Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-09-04
HABITS OF STATESMEN.
Various BaIms With Which Great
Minds SoIaCe Themselves.
A Washington Bartender Tells What the
Supports of the Country Drink and
How They Have it Fixed.

WASHINGTON, september o.-feruapS
there is no better person to learn some
thing of the peculiarities of men than a
bartender. He has all sorts of men, from
every quarter Of the globe, to deal with.
In order to get some points about the dif-
fersnt drinks drunk by men from various
sections of the country, reporter OF the
Critic interviewed NJ. J. O'Connell, better
known as Mike, the bar tender OF the Ma
tional totel. Mike has the reputation Of
being one of the best in the business.
His strong forte is mixed drinks, and it is
said of him that he can beat old man Mix
er himself, who invented that style OF bev-
erage.
In 1854 Gov. Downing, OF California, was
here fox some time. lie got IN the habit
OF going TO the bar where Mike was 70 get
his drinks. He became infatuated with
Mike, and took him home with him and
secured him a position in the bar Of
the Grand hotel in San Francisco,
where he renamed for number OF years.
The reporter asked Mike how long he had
been in the business.
Nineteen years, said Mike; u com
menced in the old Canterbury build
ing, long since burned down. 1t was
ON Louisiana avenue, near Sixth Street
How long have you been here"
"A little over five years. have seen a
great many
Curious Things
since | have been here. | have seen men
come in and put down their last ten cents
for drink, when the probabilities were
they had not eaten q mouthful for days. II
| thought they needed drink | would give
It to them, but | would not take their
money. can tell gentleman the moment
he comes to the counter. He is always
polite, whether under the influence OF
liquor or not
What seems to be the favorite drink
nowadays|
That depends on the section OF country
that the customers come from. As a rule,
now, a New England man likes rum, the
Eastern man whisky. while Southern and
Western men are heavy on mixed drinks.
Men Differ in Their Tastes.
There was old Senator BOgy. | could al.
ways tell what he wanted, and when he
came in | would set it out without asking
a question. Gin and sugar was his drink.
o,natur Ferry never came in the bar, but
he was a great drinker of sherry in his
room. Davis, of West Virginia, generally
'ook straight whisky. He was not much
Of driuker, though. Judge Davis never
came in the bar. but had sherry an
whisky sent to his room. Maxcy, OF Texas.
never takes anything stronger than lem
onade. Coke takes sugar and whisky.
Bayard takes the same. Prndleton is very
fond of whisky punch. Jones, Of Florida,
never mixes anything with his. He
drinks whisky, and takes II out OF IS
water glass, having an
Aversion 10 Small Glasses.
jones and Vest, as a rule, take it with lit
tie sugqr Eaton. OF Connecticut, was pref
" regular. He sometimes took whisky,
but most generally wine, He seldom came
in with any one. He would drink a small
bottle of Mumm's extra dry, pay for it and
walk out. There was Old Senator Dave
Armstrong, Of Missouri. He always took
whisky aud lemon-forty drops. Lspham,
of New York, would start out on whisky.
hut there was 10 tel ing what he would
Wind up on. John B. Clark, OF Missouri,
generally took it straight; so did Van
Horn. Proctor Knott never mixed it. and
always wanted "old bourbon" Pag., OF
California, and George, of Oregon, as q rule,
took straight whisky.
The Great ObIector,
Mr. Holman. used sugar and water. Alex
ander Stephens never came into the bar
room, though he was a regular drinker.
He carried little eight ounce vial OF the
very best whisky in his pocket. Gen. Pdeg
Cook, of Georgia is one Of the most jovial
Congressmen that comes in here. He
takes little sugar in his whisky"
"How is 1t none Of them drink beer"
Very few OF the old time fellows drink
beer. especially men from the South. The
young men are the beer drinkers"
Did you ever see Judge Edmonds in
herer'
'Oh, yes, on few occasions he and Sem
stor Anthony and Ben Perley Poore
would drop in. They always took straight
whisky. Senator Beck is great lover of
not Scotch. and Seustor Williams OF whis-
ky toddy"
1T does not appear that any OF our
statesmen indulge much in fancy drinks,
Nike?'
mo, sir il you want to see fancy drinks
demolished, you just watch crowd OF
young bloods from the South and West get
mp TO the counter. There may be u half
dozen in the crowd, and each Of them will
take a different fancy drink"