The Republican journal., 1888-02-09
Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

few towns in New England richer in history
than this, or that will more richly repay visit.
1t is beautifully situated, being the only sea-
port of New Hampshire. In 1903 Prng sailed
into its harbor; and in 1914 Capt. John Smith.
In 1923 the first house was built. Until 1858 it
bore the name 'Straw berryhank." The prnc-
pal place Is the Square OF old all roads
We're said to lead to Rome here all lead to the
"Squarc." 1t and the streets leading into it do
Eot much diilor from any other busy city; but
when you get of the main streets you see IA town
that differs radically from any other in New
England. a large proportion of the buildings
are very old and Of that style of architecture
common a hundred years ago. How comfort
able and roomy those square Old buildings
look. One claims to be IL hundred and eighty
ycaI> Old; another. a brick building, has light
nug rods put on by Benjamin Franklin with
liz own hands. Out of respect to benjamin.
iishtning has never struck that house, On the
hill above this house is a very old church, q
most interesting place TO visit. The baptisma
font was brought from Africa, and 10 one can
even guess how old il is. The chairs. desks
George II. and Queen Caroline. Here is one
OF The two existing copies of the Vinegar
bib.e. But altogether the strangest and most
astounding thing about this church is the fact
that under it are SEQ barrels or mere of Jones'
best.
There are many buildings and places of eN-
ceedng interest, but ii would take columns to
I. il,a lNlr
of Good Templars in this city,-one called
Strawberry bank. one Rockingham; yet strange
10 say. one Of these lodges rents its hall of
Frank Jones. The Post, Il most enterpri>ng
sheet, is one of the noteworthy things here. 1t
was started in the campaign CT 1881 as Il Re
publican campaign sheet. 1t was not nearly
as large then as the Republican journal
doubled. When the campaign closed encour-
ayemcnt was offered and it was continued.
Time rolled on. did the Post, and it kept
rolling until its daily circulation has risen to
2.500, and it is still rolling. Mr.. J. Il. Curtis.
formerly of Belfast, is local editor, and Mr..
Henry IL. Corhett, also of Belfast. is foreman.
He makes it a fine looking sheet.
But the brewery. What is Portsmouth with
out its brewery? Jones' brewery is Ports
mouths crowning (C glory. 1t is mammoth
structure of brick, OF rather several such. and
is about mile from the Square. n line from
the Boston & Maine is used entirely to trans
port the products of this brewery. A few
days since one train took away 2.100 barrels of
ale. The daily production is from 100 to l 400
barrels, and the revenue to the government As
many dollars. To describe the process by
which lifc-giying grain is changed to death
dealing poison, would unduly extend this arti-
ole. 1t goes in capable of life, it comes out on
ly capable of death 1t goes TO all parts of the
country Those barrels destined for Maine
bear innocent red labels reading Hop Beer
bat other barrels drawn from the same vat are
simply ale. Beside this brewery Portsmouth
Ea- two others. and also a tiistillcry. There
are l23 special taxes lis liquor dealers paid III
this city. which seems quite a fair number,
considering that New Hampshire has been IN
der Prohibition since lS55.
Beer. as >ymbolzed in Frank Jones, is
triumphant. Nowhere can another city lie
shown 50 entirely dominated by one man.
His wish is law. In person or by proxy he is
cytryW here present. His hand is on every in
du>try; his haIeful Influence in every place.
Beer is ruler; beer is king. In the Boston &
Mainc, and consequently in the tell bridge, in
tie shoe shop. and in the machine shop. Frank
Jones owns large if not controlling inter-
c>t-; ani III the great brewery, the ra'atial
Rockingham. many business blocks and pri-
vii r
the inhabitants. he has absolute ownership.
If prohibition rule here. what would free
rum be Ike: ON all hands liquor is sold.
Signs are exhibited in every direction advertis-
in~ it, The shop windows are full of it. 1t is
coh>picuuusly and attractively arranged in
many windows specially to catch the eye. One
edicc exhibits in shining array some 800 bot
ties Of hard liquor. 1t is in most of the gro
ccrie>. and in very many Of them there is a bar
where hundreds drink openly. Several places
regularly advertise their liquors in the papers.
Drunken men are a common sight.
Dne hiiulous citiZon, Il few nights since, was
tacking toward home. and. considering the
width of the sidewalk making good progress.
waving his hands in drunken elolUence, and
INDUCING in Il maudiin soioGuy about "lnter-
fcring with !; mans personal liberty" Lucky
for him if >ome policeman did not entirely cur
tail his personal liberty before he got home.
one of the students in the high school says he
has seen pupils many times come into school so
much intoxicated that they could hardly walk.
The law prohibits transportation, yet more
than a million gallons are yearly, and thousands
of gallons daily. transported through its streets.
There is special tax paid for every ST inhabi-
tantS and Is voters.
What city not thoroughly fettercd by beer
would long abide such Il state of affairs? New
Hampshire has been under prohbitory law
since 1865. The law is. however, in the cities
a dead letter. There is no attempt. no sem
blancc Of an attempt, to enforce it in Rocking
ham County. The law is similar to the Maine
law prior to the last change. The sale of cider
in less quantity than 10 gallons, or lager beer
or other malt liquors in any quantity, or dis
TILED liquor, is prohibited. Prosecutions are at
the expense of the towns. and half of a fine
goes to the complainant. A special tax receipt
is prin0 tucic evidence there as here. On the
first of January a law went into effect giving
any justice of the supreme court power to re-
strain a nuisance by Injunction, upon application
of tue county attorney or twenty citizens. 1t
is a strong provision. One provision Of the
!-w should be copied into ours. When, for
violation of the prohibtory law one gives bond
70 appear at a higher court, the bond is con-
ditioned lot only that he shall appear, but that
in the meantime he shall not violate the pro-
hibitory law. This law, well enforced, would
prove a damper.
An examination of Collector Pages books
shows some interesting facts. There has been
paid in New Hampshire this year nearly twice
as many liquor dealers special taxes as in
Maine. though New Hampshire has hardly one
half the population. New Hampshire has one
license to every 2jl inhabitants; Maine, one to
every 903. AS misery likes company, we can
gather comfort by thinking of the sad condi-
ton of our near neighbor. The special taxes
are distributed in Maine by counties as follows
IcnobScot.. ArOOStook.. ........ "a
Cumberland .l64 Waldo.... II
kenncbec.. 55 Washington. II
Androscoggin ........ &c Lincoln. .............. 9
Hancock :. ........... 30 Oxford ...-...-.....
lofk .......-...-..... 80 PlscataqulS.
knoN .................. 81 Franklin. ?
somerset 81
S:SatianOc II
Among the cities and chief towns as follows