Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-01-30
A North Carolina RemlnIscence.

ED. JOURNAL wish to tell you Of =
little incident that happened to the Chief
Of the Revenue department OF Winston,
Forsyth county. N. C. In that section of
the country there is great deal Of tobacco
grown and whisky distilled, and conse-
quently there is good deal of what they
call "blocking" carried en-; in other words,
they disti!l whisky and manufacture cigars
and sell them TO the trade without paying
the Government revenue. The Govern
ment appoints men and sends them there
TO look after and hunt down these Illicit
distillers, who are located more or less all
ever the South, and frequently you can
hear OF one being killed. About forty
mile. north OF Winston Iuns the Blus
Ridge mountains, which have always been
great hiding place for these block disliIls
Colonel Wheeler, the chief ot the depart
ment, has sent cut deputies time and
again to hunt down these dislillers, but
with very little success. One day he
started out alone to look for them. He
gol TO the foot OF the ridge just Al night.
fsil, and began al once 10 ascend. The
road he MAS travelling was known nv Dutch
Gap There are severa; other pnsses, Low
gap, Fancy gap and DEVILS gap. As he
got well on his way it got very dark, just
IS be calculated it would. Suddealy his
horse stopped IN the road and could not be
! I, 4
plunge, until Mir. Wheeler made ~ his
mimi thst there must he something terrible
| in the read, for he had never known his
noble horse To refuse 10 60 al his bidding
beisre. Mr.. Wheeler slighled, took his
horse by the bits and flashed hia builseye
lantern in the 10 I'd in front OF him. There
he saw a rough box cuiia sitting erossway vs.
OF the road, with these words written Oh =
card attached: "Ihis collin is ior DIR.
Wheeler, Chief Of Revenue, ii he nd-
saHces; ii he returns, hs IL sale"
MIR. Whee er MAS lhundeislruck there
he Was, miles from any dwell
ling, ON the ronsh mountain side.
On une side the walls were stauding high
above him, on the other, nis>tep wsuid
land him hundreds OF feet below. Aud hs
we'll knew that behind this coffin there
were score oi deadly rides ready, if lie
attempted TO pHs., la riaule HIM with hull
cts. lie mounted his horse, turned round
and rode dswn and did not stop until
twenty miles AWAY, all the time wondering
how The men were spprised ot h Q CON ing,
as he thought none but the most trusted
knew of his intended trip. But he says
that these men have spies everywhere and
know Of every Important move made
| il,a,n 4 is IA, ha.
OF revenue officer being killed in fact
there are caves and caverns IA this dis
trict sufficient 10 co7er up many dark
deeds. have seen many Of these block
distillers, aud know Of one near Winston
N. c., located on a steep sidehill,where the
ground II covered with u thick under
growth Of slunled trees and bushes.
cave has been dug IN the side OF the hill
the dirt having been taken out, wheeled
some distance aud dump d in HE creek
The entrance has been covered mp " u
brush Al as 10 conceal IL irum any on,
passing. The smoke and steam YVES car
red by pipe down the creek and relssns
ed in rocky gorge. This IA only enc of !
thousand located in these states. The wa
: Of hiding their manuf clnred goods is j,ls
/, Ms well dome, saw nne old gully, nut II
an ahshdoned field thai was used Nh hidm
place, in which there were stored ninsler
barrels Of block whisky. with weeds an
brush thrown over them. There II woul
> probably have lain for months, and per
- har. Tor years. until sorne night the owner
y would load IL ON wagons ard haul IL
n some confederate merchant, who wonl
r, sell it Ma government gonds and make
fine profit. There are manv who hav
grown rich lroni ,,al aacl, traffic.