Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1878-04-11
Communication.
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Our New York Letter

How they are Produced-Som
II Valuable Receipts = VIII er
Wines are Imported
New YORK. March 90, 1878.
TO the Editor of the Observer
In the course of the prolonge,
discussion in the New Yorl
Legislature over various an,
sundry plans for decreasin,
drunkenness, a bill was unde
consideration a few days ago
making it "A misdemeanor for sa
loon keepers to sell liquor to
certain class of persons. Befor,
the vote, one assemblyman go
up and made vigorous speecl
in favor of "pure whisky" and
liquors generally, and protest
ing against their wholesale con-
demnation by the temperance
people. Reading the report of
these proceedings, set me to
thinking about the "pure'
liquors which this rural law
maker so eloquently defended
and | soon recalled a few perti-
nent facts ELECTED by a general
examination Of drinks made in
this city last winter, and which
perhaps failed TO come under the
eye of this innocent and elbow
crooking legislator.
In the first place, the founda-
tion fact established by the in
vestigation referred to is, that
there is almost no such thing,
commercially speaking, as pure
wine or liquor; SO, that the
question, from the very outset
is, practically, as to how much
aEy specified tipple is doctored.
The existence of this state of
! suppose to be too gen
orally known to be commented
upon; but if a man, and an ac-
knowledged drinker into the
bargain can get into the Legis.
ature of this State, knowing as
little of the facts as the gentle
nan above named seems to, it is
probable that the following
brief statement may find an oc-
interested reader:
The four kinds of liquor sold
N New York saloons are rum
brandy and gin, or at
east they go by these names,
hough perhaps they arc not the
'ame liquors as We originally |
described. Rum was originally |
made by fermenting and distill |
ng molasses. Whisky was
made by fermenting and distill-
ng on small scale, either rye or
wheat or a mixture of the two
Brandy was made by distilling
he wine of grapes, after the
Iuicc was expressed for making
vine, and fermenting them or
listilling. Gin was made by
.istilling alcohol through iuni-
'er berries. All these liquors
re colorless; they acquire. COL
r from being kept from long
in barrels, and they ac-
uire tannin from the oak Of
-hich the barrels are made.
So much for the old fashioned
enuine liquors; they were cx-
ensive to make and expensive ,
D keep; they lost by eyapora-
on, and, Of course, lost tkeir
lakers the interest of their
loney.
The modern liquor dealers, ,ac- I
ording to the most trucstwor-
" authorities, have changed :
i this, and have discovered a /
iuch cheaper and simpler way 9
carrying OF business, name i
!, TO make all kinds out of '
orn alcohol (the cheapest pro- I
lced), favoring it to initiate
hat the desire to sell. For d
sample, a dealer wishes to get s
? an assortment Of liquors. d
rom some distiIler or broker q
} buys fifty or a hundred bar
is of highwines. To make
$ low grade whiskey he mere S
dilutes a portion Of the stuff c
d it contains 40 per cent. of n
cohol, colors it with burnt SUI =
ar, and it is ready for sale. g, :
or a better quality of whisky, p
Ie highwine is partially puri- Il
ID, and beside the sugar for (
careful selection from : +
ie class of compounds chemi- !,