Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-02-10
SWORE OFF.
A Saloon Closes Up and its Ere
quenters Make a General
Stampede for the Tenn
perance Lodges.
Calkins Leads the Van from Rum
to Cold Water.
Astonishing Uprising Among the
PuniSherS OF Cocktails.
from the Oshkosh Northwestern. ]

Men may talk about religious re-
vival and temperance crusade, but
the city of Oshkosh has never seen
such a self instituted revival in the
temperance line as has taken place
within the the last three days. The
remarkable uprising of some of the
men who, besides selling intoxicating
liquors, have been among the most
persistent advocates Of the flowing
bowl, and their systematic organiza-
tion in the temperance cause is an un-
looked for movement which might we'll
astonisn the natives. The sudden
movement among those men whose
names are mentioned below, has been
the general theme of conversation on
the streets corners and by-ways for the
past few days, and the little organized
band is wading into the matter with a
determination and will which is truly
cemmendable. On last Monday night
the Oshkosh Good Templar's lodge
No. % was increased by the addition
to its membership Ct no less than the
following personages =:
W. CaIkins, J. G. Lacey, S. G.
Spore, Put W. Brown, John Adams,
and Capt. Baldwin.
On last night the following were in
itiated into the Sons of Temperance ::
W. Calkins, Capt. Baldwin, S. G.
Spore, John Castor, Put. Brown
The names of Johnny and Gabe Giott
were voted upon and accepted as mem
bers upon the same evening. ~ ma
jority Of the names mentioned have
been signed to applications for men,
bership in the Temple Of Honor
Calkins, as is we'll known, kept for
some time the Revere House saloon,
and for the past few months has kept
a saloon and billiard room in Spore' S
building, corner Of Waugoo and Shon-
aon street. Last week Calkins began
to get sick of the whisky business,
and gathering his friends about him,
who had also been in the habit Of i'm
bibing, perhaps, too freely, he, with
the assistance OF Lacy. got them to
organize their forces and to make one
giant oath that they would quit drink
ing from that time forth. 1t was re-
solved that Calkins should close out
his saloon and they should all 90 in
with might and main for the temper
ance cause. Accordingly Calkins be-
gan clearing out things in good earn
est. He boxed up all his liquors and
sent them back to the houses they
came from. He took apart his bill
lard table which is now stacked up in
the back room for sale. The crowd
got together before the bar and with a
pail of cold water all took drink
around in honor Of the mammoth
swear off. They marched in body to
the Good Templars hall on Monday
night and were ali initiated. Since
that they have been taking the tenn
perance lodges by storm and every
where are called out and are making
stirring speeches in all the lodges they
visit.
A visit to Calkins' place this morn
ing was exceedingly interesting. On
the bar which is stripped of every
thing else stood a solitary pail of cold
water with tumblers around it. Be-
side the stove sat crowd of the re-
generated, laughing and jollifcating
over the new departure and vowing a
determination to clear out the Whis-
key business to the best of their abili-
ty. They say they are going to make
it hot for about a hundred or two tip
piers IN this city whom they propose
to have inside the temperance ranks in
less than a month. A happier set of
men were seldom seen, and they ex-
press their determination to stick to
their resolution or choke to death in
the attempt. They are organizing
theis forces for general raid on the
whisky guzzlers, and they are bringing
their whole influence to bear on many
of the noted devotees to the glass,
whose names in temperance lodge
would look like angel scrolls on the
blue armament. Calkins & Lacey
will turn the former saloon into a
-four and feed store ami hope to be
open and ready for business next
week.