The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1917-09-14

or the duration OF the war the use
OF foodstuffs for the manufacture OF
beverage liquors has been prohibited.
The law is now in effect. Although
it is only war measure and does not
stop the sale of liquor, the law
against whisky making is having a
great effect upon the liquor traffic
throughout the nation.
There are COS distilleries in the
United States. OF these, 202 are in
Kentucky, los in California, o8 in
Pennsylvania, A in Ohio, and q in
New York
There are only 10 distilleries in
Illinois. Five OF these are in Peoria
which city for so years has been
famous for its whisky production.
Two distilleries are located at Pekin
a short distance from Peoria.
Peoria Distilleries Close
During the fiscal year ending June
30. 1917, 27,396,953 gallons OF beverage
alcohol were produced in Peoria. This
is a little less than half of the entire
production of alcohol for all purposes
in Peoria, where one-third OF the ma.
tons supply was produced.
Three OF Peoria's distilleries CLOSED
when the food saving law went into
effect. They were Woolner's, Corn
ing's and Clarke's. The Clarke Bros.
Distillery, which is said to be for sale
is the largest distillery in the world
The Atlas and Great Western Distil
leries will continue to operate for tht
manufacture of alcoho. for industria
and munitions purposes.
.a-s- 50, Wholesalers to o,sit
1t is estimated that the supply o
beverage alcohol on hand in the
United States amounts to about 215,
100000 gallons. The normal annua
consumption is about 150,000000 gal
Ions. Therefore, il the war continue.
the supply of whisky in the entire
country will be exhausted in about
two years. Many wholesale liquor
dealers announce that they will soor
discontinue business. With no way
to renew their present stocks, tho
wholesalers are preparing to wind ur
their affairs for good. The manager
of a large Chicago wholesale house
recently said
"The business cannot continue with
production discontinued. And ever
if the war should be over in few
months, the passage of the new taz
measure imposing tax of $500 a gal
Ion on spirits would be practically
taxing us out of business"
A number of other wholesale deal
ers expressed similar views. One
stated it as his opinion that inside o.
year all the wholesale liquor houses
will be compelled to retire and that
they are not likely to resume agar
on account of the strides made by the
Prohibition movement.
New Jobs for Laborers
The almost unanimous judgment
of manufacturers, bankers and bust
ness men generally is that Peoria will
feel no depressing effect as result
of distillery closing.
"Peoria's manufacturers will SNAP
up every available man Monday
morning" said Peoria business man
in reviewing the situation. Between
1,500 and 1000 men will be put out oil
employment in the distilleries, bu,
there is place for every one of them
in the tractor factories, the implement
works and in other Peoria industries
We can use, and are glad to get
every ounce of coal that distilleries
have been requiring. 1ndustrially
Peoria will never know that the distil-
leries have been closed"
A Peoria manufacturer gave a sim
liar opinion, saying:
"The distilleries employ few more
than 1000 men. Even if four of the
plants should absolutely close down
not more than 800 of those would be
without jobs, and that is putting il
high, As long as the war lasts there
will be room for those 300 men in
Avery's. Herschel's, the Acme and
the other plants which are advertising
for labor. The Holt Manufacturing
Company alone Is planning to triple
the size of Its plant, providing en-
ployment for many more than SOC
workmen."
For the past -four months the dis
tillerics of Peoria and Pekin have
been consuming grain at the rate OF