Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-06-20
The Manufacture of LIQUOR.

uuiry, and census bulletin No. $50 pre-
sents the result of these inquiries in
series of tables which gives much
valuable information concerning this
industry. There is the subject for
many an eloquent temperance sermon
in these figures if one looks at them
from that point of view, and from any
standpoint they are interesting and in
structive.
The reports show a capital of $751;
674,0S7 invested in the manufacture of
alcoholic liquors in the 1850 establish
ments reporting June l, 1900. We may
add that no establishments were re-
ported in Maine. This sum represents
the value of land, buildings, machinery,
tools, and implements, and the live
capital utilized, but does not include
| the capital stock of any of the manu-
| the products is returned at $340,615, 466
| TO produce which involved an outlay OF
| S14.3O1,64 for salaries of 5000 officials
| clerks, etc; S2S,005,4S4 for wages
about $4,000 wage-earners being re-
ported; $1S3,O99,795 for miscellaneous
expenses, including rent, taxes, internal
revenue, etc; and $70,512.042 for ma
terials used, mill supplies, freight, and
| fuel. 1t is not to be assumed, how
1 aXa,, Tho diffaranca hatuaap tba
aggregate of these sums and the value
of the products is, in any sense, in
| dicative of the profits in the manu-
| facture of the products during the CEN
sus year. The census schedule takes
no cogniZance of the cost of selling
| manufactured articles, or of interest on
capital invested, or of the mercantile
/ losses incurred in the business, or of
depreciation in plant. The value of
the product given is the value as OBJ
tanned or fixed at the shop or factory.
From the reports of breweries. dis
. tilleries. and wineries. representing the
three classes of alcoholic liquors. il APP
i Hears that 1,19S,602,i04 gallons of malt
liquors, 1O3,330,423 gallons of dis
. tillates, and 23.425,567 gallons of wine
year ending May 81, 1900. This is a
total for all classes Of 1926, 35S, 094 gal
! Ions which does not include quantities
reported from small establishments
| In estimating the annual consumption
| for 1900, the quantity of taX-paid
! spirits, not the quantity manufactured,
was employed, and the differences be-
/ tween imports and domestic and for
| eign exports were considered On this
basis the total estimated consumption
for the census year was 1872, 1G6,6S5
gallons, or 17.3 gallons per capita.
The manufacture of malt liquors
| beer, ale, etc. has had a steady in
crease in this country. In the half
century closing with 1900 the industry
! increased in number of establishments
from 431 to 1909; in capital, from S4-
072,3SO to $415,2S4,4GS; in number OF
| wage-earners. from 2,347 to 1852; in
wages. from s654.144 to $25 S26,211; and
in value of products from $5.72S, SOS to
| 1927, 269,113. In the old times malt
liquors were little consumed and al
most everybody drank the distilled
spirits. The change is not to be re-
GREETED. New York leads the SO
states manufacturing malt liquors,
| with Pennsylvania second, and Illinois
Wisconsin, Ohio, New Jersey and Mis-
souri, standing next in order. Thus the
| popular idea that Milwaukee and ST
Louis brew most of the beer is not
true. Ii appears that there were man.
| ufactured during the census year, IS,
664,5S4 barrels of malt liquors, valued
at $234,2l3.259, or an average of $500
a barrel. This represents the value OF
the product at the brewery, packed in
barrels, kegs, or bottles, and ready for
shipment, with the necessary revenue
stamps affixed. The amount of malt
| hpuol DitNtu HI lfllS country ms III
creased pretty regularly from one mil
lion to two million barrels yearly 70,
the past third of a century. A COM
parativcly small amount of malt IL
quor is exported, and about an equa
amount is imported.
As to distilled liquor, mainly
whskcy, 1O3.33O,423 gallons were pro
duced in 1900. giving the government
one of its great sources of revenue
Distilled spirits are manufactured il
81 states. Illinois. with an output o
32,50S,435 gallons of spirits, was tn,
leading producer in 1900. Kentuck!
ranked second, with 21,109S73 gallons
and Indiana. Ohio. Pennsylvania, ant
Maryland followed in the order named
Nobody knows how much was pro
duced in Illicit distilleries. Less thai
two million gallons were exported il
1900. More distilled spirits were man
ufactured in 1900 than in any year 70
the preceding six. but in 1898 Their
We're manufactured 131.010.733 gallon
: and 1890. 1891 and 1892 each surpasse,
| 1900 So did 1881