Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-04-13
How Whiskev is Made.

Captain P.O'Farrell of Hartford, de-
livered a lecture "On the Adulteration
of Liquors, vt Rockville few evenings
since. He told his hearers that he had
been in the liquor business, and knew
the methods by which, in this country
as in Europe, dealers got rich. Pure
liquors are net to be found at any drink
ing house, however respectable. The
whiskey, "brandy," rum, even the gin
YOU buy, are all vileiy adulterated and
poisoned. Men who drink such stuff,
even but once IA day, are cutting short
their own lives whether they know il
or not. The finest favored ''choice Old
Bourbon" which you buy, ut double
price, at the most respectable saloons in
ilai tiord or New York, is a vile poison!
That which you get at the cheaper "cor-
ner grocery" is il possible worse.
lie proceeded to tell how these drinks
are made. ite said, we can buy bar
rel oi "high-wines" or pure spirit
the cheapest and poorest form OF alcohol
-ior, say, thirty cents u gallon. This is
''ncutralized" by adding lime, or alum.
That makes Ii what we call "silent''-
leaves it without any taste though as
powerfully alcoholic rs before. That is
the stock-the basis-and out of il is made
the various forms of"whiskcy." rum"
''brandy,' gin wine" &c, sold ut
the cheap drainshops. There is also
much real whiskcy sold, no doubt but
the best OF 1t Is necessarily largely mix
ed with the deadly iusil oil which is alb
>oiuteiy inseparaolc from it by the pro-
cess oi distillation-unlcss such care is
used a. no distillcr ever yet took.
on OF juniper, "A strong poison, is mix
ed with this silent basis to make the
stuff YOU drink for gin.
the essential OIL Of bitter Almonds, a
highly poisonous substance, is put in 10
make wines and brandies. For making
the latter, the distilled poison known as
''oil Of cognac' is also used.
To give the Old Bonrbon made of
this neatralizcd alcohol what we call
an old ilavor-the .smoothness' Of age
50 priced by drinkers who are sure they
can't be cheated-fusil oil, deadly pei
son. and which makes drunk cone
quick, and renders mauy men demons
when under il, influence, is added in
yarIou. proportions. so is that cucr-
gctic poison. creosotc. That makes
scotch or Irish whskcy'- the flavor
OF the peat.
w AZ - S'siei tHfN Atltl -ulphuElt
acid toil yitriolD Dand sweet oil,
Wholesale dealers in New York send
out drummer, TO all the smaller cities.
and sell thousands ofbarrel, OF this mun-
utaciurcd stuff. 1t is sold by the Ass,
to-day, IN fifty drinking places in Hart
iori. There is profit OF 900 per cent
ia it. Printed recipe, are also sold.
Capt. OFarrell challenged the rum
sellers TO Maine committee of three, To
act villa u similar committee from the
Temperance side, and 90 to- most re
Specialize slloOn, and hotels in Hartford
or Boston. select the whl>kcv or brandy
there sold, and submit ii for ANALYSIS u
any respectable chemist, whom the deal
crs themselves might select and il that
analysis does not justify hi charges he
will make II public rctracliom NJ one
who knows Capt. OFarrell will doubt
his statements, and yet we are told it
would be interfering with personal lib
erty To prohibit the sale of this vile stuff
10 our fellow men,