The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1914-10-01

tions, like a hatchway.
was soon enlightened For when
| about three feet from the bottom had
been reached and the pump could not
any longer draw. 1t was once more
1 stepped, and couple of big, bare
legged negroes climbed down and be-
gan shovcling out drowned rats.
II can readily be imagined how such
buildings literally swarm with rats,
despite every effort to keep them out.
| and how the sour.Swect stencil OF this
surkcn tank. with its smooth cement
| ed walls, made a most effective rat
trap. Pumping proceeded every few
DAYS: but the unspeakable mother
! liquor at the bottom was only dis
turbad once month or so. when the
trapped rodents again became trouble
| some
These are n few plain facts, any
thing but exaggerations There are
plenty more details, some that would
not do to print as to the manufac-
turc of West Indian rum-an article
with which all our devoted topers are
much better acquainted than they have
any idea. 1t Is a jealousy guarded
secret.
It was a 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 OF confidential employe.
and by the evidence of my own eyes.
I found that the "distillery" had
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 mixing house.
into which stuff distilled elsewhere
was brought, and by general doctoring
-cOloring, flavoring. etc, and elabo-
rate coopering and labeling-all kinds
of spurious 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
Or particular interest was the ship
ping department of this great bust
ness. widely known as among the
leading American distilleries, where l
was shown immense quantities OF their
output. staked-up puncheOns. barrels,
halfbarrels kegs: brandy OF two or
three grades: tiers OF whisky of va
rious favOrite brands: these with sew
eral other kinds Of high-class liquors.
all beautifully coopered. branded.
stamped, inscribed. ticketed and other
wise decorated into most expensive
and official-looking goods, ready for
the next days shipment to Wholesale
liqucr dealers, cafes and saloons.
Then, taking me into an adjoining
room my confidential guide drew from
large faucet co!orlcss liquid into
a small glass beakcr and asked me to
examine it. l thought it smellcd and
tasted very much like our Dcmcrara
rum. or high wines,' and said so.
This my guide admitted to be perfect
ly correct, only it WAS considerably
diluted.
"High-Grade Products"
And then ha told NE in a whisper
Uhough we were entirely alone in the
big building, so far as either OF US
knew. to my great aInazement that
the whole of those fine barrels and
puncheons and kegs. marked Bran
dv," "Wh:cky," Gin Port Wine"
sherry" etc. were, each and every
one of them, filled from THAT identical
faucet and contained that liquid he
had just drawn 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 tho
proper flavors thrown in. to make one
gin, another brandy, another rye
whisky. another darker and therefore
"older" and ripper or ''mellowed,'
and so or.
Let the young barroom braves pom
der over these truths. Old-timcrs
might even take such foolng of peo-
pie TO heart To think that the tempt
ing glasses they hold up critically be-
fore their eye, admiring the fine "od
age" color and "m"llowness" of their
contents, contain nothing better than
the reeking new rum, which ! have
partially but faithfully described
That and nothing more or less, col
orcd and Favored by mostly poisonous
chemicals of deviiish destructiveness.
and christened one name or another
to meet the demands OF marvelously
deceived and deeply wronged public.
Wet States Consume Most Liquor.
Wisconsin, largely foreign-born
state, has the largest consumption Of
linnni of a in The Irninn n