Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-12-15
PEOPLE WHO DRINK.
Some Realistic Observations In
First-ClaSs Bar-r0oms.
"Monsieur X" writes thus in the
New York Sun:

1
"Monsieur Xn writes thus i'm tn
New York Sun:
Physicians say that two-thirds Q
their male patients suffer in one wa,
or another from alcoholic poison
No close observer will be dispose,
to doubt this. From the low shop
on South and West streets, along th,
line of the more fashionable saloon
on and near Broadway, in the vicin
| ity of the old POstoffice and tn,
gilded retreats that grid the Astol
House, in the several places of nott
on Printing House Square, and in
the magnificent marble palaces thai
fringe Madison Square, not omittinl
the frescoed club room and the dingy
slop-shops of the east side-from
the first to the last, and in them all
the same story ofintemperance may
be learned.
/ went into the basement of one
| of Gotham's greatest architectural
piles this morning, and stood at the
end of the counter, half an hour, to
see what was done. There were
four bar-tenders all busily engaged.
In that brief time they sold to all
sorts and conditions of men two
hundred beers, thirty-two whiskies,
ten lemonadeS, two plain settlers,
and three gin cocktails. 1t was an
exceptionally busy half hour, to be
sure; but as / took my seat at a lit
tie table near the counter, / noticed
IN the next half hour. ami made a
memorandum to guard against mis-
takes, sale of one hundred and
thirty beers, fifty WHISTLES and six
gin cocktails. The men who drank
them were not "bums." Very
many of them are known to the
world of politics, several are noted
writers, the City Hall furnished its
quota, some do business in the
swamp, and not one seemed in the
least degree affected by what he
drank.
Leaving this place we went to an
other saloon equally well known,
whose proprieters pay an annual
rent of 100000 for the premises,
which are kept open from O'Clock
in themorning until Z in the even
ing. Standing by little cigar case
which is placed at one side of the
room, / devoted half an hour to the
close count of the drinks and drink
ers. There were three barkeepers,
and they had all they could do to
attend promptly to the customers.
One company of six young men
drank six times in less than fifteen
minutes, and each took his whisky
straight. In half an hours time
that bar sold ninety-eight whiskies,
four ginger aleS, three elders and
fourteen ginger cocktails. AS / went
out / said to one of the six young
men who drank six times, "What
are you drinking so much for
to-day?" "Oh, nothing" he re-
piled; 81 didn't intend to. Char
ley and 1 went in for an oyster,
and were ordering when those
four fellows from Albany came
along. Charley asked 'em to drink,
and one followed another" That's
the history of many a spree. The
spreer doesn't intend to go off; meet
inga friend the one tempts the other.
Returning to the saloon / visited
first, / ordered a lunch, and was
soon joined-I always am-by an
who, of course, said:
"What'll you take?' Being in a
taking mood / said / would try a
glass of rye. He took the same.
Having said "How," and emptied
our glasses, / said: "Rufe, what did
you drink that whisky for? Do you
like il? ?"
"No, 1 don't like it. Pm drink
ing too much, too. Guess I'll pull
up"
der it for?"
"Why, for sociability's sake, 1
What did you drink it
for ?''
"Because wanted to ask Just this |
question. I've been looking at the |
fellows drink there. / believe that |
eight out of ten drink Just because |
they don't like to say mo 2"
''DOes it make your head ache to
drink whisky?'
eyes"
$50 it does mine. / swore off |
and took to beer, but beer |
makes me bilious"
"Why drink anything ?"
'Hanged if know, but we all do |
drink"
We were Joined by an actor. Be
ing an actor, and in the company of
a newspaper man, there was, he |
thought, but one thing to do.
Said he, "What'll you take?"
We took whisky. So did he.
We each said, "How," and then
said 1, "Dan, do you like whisky?"
81 hate it,"
"Why do you drink"
HI don't often. / generally take |
gin; but they both upset me; give |
me fearful headache. But what |
are you going to do? Must drink |
something"
In that way have spoken to not |
less than twenty men this very day.
Of the twenty fifteen said that drink |
always gave them a headache; one |
man owned that che loved the
taste;' one said he drank because
he was "hlue," and confessed he
was "on tear" and he didn't care
who knew it. 1t stands to reason
that this sort of thing must produce
some impression on the human form |
divine. The doctors say that it in
duces paralysis, Indigestion, head
ache, rheumatism and weakness of
all kinds. Not being a doctor, l
don't attempt to indOrse their opin-
ion, but this l will say, that among
all the hundreds-regular topers,
not drunkards-to be found in the
saloons of New York to-
day, it would be impossible to find
a dozen men who VIII say that they
drink because they are fond of
liquor. They drink because 1t
seems to be the thing to do.