Even when Carroll County was dry, it really wasn't
Kevin Dayhoff kdayhoff AT carr.org Posted on
http://www.explorecarroll.com/ 1/21/09
The Union Bridge Pilot carried a curious news story on Jan. 21, 1921, under the heading of "Local Items," about a gentleman "who had violated the Anti-Saloon League's ideals ..."
It seems that earlier in that week, this fellow "was found on the railroad tracks near town in the evening perfectly oblivious to the workings of the outside world, and particularly to the workings of a steam locomotive, one of which was due within a short time.
"When found he was lying crosswise of the track and, had not help reached him when it did, he would doubtless have continued to dwell in oblivion."
One can only imagine that he did not freeze to death because of the amount of "anti-freeze" in his system.
I thought of the Union Bridge Pilot article recently when the word "saloon" came up in a conversation with six artist friends. A group of us -- 20 artists in Carroll County -- have formed an art co-op called "Off Track Art."
After an organizational meeting, several of us adjourned to Wine Me Up, on East Main Street for pizza and conversation.
One of the conversations was about how to remember to spell words that are similar in sound; such as "desert" (as in the Sahara Desert) and "dessert" (as in ice cream and cake). I always recall that "dessert" has two s's -- as in "I'll have two desserts."
Another spelling rule that came up in the conversation was how to tell the difference in spelling "salon" and "saloon."
Of course, my mind drifted to the work of the "Anti-Saloon League" in Carroll County.
It was a national organization that existed from 1893 to 1933, and was quite active in Carroll County. As one can easily understand from the name, the Anti-Saloon League opposed the sale of alcohol and, by January 1919, had been successful in getting 75 percent of the states in our country to pass laws that prohibited the "sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors."
Locally, Mary Bostwick Shellman was noted as being determined to banish Westminster's 21 saloons, according to Nancy Warner's book, "Carroll County Maryland, A History 1837-1976."
Bear in mind that during this period, Westminster had approximately 3,000 citizens. That's about 140 persons per saloon.
Carroll County went "dry" in 1914. Six years later, on Jan. 29, 1920, prohibition took affect for the rest of the United States. The passage of the Volstead Act as the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibited alcohol use except for when it was used in religious ceremonies.
No information is available as I write as to how many folks gained a renewed interest in religion as a result of prohibition.
And one wonders how it is -- or where -- the gentleman in the 1921 Union Bridge Pilot article found his religious elixir.
I should mention that according to an account that appeared in the Pilot on July 8, 1921, four stills, a quantity of corn whiskey and 150 gallons of mash were seized by police officers at a local church.
Deacon Willie Brown, in whose room the distilling was being carried on, was arrested. Brown admitted in police court that he had been tempted by the devil.
No mention was made in the article as to how popular Communion services were at the "Church of the Holy Moonshiners."Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster. E-mail him at kdayhoff AT carr.org.
Twitter: My Wed Jan 21, 2008 Westminster Eagle column: “Even when Carroll County was dry, it really wasn't”
http://tinyurl.com/apk85kMy Wednesday, January 21, 2008 Westminster Eagle column: “Even when Carroll County was dry, it really wasn't”
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Kevin Dayhoff
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