The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-10
GETTING A DRINK IN MAINE.
HOW THE LiU rs EyiDED ny MR. DOU's
1IfTRSIr FELLOW CITIZENS.


The Esa. the Faucet. and the uncorkcd
Finsk-pntcnt Ginger Hcrr-Thc Clubs, the
Drug stores, and the Hoteis-smuguiIng.
PORTLAND Me, Sept. s.-Rcsidcnts of this
city smile when they read Neal Dow assertion
that the sale of liquor is practically unknown in
Maine. Though familiar with this State for
years. and. Of course. with tho various trials Of
license and prohibitory laws within lis borders.
have never scen in it a greater consumption Of
intoxicating drinks than now.
Arriving here n few days ago. ] at once visit
cd my old friend II. In his Office There were
several persons present. and the first cordial
greetings were hardly over when u. wrote
few words on slip Of paper. and handed 1t to
mo with an air of mystery. took 1t. and rcad.
Would you like to have glass Of lagcr2" |
had begun to answer. well. | don't ca"
when n gesture warned me to be silent and
wrote on the slip Yes" He then invited me
into n back room TO scc his now desk. Once
there. he said " | don't want these fellows to
know" and led the way down night Of stairs
into the cellar. where at the further end, we
found case of bottled lager.
From Il. | afterward obtained the following
facts Although the law in regard TO the salc Of
intoxicating liquors il not openly dened save
in n few isolated eases. the evasions are so many
and ingenious that n great deal Of liquor is nc
tually sold within the State. One OF the most
famous % these cyasions is the egg dodge"
This consists in making two small aprrturcs in
the she'll blowing the contents from 1t and
filling the empty ease with prime old whiskcy
The holes are neatly sealed with white paper.
and these eggs sell readily at 81 50 per dozen.
Another plan successfully practscd for sew
eral months until it was finally discovered 10y
the shnrp-noscd detectives was the faucet
Al a..
barrel is furnished with what appears 10 be- mn
ordinary wooden faucet, from which, when
turned in one direction. there flows cider or
vinegar: hut 4 it il turned ia" other way. there
cushrs forth stream of fuaming. brown al"
One Ingenious cvader improved upon this
method bN connecting barrel of ale placed IN
another room. with his hago water pipes. and
serving his cutomers. according To- thor mp
pearancc, with Frank Joncs'S ale or Adams's.
\ saloon in the lower part Of town baflcd
the officers for long time. They were certain
that huuor was sold thore but could discover
nothing more crimnating about the promises
than empty casks and bottles. Al last one u
them cast suspicious eye on the high shell.
upon which lay. flat on their sides, a quantity
~ corkl'ss am. apparently empty ,nasks
Mounting io this he dis .oyrrcd that each ilask
contained brandy or whiSk"y in such quantity
That 1t lust failed l. run out from the unrorked
Bottles Of" pntont ginger beer" of which two
contained alcohol equal 90 Il bottle of whlskcy.
had a randy sale for months.
In Portland there arr vast number ~ small
clui :. oi from dozen to twenty mrulhyr- ouch.
formed for tn" express purpoS' ot drinking.
Each member pays u small weekly fee. and re-
.riNos "a certain number oi tickets. \ room IL
lir,.l near the express nnlse II possible, and
liquor. generally b"cr. II s"nt thcrr in hulk
from Portsmouth or Boston Each Of thcti' 'kets
hrli hy members good Tor one drink. but mono
The oSprts- companies are doing an immense
business in the trans pOrint.nn of packag, ot
llduor between b. o-tnn and luylsnd. Tho Port
liant agent e the Eastern Express Company
told M tina. they rrceiv'd ON an average u car
load of liquor per day from Bo-ton. II IA dan
g"rous. how, y,r i9r them e. deliver packages
&. o. D.. as ldgc Clifford decides that an eN-
press agent thus h"'omes AN agent oi tl" dealer
ani that liquor thus delivered Ii sold within the
Sos'rineen, Is the law that apo,hccarics are
no longer allowed 10 soil alcohol for medicinal
purpose p. even when IT Is ordered 10y phvsi-
rlun. This has - seriously in 'onNc cuicnfcd
them that every druggist and apoth" AIRY In
Muine has hound hims.i TO support only
such candidates for the State Legislature as
shall favor the passage Of bill, 70 be presented
TINS coming winter. rrmoying this restriction
Ihis billi u passed; VIII allow them to dispense
pharmacopria. II passed one branch OF the
Legislature last winter. and was In fair way
to pass the other when some prohibit mist
caused It to be- amended with the words. EX-
sept such n shall contain alcohol
The bills of fare at hotels and restaurants. IN
stead OF the usual wine li"i on IN" last page. con
tain copies Of the stat" Liquor laws stranger
NM, almost impg7s ,blr 10 obtain "Nrn bot
tlc of Bass az hotel; hut "a the initiated uoth-
ing is more simple. lie has merely 10 rgi-t"r.
.nsagr room. and in II call Tor what hr D. k"s
The lill is for room rent. In some pla.,s beer
Is given away. but crackers sell Tor ten cents
The Cumberland Clnb Of Portland Is ono Of
try, but in II no liquor H. sold and none nppenr-
on Tn" dinner table unless brought from th"ir
pilyut" stores ly members. In the club h0uS',
however, there ish small upprl room, furnished
ana Ornam"nt"d with tiers Of lockers, OF one II
which each member. II lie 50 des Tres. holds the
key. when TINS club was founded last May,
one OF 10" members remarked: II now re-
mnpr7 TO b, seen nov onE adry clnb VII hoat'
cipal source. Of revenue. the Maine liquor law