The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-04-27
THE BATTLE Of THE BOTTLE
s'EN-NODER ATE DRINKER" COM
MENT on THE IMPROVEMENT
IN WILMINGTON.

DAY 5 News ana ODScfNe1, the cOlulllllo
of which were used to show the UNI
wisdom Of State prohibition and TO
show that prohibition does not pro-
hibit. This writer, While strictly not
81 teetotaller in a strict sense OF the
word, to show that in this
part of the moral vineyard the use
and abuse OF liquor has been greatly
curtailed since the beginning OF the
year.
/ Will commence by taking Whining
ton, from whence quite a umbe or
SUI rounding counties drew their sup
plies. The Evening Dispatch recently
stated. and it has not been contradict
ed, that the Hotel New Hanover had
only six bOarders. The proprietor
was advertising airy rooms, etc, as an
inducement. Such a state OF at
fairs has not been heard for many
years. The other NOTES.-THE orion
House., Colonial Inn and Southern Ho-
tel seem to be doing a brisk business.
And again Wilmington has not had q
murder for the whole three months,
an almost unheard of proposition.
Business goes on at the same old
stands. There is no grass growing up
in the streets except that planted on
the plateauS.
The working man who spent his
money for strong drink in carrying
home moro ratiOnS-better ratlOnS-
shoes and clothing in the same way,
is paying his grocery bills more
promptly and goes home sober. OF
course there are places where drink
can be had on the Sly-perhaps al
ways will be-but there are only a
few who are up to i, and those lew
know how to navigate home in
straight lines. or they will be hailed
,n bofnra tho PppnrHnr'S cDnIf.
The closing OF the bars and saloons
naturally threw some out of employ
ment. Those few and some other
SOre-headS are the ones that make out
the howl. you can get all the liquor
YOU want in Wilmington If YOU
examine the police blotter and see the
arrests made these days the above as
Sertion goes improved. Under the
new administration it's going to be
Better and Bigger Wilmington
Anyway. the surrounding country
has been greatly blessed. The Satur-
day night jug trade was simply dis
gushing. especially on the railroad
cars. In some instances drunken
fools-every drunk man make a
fool of himself-WOuld want to help
the CONDUCTOR run his trains-Would
be insulting to both ladies and men.
Now they are changed, everything
seems orderly and quiet. Of course
there is liquor coming in by express
from Petersburg, Richmond and Nor
folk but the proportion ordered does
not amount to 1-25 of what was form
erly drank: The fellow ordering one
gallon or more, takes il home and
uses it in moderation, and doesn't
treat it out like the fellow who buys
only a quart at the time did. That's
the Kind of liquor that brought on
rows, fights and braWls. If one negro
bOy got mad with another when there
49,
he simply boarded the cars, went in
Casually on Saturday night) came
back just tanked right to tackle any
thing; then knives, brass knucks, p1s-
tolls, anything were freely used, to
say nothing of the profane and bols-
ferrous language INDUCED IN on such
occasions. The cheapest express rates
from those points debars the quart
fellow from indulging-too often when
he cant afford to get a gallon. Those
of us who Vainly imagined that we
must keep a little cbrn-and-hOney
with cob stopper, Or a little rOck-anu-
rye under the heads Of our beds for
a tickling cough during the night nave
discovered the fact that the more we
drank the more the cough tlckled, ana
now substitute kerosene and sugar
not quite so palatable, but touches the
tender spot just the same. And the
other fellow who bought of Holland
Gin every Saturday for the old Wo-
mans back" or his "hOrse's Kidneys
drinks a little pine-top tea, chaws
rosin and says it's a sight cheaper
and nigh bout as good for the 'Old
and the creetur.'
The recent forest fires in New
Hanover and -Pender on the public
roads show how many veteran dead
soldiers" fell from different States
Old Virginia, Pure Old Kentucky,
Old Tennessee, Pure Old North Car
with no heads, some
with corks in the mouth-all with
''de~crted SpiritS.'
There they all will remain, unwept,
u~nhonored. and unsung: no mourners
to mourn them. for two Of them Will
no longer buy q short"