Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-27

TEMPERANCE REVIVAL
Recollections of a Historic Era
in Washington.
GEORGESAVAGE'S WORK
GEN. McCONNELL's SUICIDE AT
THE OLD ST. CHARLES.
Visit of the New York Firemen-An
Irish Comedians Rise-Songs
That Were Sung.
GEORGESAVAGE'S WORK
Written for The Evening Star.


The great temperance revival was an era
In the history of Washington city almost as
memorable as that achieved by Father Ma
thew In the land where his great apostolic
predecessor, st. Patrick. had given 1.-The
snakes and toads twist and banished them
forever
| George Savage was a brush manufacturer,
who kept variety store-"one price only
in Pennsylvania avenue near 9th street.
| 1t Is said he kept saloon himself for
merly but, impressed with the wonderful
results Of Father Mathews good works and
appalled, and conscience-strcken by the
| crimes and suicide Of one of his old Gus
| toners, closed his doors and never opened
them afterward in the same line of business.
He did not sell out his stock. fixtures and
good (bad) will. but, like Mrs Nation.
shed everything into smithereens and
emptied his barrels and demijohns into the
gutter.
Savage became a Jealous evangelist Of
the total abstinence faith. He was a COM
in all things. and the entire community
respected him accordingly. He would
mount carriage steps. dry goods boxes a
chair a pump anywhere and at any
| hour. day night, wherever he could get
, an audience. If he could get a crowd in
| front of the swinging doors of rum
| hole as he called saloon. he would pour
red-hot broadsides into the place and pro-
| prietor
Sometimes the half-drunken customers
would good naturally take a rise out of
the orator. but rarely or never was his
abuse. often rancorous, retaliated upon
him. He was fully credited with his mo-
tves and his honesty. He was often jeer-
ingy hidden to go and hire hail."
which later he did. With his co-workers
the site of Fagin's old factory on E street
was purchased. They laid the corner
stone and built and dedicated Temperance
| Hail. where every Friday night immense
| crowds assembled.
Gov. Briggs and Tom Marshall.
In that day there were orators and giants.
The temperance ball and temperance hall
were all the rage The Freeman's Vigi-
lance Total Abstinence Society. F. v. T. A.
s., was formed with George Savage perma-
nent president. Governor Briggs of Massa-
| chusetts. Thomas F. Marshall of Kentucky,
and many other members Of Congress be-
| came members of this society, and soon
thereafter formed the Congressional Tenn
! perance Society. The Congressional still
| lives. without, however, any active signs Of
| life.
| Come to the Temperance Hall,
The pledge OF freedom sign;
Come, Danish alcohol
Rum, brandy, beer and wine"
This. and other songs. were sung nightly
In mighty chorus and with tremendous eff
| feet. There was rarely standing room at
| the meetings. never when Briggs took the
| chair or Tom Marshall spoke.
| briggs, Massachusetts son,
! VIII urge the battle on, =
And we'll fight, fight,
Day and night,
Ganst the tyrant alcohol"
George Savage deserves a monument or
memorial building erected in his native
city. Among his converts was an Irish
| comedian. who had fallen low from strong
! drink. He was a man of no mean literary
| talents, as the song. THE Rum Blossom
| Nose" his own words and music, would
! show. Could you have seen and heard him
| sing and act it as tens Of thousands did,
! you would have Joined your voice to the
! thunderous applause which always greeted
! him. This was the song:
''Oh / was the landlords pet,
When had money to spend;
spent II in drink and verify did think
| 1t was never going to end.
| But 1t left me with nothing but rags to back,
| And my boots wouldn't hide my toes.
| While the crown of my hat went flap flip. flap,
And the boys twigged my rumblossom nose.
| 1.-The landlord called me a clever fellow
I And. oh. but L vain;
| For he got MY cash and got his trash
| To soak my poor silly brain.
| And ii left me with nothing, etc.
| ''But have got sprinkling Of sense,
And have signed the pledge to abstain;
| And may Old Harry cook up for u
! II ever l touch 1t again.
| For fain would be getting some clothes to my
back,
| And boots that will hide my toes,
| And the crown of my hat shall no fip-fap,
| And good bye to my rum blossom nose
That man was literally lifted out of the
| gutter and redeemed by Geo. Savage He
went to the top of his profession, gained
| much fame and some fortune and never
| went back to drink.