Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-10-29
!iANNISVlLLE.
A BUSY HIVE OF INDUSTRY
One of the Most Extensive Dis
tilleries in the Country.

Within the corporate limits of the
town of Martinsburg, W. Va, and
near its northern boundary, hugging
the track of the greatest of our
American trunk lines of railroads
the Baltimore and Ohio-is situated
the Hannis Distilling Company-one
of the largest establishments of the
kind in the United States. So quiet
ly and unostentatiously is this man.
moth enterprise carried on that the
average citizen of this quaint and
ancient borough is almost unaware
of its existence, much less familiar
with the details OF its operations.
With view of acquainting the rea-
ders of the INDEPENDENT with the
leading industries of our county,
land which we consider is the mis-
sion of live newspaper,) reporter
of this paper was detailed recently
to pay visit of observation to the
locality above named. Upon arriv-
ing at the premises he was ushered
into the presence of the presiding
genius of the HannisvillianS,
COL. j. Q. A. NADENBoUsCH.
This name to the people of Berkeley
county, is as familiar as household
words. 1t is associated with almost
every leading local business enter
prise and Martinsburg would not
be Martinsburg with this magic
name omitted. At early dawn of
the internecine struggle between the
two sections of our then unhappy
country, which, owing to its geo.
graphical position, made this beauti-
full and bountiful valley of the She
nandoah not only the incipient battle
ground, but the subsequent theatre
of many bloody battle, the name of
Col. Nadenbousch was brought to
the foreground. And an incident
which occurred very early in the
war is so nearly associated with the
subject now in hand that we men
ton it, en- pdssant. In the summer
of 1851, General Patterson was in
command of the army then in pos
session of this portion of this Valley,
and one of the war-necessities of the
hour was the issuance of an order
confscating the property of Col. Ma
denbousch, located where Hannis-
vile now is, and consisting of mill,
distillery, and many barrels of whis-
ky. The execution of this order was
committed to Major Patterson,
nephew of the commanding general,
and that officer's, Chief of Staff.
Thousands of gallons of old rye were
accordingly dumped into the Tusca-
roFa, and thus mingled with the
waters of the Opequon, the Potomac,
and carried thence to the sea-save
what was Tapped up by the thirsty
solGiery, whose rigid military discip-
line even did not prevent them from
interrupting the wanton waste of
the precious fluid, and many drunk
en- camp brawl was the unfortunate
result. This, as we have said, was
in 1861. In 1866, after the close of
the unhappy strife, this same Major
Patterson, representing the wealthy
firm of the Hannis DiStilling Com
plny of Philadelphia and Baltimore,
and in the capacity of their agent,
had the opportunity of handsomely
reimbursing Col. Nadenbousch, by
purchasing, at a liberal price, the
entire premises upon which now is
situated the immense distillery, and
the retention of the Colonel as man
ager of the company's entire bust
ness. The company, with the eff
cient and energetic Colonel at the
helm, began the erection of more
commodious buildings for the man
ufacture of tr -vTEUf I-l.
RYE WHISkEY
upon a scale which is unsurpassed
by any like company in the United
States. The distilling house is am
ply provided with storage room, AM
@ he'd