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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (July 22, 1900)
SL VJtAJkAkAJJhAkuJhJk-JhakJkJkKWAuhJkiJkAJkA' j"rr-yri r vtyvvy yfyrwyrytrtrwyrw S- rfpttmit; PAGES 20 TO 28 PART THREE VOL. XIX. PORTLAND, OREGON, StJNDAY MORNING, -JULY 22, 1900. NO. 29. life )j p g a,;. ffi Fil! the bumper fair! Ei'ery drop we sprinkle O'er the brow of care Smooths away a wrinkle. "Wit's electric flame Ne'er so swiftly passes As when through the frame $ ."y It shoots from brimming glasses.' , Fill the bumper fair! ' .- ; , Every drop we sprinkle 1 4 . O'er the brow of care 7- Smooths away a wrinkle. - Thomas Moore. What Is the favorite tipple of Port landers? Is there an Inordinate fondness, for any particular kind, and If so, what -is it? Is there more liquor, or less liquor, consumed in Portland, for its size, than any other city? These questions, correct ly answered, would be of decided inter est, and an attempt will be made to show the status of thepe matters, in a way that shall be approximately correct, at least. To And out these facts, it became necessary, for the nonce, to- become - a habitue of barrooms barrooms where men with silk hats and gaudy vests bought their drinks, at "15 cents straight, or two for a quarter"; barrooms where the limit was a dime, down to other bar- rooms, where great crowds of rough looking men were standing, elbow to elbow, against long bars. Here were bar-i tenders, with dirty aprons, moving rap idly to and fro between the jingling cash registers and the faucets, serving huge schponers of beer. Glaring electric lights illumined the scene. Wheezy pianos, and pianos sounding like tin pans, furnished accompaniments to cracked voices of brazen females, singing to people who apparently paid not the slightest atten tion to them. "Whisky Most In Favor. At one place the bartender said that, eo far as his experience went, whisky cemed to be the favorite potation. The nrxt in demand, during the forenoon ho'jrs, were gin fizzes and whisky cock tails. In the afternoon straight whiskies scttned to meet the requirements. Next to American whisky came Scotch. This bar was In a hotel, by the way. The bar keeper said that some days he did a roar ing trade in bottled beer, stout and 'Dub lin porter, but these were generally con sumed In their rooms by the hotel patrons. Much more beer was drunk in Summer than in Winter. In one of the leading hotels of Portland, the general demand during the morning hours is for cocktails of all kinds. A considerable amount of Llthla water and other mineral waters seem to fill the needs of many. At noon, many prefer beer with their lunches. Afternoons here, whisky Is most generally demanded. Two-Jrl.-vof 33orUftH3isxwhlskyilrlnkers'Ie sire Bourbon, and very little rye is aBked for. In the evening, at the hostelry under consideration, Scotch whisky Is frequent ly called for. Cocktails, between 5 and C:30 P. M., meet the popular taste. In the evening, cordials, such as bene djctine and maraschino are craved by seme, while others ask for' creme de menthe, creme de violet, etc Occasion ally a brandy and soda finds its way over the bar. Much chartreuse is sold at this place, and curacoa has not a few after dinner devotees. From 8 to 11 P. M., many punches of the various kinds are called for. With late dinners come orders for a great deal ot champagne of various brands. Of course, some non-alcoholic beverages are drunk. Just before 5 o'clock dinner, some customers drink mint tod dles or juleps, for appetizers. "Winter Beverages. ' The chief Winter beverage is whisky. L.:tle brandy is drunk in Portland. Light wines and punches are more readily dis posed of in the Summer. Bock and rya is often Inquired after for colds in the Winter. Blackberry brandy, as a medic inal drink, is as much asked ior here as In Eastern cities. "I And," said one bartender, "that coun try people are great for all sorts of mixed drinks. Gin fizzes and cocktails seem to hit the right spot with them. Too many drinks In the evening give people a 'sore head' In the morning. Then they call for absinthe. Some pour a little in the palm of the hand and, rubbing it briskly with the other hand, inhale the fumes. I suppose this gives a little temporary" re lief. I find that Scotch whisky is very popular here in 'high balls.' "Many drinks, once popular, are little heard of now. 'Queen Charlotte'-a soft drink is gone out of fashion. 'Conclave' made of raspberry syrup and milk is another back number. "There are not many absinthe drinkers in Portland. Very few drink straight gin here. When some fellow makes a deal and rakes in a good pile, then he cele brates with champagne." "My experience," declared one purvey or, "shows people here are pretty fond of gin fizz and whisky punch. Coffee cocktails are quite the thing now. There Isn't any coffee in them. They get their name from their color. Sugar, lemon Juice, port wine, brandy and a whole tgg, 'well shaken before taken and there you have It. Women Customers. "I have two women customers who ask every afternoon for 'a harem. This Is simply creme de cocoa and cream, served in a pousse cafe glass. 