The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-09-08
KNELL OF
WHISKY TRADE TO
SOU Nd TODAY.
DistilIeries of The Country
Will Close At IL O'clock
Tonight
NO WHISKY TO BE
MADE DURING WAR
Some of Larger Plants Will
Continue To Make In
dustrial Alcohol
(Rx Associated Press.l


Lexington, KY, Sept. s. - At II
o'clock tonight the death knell Of the
whisky production in the United
States will sound and one Of the old
est industries of the country will
perish for the period Of the war al
| least.
For many years Kentucky has
been famous as a whisky producing
state and the distillinR industry was
perhaps the most important manu-
featuring industry within its bounds
In the past few years, however
several distilleries have been forced
to suspend operations because of the
growth of the prohibition movement
but at present there are $50 bonded
distilleries in the state, of which
number twenty are located in the
Seventh district, in which Lexington
is situated.
The larger plants of the state, such
as the Elk Run distillery, the United
American distillery and the r. z.
Wathen distillery, Of Louisville, the
Midway distillery, at Midway, and
the Glenn Moore, at greensboro,
mash" 1000 bushels of corn a day,
The Old Taylor and the Midway
distilleries are the largest in the
Seventh district.
1t is estimated by distillers that
when the distilleries cease operation
5000 men will be thrown out OF
employment in the state in addition
to the revenue men. The liquor men
assert that only those distilleries
which are located so as to get favor
able freight rates on coal and corn
will be able to make industrial
alcohol at asprof1t.
Fifteen years ago the production of
whisky in the state was between
100000 and 20,O00,Q00 gallons an
nually, but the amount increased
every year until in 1916 it reached
100000 gallons. - - .-
Large Stock on Hand.
There is a large amount of whisky
on hand at present as the distilleries
have been in operation day and night
since congress passed the law which
goes into effect tomorrow. There
are several elements, however, which
enter into the estimation as to how
long this whisky will last.
Should present bone dry" laws be
strictly enforced the consumption
will probably be cut down by one
third. But to Offset this, individuals
throughout the country have been
stocking their cellars in anticipation
Of absolute prohibition. Such buying
on their part may increase instead Of
diminish the present consumption. If
the present rate Of consumption
should be maintained the stock on
hand would last two years.
In the Seventh district there are
20, 900, 900 gallons of bonded whisky.
Only three distilleries are in opera
ton in this district at present. They
are: The Midway distillery, at Mid
way; the George T. Stage company
and the Kentucky river distillery,
both Of Frankfort.
Considerable money is tied up in
the liquor business in Kentucky. The
brewery interests represent $4,000
900; distilleries are valued at $780,
$1,000; wholesale liquor firms, $4,-
100000, and retail dealers, $1,236, 900.
This makes total Of SOS, 736,000.
Based on annual consumption the
distilleries make on an average 3d.
600, 900 gallons of whisky year and
obtain four and three-fourths gal
Ions of whisky from a bushel OF
grain. =
While some whisky has been made
at the present price of corn, dealers
say that had not the demand and
market price increased materially
it is probable that there would
have been very little made until the
price Of corn drops.