Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-28
What Drink Cost Ono Boy.

than 1900 saloons, says: Fifty per
cent. of the total number of all drink
ers in saloons are minors rms
writer. years age. was a newsboy VINO
thought there was no danger OF his
becoming a drinking man. He hated
tile thought even of entering saloons
to sell papers, and he felt safe from
their temptation. But he did not know
that the average saloon keeper feels
that he must, if possible, get one boy,
each week, to take his first drink of
intoxieants That is necessary. If the
supply of customers is kept up, be-
cause of the early death of the aver
age drinking man; and hence we can
readily understand why it is that
such a large percentage of the drink
ers are minors.
This writer tells of his experiences
in way which should set boys to
thinking and put parents on their
guard. His story is tragic. One
warm day as he passed through
barroom with his bundle of papers,
the bartender offered him a glass of
bottled beer. saying. You're big
enough to drink beer. now" The boy
vas perspiring freely, and the beer
looked so cool; besides, one glass of
beer would not hurt him, he thought.
and it seemed good to take his place
with the sedate business men who
stood drinking at the bar. SO he ae-
cepted the beer, and the first links
in Chain that bound him for life had
been forged.
Two years later he became an Of
flee boy, and by that time felt that
1t was manly and pleasant to drink,
inasmuch as he stood beside many
prominent men who were pleased, as
is their custom. to make light of the
drinking habit and say. in substance,
Look on me, my boy, and see what
| have accomplished, yet drink when
/ feel like it. 1t is none of anybody
business, and / can drink or let it
alone, as I wish" Such an argument
has ruined the life of many boy.
We have in mind men who have at
tanned success, some in financial and
some in political way. who have a
pleasing custom of patting boys on
the back and saying. This fuss about
drinking is all nonsense. l never let
it interfere with my business. Come
in and have a drink
For years, this boy who has told
of his experiences in hundreds of sa-
looms was able to keep his habit from
his employers knowledge. Frequent
ly he would steal out during work.
ing hours to enjoy a drink OF two
and in the evening. instead of spend
ing a little time in reading or stud!
or in some occupation that woult
make for future usefulness, he founl
his way to the saloon. where he VOL
the praise of bartenders. He reInem
bers one of these who treated hin
with favor, rernarking to bystanders
when he has the price with him. or
Il wish I had hundred like you
When this boy had reached 45, h,
sat down and figured up what drinl
had cost him. OF course. he coult
not estimate the loss of his self-re.
spect and usefulness, but he calculated
the cost in dollars and cents that ht
had spent in saloons, ST., 36460, ar
average of $1.57 for every day of the
period between Is and As. He writes
as follows, of the things which ht
charged against himself in addition t
the financial cost:
In 1889, at rs years of age. / held a,
official railroad position scheduled on tn
payroll at 500 a month good during goo,
health and good behavior till the occu
pant was so years of age, and for pen
sion later. My public drink cost me tina
position. The total of my wages receive
during the subsequent period of 20 year
~ siosVp SuUTdctluS TINS sum from tn
amount would have received in the 2
years, had l kept my 500 job, find tina
my loss in wages alone amounts {
s2s,940
'The interest on this loss, and on m
saloon account, reckoned at four pc
cent, would be $14,686.28. Thus my tota
loss. for the 20 years is SOL, $685. Wit
this sum in bank at four per cent.
should be in posse ssion of an annual in
come of $2.47963. II gives me pain to pu
down the figGres."
But there still were other consequence
which he could not measure. He was
leader among his companions and he wa
directly responsible for starting 20 c
them on drinking careers. When he wa
casting up his accounts, he stopped t
think what had become of the 90 Thi
record is far more appalling than tn
items of financial loss he charged u
against himself. Here 1t is:
One of them lasted ten years. At tn
age of q, when he was spending 500
day for drink, he committed suicide a
he stood at the bar.
Another drank for IL years-a longt
time than his friend, for he spent oni
a little over sl00 day FOR drink-an
then committed suicide as he stood al IN
third companion, after drinking
years' was burned to death In hotel mr.
He might have escaped, but ne wa
A fourth man lived for II years aftt
ta hegn n 4 to drink. although he pecan
such Is slave OF his bad habit THAT =
sr,ent more than $500 Gay TO SATISFY q