The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-24
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
tEor Additional City Intolligencc see gigAa Pooe

IMPORTANT TO DIsTIILERs.-Th annexed
correspondence of Collector sloanaker and
Deputy Commissioner Harland explains itself
we need only inform our readers engaged in the
pnrchase and use of alcohol of the Importance
0i theIr bearing in mind the nature of the ques-
pOn decided, to warrant their attention.
OeLLEcToRis OFFICE, UNITED STATES INTERNAL
REVENUE First DISTRICT PA PHILADELPHIA, A,
november 10, 1a66..-HoD. II. A. Rollins, Com
missioner OF Internal Revenue, Washington
u. C.-Sn:-MaDy OF the drst-class druggists of
thls city, who are large purchasers and con-
sumers OF the article alcohol, have applied to
this office to know what mark OF stencil, If any,
OF the United States should be placed upon the
barrels containing this article az security for
them In its purchase. On examination | find in
the latter part Of paragraph l42 of the new com
piled law the foOwing:-
"And all spirits, after being removed frprn tho
original package in which they were inspected
and euaged into another package for the pur.
pose of rectifcation. Redistribution or chance of
proof shall again be inspected and puaped and
properly branded, and the absence of an insnec
tors brand shall be taken and held as sufficient
cause or evidence upon which anv spirlts so
found may be forfeited.D
Whlle alcohol is not rectifed spirit, strictly
80 speaking, 1t Is, nevertheless an distilled snirf
anu uhGer the strict Interpretation OF the above
9uOIe9 law, am clearly OF the opinion that IL
should be marked by United States General
inspector as a medium of protection to those
VINO 60 lnto the open market at first purchase;
LOT Wlthout this the Government and the public
would necessarily be put to much inconvenience
independent OF the fact that its unmarkng is
suoJect to much fraud; therefore you will please
decide the following question of law, at your
earliest convenience
Does alcohol, being distilled spirit but not
aTectltted article require General Inspector
OF Spirits brand and guage thereon to prevent
II from being subject to forfeiture when opep to
sale IN the usual course OF market2
Trusting to hear from you at an early day on
the subject, remain truly yours,
A. b. SLoANAKER, Collector.
REPLY.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF INTERNAL
REVENUE, WASHINGTON, November 20, I866-A
Il. Sloanaker, Esq, Collector First District of
ennsylvania-Slr:-In reply to your letter of
the 10Th instant, would state that when the
character of spirits is changed by being made
INTO alcohol, the law requires that ii shall be
inspected, and the package containing IT after
IT'S character has been thus changed properly
branded by u. ). General Inspector of Spirits
But there may be circumstances when package
Oi alcohOl need not necessarily have upon it the
Inspectors mark, as when It has been removed
from package which has been once inspected for
the purpose merely of being placed in another
package for use or for immediate sale to cus-
toners, without the additional change of its
character. The absence of the inspectors
mark on packages containing alcohol VIII be
sufficient evidence to justify seizure by the
Collector, unless he is satisfied the requirements
OF the law have been complied with. In order
to save such packages from forfeiture the
party in whose possession they are must be able
TO show that the tax has been paid
Very respectfully,
THOMAS HARLAND, Deputy Commissioner.