The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-09-08

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7.-Manuiae
s ture Of whiskey will cease Throughout
: the nation at II o'clock tomorro"
j. ntxht. when the prohibitive clause OF
: the food control act becomes enecu'e.
Z Millions Of bushels OF grain which
: would otherwise be ground up 1or
vhiskey will thus be released for 1000.
How many millions. no one knows, lor
: tbe manufacture of alcohol for oe1er-
p age purposes is so closely olenoeo
( with the production of alcohol Tor IN
2 dustrial and medicinal purposes tnat
{ there Is no way of determining the
: exact amount.
=. or the 100, 900, 900 bushels of grain
or Whereabouts, which goes INTO tne
distilleries each year, about ~ per
cent, experts estimate, comes OUT IL
s.the form of whiskey and other as
= TILED beverage drinks. The REMAINDER
made inco alcohol of exactly the same
' characteristics as that used 1or
vhiskey, eventually finds its way into
. perfumes, toilet waters, bay rum,
: medicines and to industries ~here ae-
natured alcohol is used IN e'er-ln'
= creasing quantities.
Z Approximately 116,0Oo,00O gallons OF
whiskey is produced each year oy
: American distilleries. Production OF
= alcohol by the same distilleries Tor
Commercial and medicinal uses otneT
beverages appro1imates 146.OOo'-
900 gallons. The manufacture OF alco-
hol for the latter purposes Will con-
tinue as usual, probably in greater
volume. and few Of the larger dis
.tilleries. if any, will have to smut
down.
The class Of distilleries which will
be put out of business Is composed
almost wholly of small plants oper-
ated by from one man to half dozen
men, located in California, Ohio and
:. New Jersey and producing brandy
from grapes. apples and peaches.
These produce approximately 2.00O'ooO
gallons a year. Those in New Jersey
and Ohio. officials believe. will sus-
pend operations entirely: The Call
.forria plants. it is thought, will con-
'-tinue to operate. in part. for the manu-
facture Of spirits for fortifFing sweet
wine.
49,. So far as officials here can learn,
there are few disiilleries in the united
States, with the exception of the frult
brandy plants, producing whlskey al
the present time. Summer is the on
season for whiskey production. winch
is confined almost wholly to the win
ter months, the early spring and the
late fall. The cessation Of active
.whiskey production, therefore, at this
season OF the year. is largely theoretl-
cal, but the operation of the law VIII
prevent the manufacture OF whiskey
at the time il usually starts on large
scale. the latter part Of September.
= Stopping whiskey manufacture. In
stead of curtailink the governments
revenues, will increase them for the
next two years. officials believe.
Coupled with the operation Of the
i"nending revenue bill, the withdrawal
.of whiskey from the stock already &C
cumulated will probably treble the
rreyenues within the next twelve
Snonths. as the present law imposes
tax Of S1.10 and the revenue bill con-
templates a tax Of $3.50 a gallon. A
stock Of approximately 100000 O0
gallons has accumulated in the bonded
warehouses and on the shelves OF
wholesale and retail liquor dealers.
Approximately 190,000000 gallons are
>. In warehouses and upon that quantity
the government will collect taxes as
:, it is withdrawn.
Few men will be thrown out Of work
-,,hy the operation Of the law. Distil-
leries now running will continue to
produce alcohol for commercial pur-
poses with little change in their
forces. Upon this class Of alcohol
with the exception Of alcohol for de-
naturization, the revenue bill would
impose tax of $3.50. doubling the
present income from this source.
There are approximately 700 dis
stilleries in the country, Of which more
than half are small fruit brandy
plants. The amount Of capital in
vested in the latter class is not great
tn the aggregate. The capital invested
in the big producing plants mounts
high into the millions. officials here
believe that losses will be more than
wiped out by the greatly higher prices
distillers will obtain for their product.
already manufactured. In the opinion
..ot some officials whiskey will be sell
ing at SIS a gallon within twelve
months, affording distille1s enormous
safe for the loss OF capital invested
In plants.
: At the same time the plants will
continue to operate on an approximate
so per cent production basis, making
commercial alcohol. A tremendous
growth in the use Of commercial alco-
hol is anticipated which in time may
result in the demand for a quantity
OF alcohol at least as large as tho pres
emit output fo1 all purposes.