The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-01-07
The Rrewerie. Of Wheeling.

a daily newspaper to give to the general
mblic correct idea of the business IN /
terests Of the locality in which it is pup
Hshed, as we'll as to spread before lts
readers daily record ef current events
In this belief we purpose devotlng at
least one editorial article in the REGIS
TER, each, week, to some particular
branch of the industry of our city IL Is
our desire to do all that we can to AID III
the development of our home resources
and to encourage whatever contributes
70 our home prosperity. We therefore
commence our series of 'city articles
this morning, by some hastily prepared
statistics aud facts concerning the brew
cries
The high rate of tax imposed oy the
revenue laws upon the manufacture ana
sale of ardent spirits, all of which must
be paid by the consumer, is having the
effect of diminishing to some extent the
consumption of whisky, and increasing
the use of the various cheaper stimulants
known as malt liquors, By this faihng
off in the sale of whisky, the revenue
NAV be diminished, but the health and
sobriety of4he people will be proportion
ately increased, for it is fact easily
demonstrable, that the habitual use OF
the various, kinds of ale or beer Is less
preiudicial to the health of the human
system, than is the use of the stronger al
cohorc drinks. Neither are they so ha-
bic to produce intoxication with all Its
train of attendant evils. 1t is not our
desire to- either advocate or defend the
use of any beverage which will, under
any circumstances, paralyze the brain OF
fill it with drunken fancies and concerts
but we think that so long as men 'ciH
make use of stimulating drinks, the
milder and less harmful these drinks
are, the better it will be for the men
themselves and for the community at
large. For this reason, we are glad to
observe that the use of ale and beer is
gradually encroaching upon and driving
out the use of the more pernicious
drinks. The present high prices will
have the effect of combining to very few
persons the frequent indulgence IN
whisky and other liquors OF a kindred
nature, while the comparative cheapness
of ale and beer will recommend their use
by those who are not burdened with
plethora. either of the stomach OF the
pocket.
The brewing of ale OF beer constitutes
au important item in the manufacturing
interests of our city The Wheeling ale
has won for itself an enviable reputation,
even in the eastern cities, and is esteemed
by drinkers as among the best; ifnot the
very best, that the market anywhere af-
fords. 1t has boon a source of wealth TO
many of our citizens, its manufacture
EMPLOYS large number OF hands and
large amount of capital is invested in the
business. We have gathered up few
statistics relative to the production
ofmalt liquors in this city. Our estimates
are generally rough guesses made by
tho various proprietors, and will afford
our readers only an approximate idea OF
thcmagnitude ofthe business. Inclusive
of the value of the real estate, about one
million of dollars is employed as capital.
stock in the manufacture Of ale and beer
About one half of this is directly en-
ploved every year in the purchase OF
,rrain, casks, &c, and in the annual eX-
prnses of the trade; about three hundred
thousand dollars of this being devoted to
the manufacture of ale and about two
hundred thousand TO beer. In the ag-
rrcmate. the breweries i'll this city pro
duce about thirty-seven thousand barrels
of ale annually and about ten Thousand
barrels of beer The brewing season
lasts from six to eight months, the warm
weather of the summer in this latitude
preventing the production of malt.
Nearly all of the breweries have con-
nccted with them department for the
manufacture of malt, and some OF them,
as Mr.. SMITHS for example, produce
more malt than suffices for their own use.
The firm of BUTTERFIELD X Co, III Cen
ire Wheeling devote their establishment
exclusively to mailing. They produce
ohout fourteen hundred bushels of malt
per week, during the season, the greater
part of which is sold i'll Washington
CITY. Baltimore, ST Lonis and other cit
les Their establishment is a model one
OF the. kind, having three large drying
kilnS aud growing or sprouting floor
containing nearly eight Thousand square
feet. The process of mailing occupies
about fifteen days, being somewhat de-
pendent upon the state of the weather,
and for description of its various stages
we cannot do better than to refer the in
onisitive reader to BURNS famous poem,
John Barley-corn," which tells the
whole story. ~
xThe principal ale breweries i'll the city
are the establishments of G. W SMITH