The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-28
DRINK OF The HOBO
The State Is Waging War Against
| Counterfeit Whisky.
SOME AWFUL coNCoCT1oNs SOLD
Powerful Drugs Used to Give the
Proper "Bite' to the
81 Imitation.

) Fire water in very truth is the whisky
dealt out to the not over critical patrons
Of many Of the saloons in the small towns
in woods upstate, and of the lower grog
shops in Minneapolis as we'll. The gov
eminent inspectors deny this vehemently
haps, know as much about the ingredients
of the ''red Ticker" as the federal agents,
who visit the saloons only periodically
and who, despite their mysterious move
ments, often find the saloonmen pre-
pared" for their reception. That hundreds
Of saloons in the state sell liquors that
are unfit for human consumption is fact
that the state dairy aud food commission
has long known. At the instance of the
members of this body the last legisla-
ture passed law designed to empower
the commission to wipe out the practice
of dispensing adulterated and saloon
made" whisky to the public.
The law was not complete in every de-
tail, fact which the lawyers soon
purity, but it didstell what ingredients
should not be found in whisky. The COM
mission, therefore, waited until some
forty cases had accumulated where it was
known that the liquor did not comply
with the requirements in every particular,
and the strongest case, against one Cap
tain Henry Savage, at Duluth, was used as
test. Yesterday the dairy and food
commission secured a conviction of the
offender. o.
But the char keeps" tell you, If you
have their confidence, Of many things
which the government or state inspectors
can never learn and which 1t is not at
all likely would be brought out in court.
The saloon men in many instances,
manufacture their own whisky for the
"hobo'' trade. Of course they have i'm
ported goods on hand but the profit on
them is much less than on the "liquor"
they can put up themselves. In the sa-
looms in the forests of northern Mime
sofa, in particular, do the saloon men find
it profitable to fix up a drink of their
own. 1t has the color of old Bourbon, and
flavor and odor very like the ordinary
whisky but is more tart and burning.
The average business man who drops into
quiet downtown drinking place to take
his toddy would think he had swallowed
stream of fire if he took two fingers of
the saloon brew. But the lumberjack gets
used to it, and thinks little Of boiling
up on the awful mixture. 1t plays havoc
with his physical and mental being, just
the same. 1t does not take much of it to
''lay him out" A glass or two will
| make his steps uncertain and his tongue
refractory Several of them will put him
to sleep. Sometimes, indeed quite often,
it goes to his head. According somewhat
to the mental strength of the drinker he
will suffer either a brief alteration, or
he will become raving and violent. Not
infrequently, especially after much drink
ing Of this condiment, the latter effects
become permanent. Only a short time
ago a state agent had to take man back
to his home in Kansas, raving maniac,
and made so, the agent declared,/ by the
fire water" he drank while working few
months in the woods. He was not used to
the liquor that was served out there,
as the old time lumberjack is, and it had
telling effect.
This red liquor which served as so good
substitute for standard whisky is made
in many different ways, according to the re-
cipe the bartender first learned. There
are several mixtures which will give the
drink the appearance,l' odor and flavor of
the real thing but all are equally
harmful. One bar keeper says that alco-
! hol sometimes pure or STRAIGHT" some
times adulterated, is the principal in
gredient, and the harmful one. To give
this colorless liquor a reddish appearance
burnt sugar or prune juice is used. The
bouquet" is supplied by fusel oil, tobac-
co, capsicum and equally strong and
harmful ingredients so that altogether
the mixture is full of trouble. The man
himself seized by gripping pains upon put
ting down a slug Of the "hobo" article.
Minneapolis Prosecutions.
The arm of the law is about to descend
on several Minneapolis saloon keepers.
Since winning the test case in Duluth, the
dairy and food department has determined
to bring action when their is evidence
Inspectors made the rounds months age
and secured samples In large number OF
| saloons in the twin cities and Duluth
! Particular attention was paid to the lat
| ter. city, as the demand for the law came
| from that locality.
| large proportion of the samples Sc
cured were found to contain the prohibited
| ingredients, and all these cases will be
pushed by the department. Several sa-
looms that cater to the floating lumber
| jack population in Minneapolis were found
| to be selling bad article Of whisky, and
| they will be brought up with q round
! turn in few days.
! Special rates, spring course of exer-