Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-17
WHY IS A GOA72
is LATEST QUERY
Reporter Has an Interesting Time En-.
deaVoring to Learn Secret of Pic
ture of Goat on Book
Beer Signs

Why is hen? Everybody knows the
answer except the woman next door
who tries to raise garden truck in her
back yard and who has not yet found
out why hens were invented-at least,
during garden time.
But, why is a goat-that is, why is
there always a goat on book beer
signs? The signs are now prominently
displayed in different parts of Los An
geles, and the inquiry naturally came
to the mind of curious reporter. He
guilelessly believed that the man who
displayed the sign would certainly
know why it was displayed. or at least
why the goat was on it. But this fond
and foolish notion was soon dispelled.
The first inquiry made of a gentle
manly barkeeper on South Main met
with a polite stare, which was a mix
ture of disappointment, because the
inquiry was not accompanied by an
order for schooner, and impatience
with anybody who asked such foolish
questions. That bartender stood pat;
he let well enough alone and so long
as people called for book beer he didn't
care whether the sign had a goat or a
flock of pink elephants on it.
Gives 1t Up
"You can search me-" said a bar
tender in the next block, and a stroke
Ol VIII HdSllGu llIOQS1 1illnQ anu llO
dropped into jest
Maybe" he said with a mirthless
cackle, "its because ,here's so much
beer around at limitations, where peo-
pie ride the goat. If it amt you've got
me going, partner"
One of the barfiies then volunteered
the information that perhaps it was be-
cause the goat was such a confirmed
butter, and that he was put on the
yte co a TNnnnln hIIffn6
when man tried to take quiet drink
with friend.
The proprietor of one Of the sweller
joints put up a big bluff, having at one
time been a student of mythology.
"Gambrinus was the old German god
of good cheer" he remarked oracularly
"Bock is the German word for goat,
and Gambrinus had whiskers like
goat. Thus the two became associated
and there is always goat on the signs
about book beer time"
"But why not have a goat on the
signs at all times?" insisted the re-
porter.
"What will you have?" adroitly asked
the mythologist. dexterously turning the
subject and swabbing off the bar with
towel. The question was still un-
answered.
"Why don't you ask a Dutchman?"
asked a bartender with a delightful
Hibernan brogue.
The reporter looked up the most Teu-
tonic name in the vicinity, but when he
inquired there the proprietor was out,
and the bartender hadn't heard that
Gambrinus was dead, or even sick
The reporter then turned his eftorts
to a different direction and asked
prominent young broker, who never
takes anything stronger than cham
pagne. He agreed with the mythologlst
that it was because the goats whiskers
resembled those worn by Gambrlnus.
The secretary of the Merchants ana
manufacturers association is Tee
totler and thought beer was soinethihg
that dead people were put on.
"I'll tell you" said Otto Rasmussen.
Z" Book is the German word for goat,
and that animal is noted for butting
people or knocking them down. Book
beer is twice as strong as the ordinary
beer and that is why the goat is al
ways on the sign.
"No. Gambrinus didn't have any
thing to do with 1t. He never saw a
GOAT i'm his life. but passed his time
hanging around vineyards. You notice
the old gent is always sitting on wine
The reporter than said thanks for
two things-the information was one
of them.