The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08
"COCkTAIL IKE"
Who Had Most Unique Distinction In
 the City of Tombstone, Arlz.

From the Buffalo Express.
 Isaac White. known throughout the southwest as Cocktail Ike" is in the city from Tombstone, Ariz.. though fa- nous in the part of the country from which he eomes does not bear the ear marks of a great man. He has but one eye and that one member has a habit of squinting and drawing up violently when he talks Cocktail Ike" for years has been familiar figure in Tombstone, but he has left his old haunts and says he is under contract never to return. For signing such contract he received $2O0 and lost the privileges and rights of the only cocktail route In the world
 Ike first came to Tombstone in the early SOC. Even at that early period he did not admire the first principles of work. He used to scrub out saloons for his meals at first but then came better days.
 Gradually two things in Ikes character deVeloped-a fondness for cocktails that could not be quenehed and a still greater aversion for all forms of work As time went on it came to pass that every morn ing Ike made the rounds of twenty or more saloons in Tombstone and at each stop the bartender set up a cocktail. As years passed 1t was as much the duty of every bartender to give Ike a cock tail each morning as 1t was to sweep out the saloon. When a new man was in stalled the proprietor immediately gave him instructions to give Ike a cocktail every morning when he called and for more than fifteen years Ike never failed in his duty in visiting every place on his route every morning.
 Thus Ike's cocktail route became fla nous throughout the southwest. Other fn f,, t1,ay. towns but were unsuccessful. Finally last spring Ike decided that he had out grown Tombstone. Years before, when his capacity was smaller, a visit to each place on his route would give him pleas ant cocktail slumbers until the following morning, when the same pleasant pro gramme would be repeated. But now he found that his route was inadequate for his needs and decided to sell
 One morning the town of Tombstone was startled to see the following adver- tisement appear In the columns or the Tombstone Prospector
 For sale-LonGse established, high-class cocktail route Oily route of it's kind in the southwest. Satisfaction guaranteed to purchaser gor money refunded. Price S2OO Apply to Ike White, care of Pete Brandel's Saloon"
 The whole territory of Arizona com mented on the strange offer and specu-  lated on its result. For time 1t seemed that Ike had route on his hands that was not salable, but about month ago an answer came from one Joe Casson, or Tucson Joe bought the route, was in troduced to the various saloons and ac- cepted as Ikes substitute. Ike signed a contract never to come to Tombstone as long as Joe lived, as the validity of Joe's right to the cocktail route might be ques- toned if Ike were there. Now Joe is for mally installed as owner of the route with a free drunk every day and Ike IS making his first trip through the east.
 Ike says he is looking for some taVor- able location to start another cocktail route. but thinks Buffalo too large d town.
 "A man aould never make the rounds of all the saloons here in q day said Ike, "and if he drank cocktail at every one in one day he would never wake up.