The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-30
DRINK OLD BRANDY.
bottle Is Opened i'm Chicago That
Was Sealed in 1901.

From the Chicago Chronicle.
A decade or two before anyone ever sus-
pected that there was some day going to
be such a town as Chicago, two years
even before Fort Dearborn was establish
ed, when the Indians had to confine their
scalping TO frogs and muskrats if they
did any scalping in this neighborhood,
bottle of brandy was put in France by
one Balfour. Mr.. Balfour would probably
have been incredulous If anyone gifted
with foresight had told him where THAT
bottle would be when the year 1898 rolled
around. The bottle was opened in Chicago
yesterday.
1t was In 1901 that the brandy was pour
ed into the bottle and corked down. That
day whooping redskins with moccasins on
their feet and feathers In their hair caught
cells in the marsh where this town now
stands and rowed out on the placid bosom
of the Chicago river and caught fish, for
fish then Inhabited the stream. All of the
Indians passed away, but the bottle of
brandy which was destined TO make the
long trip to this point had a better hold
on life and the cork continued to remain
in the neck of the bottle.
Year after year and decade after decade
tbs bottle, in company with few other
bottles filled at the same time reposed in
the dust and cobwebs of Mr.. Balfour's cell
lar. War after war shook the world, but
failed to crack the bottle in the cellar.
Many people came into the world and left
1t again and even Mr.. Balfour passed
away bun The brandy stald wher il was
even though it changed owners.
FINALLY one day after long years had
passed a workman with a big box in one
hand and Ratchet In the other came
down into the dark cellar. Another man
with candle In his hand lighted the way
ana the two began rummaging around
among the dusty cobwebbed bottles. The
bottles listened and heard the men say
something about a box of liquor that was
going to be sent across the sea to the far
away land OF America Each bottle hoped
that II would be fortunate enough to get
berth in that box. The bottle of brandy
was one of the lucky ones. Ii was dragged
from its resting place, the cobwebbs were
| pulled Off and the dust removed With
many other bottles it was nailed up in the
box and sent across the ocean. Before
! very long the bottle of Mr.. Balfour's best
brandy landed In the cellar of Charles
Lanier OF New York. After the brandy had
remained with the banker for some time
| II was sent by him as a present to "A. V.
| Bemis here In Chicago The banker knew
| he could not send the brandy to any one
| who would appreciate such a rare treasure
| as much as his friend Mr.. Beuis. who is
| considered the greatest wine expert IN
Chicago and one of the greatest in the
country.
The brandy remained undisturbed in the
| cellars of MIR. Beinis until Yesterday A
resentatlve of the Sunday Chronicle Il,
j the afternoon asked Mr. Bemis who had
the Oldest bottle of LIQUOR in Chicago. "I'l
show il to YOU" was the reply. Down in
the cellar a box containing a number OF
old relics in the liuuor line was opened
In one corner was the old black bottle
| containing the brandy. and on the neck
was the date 1901.
an three years that grand old stun will
be century Old said Mr. Benis as he
tenderly pulled out the bottle and blew
the dust off the cork. Come around in
three years and wen open it-no. there Is
no time like the present, we'll open Il
| nnvv A rortxecrev,t yrae proc,irad a "a ;y,
serted in the ancient and time-honored
| Mr. 10 mil hui