Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-12-08
TN A BARREL HOUSE.
OF A TERM UNFAMIL-
Jar TO MOST PEOPLE.
A Visit 10 q Peculiar Drinking Place In
Brookiyu-Liquor at Five Cents
swsllow-Ioush PROPRIETOR and Rough
CustpmeTs


Brookiyu-Liquor at Five Cents a
Sws!lOw-Ioush PROPRIETOR and Rough
Customers
Did you ever see a barrel house, q"
sad a certain keen eyed detective few
nights ago Never Well, do YOU
know the meaning of a barrel house"
MOI Come with me, then, if you care to
find ou; "
The detective led the way through a
good many streets, down under the big
bridge and along the docks to part Of
Brooklyn that very few people except
longshOremeD and sailors know much
about AT last the guide turned from
the mair street into a narrow, dirty alley
and paused before a long black building
that looked ike deserted warehouse.
Then tie stumbled down flight Of
riCkety stairs with his companion at his
heels A thump on the cellar door,
through which a faint light shune,
brought lanky yet muscular citizen
into sight The man was dressed in a
suit Of Jeans and slOuCh hat, and did
not LOOK Ike a person whom you would
particularly care to meet in lonely place
on dark night He allowed the deteC-
tive and the reporter TO enter without
question.
The place was cellar about l2xI4 feet.
II was dimly light ed by two or three
candles stuck in bottles. Stretched on
the floor were five i'll favored gentlemen.
They were playing old sledge with greasy
cards. In the center of the room stood
big, oily looking barrel. Out of the bang
hole issued a long rubber tube. the viSi-
bic end of which was held by the lank
citizen who had admitted the visitors.
The floor of the dingy dive consisted Of
rough boards partly strewn with straw.
A stove with rheumatic legs stood in one
corner. In the opposite corner was a
plain deal table Uttered with unwaShed
dishes. There was no other furniture
Jim, said one OF the i'll favored gen
tlemGn on the floor, none Of whom had
take any more notice of the detective and
his companion than a very long and very
hard stare, gimme a yank on that
there pipe, will ye'''
Gimme yer nick fust, said the tough
looking citizen. After considerable FUN
bling in his pocket the i'll favored gentle
man produced five coppers, and the rub
beI tube was put into his hands He
stood up. and throwing back his head
put the end Of the tube in his mouth
The others looked on in silent envy
while he took a mighty swallow. Before
he could take another the willy Jim had
lerked the tube out of his mouth
''Only one swallow for a nickel, he
said tersely; don't try to hog it"
This is barrel house" said the
detective. TRY some of the whisky.
It's only a nickel a swallow
The reporter deposited five cents with
the tough looking proprietor, and tasted
the contents of the barrel 1t was sim
ply liquid fire.
Now you see what barrel house is"
said the detective as they left the place.
"YOu might think that fellow was either
running there without a license, or that
he was crazy to run that kind of a
place If he could raise money enough
to pay for his license. Well, he has
a license, ali right enough, and he
isn't q fool by any means You
see, by keeping that kind of doggery
he makes the rough people who patron
ize him think that he hasn't license,
and consequently he is both Drawing the
law, which is a big thing in their eyes,
and is able 10 sell them liquor very cheap.
Then the people that he catches in that
kind Of q bOozing den are men who
wouldn't GO near more gaudy and pre-
tentiOus resort. The secrecy Of the place
snd its general poky nature make it a
great fsvorite with persons who have
good reasons for not wanting TO ap-
pear much in society. So much for
the dive itself Now that rubber tube
- great scheme, though it doesl Z
seem so at first. In the first place, it
saves q big outlay for bar. glassware,
furniture and bartender Then, it en-
ables him to pass off any kind OF stuff for
whisky, and that helps out his profits.
Besides, II is the most economical wav in
the world to sell whisky. If that fellow |
had bar and Set out glasses his Gus
toners would pour out full glass every |
time. Now they can only get one swal- |
low before he jerks the tube away. OF |
course some Of them have big mouths |
and can swallow a good deal at a time, |
but none of them can swallow u glassful. |
He keeps no accounts, gives no one |
credit and does a nice. comfortable, in |
expensive and mighty profitable business
and sells the worst liquor TO be had on |
the continent"
Are there any more like him in Brook
yn''
Is the worst. The others are rather bet
ter and one is fairly decent There you
get with your whisky sandwich or a
bowl Of soup. Three or four barrels are
IN tap there and chairs for the customers
md other conveniences. But they all
dispense liquor that would make statue
weep. suppose that one barrel house
will turn out more delirium tremens in a
7ear than a dozen ordinary saloons
nave seen men who frequent them get
ing burned out by the horrible stuff
Until they have ended with the shivers."
How do they get their licenses"
The detective shrugged his shoulders
oh, some Of them fit up decent places
ind get licenses the first of the year and
hen turn over their elegant fixtures TO
else and move into neighbor-
ng cellar. Do they keep the excise law
iou bet they do, for they know we're
them all the time, and would
)e only too glad to get chance TO break
hem up. ."-BrOoklyn Eagle.