Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-07-24
COLONEL GIvENs.
The DistlIlers in Council.

~
According to notice Col Owens, of the
Revenue Department, especially in charge
of distilleries, reached the city yesterday,
Col G. is evidently a gentleman who,
while faithfully discharging the duties of
his office, wishes by as liberal and prac-
teal a construction of technicalities and
complicated details as possible, to promote
the interest of all concerned, the people as
well as the Government He is free, frank
and candid and entirely approachable. At
II o'clock, though the notice was short he
met in conference, at the office of Super
visor Emory on Cedar street, quite num-
bea of distillers from different portions of
the State, and dealers in liquors in the
city. The meeting was rather an interest
ing one, and will be, we trust, the precur-
sor of good results He made q plain
statement of the conditions ofthe laws reg
ulating distilleries, and threw much light
upon many points hitherto obscure to the
minds of those engaged in the business.
He told those present that the distilleries
of the country formed his special business,
and that it would be burning shame for
him not to be posted in the laws govern
ing the same. He hoped that by the con-
ference, in which. he desired every one
present would make free to state any point
upon which he wished information, would
make crooked places smooth to both him
self and those who heard him. He in
formed them that it was necessary that the
building and fixtures of a distillery should
be infinitely described, 4 as if they
were going to make a deed or conyeyanc es
of piece of property. The warehouse of
liquors, as connected with distillery must
be described as situated on the ground and
constituting part of the same. The
bonds and the constructions of distiileries,
etc., were referred to. He was aware that
there were peculiarities connected with
| distilling in Tennessee that existed in no
other State The capacity of a still was
| spoken of This he said was determined
upon the amount of 'tmash" that can be
| fermented at a time, ascertained by the
number of dry inches of the mash tubs.
| Considerable comment and inquiry arose
upon the time allowed in the fermenting
| process, and difference in the time of sour
| mash and sweet mash stills. The govern
ment time being As hours for sweet, and Y
hours for sour mash Some of these
! present stated that under the system, fire..
quently not more than one third of yield
was procured. 1t was also insisted that
| luo surveying ny IAO NAy AAASh SoPoStby,
| where the same tubs were used for mixing
and fermenting, was oppressive. Some of
the distillers told the Col. that they knew
only how to distill in the old fashioned way,
and did not understand the new. They
said that from the time the meal was put
in the tubes till the close of the fermenta-
ton process, would be in summer six
days, and in winter eight days. These
facts were carefully noted by Col. g., who
indicated that he would give the subject
such attention as would result in some
modification as regards the fermentation
period, and the surveying of tubs, etc.
The conference throughout was pleasant,
and we trust that good results may grow
from it. Col G. will leave tomorrow
morning for other parts of the State, and
we trust that his sojourn among our peo-
pie will benefit this important branch of
industry, which is now almost paralyzed