The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1917-04-07
BIsMARCK's WATERLOO.

of the dry desert experience, self
inflicted by the booze dealers OF
Duluth. Gal" Wagner's doors
were tightly closed. The Holsters
were asleep. The oysters were
dumb and the T-bone steaks were
resting quietly on. the ice. The
froth was off the beer and the
feathers Of the festive cocktail
were dropping. Not a dollar was
coming in nor a single drunk 60;
ing out.
Old Bismarck" was most sor--.
rowful. He feared for the NOR
row when the dry voters, the
mothers of the city and many OF
the victims of that festive thirst
parlor in the King Block should
battle against old John Barley
corn.
Rolling up that old white
apron, Bismarck" dropped on
his knees for the first time in
half century.
"Lieber Colt in Himmel," he
began in his boyhood tongue,
"I've not asked you anything for
fifty years and if you will help
me out of this close corner, I'll
not bother you again until Mil
waukee goes dry
"Lieber Colt in Himmel," con-
tinueds the old night-school friend
of John Barleycorn, eff you can
not do anything for me, do moth
ing for the dry suckers and I'll
show you some tricks with holes
in 'em. We've got Fred Ryan
and Rasty Wright on our. side
and we ought to make it count. !"
"Lieber Colt in Himmel, do
not 90 against your little AL too
hard, even if you cannot let us
poor booze dealers entirely alone.
I need the money, Lieber Colt,
land if I cannot get money, can
have no interest in life and | shall
PERISH
Clink, clink clink!
Old "Bismarck's' ears pricked
up and he stiffened like an Irish
setter when he scents a bird.
Clink, clink, clink!
Old Bismarck" became rigid
and, after another pricking up
of his ears and twitching OF his
nostrils, exclaimed:
Scott in Himmel I hear money!"
The. old money-hunter was en-
tirely correct. He did hear
money. And it was dropping
steadily and rapidly into the cash
register drawer Of his competing
neighbor, Col. James j. Wall.
Old Bismarck" was frantic.
Money going for good red booze
and there he was, shut up as
tight as a drum. Curses on the
booksellers union.
To teach a direct object lesson,
the booksellers union of Duluth
adopted the plan of keeping their
saloons closed from Sunday until
Wednesday morning, over elec-
ton, so as to show the drinking
men what a terrible thing it
would be to wander in a desert
either for three days or forty
years, like the Children of Israel.
They forgot all about Col. Wall
and the fact that he was not a
member of the union. He did not
forget but had his booze emporium
open every legal hour of that
long, long day.
t'For fifteen years." remarked
Col. Wall, 81 have kept the clos
ing laws and the others have
broken them. today, they are
closed when the law does not re-
quire and 1 propose to keep open
as the law permits. D."
That was some crush, my coun-
trymen. Bartenders worked in
mass formation. All the beer was
gone early in the morning and
the beer distributors would de-
liver no more, being peeved at
Col. Walls Yankee trick. Plain,
pure booze was the chief refresh
ment on the wine list. It was sold
by the drink, in bottles and in
jugs. Twice, the daily papers
tell us, was the cash register
drawer emptied into pillow
case, so heavy was the flow of
coin. Col. Wall must close his
place May 81 and he knew when
! and how to reduce stock. His
stunt was the humorous feature
of the closing days of the cam
paign. He got the only thing that
keeps men in the booze business
MONEY.