The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1877-10-03
Getting a Drink in Maine.
PORTLAND, Me. Sent. 8.

they read Neal Dow's assertion that
the sale of liquor is practically un.
known in Maine. Though familiar
with this State for years, and, of
course, with the various trials Of H.
cense and prohibitory laws within its
borders, 1 have never seen in it a great
er consumption of Intoxicating drinks
than now.
Arriving here a few days ago, I st
once visited my old friend b. in his Of
flee. There were several persons pres
ent, and the first cordial greetings
were hardly over when B. wrote a few
words on a slip Of paper, and handed
it to me with an air Of mystery. I
took it and read, "Would You Ike to
have glass Of lager?" l had begun~
to answer, "Well, ! don't Ca"
when gesture warned me to be si-
lent, and | wrote on the slip yes"
He then invited me into back room
to see his new desk. Once there, he
said 81 don't want these fellows to
know" and led the way down a fight
of stairs into the cellar, where, at the
further end, we found case of bot
tied lager.
From b. l afterwards obtained the
following facts: Although the law in
regard to the sale of iutoxiclting IL
quors is not openly de6ed, save in q
fow isolated cases, the evasons are so
many and ingenious that great deal
nf liquor is actually sold within the
State. One of the most famous of these
evasions is the egg dodge" This con
sists in making two small aperatures
in the she'll, blowing the contents from
It and filing the empty case with prime
old whisky. The holes are neatly seal.
ed with white paper, and these eggs
sell readily at $3.50 per dozen.
Another plan, successfully practic-
cd for several months until it was fin.
ally discovered by the sharp nosed de-
tectives, was the "faucet dodge" An
innocent looking cider or vinegar bar
rel is furnished with what appears to
be an ordinary wooden faucet, from
which, when turned in one direction,
there flows cider or vinegar but if it
is turned the other way, there gushes
forth stream of foaming brown ale.
One ingenious invader improved upon
this method by connecting barrel CT
ale, pleced in another room, with his
Sebago water pipes, and serving his
customers, according to their appear
ance, With Frank Jones' ale or
Adams.
A saloon in the lower part Of the
town baffled the officers for long
time. They were certain that liquor
was sold there, but could discover
noAiing more eliminating about the
premises than empty casks and bot
ties. At last one of them cast sus-
picious eye on the high shelf, upon
which lay flat on their sides, guam
tity of cOrkless and, apparently, emp
TASKS. Mounting to this he discover
ed that each flask contained brandy
or whisky in such quantity that it fall
ed to run ont from tile uncoTked neck.
Bottles of"patent ginger beer" Of
which two contaAed alcohol equal to
a bottle Of whisky, had ready sale
for months.
In Portland there are a vast NUM-
Der of small clubs, Of from dozen TO
twenty members each, formed for the
express purpose Of drinking. Each
member pays 4 small weekly fee, and
receives certain number of tickets.
A room is hired, near the express Of
fee if possible, aHd liquor, generally
beer, is sent there i'm bulk from Ports.
mouth or Boston. Each Of the tickets
held by members is good for one drink,
but none Of the liquor is sold.
The express companies are doing an
immense business in the transporta
ton of packages Of liquor between
Portland and Boston. The Portland
agent of the Eastern Express Com
pany told Ine that they received on an
average a car load of liquor per day
from Boston. 1t is dangerous, howey-
er, for them to deliver packages @. O..
d., as Judge Clifford decides that au
express agent thus becomes an agent
of the dealers, and that liquor thus de-
livered is sold within the State.
So stringent is the law that apothe-
carries are no longer allowed to sell az.
oohol for medicinal purposes, even
r when it is ordered by Il physician.
! This has SO seriously inconvenienccd
= them that every druggist and apothe.
& cary in Maine has bound himself 10
Q Support only such candidates for the
State Legislature as shall favor the
passage OF a bill, to be presented this.
\ coming winter, removing this restrie-
ton. This bill, if passed, will allow
{ them to dispense any medicine men
D toned in the United States pharma,
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