The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1892-05-06
COMPETITION IN BEER.
Peculiar Method Adopted in Denver FIR
Handling the Cool and Foaming
Denver News


Handiing the Cool and Foaming.
denver Eews.l
Gimme beer
The bartender graspcd a glass, Ellis i
with the foan,ing auid and slides it along
the polished counter with that peculiar
Zip which causes it TO swing around ,.han-
IDLE outward.
The customer swallows down half Of the
contents of the glass hastily, as does a
man used, malt liquors, then panied ex-
preston spreads over his face, he expels
whatever portion of beer remains in his
mouth, and places the glass back ON the
bar with ever outward Indication ofin-
ward disgust
What kind of slop is that
"That's Western Brewery beer"
"Ain't you got Zang's?"
"No."
"That settles it.; l amt huntin' no dish
water to drink" Out stamps the custo-
mer, while the proprietor thoughtfully
mops off the bar with his apron.
A few minutes afterward in comes an
other, or maybe three or four together,
who go through similar performance un-
til the saloon man is at the very verge Of
despair and resolves to change his brewer.
"What about it?" you ask. Nothing
except that it is bubble on the surface,
indicating the bitter war between the
breweries, the fierce struggle for business
and the methods in use by the English
syndicate which has done Denver the
honor to purchase couple Of its largest
breweries, and in conducting them in a
fashion patterned after the exalted STAN
dards of Blind Beggar lane, Bitter Cry
district, Whitechapel.
English syndicates are high and holy
things brought into being for the purpose
of performing needed missionary work
among that submerged portion Of the hu-
man race which does business in America
When the many millioned outfit which
purchased the Fang and West Denver
breweries, and in momentary lapse from
sanctity swelled the stock without adding
to the assets, took possession of those
properties, the announcement was made
that they would become ever-present OBJ
ject lessons, intoxicating higher principles
and granite-like probity. The prospectus
apart from its glowing description of bar
rels of output and dollars of profit, was
carried in the very odor Of ssnctity. But
then, when you get down to rustling, it's
different.
aAny new competitor can be crushed
out for $4,000" is the remark credited
to Adolph j Fang, and it is the key to
the situation.
81 have more than $4,000 to fool them,"
is the remark credited to Fred Neef.
All this took place soon after the OPEN
ing of the Western Brewery, owned by
Fred Neef, which began to put its product
upon the market about eight months ago.
The saloon business was not so good as
If had been, because of the closing law,
and the old syndicate found that life in
the far West was not dreamy trip with
dredge along the golden sands of the
river Pactolus. The new brewery began
to place it's beerin large quantities, and
the promises of the pretty prospectus bid
fair to fall of realization.
The manager of the syndicate proceed
ed to put his $4,000 scheme into opera
ton. Arrangements we're made with
Glasson's band Of hired hoboes, and with
other trusty individuals ready for any
dirty work. One OF two men in each dis
trict were empowered to work the deal
and engage such hoedlums as would go
into it for a few cents and the beer they
would get The little army would sally
out and proceed along until a saloon was
found bearing beer sign other than that
OF Fang or the Denver company. Then
the comedy briefly described at the be-
ginning ofthls article would commence
The tramps, one after another, would a
enter. bur drink and spit it out with all
manner of grimace. At the bar of the
Peoples Theaters The thing was worked
continuously for two or three hours until
the proprietor began to think there WAS was
something the matter with his beer The
dodge was worked Systematically in every
mart of the city right up to couple OF
DAYS ago, and will probably break out In
some new spot tomorrow. The new brew
ery began to lose customers rapidly.
ssY our beer is all right" they said, "but
we can't sell it."