The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-26
THE sTRAws WE DRINK THROUGH
How They Came Into Use aud How
They Are Used.

How They Came Into Use and How
They Are Used.
Frorr the NeW York Times.
He was man with a mind for details,
aud the straws through which he was abb
sorbing mint julep attracted bis attention.
Where do you get themp be asked OF
the barkeeper, indicating the little yellow
tubes
Buy 'em from peddlers," replied the
mixer Of drinks.
"And where do the peddlers get them9"
Dunno. Never asked 'em. What's yours,
sir" and the barkeeper turned to a com
pany of newcomers, who didn't ask fool
questions about things that could not pos
sibly help swell the bar receipts.
But the man with the mind for details
had also more than the average amount OF
persistence. Having, therefore, determined
to find out where the julep straws came
from he went to work on the problem with
the most oommendable industry, and after
several days spent in investigation he learned
all about them from the head OF an import.
ing house In Barclay street. This gentle-
man told him that the straws had been in
| use only about thirty-five to forty years.
Previous to that time people who drank
| juleps, lemonades, and other similar mix
lures either took them as best they could
directly from the glass or employed little
glass tubes which we're kept for the purpose
in every first-class barroom. But those who
| have attempted it can testify to the IN
satisfactory results of trying to drink out
| of glass filed with promiscuous assort-
| ment OF Ice lemons Strawberries, etc., aud
the glass tubes acted as a damper on julep
drinkers who had advanced ideas on clean
illness.
In this emergency an ingenious yankee
arose, as ingenious yankees always do. aud
came to the rescue with the julep straws of
to-day. 1t occurred to this yankee that
there was great deal OF waste Ia the rye
| straw that was raised at that time in North
ern New York and Massachusetts for braid-
ing. The thick ends of the straw we're
useless in making braids, and were invari-
ably thrown away. AS an experiment lot
of these ends were bundled aud sent to the
market for bar purposes. Their success
was immediate. When the raising OF rye
straw for braiding purposes died out in his
country, because the grain crop was fou nd
to be more valuable than the straw, the
| supply OF julep straws. Of course, went
with the other industry. The saloon me n
thereupon turned to Switzerland, where
straw braiding is one OF the chief pursuits of
the peasants, and subsequently to England.
The chief source of supply is now found in
the latter country.
The straws are cut green before the grain
natures ond beached with sulphur, They
pass from the hands OF the producers to the
control OF Lond N commission houses, from
this city and Philadelphia. 1t is said that
there are not more than four houses In the
trade, the straws being generally handled
by firms engaged in the importation of
china aud glassware. The straws are put
up in bundles of 500, fastened together with
rubber bands. Forty dozen of these bundles
are packed in a case, and 10 this shape they
reach the United States. None of the
straws according to the local importers. are
used abroad for drinking purposes and none
are produced here to speak of. But despite
this fact there is protective duty" of IS
per cent. levied on them, though exactly
whom it is sought to protect Is not very clear.
The straws sell at retail-that is, to the
saloons for 25 cents per bundle of 500. They
are purchased from the importers by dealers
in bar furnishings and peddlers. the latter of
whom take them around at regular inter
walls to the saloons on their route"
'IF you like" said the young man at the
desk. III have your poem submitted to the