The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-05-12
Springfield Republican,
Coffee versus Rum.

Frequent sporadic experiments have been
made, often with good success, to test the sup
position that large numbers of men who are
addicted to the use of intoxicating drinks
would prefer a cup of hot coffee or cocoa to a
glass of rum, if they could obtain it convent
emily and at price in fair proportion to its
cost. Such place was opened three
or four years ago by number of ladies
in Boston, in quarter of the city where topers
'most do congregate." 1t was almost sur
rounded with grog-shops, and one of them was
at the next door. Coffee, tea or cocoa, with
light lunch was furnished at price which
would not buy q glass Of whiskey, and the
place was made as attractive socially as posi-
BILE. The result was that the room was
thronged every night, and the neighboring
bars felt the loss of trade so severely that the
one at next door was closed at once, and some
of the others soon moved to more congenial
quarters. A writer in the National Quarterly
Review details similar experiments in Eng
land which have proved very successful In
Bristol, however, the publicans hearing of the
probable advent of a coffee-room, hired every
available location in their quarter. The case
appeared hopeless to the philanthropist who
was at work, for if coffee is to supplant rum it
must be found in the closest competition with
it, 1t would not do to locate half a mile away.
The thirsty men must find their new drink in
the old place. This is the way he outwitted
| the rumsellerS:
"The very next morning he hired q wagon and
horse engaged driver well acquainted with the 10
cality freghted the vehicle with three or four huge
heaters brimful of steaming coffee and cocoa and
gave instructions to his agent to make circuit OF
the whole quarter every morning. and to repeat the
| same round i'll the evening when they usually
| "knocked off," 1t was keen frosty morning in
| January when the experiment was first
| tried and the hospitable wagon had barely
| had time to display its inviting legend; Hot
| Coffee and Cocoa, One Penny Mug" when dozens
of sturdy fellows gathered round it, calling lus
| tily for asupply At the evening circuit the num-
ber had already trped ITSELF and the story getting
wind several other benevolent residents started COZ
fee carts of their own which still plying theil
trade as ndustriously ever. to the no small cha
| grin of the outgeneraled liquor dealers"
Two cents ought to buy good cup of coffee
If you make the price five cents, the men know
they are paying more than it is worth, and will
take to beer in preference. The difference il
cost will make quite difference in appetite
Another suggestion regarding the philanthrop
ic coffee room must be made with trembling
but it appears to be a good one. Smoking
should not be prohibited. A good share of tn
enticement of liquor saloon lies in the fac
that the men smoke as they chat there, and tn
place where no smoking is allowed is dreary Il
comparison. Dreadful as the tobacco habit Is
it might as well be winked at in the presene
of a greater evil, and there is no reason wh
the thirsty man should not smoke and chat an
be as happy over n cup of hot coffee as over
| glass OF Srog.