J. Monks

J. Monks. Historic Site. , J. Monks was a liquor wholesaler and rectifier specializing in foreign and domestic liquors and wines, cigars, tobacco, sugar, playing cards, cordials, bitters, and other bar supplies. There were certainly many bars to be supplied - before the Civil War, there were 58 local saloons and by 1895, that number had ballooned to 840., J. Monks was one of many rectifiers located along Main Street. These liquor dealers bought barrels of whiskey from distilleries and sold them to the restaurants, taverns, and grocers who then sold them to the public by the drink or in take-home jugs filled from tapped barrels., [Captions:] , 58 Saloons Before The Civil War , 840 Saloons 1895, Unfortunately, some of J. Monks' fellow rectifiers would stretch their supply of whiskey by adding cheap grain spirits - or even kerosene - to boost alcohol content. They would then darken the diluted whiskey with tea, prune juice, or tar. Naturally, these practice upset the distillers who wished to protect the quality of their product and brands' reputations. Two important consumer protection laws resulted from the determined efforts of prominent distillers, among them Louisvillian George Garvin Brown and E. H. Taylor, Jr. form Frankfort, KY.