'Horse's neck is another, served In a peg glass. This Is made of Angostura, -a, bit of ice and some lemon peel. Then the glass is filled up witht Belfast ginger ale. 'Horse's col lar' is made the same way, with a dash of whisky on top. 'Sunshine Is a mix ture of French and Italian vermouth and Plymouth gin. In equal proportions." It Is safe to assume that a mixed drink called "a bride's kiss." will never be popular here with the bartenders. It has too many frffls. This is made by cutting down the skin of a thin-skinned orapge into eight equal parts. The Inside ls-llke-wise separated. The whole,, thus opened like a flower, is placed on top of an old style, flaring champagne glass. . A flat shaped piece of Ice cream is placed on top of this, surmounted by eight strawber ries. Then brandy and maraschino cordial are poured in. This is served with two small straws and a spoon. From observation it is clear that Port land is a .whisky-drinking town. Cock tails and gin-fizzes come next in the scale $$ mWWyvSs '35V mRn had fiwal!owca a b! dose ot tne stutt I yS rWt ft kmrnaji f rr' ? ' all there was, In fact not being able to 1 " 1 , C 'Q " yMPtSSStS ja distinguish between it and the soda. They Jr-lxP I J - '"? p- - iTrKKrKNM 'iff9 Ji had hard, work to pull him through, but TW$ J-"1 j W - fry '1 1 r 'mlmmmKm2m8sz, TiiSfiW m "LLm I A laughable story is told of a wag who ; I ; i'VI i i I I sa bought a. glass of beer over a bar. With-. .'?''' -- I jj If ' '-' I '-w ) 1 j JgjSSal out a smile, he held Jt up under the elec- ' i' , ' ' I jj i .;.- '' T pv . ' , " 2g3jr trie fan, and the current of air blew off , j. f ":, 1 p -l the foam" an ordinal scheme, surely. "' vy ';' .H f h " I j I ""i "j I One of the best-known stories Is that ' "- . ;'".- i I "!.'' ' y j II f I j ' f regarding whisky punch, sometimes called ! " f 'r -' . XV " I . . J j J HS r "a ntradlctIon." There are two ver-( ., 4y.'-r '. "' .' ' t ; ,' k rf"j slons a French, and one In cockney Eng-; . Jk ' .-. ' " " '" . vm0.r- m ' - . . m - . . of consumption, while wines stand low est on the list, the ambunt of beer drunk vastly exceeding them in quantity. One mixer of drinks said that, at his bar, every seven men in 10 asked for a mixed drink, while, in California, the rule was Just the other way. Still, whisky straight holds Its own in Portland, as a general thing. There Is more mint used here, this man said, than in the whole ot Northern California, including San Francisco. For Its size, Portland uses fc. great deal of Intoxicants in a year, although, on the other hand, it Is gratifying to note that many American cities of less size ex hibit more drunkenness. In proportion, than does Portland. Soda. Fountain. It isn't the bars that dispense all the drinks, by any means. The soda fountains serve thousands daily. Egg drinks flips, phosphates and chocolates tickle Port land palates very well. Then. too. there are the frappes, mint freezes, crushea" fruit and Ice cream sodas, as well as the pineapple smashes, glaces, etc At certain fountains one doesn't need to wink when he calls for an "Ideal." Besides the soda and syrup, brandy, claret and rum enter into its composition. Nervines and plain phosphates find a ready sale at all the fountains. Some men here drink no water with their strong liquors. Some drink the water first, but most of them after. One man . pours brandy In his handkerchief and simply Inhales the fumes. There Is a drink known as "white plush," being a composition of whisky and milk, or cream. It Is related that, one night, half a dozen dry goods traveling men gathered at a well-known bar. FIvo drank whisky; one drank milk. Slyly the other five began adding a little whisky to his lacteal beverage. He didn't notice any change in the taste. In a good, natured scuffle, his glass was upset, spilling the contents on the bar. The milk-drinker had, by this time, gotten enough liquor aboard to feel pretty Jolly. He pointed to the white blotch on the bar, and said: "Shay, boys hie it looks like white plush, doesn't it? hie!" -This Is said to have suggested the name. A Sllscht 2Ilstakc. A certain bartender came to Portland from Chicago. He so strongly claimed to understand all the Ins and outs of the retail liquor business that he made every body think he was all he claimed to be. Not feeling well one night, he said he would remove the bicarbonate of soda from the back-bar to his room, where he would take it as a medicine. Next morning; when the man who had the day watch came on, he tried to find some quinine for a customer that had la grippe. None could be found, and dis covery was made that the smart Chicago