Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-23
New Series How Being Issued by
the Department.
4 PRIVILEGE OF TEE DISfILLERS
Provided by the Act of Congress
of March 3, 1897.
FOR BOTTLES IN CASES

There have recently been printed at the
| bureau of engraving and printing the new
| stamps to be used by distiIers at the ware
houses in bottling the wet goods, in ac-
| cordance with the law passed by Congress
March of the present year.
The law was not a mandatory one: it
| simply granted the distillers the privilege
| of bottling their liquors. and 1t is thought
| that this will be of berefit not only to the
| distillers, but to consumers in general. 1t
will be to the distillers' advantage for it
will be impossible when the new stamps
| are used for any INSCRIPTIONS dealers to
take the bottles of firm which has estab-
! lished well-earned reputation and fill
! them with common stuff, as is very often
done. it is asserted the practice being con-
| tfnued as long the bottles are in condi-
| ton. Now, when bother affixes a seal on
| bottle the latter cannot be used again
| until he does SO himself and affixes upon
the cork of the bottle the government SEAL
containing his name the seal being pro-
| vided for him by the internal revenue de-
| Partment.
| Advantage to Consumers.
| 1t will be of still greater advantage to the
| consumer, as it will prevent any misstate-
| ment as regards the age of the contents of
| the bottles. or any short measure, as the
quantity contained in each case and each
| bottle is plainly marked on the stamps
| Liquor cannot be taken from the ware
house unless known to be four years old.
! Inc SPECIFIC paragraph in the act al
| LOWING the bottlfng of distilled spirits in
bend, relating to the fixing of the stamps
| On the bottles is as follows:
| Every bottle when filed shall have afiix-
| ed thereto and passing over the mouth of
| the same such suitable adhesive engraved
| strip stamp As may be prescribed as here
| matter provided, and shall be packed into
hot La.
| thereof and in the aggregate not less than
| Two nor more than five gallons in each case
| which shall be Immediately removed from
| the distillery premises. Each of such cases
shall have affixed thereto a stamp denot-
ing the number of gallons therein contain
ed, sucf stamp to be affixed to the case be-
| lore Its removal from the warehouse and
| Such stamps shall have a cash value of
ten cents each, and shall be charged 1T
| that rat to the collectors to whom issued
| and shall be paid for at that rate by the
oistliier or owner using the same.
| Burned On the Case.
And there shall be plainly burned on
| the side of each case, to be known as the
government side. the proof of the spirits,
the registered distillery number, the state
| and district in which the distillery Is To-
| Gated, the real name of the actual bona
| fide distiller, the year and distillng sea-
| son. whether spring or fall of original in
| spection or entry into bond, and the date
| OF bottlng, and the same wording shall
| be placed upon the adhesive engraved strip
| stamp over the mouth of the bottle. 1t be-
| ing understood that the spring season shall
| include the months from January to July.
and the fall season the months from July to
| January.
And no trademarks shall be put upon any
bottle unless the real name of the actual
bona fide distiller shall also be placed con-
| SpicuouSly Oh said bottle.
| The law states, it can be seen, that
| there shall not be more than five gallons
| and not less than two in a case. This was
| definitely fixed by the department The
| cases shall contain either three gallons or
| what is known in the business two and
| four-hfths gallons. special dispensation
| having been made in favor of this The
| cases may contain twelve quart bottles,
| tWenty-four pints forty-eight half pnts
| the seals to be fixed over the cork of each
| The two and fourteenth gallon cases will
| contain twelve bottles. holding one-ffth of
| a gallon each, and this will be stated on
| the stamps.
Result of DeceptiDa.
| These one-fifth of a gallon bottle;, it is
| said, are the outcome of a deception prac-
| ticed on the public by the bottlers. For
| merry in bottling instead of only four-quart
bottles being used for a gallon, five were
brought into recuisiticn, so that the buyer
| only received ohe-ffth of a gallon, when he
was supposed to be securing fourth. or a
| quart. They were termed short quarts"
| in the language of the bottlers.
The stamps have been printed at the bu-
| reau IN long books. containing a large
| number each, and are of handsome design
| There is stub, to be kept by the gauger
| or collector at the warehouse. and another
to be fixed on the case. These are about
the size Of ordinary bank checks. printed
| In green ink on white background, the gen.
| eral form being fixed in this manner Space
Is left for The insertion of the name of the
| 1lstiller, the state and the district, which
| is printed on the stereotyped form in red
| ink. The seal to be fixed on the case in
which the bottles are to be packed, has a
blank for the anne OF the collector. The
stub, which remains in the book kept by
| the collector, is not of elaborate design.
It's Principal Feature
| The principal feature about it is the
numeral, which is to designate how many
| gallons are in the case. The stamp to be
| fixed on the case has a fine vignette rep
| resenting Mercury in the midst of a still
| printed in green ink. This stamp also con-
tains the number of bottles in gallons
The bottle stamps. with the collectors
stub, and the case stamps are printed on
| the same sheet, so that they can be easily
tern off. They are much smaller than the
others. being about six inches in length
| but about only tkree-ouarters of an inch
In width. They are stereotyped as to form.
except when the red ink part has to be
added This is to insert the names of dis
tillers and distillery. They contain in red
| letters the date of the year the LIQUOR was
made the year bottled and also the season.
The proof is also marked at the end.
The number OF the case stamp. in red let
tiers, correspond with that on the bottle
stamps.
The Rate Charged.
The stamps are supplied by the depart
| ment at the nominal rate of ten cents for
| each case. no matter how many are need
| ed for the bottles, whether quarts, pints
| half pints or one-fifth Of a gallon each
The bottle stamps are pasted directly over
| the shoppers. and down on each side of
| the neck.
The stamps will cause much work for
! the bureau, practically new ones will
have to be printed for each distller who
applies for them. The stamps will have to
| be printed over again in red ink, giving
| the specific details regarding each par
hcular distillery. The first of the issue
were sent to a Kentucky distiller the sec
| ond of the present month
High Compliment to Webster Davis
Assistant Secretary Davis of the Interior
Department has gone to Steubenville, Ohio