The Mankato free press., 1909-03-26
BOOZE VIA Pipe Line.
NEW OKLAHOMA PROJECT TO BEAT
THE PROHIBITION LAW.
Latest Scheme Whereby Beer and
Whisky Can Be Served; Drop Dime
or Nickle in the Slot and Get Drink;
No Bartender to Hand You the Jol-
ly; Bootleggers and Blindpiggers
Against the Proposition.

Against the Proposition.
Chickasha, Okla.,. March 20.-To the
mines with the lid clubs! Oklahoma is
to have a booze" pipe line. In fact,
Oklahoma is to have two 'booze" pipe
lines, or rather, double "booze" pipe
line. One will serve whisky and the
other beer. 1t all depends on the kind
of thirst the patron has.
The supply station for this proposed
pipe line is to be just across the state
line in Texas. 1t is planned to build
not only brewery, distillery and
brandy shed there, but some say vine
yard will be established from which
can come wine for the ladies.
And how will patrons be served? !?
Simplest thing in the world 1t is
planned to build a pipe line to various
points throughout this section of the
state, in much the same manner as
gas mains are laid The same principle
is to be adopted as that in use in some
of the smaller cities, where the guar
ter" gas meter-that is, meter where
you drop in quarter and get 25 cents
worth of gas-or whatever amount the
gas company wants to hand out for
your two bits.
Will Have Double Tube
The entire distance the "booze" line
will have a double tube. Connections
will be made with every household that
wants it. A meter will be put in, one
side for whisky, the other for beer 1t
is proposed to give glass of whisky
for 10 cents and a stein of beer for 5
cents. Just now the meter manages to
push out the beverage has not been ex-
planned, but it is asserted it can be
done.
Think of getting out of bed some
morning, when the blizzard is raging
the mating cold and, tiptoeing over to
your trousers pocket for a dime you
remember you had the night before,
only to find wife had given it to the
mllkman before you awoke. Would you
break III the meter and try to tap
the, main? These are chances the pipe
line owners will have to take.
Ever since Oklahoma took on state
hood the liquor question has been a
burden to many. Every effort under
the sun has been adopted to evade the
law, but they have all failed. There
appears, however, to be no restriction
against the pipe line scheme The wise
legislators possibly never considered the
pipe line being used for anything in
Oklahoma save oil. Il
Whisky for Medicinal Purposes.
One argument advanced in favor of,
the "booze" pipe line is that it will in
sure whisky. being in the house for
medicinal uses at all times. There will
then be no use for state dispensary
and it can be dispensed with, thereby
making the governor happy in the
thought that he has had his way after
all.
All villages in this section of the
state are to be taken in and, it is as
serted the line will be extended to
Guthrie. Members of the legislature
think it best to bring the line there
for the reason the brand probably would
have to be inspected, and they believe
Guthrie is the place for that. Coming
out of Texas, the mains will follow
the Rock Island right of way to this
point. 1t may 90 on to the north
as far as Ell Reno, but there is doubt
about this Those who profess to know
assert it will swing to the northeast
and make a bee line for Oklahoma
City. Muskogee is said to want a
branch As soon as it becomes thor
oughly known it is probable every
town in the state will want branch
The great difficulty will be in securing
pumping station sufficiently large to
handle the supply for the demand that
is about to arise.
Bootleggers Oppose Pipe Line
Blind tigers and Uootleggers are bit.
terly opposed to the pipe line They
feel it will cut off their source of in
come. whats the chance to sell
pint of whisky for Is cents when man
can get a drink for dime in his own
house?" askes one man who is await
ing trial as the result of a Jealous Of
ficial having Caught him with the
goods"
ut does seem to me-" remarked an
other, chat this monopoly business is
getting little too strong. There's no
chance for an honest man to turn
penny by letting his friends have lit
tie liquor now and then.''
"What makes me sore,' said man
who formerly tended bar at a main
street saloon, 'is that it all operates
by machinery and the business of good
mixer is all shot to the bow vows
There amt no call for good bartender
in this state and never will be if them
pipe lines get to workin' along the
lines intended for them. Me for the
good old saloon days, when you could
play a game of seven up for the
drinks"
'You can do that now, Shorty, with
this system if you want to-" remarks
man who patronized the Main street
thirst parlor when Shorty was the