The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-07-04
Sonnatbinu for A11+oPoo5

From the Census returns of the year 1860,
obtain the following statistics of the liouor
traffic in the United States *tEg
At that time there were in operation 19O
distilleries, manufacturing 88OO0 600 gallons
of spirits, valued at $24 ,254, 176, 969 breweries
producing 3. 235 ,545 barrels Of malt lfouor val.
ued at ST, 977, 1876 In the same wear there
were registered as the direct result of this traf
fic ,504 deaths from delirlum tremens. O02
suicides, 526 murders, and about 600 other
homicides.
There is reason to believe that the number
Of these violent deaths that found their wav
into the registers. bore a small proportion to
the number that actually occurred during the
year While in ten years from 1850 to 1860.
the population of the United States increased
80 per cent, the manufacture and eonsump-
ton of alcoholic drinks increased IS per cent.
showing an alarming increase of Intemperance
in spite of the various Temperance organiza-
tions, designed to check the progress of the
evil.
| Well had it been for this nation if this in
crease of drunkenness had stopped at that
point but alas it had but just begun. The
| report of the Commissioner of Internal Reve-
nue. for 1864 contains a mass of material from
which I deduce what follows:
There were manufactured and paid tax in
1864, GA, SIP barrels of porter, OIL ,S4S barrels
of lager beer, 848, 1868 barrels of strong beer,
1,700, $50 barrels of ale, making total of malt
liquors 1920 S8 barrels, and all this in the
loyal States, as no tax was collected in the
South at that time. The total number OF
breweries reported is 1904, an increase of 107
per cent in four years; number Of distilleries
2,O6S, an increase of SO per cent. in the same
time. Number of wholesale dealers who paid
license, 3,542; number of retail dealers, 70, 500
Amount of spirits distilled, 155, 10000 GAL
Ions We are all aware Of the immense frauds
perpetrated upon the Government by manu-.
facturers of intoxicating drinks to avoid the
payment of the heavy revenue tax, and we
probably speak within bounds when we say
that not more than half the quantity manu-
factured was ever returned. Upon this calcu
ation, during the year 1864, there went down
the threats of this gnzzling Yankee nation Z,
OO0,0 900 barrels of malt liquor, and over 800
100000 gallons of spirits, besides all the cider
and wine which Travelled the same road We
may form some idea of the vastness of this fl
e cry stream by estimating its cubic content:
according to well known rules of mensuraton
Tfall these liquors were collected into body
they would form a canal 1873 feet wide, fee
deep and 200 miles long. Ii all were put into
barrels % feet long, and placed end to end
they would reach 5,lS4 miles. If these bar
rels were loaded into wagons, allowing 9 bar
rels to wagon and tworods for each team
the train would be 1900 miles long.
Estimating the value of malt liquors tina
year at 81 per barrel, and the spirits at So pc
+ would be 1928 $50, 0OO--money enough to pu
a copy OF the Bible into the hands of ever,
family on the face of the globe; money enough
+ to educate ali the children in the UnitedStates
support all our paupers, pay ali our minister
a good salary, and leave enough to pay all tn
necessary expenses Of the government for on
wear in time of peace And what benefit ha
resulted from all this expenditure Of treas
+ urc ? Also utely nothingl
, On the contrary, il has flied our jails, an
poor houses, aud lunatic asyiums, and on
houses ofinlamy It has Furnished victims 70
: cholera, for consumption, and all the forms G
pestilence pouredout blythe furies from Pan
{ dora's box And how many groans and tear
y it has wrung from worse than widowed wives
| from worse than orphaned childred Ho'
r many bright hopes it has blasted, how man
- giant intellects it has sunk in the mire of i'm
:. becility! Is there no means of stopping tn
5 desolating progress Of this lava tide? Mus
Il all we hold dear on earth be withered an
O wasted by this Issue of the lake of fire? Go
: forbid