New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-04
Sends
Whisky Flood
Into Detroit
Is the Bost-And If the
Thirsty Want a Case of
LIQUOR With q Real Wal
lop, 1t Costs Only 500
Market Is Now Flooded
Price Slumps When Dealers
Become Overstocked With
No Safe Place for Storage
spec4a, Dispatch to The Tribune

Spe60l DSpQtcn 20 Inc Iftbttte
DETROIT. April 8.-Canada's best
lssor can now be obtained right here
n Detroit for 500 case. That's
cheap. But, Of course. q willing buyer
must know "the how" Of locating. In
,ther words, the liquor market in this
..ontier city is call shot to pieces"
Only $500 for a case Of the best liquid
produce Of our across-the-river neigh
Dor!
Within the last week the slump has
been so marked that several dealers"
hsve exchanged their stock on hand for
money in pocket at only 80 per cent
n.oft. The reason given is a flooded"
market. Thousands OF cases have
found their way across the river, and
on account of lack of safe storage
space the goods have been thrown on
the market-auietly, OF course, but
nevertheless thrown. Two factors work
against the holding of liquor longer
than absolutely necessary. These fac
tors are liquor thieves and the Police
Department.
Before the so-called liquor food Of
recent date one dealer-a member Of
the big Five" which controlled the
liquor situatiou-was robbed Of ten
cases of American goods. This meant
a loss Of $1,000, but no complaint was
made to the Police Department. On
top of the liquor was a cash register
containing 5000. but this was carefully
ovsrlooked-no cash was wanted.
Price Drops to $40 q Quart
Quotations show the effect Of ca
madam invasion of Detroit. At Christ
rlas time the present 800 brand, con
sidered Canada's best, sold for SIT a
.,o-< erI NO how'd ~ GOT a. %loA
price. Two weeks ago the price
dropped to SIS, with a small fee added
tia; went to the ''go-between." Just
now this same liquor can be had for
$40 a quart or SIS a pint-and it is
from three to eleven years old. The
price q drink-scant drink at that-re-
mains at so and 50 cents for American
goods.
Canadian whisky is not In favor with
Americans who sell by the glass. The
large. The explanation. as given by the
dealer. is that it lacks the wallop
carried by the American-made concoc-
tons and cannot be watered so much
it will not stand "the hose"
The effect Of expectation also is be-
ing felt by Canada. as bootleggers
"over there are getting virtually the
same price TOR straight goods as their
American %neighbors. Ten dollars a
quart seems to be the accepted price
in Windsor, with the demand lively.
This is for bottles with the bond stamp
intact. No guarantee goes with any
other.
But those who are unable to pay
the price are still drinking various
unknown mixtures. In police court
recently one earnest drinker catalogued
tnon extract, Jamaica ginger and hair
tonic. He denied the rai'in stuff, how
ever, claiming he was afraid of that
lie knew what the others were.
But despite the temporary slump some
Of the bold dealers are taking a chance
on longer prices, and are "planting"
as much as possible. This hope is
based on the fact that wholesale prices
in Canada virtually have doubled, and
prices still going higher, due, it is
said By those Gin the know" to the
terrific drain on the Dominion's sup
ply caused by American thirst.