The brewery of Mr. Frederick Lauer of Reading, Pa., is not only among the oldest in the country, but has remained from the beginning in the hands of the Lauer family. It was established in 1823 at Womelsdorf, a few miles from Reading, by the father of the present proprietor, who had just arrived from Germany. In 1826 it was removed to Reading, and the business started on the same spot where it is now carried on. The elder Lauer was an indefatigable worker, and is said at this time to have taken no more than two or three hours regular sleep a day. In 1835 his son Frederick succeeded to the sole proprietorship of the brewery, and its progress from this time was very rapid. For several years ale and porter had been brewed, but no lager beer was made in the country until 1842. In the year 1844 Mr. Lauer began to brew lager beer, and was thus one of the pioneers in this industry; and since that time ale, lager beer and porter have been produced constantly. The brewery is a model of neatness and convenience, perfect in every appointment and the special pride and pet of its owner, who would much rather lose a year’s profits than tolerate dirt or disorder or the production of a poor beer. Mr. Lauer has not, however, been constantly occupied with his private business. For at least thirty years he has been one of the prominent men of the city of Reading; has held various important public positions, political and otherwise, and has done great service in securing equable legislation in matters affecting the brewing trade. A man of quick perception and untiring energy, he has again and again accomplished alone, or nearly alone, things that were considered almost impossible, and from whose attempt his associates recoiled. An instance in point is thus described in a recently published sketch of his life: “The way the tax was saved was as follows: Shortly before the adjournment of Congress, he (Mr. Lauer) received a letter apprising him that the Committee on Ways and Means were about advising an increase. He immediately telegraphed to the nearest members of the Brewers’ Committee to join him at Washington. They had an interview with the Committee of Ways and Means, but the Committee refused to make any modification in the bill, as it had already passed the first reading in the House. There were ten members of the Brewers’ Committee, nine of whom, after the interview, agreed to allow the fifty cents increase and make no further exertion in the matter. Mr. Lauer, the tenth, was not satisfied; and, after gaining the consent of the Committee, he called on a number of members of the House, and urged upon them the ruinous consequences to the brewing business which would follow the passage of the bill as reported. The same day, February 11, 1865, the bill came up in Committee of the Whole, when the desired modification was made by a vote of seventy-three to sixty-eight, and the following week the bill