The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1919-01-10
20 BREWER|ES ARE
0UTLAWED IN STATE
CAPITAL IN PLANTS NOW IDLE
TOTALS IN EXCESS OF
THREE MILLIONS
NEWS OF THE CAPITAL CITY
Attorney General Ford Rules Against
All "Near Beer."-Dr. w. r. Co.'s
we'll Estimates Flu RESPONSE
BILE for 5000 Deaths


Helena.-With the cessation o.
brewing, as result of prohibition
in this state, many valuable propertie:
will be reconstructed or recognized
some of which will enter into the man
ufacture of products widely differing
from that turned out in the past. Such
for instance, is the possibility of one
or more of the plants being convert
ed into manufactures for the produc
ton of potato flour-a transition from
n wet goods to a dry product. Others
contemplate continuing the manufac-
ture of wet goods but in the form of
nOn-malt or nOn-alcoholic beverages.
At least one of the plants is already
converted into a public cold storage
house where space is rented to individ-
nails and companies.
Among the 20 Montana breweries
put out of business permanently was
one that was established at Virginia
City in 1S63-the year that gold was
discovered there. This brewery is
said to be the oldest business establish
ment in what is now the state of
Montana.
The 20 breweries have invested
capital of $3,172. 233, and their yearly
production was 420.172 barrels a year.
They employed a total of 257 skilled
and SO unskilled men, and used 22,166
horsepower.
The second oldest brewery in Mon
tana is the Kessler establishment in
Helena that started in 1865. The third
Oldest was started in Butte in 1876.
The remaining breweries were all es-
fablished since 1890.
The most expensive plant in the
state is the malt Brewery at Manhat-
tan with $5S2, 100 invested and pro-
duction of 100000 pounds of malt
year.
Montana's Mineral Production.
Montana leads all the states of the
Union in the production of silver for
1918 with 1874 900 ounces. and shows
Il marked increase for the same period
in the output of copper, lead and zinc,
but a decrease in that of gold, accord
ing to the joint preliminary estimate
of the director of the mint and the
United States geological survey just |
issued at Washington. Utah, il is stat |
ed, comes second in silver production
with 13,439,OOO ounces, Idaho third |
with 10,1SS,00O ounces and Nevada |
fourth with 10,113,000 ounces.
The total value of the gold, silver,
copper, lead and zinc mined in Mon
tana during the past year, according to
the estimate of C. N. Gerry of the geo.
logical survey, was $122,00O,0O0, an in
crease of $12,OOO,OOO over the 1917 pro-
luction.
The value of Montana's gold output
decreased from $3,517g53 in 1917, to
about $3,117,0O jim 1918.
X X 4
Flu Causes 5000 Deaths in State.
The gradual reopening of those cities
n Montana which had closed because
# the epidemic of influenza is based
argely on the recommendations of DR..
". f. Cogswell, secretary of the state
,oard of health, whose view, on return
ng from the recent medical confer
nee in Chicago, that quarantine does
lot prevent the scourge. and that on
he whole, cities may as well pursue
usiness as usual, providing due
recautions to isolate known cases are
AIKEN.
While December figures are not |
4 ie, Of ncf Q MO | i.
eaths have resulted in Montana from /
lfluenza and although there is an APP
aren't decline in some of the cities, |
1ere is no real hope, it is said, that /
1e scourge has ended, while on the ,
)ntrary, there is every expectation I
lat it will return in midwinter, per- s
apps in q more virulent form. {
4 4 4 Q
Ford Takes Kick Out Of Near Beer. 2
Hopes of proprietors of Montana i
-eweries and saloons that they S
,uld continue in business by I
aking and selling near beer" con- r
lining not more than two per cent
cohol were blasted when Attorney c
eneral Ford ruled that all beer, re-
lrdless of It's alcoholic content, is
Itlawed. !.
He holds the two per cent alcohol +,
lalifying clause relates to prepara- h
ms not commonly regarded as liquor. r,
oh as flavoring extracts and es- ii
noes, and that their use is prohibited h
they contain as much as two per t.
Mt alcohol and it is possible to be- q
me intoxicated on them, even though IL
moderate quantities be required. ci
4 \ 4
lowell Pardon Opposed.
A delegation of Sweetgrass county
liens appeared before Governor TO
7wart last week, asking him not to Is
tho coptopra Of Mol p Iomau | -,