Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1859-05-24
6 m m uultate9 .
For tho Telegraph.
LsQuor Statistics of EOnlerOy.

Mr.. EDIroR:--ln compliance with your
request, published in the TelegropA of the
| 9th inst, hereby place at your disposal
course ON Temperance, delivered ON the
evening Of the 9th inst.
Will omit the general statistics, and
give only those which refer to Pomeroy
and its vicinity accompanied with a few
remarks.
| have examined the subject with care
and have drawn my conclusions as chari
taby as possible, having not the least de-
siIe to overestimate the prevalence OF the
evil OF intemperance among us; and ifany
one can point out errors in the statistics,
making the evil less than l have shown
it, l will rejoice as much as any one. But
l am quite sure that it is under, rather
than oVerslated.
am glad the evil is no worse than il
is. My opinion Of the prevalence of in
temperance among US, in comparison with
other towns, has undergone happy
change while investigating the subject.
My first impression, after examining the
statistics, was, that intemperance prevailed
among us to a greater extent than in most
other places. But, in comparing our sta
listics with those of other places, TO which
L have had access, | have come to the
conclusion that our town will compare
favorably with any other town IN the State
having the same number of inhabitants
and doing the same amount ot business.
And yet, when we examine the matter,
we find that, at best, the state of affairs is
alarming. Let us look at it:
There have been landed in our town,
including Coalport and Minersville, du
ring the year ending in November last,
not less than three thousand barrels of
whisky This, perhaps, at first, staggers
your belief But its truth is made more
apparent by the fact that one steamer, ac-
cording TO the testimony of her clerk,
landed 1900 barrels in that time. If one
landed 1900, it is not hard to believe that
all the others landed 1900, especially, as
the boat referred to, was laid up for long
time on account of low water, during
which smaller boats carried the freight.
A part of this is sold by wholesale to
retail dealers in other places in the county.
Bedford, Chester and Salisbury townships
are supplied by it, and, perhaps, part of
two or three others. But the amount sup
piled by other places to the three first
named will more than make up for the
amount we sell TO others beside them.
in 1880, Pomeroy had one-third the
population Of the three townships, which
may now be placed at 10000. This
would give at present for PomeroY 1000,
for it has at least held its proportion.-
There must be added for Coalport, Miners
vile and suburbs back of Pomeroy, say
1000, making the present population
5000, or, one half Of the population Of
the three townships which consume the
5000 barrels of whisky, making 800 for
Pomeroy and its suburbs. But this is not
a fair showing, for Mlddleport is included
in these townships, which is supplied di-
rectly by the boats and also supplies parts
of Salisbury and Bedford townships. And
IN addition to this it should be remembered
that in places like Pomeroy, more liquor
is consumed than in the rural districts and
smaller villages, in proportion to the num-
ber of inhabitants. Beside the floating
portion of community, not counted in the
population, there is generally larger pro-
portion of residents who are intem perate.