man had swallowed a b!g dose of the stuff all there was, In fact not being able 'to distinguish between it and the soda. They had hard. work to pull him through, but he never bragged again. A laughable story is told of a wag who bought a. glass of beer over a bar. With-, out a eralle, he held Jt up under the elec- ' trie fan, and the current of air blew off the foam an original scheme, surely. One of the best-known stories Is that regarding whisky punch, sometimes called "a contradiction." There are two ver slons a French, and one In cockney Eng- llsh both good. The cockney story iu something' Kite this: "Hit's a bloomln' queer drink, donchet . know. They puts hln a bit o sugar, to make hit sweet, an a bit o' lemon to make hit sour. Then they puts hln some w'lsky to make a man drunk, an' some bloomln' fizz to. make "lm sober. The feller e drinks hit up, an' he says, ' JEre's a go' but e doesn't go doncher know, but 'e takes another. Hlf that hain't a bloomln contradiction, HI don't know w'at yer call hit." The history of the drinking of alcoholic beverages dates back somewhere among the mists, of antiquity. It is probably nearly, if not quite, coequal with the ex istence of man himself. Recorded annals show that the Egyptians made and drank beer, or "barley wine." as they called It, ffiOO B. C. References in Holy Writ are frequent to the use of wine. Probably the principal countries in the Orient where the use of liquors is not common, is in those regions where Mohammedanism prevails, for the Koran prohibits their use. In the countries of Southern Europe the use of wines is very common. In France, It Is the i same, with the addition ot liquors, cordials and such tipples. Ab sinthe Is very popular In la belle. France, as Is generally known, and her famous champagnes and brandies are known the world overl In all German-speaking countries beer and sour wines are more popular. In Hol : -- 'fc land, gin la a common drink- In Scan dinavian countries, alcohol, with a very slight addition of water. Is largely con sumed. The English are partial to por ter, ale and beer, with an occasional brandy and soda, though of late years the consumption of American whiskies Is largely increasing, as some claim. The Scotch are fond of ale, and Scotch whis kies, with their peculiar smoky flavor, are coming much into vogue. The Irish whiskies arc not yet quite as popular as the Scotch variety. They surely fall un der Shakespeare's definition of "hot and rebellious liquors." Tho American is cosmopolitan In his tastes for liquors, drawing Impartially upon all sources. California's wines. Ken tucky's whiskies and the numorous brews of American beers are widely known. It is not the object of the present arti cle to argue either for or against the use of liquors. As far back as 1SG9, Profes sor John Fiske wrote a book, entitled "To bacco and- Alcohol." He reaches the conclusions that "It docs pay to smoke," and that "the coming man will drink wine." Inasmuch as such has practically always been the case, there Is nothing new' in what Professor Fiske finds. Gladstone, it is said, was fond of sherry and egg, and George Washington had a generous punch bowL Kecently, too, there has been a great deal said about the Army canteen. All these things show how Inextricably the -rlnklng custom Is In terwoven Into the woof and web of human life. Shakespeare puts Into Othello's mouth some strong sentiments against wine. In one Instance he says: "O thou Invisible spirit of wine! If thou hast no name to be known by let us call thee devil!" And again: "J have very poor and un happy brains for drinking." Iago did not condemn wine, for he said: "Come, come, good wine Is a good fa miliar creature, if it be well used." Shakespeare, in another instance, de clares that "good wine needs no bush." Old Fletcher believed In making the most of present opportunities, for he some where says: Drink today, and drown all sorrow; Tou shall perhaps not do 't tomorrow. Mattthew Prior very truthfully wrote: "They never taste who always drink." Francis Bacon quotes Alonzo of Ara gon." as saying that "age appears to be best In four things old wood best to burn, old wine' to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read." The old Eng glish writer, Somervllle, gently insisted; "Wine that makes cowards brave, .tho dying strong." Even Homer admitted: "Wlne.givea much-strength to wearied man," but he advances, in another place, in the Iliad, quite the opposite sentiment, where he says: "Mine honored mother, bring mo not luscious wine, lest thou unnerve my limbs, and make me lose my wonted prow ess apd strength." A favorite sentiment among the Romans was: "Vinum ex hilarat anlmum wine xnaketh glad' tha heart." Schiller once said: "Wine invents noth ing; it only tattles." His great fellow poet, Goethe, however, viewed wine dif ferently. "When thou hast drunk wine," he said, on one