The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1877-09-25
Il RllE4Gl.s<;1.t]ERING E4G DRINKS,
VIRGINIA E. TOPERS PA YING THE
STATE DEBT,

RICHMOND, Va, Sept. ID, 1877.
The Moffet register, or the c"MofL
fet bell punch" as the people still
insist upon calling it, has now, been
in operation three days, and as a
most valuable and extraordinary
source of revenue it is regarded as
decided success. Tho average Vir-
ginian is now engaged in tho patriot
ic duty of HQuidatimg the State debt
to the tintinnabulary music of tho
little gong in the register. The
usual salltation to-day, instead of
the ordinary "Let's take drink" is
Lets contribute to the payment
of the State debt by registering"
Tho repudiators or readjusters, who
arc opposed to the payment Of the
debt, carry their opposition SO far
MS to refuse to imbibe any beverage
of a stimulating nature requiring the
payment of q tax, and they aro ne
cessarily obliged to have recourse TO
soda OF cold water. This, however,
is only tho case in few extreme
instances.
EXCITEMENT AMONG THE DRINKERS
On Tuesday, the first day of tho
registers, there was quite an excite
ment among the portion of the com
munity. that usually patronizes the
drinking saloons. AS the little
black boxes woro placed in each bar,
fastened by screws to the counter,
crowds foclled in and called for
drinks just for the very novelty of
listening to the tinkling sound of the
gong, produced by the revolution Of
the crank as the barkeeper regis
tered each drink. It was curious to
notice how eagerly the patron, after
swallowing his "straight," "toddy,"
beer or "julep," would bend forward
and intently watch the operation Of
the crank and take in tho citing"
that gave notice that the tax was
paid, and that he had performed his
whole duty as a Virginian and o
patriot.
I AN ADVANCE IN PRICES. .. r.
AS predicted in the Herald
several days ago by telegraph
al. advance in tho charge for malt
and alcoholic drinks took place all
along the entire line of saloons.
Heretofore the charge for alcoholic
drinks was ten cents, and five cents
for malt drinks. The DIoffet Regis
ter law imposes tax of two and q
half cents on alcoholic and half, a
cent on each malt drink. In order
to meet this tax the saloon keepers
at once raised the price Of alcoholic
beverages to fifteen cents, and they
ovcrcame the difficulty in the case
of lager beer by substituting glasses
holding tenth less than those used
previously to the introduction of the
register and leaving the prioeAt five
CENTS When two or more whiskies
ore c,.lled for a reduction is allowed
at the rate of two, drinks for o quar-.
ter, four for fifty gents, and 80 on
but the tippler who drinks by him
self is victimized to the extent o.
two and q half cents. which is q cleat
gain above the former profits for tile
barkeeper. ~
- e. Apo11r1os or TUE 6" SLATE" TIE " ",",., D"'
One of the Immediate effects OF
the register was the abolition of the
credit system, by the barkeepers
However willing they were TO risk
the loss of their liquors by "charg5
ing," they were decidedly unwilling
to pay the state q tax upon drinks
for which they eventually receive
nothing. Honce tho, traditiohal
"o]d score" and the modern "slate"
are no longer institutions in the
whiskeyis shops Of RiohmondI .Nety
man has now to, payJas he goesj and
the bartender takes good care NOT to
touch the crank for the purpose OF
Registering until, he has received bis
pay in the coin coin or currency 81 thpa
coyJ}hFfy, aoWpfou pd,st % roioioO
.IoUv1QAN rNc1nENr!a . 10 noIioo
There are hundreds Of ,amnsing
| in did onta conaaditartt mon the ddI