The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-08-02
MO0NSHINE WHISKY.
ITS MASUF1CTURE IN THE sECLU-
SION OFBLUE RIDG n MOUNTAIys.
The Revenue Laws Are Eiuded in Many
Places-Aii Sorts of Ingredients Used In
tho Production Of Mountain Dew.

ROANOKE, VA, August 1.-Special.-
Your correspondent has been spending
few days I'm the mountains OF Blue Ridge
Virginia. the home Of the moonshiner.
and has made a thorough investigation Of
the way this choice selection Of liquid
poison is produced.
Perhaps among all the lovely and pie
turesque regions that lie along the Appa-
lachain range OF mountains, from the
granite hills Of New England to the sunny
slopes of Dixie there is none that con-
tains more variedy charming sites and
scenes. in hill and dale rugged gien
and high mountain cliff, than the section
Of country geographically known as Blue
Ridge Virginia. composed Of the counties
Of Floyd. Carroll and Grayson and parts
Of the counties OF Franklin, Patrick and
Montgomery.
While this lovely country I'm summer Is
a paradise thereby hangs a tale. For
in many n vine-clad rayine turks a strong
Of will and aggravated violation Of the
law, AM in almost every deep shaded
valley. where apparently the prineyal
silence Is only broken by the murmuring
stream as II leaps over its pebbled bed,
Is almost hidden from human view
rude shed where this concentrated ex-
tract of corn and crude cussedness known
as 'moonshine" or mountain dew IS
made
The material most commonly used in
the manufacture Of this burning burlesque
on Bacchus is Indian corn. but when
superfine article is desired for home con-
sumption rye. in proportion Of one bushel
r,f 70. ~ &c ~
the other hand. when the whisky is intend
ed solely for commercial purposes, other
ingredients are added. commonly the
leaves and bark Of red-stemmed IVY to-
bacco stems and the leaves Of a native
shrub called "stagger weed Hickory
ashes are also used TO give IT head
This is not objected 10 by the constant
consumers of the home-brewed goods
who sometimes add cayenne pepper TO II
10 make II less fiery.
The grain is ground into meal at the
country mill, and i'm order 10 avoid sus-
picion the grist is taken TO the mill IN
two-bushe bags on the back OF horse
or a steer, the distiiier's son or some
other small boy generally making half
dozen trips daily, saying to curious persons
who might ask him that he was having
his corn chopped up 10 feed the stock,
consisted Of a small steer and a mountain
COW. neither OF whom ever tasted food
stronger than fodder. It would be con-
sidered a sacrilege. however. 90 doubt the
word Of any one engaged in this traffic.
The price Of corn in this region ranges
from 60 cents to 81 per bushel, this being
due 10 its manufacture into whisky and
not on account Of the amount grown,
which Is considerable. One bushel OF corn
will make three gallons of whisky, and
il is a common transaction for a farmer
10 barter one bushel Of corn for gallon
Of whisky. The country merchants usu-
ally purchase I'm the fan and winter large
quantities Of corn in exchange for goods,
and It is quite common for the merchant
20 be a silent partner with distilier,
one member Of the firm furnishing the
grain while the other does the work.
The wagoners. who are n considerable
number Of the bread-wnners Of this
country. buy butter. eggs and general
country produce from the merchant and
make out the load with several gal
Ions Of whisky and sometimes brandy,
usually in small kegs or jugs. sealed and
tagged. the tags bearing fictitious names.
The whisky is then sold at various towns
convenient TO the wagoners. Roanoke,
Danville. Salem. Radford and Pulaski.
OF course the dealers In blockade whisky
are frequently approhended IN their Nio-
iations Of the law and severely punished,
it generally taking as much money TO
get a man out OF a revenue scrape' as
no has made selling the contraband arti-
Gle. Yet there Is a strange fascination in
Il. A man when once engaged In the
business seldom engages in any other
occupation.
A considerable quantity OF apple brandy
is also made and sold in this section.
The distiller Of brandy usually has some
pretense Of conducting a legal business
as he takes out license 10 manufacture
and buys stamps for about one-tenth OF
his product The nine-tenths contratsnd
is sold 10 the neghbors and orchard own
ers for furnished fruit at 81 and N.7 per
gallon while the stamped brandy is
Skinned to the wholesale liquor dealers
In the cities. where IL is sold at about
two-thrds Of It's cost the entire prohts
being on the blockade brandy.
The brandy distiller usually reports to
the Government that ne operated his
place three or four days during the month,
being careful to place those days 10 cor
roborate with that Of the United States
eauger. who is supposed TO visit each
distIIerv every week or ten days
The whisky distnler sometimes has false
taps on the hogsheads Of malt on which
are placed apple pumace. so the concern
will have the general appearance OF
brandy distillery. while in reality com
mon corn whisky is being turned out by
the barrel.
Much more could be said Of the strange
ways Of these fragrant violators Of the
laws and their methods of distilling and
selling that to the uninitiated would seem