The Osceola times., 1882-01-28
VILE SPIRITS.
A DIsTILLEg DIsCLOsEs THE TRICKS
OF THE TRADE.
Brandy Made In Twelve Hours-A whiskey
Manufacturers Views ON Taxation
and Intemperance.
plttsburg Dlspateh.

Pittsburg Dispatch.
Two gentlemen stepred into the wash
room OF a Pullman chair car on the train
from Pittsburg yesterday afternoon at
the same time. There was nothing re-
markable about this, nor about the fact
that at the same moment each produced
a flask of whiskey and rendered the 9th
era drink. The mutual courtesy was
recognized by swapping bottles, and each
took sip from the flask Of the other
A Philadelphia Press correspondent
watched this engagement of reciprocity
with feelings Of sofrsw, mournfully cut
the end Of his cigar with the keenest
blade Of his pocket knife, and retreated
TO the smoking cubby at the end Of the
car and meditated upon the evils of in
Temperance. These pious meditatons
were disturbed by the entry Of one OF
the offered parties, who solicilated a
light as he seated himself opposite me
and drew from his pocket black weed,
which he pronounced just a triile too
weak too suit his taste. | did not know
at that time that my companion was
from Columbus, Ind, or that he was en-
gagged in the grain and whiskey business
in the states Of Kentucky and Indiana.
Thepump WAS Immediately put in
motion and with the following result;
81 have been in the whiskey busines
all my life," faid the gentleman, "and
the stuff that | Just drank was awfnlly
poor. The first thing that | remember
as child was how to make wbiskey.
have been d manufacturer ever since,
and | think | understand the business.
] have in my cellar at home some whis-
key thirty years old My father bought
several barrels OF it, and when | was
married | went TO his house aud took
one Of the barrels to my house. You
would not like the taste of it, ! am sure,
and | never taste it myself. II is as
strong as poison, but Perfectly pure.
This whiskey was made Of equal parts
of corn apd rye, and was double, or twice
distilled, and taken from the top in
1850"
How old is the whiskey in you flask
asked
Five years old" was the reply, "and
rs nice an article as you ever tasted. The
fact is people have become 50 mu n
accustomed TO the taste of compounded
liquors that they don't know pure liquor
when they get 1t. Since the process of
making fine cid whiskey' in two days
was discovered, complete revolution
in the business has taken place. ! know
the whole busineEs from beginning 10
end, and right here let me give you bit
of advice. If you want to drink splritu
ous liquors, which are no more necessary
toyou than arsenic, dou't take anything
but whiskcy, and get that a. good as you
brandy, gin, clare,s, etc.
ke for you in twelve hours
ent brand Of genuine old
Hbrardy or real imported
as sasy M turni ng your hand
rn you once know now. let me
bu the manner in which most of
Twhiskey now sold is made. The
rectitiers add TO a barrel Of highwines
five gallons Of the oil Of rye. Other
essences are put into it TO give it color
and favor. 1t is fun through the still,
purified, placed in barrels aud sold. II
tastes just as well to the average drin,lker
- cid, Inc Iistillcr who makes
pure whiskey can't sell it. The consumer
does not like the taste Of pure iiqucr
because he has not become accustomed
to il, and prefers the favored rec,iGci
highwiEe'. The average grads Of whis-
key costs from 10 to Is cents per gallon
to manufacture. The tax is 90 cents per
gallon. Say its original cost is 81 10.
Now, If pure liquor is made to become
old whlskey, 1t must stand at least five
years. The barrel must Ice opUn, aud
five or six gallons are lost by evapora-
tion. Consider the loss of interest on
the investment for the time the whisSey
is lying idle, rents, &c., and you will see |
that it cannot be sold at a fair pr ,ht ,,,r
less than 81 per gallon. vast ihaJoIl'y, /
Loweyer. ef all the old whiskey sold /
does not bring more than s. per gallon,
Tho truth is that it is chemically treated |
and has M r,a age. The manufacturer |
is not TO blame for ,ompounding liquors |
The consumers had rather have the stuff |
than pay for the genuine article"
How do you like the proposition Of
Judge Kelley to abolish entirely the tax
on whiskey," asked.
"Wcll, it doesn't make much difference |
what congress does with the tax so long |
as We can find out in advance what ia |
10 be done. The changes which have |
taken place in the process Of manuiac
ture have completely altered the statues
of trade. lfa sudden reduction were to !
be made il would hurt those who have |
large stocks on hand; and If the tax is 10 |
be abolished or reduced, it ought II take
effect at future time, so that we may
know what TO do to guard against losses.
The tax ought TO be reduced t1 % cents
per gallon. The government would
thereby save great deal of money in
the col ection Of its revenues. No class
oi business men in Amer'ol have suffer
ed so much from the law makers as dis.
tillers-"
"And no class of men have made so
much out of law breakers as distillers,"
/ added
"That is true" was the frank reply.
at can't be denied But men have drank
the present time, and they elifI VIII ttfliNtnhth9 ttfliNnh th9
to drink it. A great many schemes have
been devised TO break it up, but all have
failed. We have about the best scheme
in our towl that know Of. Every vii
lage, town or city has the right TO enact
its local laws The State fixes its charge
for saloon keepers license. and the town
then imposes what charge its law makers
see fit TO add to il. Some time ago our
council fixed 81, 900 as the fee for licens
ing drinking places. There was 80 rum
shons in the town; Of this number only
IA remained open the first year under
the new law, and now there are only IL
saloons there. The next thing that is
needed 10 an inspector who will test the
quality Of the liquor sold by every licens-
ed dealer and impose adequate penalties
for the sale of liquor below a certain
fixed standard Of excellence"