The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-13
From the Internal Revenue Report


The annual report OF the Commissioner OF
Internal Revenue, portions Of which We're
given to the press some weeks ago. has JUST
come in completed form from the Pubhc
Printer. It contains some interesting facts,
many Of which would probably surprise tne
average reader not especially famlllar WIN
the mysteries of whisky and tobacco manlpu-
lation. The opponent OF the use OF intoA,- =;
cants will be interested to know, tor IN
stance, that the amount of spirits manurac-
tured in the United States last year was only
a little over half Of that manufactured In
the year 1881.
he will not be particularly happy, how
ever, to know that tine total was considerably
over =, 900, 900 gallons, or considerably more
than q gallon apiece for every man. woman
and child in the United States. Under this
heud of Spirits are included grape brandy,
bourbon whisky, rye whisky, alcohol, ruin,
gin, high wines. pure, neutral or
cologne spirits and miscellaneous column
which carries IL, 600, 900 gallons. The largest
quantity of any of these varieties IS the pure
neutral or cologne spirits OF which there
were 80, QUO, 900 gallons made last year. This
is pure alcohol so absolutely neutral and
coloriess and tasteleSs that it will take any
sort of flavor and can be made by the expert
mixer into any kind Of flavor he may want,
He can by judicious coloring and mixing
and favoring make gin. or brandy, or rye
WHISKY, OF UOuTUDu VI uAA SSAS ~
it. So the production OF neutral or cologne
spirits has steadily increased in the past
decade, while that Of high wines has just
as steadily decreased Ten years ago the
amount Of high wines made was about
double that of the neutral or cologne spirits.
In the last year the amount of neutral spirits
was nearly thirty times as much as the
amount Of high wines.
New England is the great rum-producing
field Of the United States. Nearly all the
rum dstilleries Of the United States are
located in Massachusetts,. The amount or
rum produced in the United States was nearly
2,0OO, O,OUO gallons and in its manufacture ..
0OO, 900 gallons OF molasses were used. lt Is
largely exported, about half Of that OF last
year having been shipped from the ports OF
Boston and New York. Cultured Boston
sends it out mostly to the natives OF Africa,
where it counteracts largely the labors OF the
missionaries sent thither from this country.
The shipments from the port of Boston to
Elmina, Africa last year. we're 3?4 OOO gal
Ions: to Grand Bassan,. Africa, 49, ooo gal,
Ions; besides some shipments to central
America. Liverpool, England; Constantine
pie and Alexandria, Egypt. :,
The average Kentuckian will be saddened
to know that the taste for bourbon whisky
abroad seems to be lessening. Last year there
were only shipped abroad about lG0 00O gal
Ions of this article, against considerable over
200, 600 gallons in the preceding year. Inc
large bulk of spirits shipped abroad goes IN
the shape of alcohol and neutral spirits,
which can be utilized in most any form de.
sired after reaching its destination.
The average tobacco chewer and smoker
will perhaps be interested in some Of the dis
closures of little table which covers cnly a
couple Of pages in the voluminous report,
and which shows that Of the tobacco worked
up into chewing and smoking material last
year there were used 100000 pounds Of
scraps, 4,5O0, 600 pounds of stems, and over
1000, ,OOO pounds of ''other materials what
ever these mysterious articles may be. This
may not be a very pleasant thought to bring
to the attention of the average smoking or
chewing Individual as he is about indulging
in his tavorite pastime, but if he finds it un-
pleasant he must blame the awful Commits
sioner of Internal Revenue for making the
facts public.
The report shows that there are nearly half
a million dealers in manufactured tobacco,
and that 100. .5S7 persons paid special taxes as
retail liquor dealers last year.-New YORK
GruDhic