The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-09-01
BIG DISTILLER|ESE {
END SEPTEMBER 8
PEORIA, NOTED AS THE STILL
CITY" WILL LOSE TITLE HELD
FOR MORE THAN so YEARS.

Peoria, ILL.,, Sept. Peoria, for more
than half century the whiskey max.
ing center of the United States. will
lose its title of "The Still City" early
in September, at least for the duration
Of the war. On Sept. 8, at II p. m,
the five great distilleries located here,
the largest in the world will cease grind.
ing corn for whiskey making purposes.
The big plants which have been making
S5 percent Of the whiskey in the coun.
try are to close under the National Food
administration law and orders from
Washington to Edward d. McCabe. in.
ternal-revenue collector here, are that
all tubs in the distilleries must be emp
ty of beer" as the whiskey brew is
called, by the hour named.
Reports that the plants will be con.
Verted into cereal mills are denied hy
distillery managers
THE Peoria distilleries manufacture
some alcohol for scientific and CONNER.
cial purposes" w. f. Hull, general man.
ager for Clarke Bros & Co. said. "but
whiskey is the main product. : distil.
lery of large capacity cannot oLerate
on small scale at a profit. There
haven't been enough war orders from
the United States or the allies to keep
more than one Of the distilleries busy
and no new ones are in prospect. Hence
the distilleries must close"
Plant Is For Sale.
On August 2S, Robert d. Clarke. vice
president and principal stockholder in
Clarke Bros. & Co., announced the com.
pany's distillery for sale.
we are preparing to liquidate In the
shortest possible time" Mr.. Clarke said.
we have reduced our capital stock and
in order to liquidate in the easiest way.
have formed five smaller corporations,
each to take over some part of the bust.
ness and each capitalized at S20C 900"
For several months the distileries
have been running at full capacity and
using more than $4,000 bushels of corn
daily, so much interest centers i'm the
effect the closing of the big plants will
have on the corn market Farmers of
central Illinois probably will feel the ef.
fect OF the closing more than others. for
Peoria's market has been outlet for
them for all their soft corn. which dis.
tillers readily bought up and which is
not very useful for purposes other than
making whiskey. Distillers say the
farmers will suffer dead loss on this
corn.
Labor does not appear to be in any
particular danger as a result of the
coming shut down, although more than
l'2OO men are employed i'm the dfstiller.
les Older employees will be retained by
the two distilleries which will continue
to operate and some may be kept 10
look after the upkeep of plants that will
be closed. Even If ninety percent of the
men employed in the whiskey making
industry here lost their jobs there will
still be room for them in other biz
plants here. Companies which manu-
facture farm machinery and tractors are
advertising for men and a concern
which has government contracts for
caterpillar engines. is planning exten
sions which will absorb every man
forced out Of a position by the CLOSING
Of the distilleries.
Saves Much Coal
The local coal situation may be re
lieved by closing Of the big plants which
consume on an average Of 1000 tons
OF coal day most Of which is supplied
by local mines.
In money Uncle Sam probably will bC
the biggest loser. for he will be on
some SSO.OOO,OOO year in internal rev
enue taxes.
The whiskey production during IN,
past year has been abuormally large
For the month Of July. 1917. not showr
IN the figures already given. the collec
tons We're Si,93O12557, representa-.
tax paid by the Peoria distilleries or
4S45'55O gallons of spirits. September
VIII find the government warehouse,
here filled with whiskey and collection,
Tor internal revenue will continue larg,
Tor a few months longer. or AZ leas
until the