Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-02-14
What the Distillers are Doing.


ly exhibits the fearful magnitude and
deplorable results of the rum traffic
in this country -aac
"When our friends, the whiskey
distillers, met in convention the other
day, they strangely neglected to pre-
sent the details and statistics of their
business. On the contrary, when the
dentists, iron-workers, manufacturers
and master artisans and workers
meet in convention, they always give
US accounts of the progress made In
their several departments, and they
point with pride to the increased de
mand of their productions, and the
advantages which the human race de-
rives from their endeavors. Now,
the distillers gave us no other 1act
than that their working capital IL
SIOU,O0O,U However, as it is our
duty to keep the great public inform
ed on all matters OF current interest,
we will do something to supply the
deficiency; and the reader will imag-
inc a well-dressed, rosy-faced Secre-
tary reading to an intelligent and
equally rosy-faced audience sum
mary of what the liquor business has
been able to accomplish On the basis
of the above named capital.
The whole cost of liquors annually
made and sold in the United States,
that is, whiskey in pure or deriva
tive state, is about $500,000,000. In
the consumption of this liquor, co.
900 lives are yearly destroyed, 10O,-
000men and women are sent to pris-
on, and 100000 children are be-
queathed to poor houses and charita-
ble institutions. In addition, 800
murders and 400 suicides are COM
mitted, and the expense connected
with the events is 100000. In our
noble State of New York, of course
including the city, one person in Is
Is substantially made pauper. Mean
while, large sums are disbursed in
erecting and supervising those impos-
ing establishments, the common jails,
and the penitentiaries, for so far
reaching are the effects Of the drink
ing of spirituous liquors that our citi-
zens arc enabled to violate every law
of the land. 1t will not be necessary
to go into the details of the manufac-
ture of whiskey as now conducted ;
and it will be sufficient to say that,
since strychnine, red pepper, sulphuric
acid, and some other ingredients have
become common, the cure of delilium
tremens is impossible. Of course
the same effect. thnngh in a modified
degree, characterizes the various
beverages which are derived from
whiskey. In the mild drinks it is
gratifying to state that the progress
recently made in the sciences, and in
particular, in chemical affinity, enables
the expert manufacturer to produce
remarkable results. For instance,
we furnish 100000 more baskets of
champagne than are produced in all
the champagne districts of Europe
By passing the oil of whisky through
carbon, Madeira is made at a profl
of 500 per cent. which few can tell
from the genuine, and with good rea
son. With neutral spirits, or even
whiSkey, vinegar, sulphuric acid, beet
root, and copperas, which is to pro
duce the proper astringency, we are
enabled to turn out more port wine
than all the rest of the world beside
and of these and other wines, New
York City annually manufactures tC
the value of $S,000,00O, all of which
are admirably adapted to Timothy s
weak stomach. 1t is scarcely possible
to overrate the Importance of thi,
branch of manufacture, since, by en-
listing the wealthy and fashionable
the lower classes are led with les:
difficulty to the use of the more com
mon beverage. To show the fruit OF
wine drinking on the upper crust OF
our society, the following statement il
significant: By last accounts Of th'
State Inebriate Asylum at Binghamp
ton, there had been applications TO
admission from 80 clergymen, s judg
es, $40 merchants, 236 physicians
240 gentlemen, and, what is mor'
cheering than all the rest, 1900 ricI
, mems daughters. -.--. '--''
Aside from these little exploits
the diStillery business receives grea
support from genteel billiard tables
which are always seen III connection
4, with bars. 1t is not too mu5h to sa
: that these tables, by enlisting ou
most promising young men, enable u
to pour out from our distileries al
! ! amount or wiIiskey, II Culioottu Il
one stream, sufficient to run a girls
mill of ten pair of burrs the yea
round, Sundays included. 1t is to b
: hoped that these tables may continu
! to receive the patronage of our youn
! men, and it is also to be hoped tina
the supplies of black walnut and ma
:, hogany may be undiminished, sine
= whatever may not be needed for th
manufacture of tables will be sure t
= be in demand for coffins. As to th
4 gambling establishments. little need h
said for they always require larg
: supplies. There is one branch, hov
= = ever, which needs encouragement
= and it might be well to cons ide
whether legislative action should n,
= be invoked to the end that the nun
e Der of houses Of prostitution may
increased, for it is we'll understood
that there is vital relation betwet
them and our distilleries. On Il
l. contrary, we may reflect that the or