occasion, "thou art ever, double what thou wouldst otherwise be twice as full of Ingenuity, twice as energetic"- This Is the way Aristophanes looked., upon drink: "When men drink, they are rich; they traffic, are successful In. law suits, are happy, give aid to their friends." The suggestions of Plato are of inter est. . He advocated a law to totally pro hibit the use of wine for boys under 13. After that, he believed they should only use It moderately until they were 30. At 40 he believed men could safely Indulge at banquets. For men in. their declining years, he said DIony3os "kindly be stowed wine upon men, as a remedy against the moroseness of old age," so that, through It they might grow young: again. Tho paint Plato was evidently anxious to establish was that the danger In wine drinking lies more in its abuse than In Its use. The argument is a good one now. In the First Epistle of Paul the Apostle, to Timothy, Paul- says, in chapter5 vr verse 23: "Drink no longer water, but use a lit tle wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." If men would only heed this and not go Into excesses, there would be little danger. Anslo-Sfucons Hard Drinkers. The Anglo-Saxon forbears of the Eng- llsh race had the reputation of being' great drinkers a reputation they certain-' ly sustained. At their convivial gather ings, it was the custom to pass around a huge cup, from which each in turn took a draught, to the health of tho company. This was done standing. As the size of the vessel made the use otT both hands necessary, this act left tho body unprotected, and gavo an enemy tha opportunity to commit murder. This led to the adoption of the custom ot having a friend stand at hand, with,, drawn sword, as a defender. Such friend was termed "a pledge," since ho pledged? the- safety of the one drlnkinjg.rTo' pledge one in drink comes directly from; this ancient custom, the adoption oC which was brought about by the assass!-' nation of Edward, the Saxon King, whoi was stabbed while drinking. Some trace the origin of drinking) healths by pledge of friendly protection, to the time of the Danish Invasion. as the old Norsemen had a habit of stab bing an enemy while his hands held aloft; his drlnklng-cup. The passing of thoj cup from lip to lip that has come down, to the present, finds its counterpart lnj the "loving cup." This custom prevails at the great feats of the ixrd Mayor, of London. Pledging another in drink has often led another to inebriety. Sir Matthew "Hale, England's great Chief Justice, enjoined his grandchildren from drinking health, pledges, for the reason that. In largo as- semblages, it was prone- to lead to de bauchery. Drinking? Henlths. Probably the earliest recorded lnstanco In Anglo-Saxon times of drinking to tho health of another, was where Romena gave Vortlgern a pledge in wine. Enter lng the King's presence with the cup, where he was surrounded by his guests, she bowed lowly to the sovereign, ex claiming: "Waes heal, hlaford Cynlng Be oft health, Lord King." Then draining tho cup, she said: "Drink heal drinlf health." In 1617, Rich, an old Irish writer, ex pressed himself very pointedly on drink ing to the health of others. He wrote a, book, and In which he said: "In former ages they had no conceits whereby to draw on drunkenness; their best was, 'I drlnke to you,' and I pledge yee; till at length some shallow-witted drunkard found out the carouse, which, shortly after, was turned Into a hearty draught; but now it is Inglned (enjoined) to the drinking of a health, invention oC that worth and worthinesse, as it is pltty the first founder was not hanged, that wee might haue found out his name la the ancient record of the Hangman's Reg ister!" Rich quaintly observes further: "Ho that first Invented that vse of drinking healths, had his bralnes beat out with a pottle-pot: a most lust end for InvcnU ors of "such notorious abuses." CHARLES E. SAWYER. The Roof Garden. And now the garden on the roof. "When the evening's shade3 appear, The vaudevUHan's in his prime. The ballet and the beer. The arch of stars far overhead. The silent streets below; The gleaming hues of costly gowns In an electric glow; Tho dashing music of the band In waltz or minuet: The breezes fresh from sea and stra&d- The waiter "fresher" yet; The tempting tinkle of the ice. The singers saucy songs. Too often anything but nice Encored by noisy throngs. But, should the programme please you not. Why take another view, And study up your fellow-man, A some are prone to do; Or eat an Ice and talk of art If you would hold aloof From llfe'3 kaleidoscopic whirl That glittered on the roof. .New York Herald. Incorrigible. Mrs. Lushford I see you are. late again Don't you remember what I told you tho last time you stayed out so late? Mr. Lushford No, m' dear. Zass ze rea son I stayed out zlsh time to see If you'dl say It over again. Indianapolis Press. fU,- f
