Evening star., 1902-03-01
DEEP BEER DRINKERS.
Some Milwaukee Views as to What
Constitutes Real Ability.


Constitutes Real Ability.
From the Milwaukee Sentinel.
The story telegraphed from Montana to
the effect that julius Lehrking. Bozeman
brewer, had made a statement under oath
while on the witness stand that he fire.
ouently consumed fifty glasses of beer in
an evening without injuring his health or
disturbing his mental equipoise, gave rise
to some discussion in Milwaukee as to
whether the Montana man may justly claim
the beer-drinking championship. While
there is apparently no disposition among
experts to belittle Mr.. Lehrkings feat
which is conceded to be a creditable one in
it's line, the consensus of local opinion
seems to be that he is by no means entitled
to championship hOnors, and is in fact
hardly to be considered in that connection.
1t is claimed that even some Of the lesser
lights among the local disciples of Gam
brinus could put the Bozeman man under
the table in a fair glass -for-glaSS competi-
ton with no favors.
why, that is nothing to crow over"
scornfully remarked bartender when told
of the way in which the citizen of Montana
had punished the beverage which is al
legged to have made this city famous
There are men in Milwaukee who drink
100 glasses day They say that so-and-
so,' and the bartender named one Of the
longs to 1OO-a-day class. And then there
is Blank" naming another man whose
name is very familiar to Miwaukeeans, "he
averages at least sixty, to my certain
knowledge. 1t is simply impossible" con-
tinued the barkeeper, for a well-sea soned.
strong man to get drunk on good beer
After he drinks certain amount he will
become what we call Social but that is by
no means drunken condition. OF course
the men who make high averages don't
MIL 1,.;, ly
perhaps twenty glasses and then work for
while or go somewhere else to repeat the
dose there. Such men do not Seem to be
affected by the quantity of beer thew
drink. Oh. no. Mr.. Montana will have to
try again If he is really out for the title"
Several performances against time which
completely dwarf the fifty-glass PROPOSE
ton Were learned of by brief inquiry One
hea1thy-looking young fellow Of twenty
five, who is employed in the office of a local
brewery, admitted having drunk on a wager
the contents of pony holding one
eighth Of keg of beer, in fifty minutes
AS there are something like seventy-five
glasses In pony" the feat which is
vouchsafed for by eye-witnesses, is rather
a startling one for a teetotaler to contem-
plate.
Il did it to win a $40 bet" said the
youth, who is rather short and built TO ac-
commodate a large cargo 81 thought I
could drink pony inside Of an hour and
finished with ten minutes to spare No, I
suffered no Ill effects from it. 1 felt a lit
tie happy when / had finished the task.
but slept 1t off in an hour. I don't claim
the championship by any means. for / know
of man who did the same trick in thirty
five minutes."
Naturally, many of the heaviest drinkers
of beer are to be found among the EMPLOYEES
of the big breweries, although the Quantity
which they consume during working hours
is limited by rule. being fixed bv agree
ment between the brewers and Brewery
Workers Union. The daily allowance per
man averages about four quarts OF sixteen
glasses This is given out to the men at
regular intervals, the hours of distribution
In one OF the breweries being o. II. 3 and
8 o'clock. 1t Is not stated upon the author
1ty OF persons connected with the big brew
cries that while the men do not drink more
than the specified allowance in working
hours. they are among the best patrons Of
the saloons after their work is done. where
as matter of pride and acquired taste
they almost invariably drink the product
OF the brewery in which they are employed.
MOST or the heaviest drinkers are found
among the peddlers, drivers and. other en-
pioSes VINO are engaged in outdoor work.