The Ordway new era., 1914-10-30
advertisement
(Advertisemenl
SOME FACTS THAT ARE
WORTH CONSIDERATION

there; for the mother.tank was well
covered by . strong wooden lid In SEQ
tions, like ? hatchway.
was soon enlightened. For when
about three feet from the bottom had
been reached and the pump could mot
any longer draw. 1t was once more
stopped. and . couple OF big, bare
legged negroes climbed down and be-
gan shoveling out drowned rats.
1t can readily be imagined how such
buildings literally swarm with rats.
despite every effort to keep them out,
and how the sour.sweet stencil Of this
sunken tank. with its smooth cement.
ed walls. made most effective rat
trap. Pumping proceeded every few
days; but the unspeakable mother
liquor at the bottom was only dis
turbed once q month or 70, when the
trapped rodents again became trouble
some.
These are few plain facts. any.
thing but exaggerations. There are
plenty more details. some that would
not do to print. as to the manufac-
ture Of West Indian rum-An article
with which all our devoted topers are
much better acquainted than they have
any idea. It is jealously guarded
secret.
1t was q peculiar stroke Of fate that,
several years later. on coming to New
York, should. quite undesignedly.
walk right into factory which largely
handled West Indian or Demerara
rum. there to learn wonderful par
ticulars, through the authoritative
statement ofs q confidential employ&.
and by the evidence Of my own eyes.
found that the "distillery" had a
mere toy OF a still, hundred Of which
would not make one Of our West In
dian stills. The truth was. this impos-
ing building. with its widely extending
business, was merely q mixing house.
into which stuff distilled elsewhere
was brought. and. by general doctoring
-coloring. flavoring. etc. and elabo
rate coopering and labelling all kinds
Of spiritous liquors were sent out. But
all from one fundamental basis and
all from the same faucet" The COM
mon foundation Of all the mixtures
practically the only genuine spirit in
the place-was that same cheap and
nasty Demerara rum.
OF particular interest was the ship
ping department Of this great bust.
ness. widely known as among the
leading American disttlleries, where
was shown Immense quantities Of their
output, staksd-up pupcheons. barrels,
half.barrels. kegs; brandy of two or
three grades: tiers Of whisky Of va
rlous favorite brands: these with sew
eral other kinds oe high-class liquors.
all beautifully coopersd, branded.
stamped. inscribed. ticketed and other
wise decorated into most expensive
and official-looking goods. ready for
the next days shipment to wholesale
liquor dealers, cafes and saloonA
Then, taking me into an adjoining
room my confidential guide drew from
. large faucet n coloriess liquid into
q small glass beaker and asked me to
examine It. I thought It smelled and
tasted very much like our Demerara
rum, or high wines" and said 20.
This my guide admitted to be perfect
", correct, only It wAe considerably
diluted.
"Hlsh-orads Preduets."
And then he told me In whisper
(though we were entirely alone in the
big building. SO far as either Of ~
knew). to my great amazement, that
the whole Of those fine barrels and
puncheons and kegs. marked Bran
dy." whisky" "Gin," "Port Wine" "
'Sherry." etc.. were. each and every
one Of them. filled from that identical
faucet and contained that liquid he
had Just dawn for me to taste.
The only difference between all
those liquors ready for delivery he
told me, was that . little more or
less .coloring was added and the
proper flavors thrown in. to make one
gin, another brandy. another rye
whisky, another darker and therefore
"older" and ripper" or "mellowed."
and 50 on.
Let the young barroom braves pom
der over these truths. old-timers
might even take such fooling Of peo
pie to heart. To think that the tempt
ing glasses they hold up critically be-
fore their eye, admitting the fine "oad
age" color and "mellowness" Of their
contents, contain nothing better than
the reeking new rum. which have
partially but faithfully described!
That and nothing more or less. col.
ored and favored by mostly poisonous
chemicals Of devilish destructiveness.
and chr1stened one name or another
to meet the demands Of q marvelously
deceived and deeply wronged public.
wet States Consume Most Liquor.
Wisconsin. largely a foreign.born
state, has. the largest consumption OF
| ,,.,,or ~ ony atato In fha IInion name