The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-28
4 soorAL E1ouoR M1LL.
ui,tery ana rate or the first Distinsry In the
Northwest.

horhhWent.
ST.. JOSEPH, Mo-, Feb. 25.-Thcro mover was q
time when n man in this city could not get all
he wanted to drink. IL he had tho money to pay
for 1t, or frioncs to treat him. In the early
days Of tho town It was considered n crime to
manufacture spirits within tho city limits, but
IL they werc distilled elsewhere and shipped in,
and people bought them, that WINS all right.
The time anne when whiskoy makers learned
that the town was a good whiskey market, not
only so far as homo consumption went, but in
other respects. st. Joseph was then at the head
Of navigation on the Missouri River, and the
only railroad west of the Mississippi River was
being constructed to st. Joseph as the west
ern torminal. The town was consequently the
market for a wide Western territory.
Two men of tho town wanted to invest in n
business which they understood. They had
como from Kentucky, and had made money in
that State. One day a man who also wanted to
invest in a business he understood came to town
from Tennessee. Ho came with n title and
letters Of credit. He was introduced to tho
old families Of st. Joseph, and the weekly papers
contained a complimentary notice of him.
The two mon who had come from Kentucky
met the Tcnnessean and for weeks there was a
sort of ground swell in the society Of tho place.
Men did not go into business schemes there as
now. The associates of any affair were re-
quired to have. a social status. Even n man
with plenty of money and an equal capacity for
business could not be- admitted into a CONNER
cial enterprise unless he could CONF up to tho
social requirements. The Tcnnessean was
tested socially and declared sound.
IL was determined to launch y commercial
town had known o. " Il was G a business that ahy would Shi
at once attract the society of the community. A
great dry goods emporium was established. The
firm name was a triple combination which looked
overpowcring and had a pouuerous sound. For
weeks in advance of the opening the new con-
the levee to watch the discharge from the
steamers of tho freight consigned to tho en-.
Porium; Its opening was a society event; and
There was an elaborate supper, at which there
were some toasts and responses and, later.
next issue amplified the function.
The new enterprise was now an established
on later, and society had another undulation:
That winter was q brilliant one in the town Of
Black Snake Hills. Tho Tennessee addition
and there was q time when Nashville was in
proper port to challenge the social claims Of
Richmond. The church was also a beneficiary
When the emporium had firmly established
itself and had reached the point where 1t could
snap its fingers at criticism, the two Kentuck-
ians showed their hands to tho Tonnessean.
the town. They had never cared anything for
the dry goods business. The returns were not
sun1clently rapid. they had established them-
selves socially in the community. Their fami-
lies had church connections. There was no
reason why the concern should not jump into
the manufacture of Spirits at once.
Its not on record that tho Tennessean pro-
tested. 1t became known long before the dis
tillery was under commercial Roadway that
the Tennesscan had no personal objection to
the business, and was ready to provo his ca
pacity for 1t at any time.
It is not intended that this story shall DO
used as a temperance pamphle. Tho writer
disavows anything Of the kind. But the cul-
mination of what formed a brilliant social func.
ton was one which men for Q long time talked
about, and which they finally. dismissed be.
cause they could not understand 1t.
The distillery, n success ut the start, was q
failure later, and could never be revived. A for
tune was lost in the attempt. There may have
been commercial reasons for this.
The fact which made mon and women talk
until the civil war came up and dissipated the
subject was the social collapse which followed
the new business. It unsettled church affairs.
It created feuds. Two mon of the concern
failed and went away, and their after histories
are not certainly known. A third member be-
came O penniless sot, deserted and disowned by
his family. and finally died alone. a beggar.
Some years later the building erected Tor the
new business was destroyed by fire.