The freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1886-18??, 1888-04-25
BOOMING BEER DOESN'T BOOM
THE STATE.
The Other Side of the '.ImpOrt-
ant Industry"

Of course the Intelligencer could mt
get through it's great Boom Edi-
ton without paying tribute to the
Liquor Caesar; but it only gave
the money side of the Traffic, leav-
ing off the curse side which is in
fnitely greater. A Register cores
pondent presents the curse side. We
reproduce the presentation as fol-
lows:
THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC IN WEST IA.
To the Editor of the Register:
SIR In the great Boom num-
Der of the Imtelligencer, on the
fourth page, there is the following
item Of interest,":
''Of the industries of the State
and of Wheeling, there are few
which diffuse so generally the
proceeds Of the business, as the
brewing interest. In 1887 there
were produced in West Virginia:
I..... 81
Spirits from fruits apple brandy. $3.50 gal.
Fermented liquors Deer .."........1l5,4 O6 bar.
"There are over 10000 barrels of
beer and ale manufactured in the
city of Wheeling annually, of
which the greater part is sold in
the adjacent States. Into the man
ufacture Of this enter from $50, 900
to 100000 bushels of barley and
about 100000 pounds of hops.
Most of the barley is raised in the
surrounding country. There is no
reason it should not all be grown
in West Virginia, paying the
farmer good return on his labor
and investment. The hops are
grown in New York and California.
The soil and climate of West Vir-
ginia are admirably fitted for the
growth of hops, and of course the
brewers would prefer to obtain
them at less cost for freight, and
thus open new source of revenue
for agricultural West Virginia.
Between 100000 and 100000
are invested in the business in
Wheeling. About $50 men are
directly employed in the breweries
and malt houses at wages ranging
from $40 to $40 per week. Over
100 horses and mules, purchased in
the vicinity, are used by thebrewers
to draw wagons made by
home mechanics. The feed for
these animals is all bought from
the farmers of the neighborhood.
The outlay for cooperage
amounts to from $4,000 to SIS, 900
a year. The barrels and kegs are
nearly all made in the city, of
white oak from the West Virginia
forests, which is considered the
best material.
A great many carloads of lumber
are annually used in repairs, new
buildings, and che like, and all
comes from West Virginia. For
instance one firm used within six
months, over $4,000 feet of lum Der. -
The editor failed to enumerate
all the results of this Important
Industry" We would add that to
distribute this liquid there are in
tl,is county and adjoining town
of Benwood, $50 saloons over whose
counters more than eight hundred
thol lsand dollars are spent by our
wage. earners to keep up this "Im-
porta ut Industry" Hundreds of
our btvs and young men are each
year luade drunkards; our work
house and county Jail will each
average twenty inmates continu-
ously, supported by city and
county, rs per cent. of whom are
brought there by this "Im portant
Industry" In the past year a
large numL,er have been killed on
our railroad s while under the in
fuence of drink. Then we might
add the ma ny broken-hearted
widows, wives md mothers, the
half clad and half starved wives
and children, in many cases sup.
ported by charity, the blighted
manhood and woman hood of our
vicinity brought to this condition
ny this important Ind, ,stry; then
the ID blighting, soul-destI 'oylng in