The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-07
ORIGINAL KANSAS PACKAGES.
The Cranks of Topeka Making Almost
as Much Fun as Those of Boston.


The Cranks of Topeka Making Almost
as Much Fun as Those OF Boston
From the Kansas City Times
TOPEKA, KAs., May 30.-ropexa has had
one week of original package houses. You
can buy beer by the quart or by the keg.
You can buy whisky by the pint or by the
barrel Attorney General Kellogg has de-
fined an original package and the agents do
not question 1t. So much good nature was
never displayed in any business. Topeka
took to the original package with a smile.
As the package grew smaller day by day
the smile was broader. IL was time for
smiles in every meaning Of the word
Monday it required some effort to carry
the package. 1t was either pony keg or a
case of two dozen bottles. Two men and
sometimes three would gather around it and
assist each other with the burden. Then it
would be 'ended" out the back door while a
crowd of half dozen or more would fol-
low. Tuesday two men could carry the
packages with ease, and a few were seen
walking boldly down Topeka avenue with
the innocent-looking box. Wednesday
there was another innovation. The package
with single bottle had come to town. It
was no longer necessary to form a partner
ship in order to buy your beverage. Topeka
was less sociable Wednesday than she was
Tuesday. One no longer felt at liberty to
hail passer-by and salute HIM with 81 et's
chip in and buy package"
Then came the only original whisky
house. A pint or quart bottle was neatly
done up in a little pine box, marked
'original package" The stamp was put on
before the package left Kansas City. In
not single instance has a package of any
kind been opened on the premises where It
was sold. The result has been that there Is
no longer any sale for kindling wood, If
paterfamilias does not dare to take the
package in the house. he has probably
secrsted it in the attic or woodshed, and no
one about the place understands where SO
many little pine boards come from.
The Missouri public and those Kansans
who are practical temperance people in
contradistinction to the probibitionsts have
very little idea how this new Kansas in
dustry is carried on. Many suppose that
there is a bar, and that man with his
white vest, paste shirt stud and pompadour
hair stands behind to receive your orders.
The new industry requires no fixtures of
the kind. A Methodist elder could not for
the life of him tell that he was in place
where liquor was sold unless he had been
warned beforehand He could see boxes of
assorted sizes in rows against the wall, and
he would probably think the people in
Topeka were buying figs. If he did he
would probably wonder what occasioned
the demand. He probably would not hear
the word beer or whisky mentioned. He
would see man, dressed in an ordinary
every day business suit, taking orders, with
possibly couple of men to help him when
there was rush. Then there would be a
conversation something after this fashion:
81 want package
'All right. How manyg'
'Threen
'Have it wrapped upp'
mo, I'll just take it along"
All right, sir; rs cents, please.n
And if the customer had wanted one in
package or four in package he would
have gotten it the same way. What is
more, he could have bought his beer almost
as cheap as In Kansas City, and of Just as
good a quality. There is only 25 cents
additional added to the Kansas City prices
on either cases or kegs. A good quality of
beer sells for "a so q case of twenty-four
quart bottles, with 81 so rebate when you
return your empties. And this expression.
return your empties, ranks with "origiuai
packages" in popularity in Kansas. You
hear it everywhere. When the waiter
comes for your dessert order at dinner your
friend, II he happens to be from Kansas,
will probably suggest that the waiter is
ready for your empties."
There is nothing ill-natured about the
respondents, who insist that the women are
going to organize another crusade. The
police docket shows that there have been nc
more arrests made for drunkenness since
the original package stores were started
than before. The only effect, so far as the
consumption Of liquor is concerned, is to
transfer the patronage from the jointists tc
the law-abiding agents. One original pack
age store received carload of beer Monday
morning. Wednesday at noon it had sold
out, and the sales for the three DAYS
aggregated something over 81. 100
There are five of these establishments, and
no more drunken men were seen on the
streets of Topeka than can be seen there any
week when conventions are being held. AT.
fairs are shaping themselves for further
Interpretation Of the law as declared by the
supreme court. The prohibitionists have
been afraid to act hastily, and the liquor
men have had no reason to force the issue.
Prosecuting Attorney WEIGH has authorized
no statement concerning his action. An ar
ticle was published in Kansas City morn
ing paper the other day, in which
1T was stated that the. prosecut
ing attorney had declared that tn,
agents were violasors of the Law
because the liquor was not sold in the same
packages in which it came from the distil
ler1es and breweries. Friday Mr.. WEIGH, il
company with the sheriff and other county
officers, made a tour of all the package
houses. Their object was to discover how
the sales were being made. None of tn
county officers will discuss the situation
Mr.. WEIGH said
II have authorized no statement of am
Kind. 1t is not the policy of the officers t
give any warning. If the Missouri agent
mad any respect whatever for the sentiment
OF the people of Kansas they would never
have opened these stores. If they obsarv,
the law it is because they are afraid of tn
consequences, and not because they are law
abiding citizens"
SUBSTITUTE FOR COTTON.