New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-23
L atller Knick
Rushes t0Fill
Private Flask
Detroit's Rum Ride a Sun
day School Picnic Com
pared TO the Deluge Here

New York City is in the throes of a
liquor rush that makes the rum-ride
from Toledo to Detroit seem like an
orderly Sunday school picnic. The
rush started early last week and
reached a hectic stage yesterday. By
tomorrow the chase Of the demon
will be at its height, for the tip has
gone out that the President will s;rn
the revenue bill Tuesday and that vir-
cually will double the prceA Of liq
uors.
So bullsh has the wholesalo liouor
market become that one of the vital
ingredients of the most popular cock
tails virtually has been wiped out of
the wholesale liquor market. French
vermouth, without. which the dry
Martini and the Bronx are insipid, is
not TO be had at any price
The humble rye, which used 70
wholesale at $3.50 a gallon, has lcaped
to $12 a gallon. Brandy, which for
merly sold at $50, case has reached
$50, and there is little to be had at
that price. And so on down and up
the line.
The fevcrish buying started carly
IN the week, when one or two of the
larger dealers passed the tip among
their friends that "Now was the time
to buy" The tip spread extensively.
The rush began. Everything was used
70 transport the liquor, from drays to
limousines. BY Monday night whole
salcrs predict that traffic on the East
and West Side viii be jammed in the
rush to prepare for the long drought
at reasonable prices
Humble Dray Is Busy
Thc wholesalers and persons Who
are used to dispensing liquors on a
large scale arc letting 80 Of al but
enough to last them till June 30.
After that it will be useless. except
ing for exhibition purposes, re
hinder Of the days that were. they
cannot afford to hold more than they
for the new revenue bill imposes Il
tax Of 1920 on ardent spirits-
Stirring scenes in the local liquor
rush have been enacted in the vicinity
Of the Waldorf within the last few
days. The humble drays rubbed hubs
with the plush limousincs awaiting the
precious cargocs being dragged up
from the cellars. Express men worked
late into the night Some brokers and
others who had not personally carried
packages for years, blistcred their
hands with cases Of their favorite
Scotch.
Fastidious drinkers say the vermouth
situation viii work a serious hardship
on the cocktail drinkers of greater
New York The domestic vcrmouth,
which used to be treated with extreme
contempt, now is looked upon with a
respect bordering on veneration It
jumped 81 in price on Friday What
il viii be tomorrow nobody can pre-
dict. There is little Italian YER
mouth left. but the wholesalers are
most naughty and distant when ita
salc is preached.
Gin Rare Article
Gin, the base Of all good cocktails
! ig soaring every minute. In the las,
twenty-four hours it will skyrockct be.
yond the reach Of any but the most
plethoric purses. Many homes arc
doomed to be cocktailcss. Many din
ncr that might have been viii be un
able 10 get "cranked up"
Ore whoicsaIer gave some inklin,
of the sudden switch in prices. II,
said: "Champagne that used to be 81;
=. case is selling for s96 and 500
! Scotch, formerly 10 be had at $40 :,
case, is going at $50 Some Of ths
more popular brands are held at SIS
/ Rye-such ae they used to put in tn,
policcman's bottle~~is up to S12, an,
that's low, considering. And to thin
Of ycrmouth, that nobody ever consid
cred, going at SIT case. Cordials
---r~~---~--r---