The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-28
MILES OF THE SMUGGLER.
CURIOSlTTEs OF THE ALASKA
WHISKY TRAFFIC.
An Innocent Carrier OF Two Demf-
johns Tells a Sfory-Product OF
juneau Breweries Sold Openly
Special Corresponding.

| JUNEAU. Nov A-while passengers
We're disembarking from our steamer at
Juneau, one started up the gangplank no.
ticea bly, overbur6ened with luggage. An
other passenger stepped forward and
courteously offered 10 relieve him of his
heaviest grip. The hurdened one COM
piled with aiacr!ty and an expression Of
relief.
II carried that heavy grip for him three
blocks. said the second man in telling his
experience half an hour later, and Just
as I was about 10 faint from exhaustion,
l was paraiyzed with aStonishment when
that chap turned down an obscure passage
between two buildings and then came out
and took the grip carried, with the re-
mark: Much obliged; there's two demi-
johns of whisky in it, and we got il past
them government sharps mighty slick
But suppose the officers had nahbed
me2' said l.
You wouldn't expect me 10 hang
around and get nabbed. too. would youg
asked he-and then he said: Much
obliged again. and disappeared into the
night. without SO much as inviting me to
take drink"
The Alaska liquor law is anomalous In
its general construction or application. For
example. there is a brewery at Wrangel
and two others at Juneau. and the product
is sold openly at both places, but If that
product Is taken up TO Dyea, or Skaguay.
it is promptly siezed by Deputy Collector
Floyd and his inspectors there. and confis-
Gated. The United States law prohibits
the presence of intoxicating liquor in Alas
ka and the United States officials at the
port of Dyea are but adhering to 1t in this
respect, in compliance with the rigid in
structions of Collector Ivey.
A Rigid Administration.
The Ivey administration, by the way, Is
said TO be the most rigid ever known in
Alaska and the officials have had to stand
some abuse because of 1t. But they are
going right along with their little augers
and steel prods. examining cargoes and
confiscating strong drink.
There are so many puzzling things about
the Alaska whisky matter, though. Take
the case OF those hreweries: the govern
ment makes the presence of the product in
Alaska unlawful, vet the government
pockets a revenue from that product at
the rate of 81 a barrel. in less quantities
than 500 barrels, and $3.50 a barrel when
the output is greater.
1t puzzles the traveller, too after seeing
so much trouble taken by the government
TO discover and confiScate liquors as the
stuff arrives on every steamer disguised in
all sorts Of ingenious ways: and then to
so ashore and be able to buy the strongest
kind of a drink at the various saloons.
me law gives the government officials the
right to enter and search any building sus-
pected OF containing liquor. but the rev.
enue officials hesitate to pursue so thor
ough or radical a course with the saloons
and say that the United States district at
torney's office is where such movement
should start. l did not have opportunity
to see that official but am informed that
he contends that the revenue officials
should take the initiative in the matter.
And SO the matter stands. Meanwhile,
anybody except an Indian can go to any
saloon and upset his stomach and head as
much as he pleases with poor whisky at
3 cents drink. Even the Indian gener-
ally knows where he can get Ii, IL he can
afford to pay the price, and the effect of
the stuff that is sometimes supplied him
is interesting to note.
At Dyea last summer. the revenue off,
Gals found a gang of them in camp at
Dyea, crazed by drinking a villainous de-
coction Of horse liniment, alcohol and pain
killer.
They were fighting and viciously biting
their children like cannibals," said Deputy
Collector Floyd, "and with the aid of the
marshals and others We had TO get In
among them and club right and left with
might and main to stop their antics"
Shortly after the Al-Ki locked at Ska.y-
uay, tall, thin man with a long coat come
aboard. Half an hour later occurred a
commotion on the wharf, and there stood
the same man, apparently grown much
stouter. confronted by the deputy collector
and an inspector, and demanding their
authority for stopping him. In dozen
seconds as many bottles of whisky were
shaken out of their various caches about
his person and off he went up town with
the officials for a turn or two in the
sweat box" at the customs office.
Whisky In a Tar Barrel
so many devices are now used TO smug-
gle in liquor to these ports" said one of
the officials, that we are compelled to
bore or prod into every suspicious looking
package that comes ashore. We find demi-
johns. bottles or kegs concealed in every
imaginable sort OF package. A barrel Of
tar was put Off here some time ago. and
something about it seemed suspicious, so
rolled 1t over and something inside CUR
gled goo goo good Hard tar don't go like
that. so We got an axe and chopped out q
fine key of whisky.
AT another time We became suspicious
OF the number of kegs of nails consigned
to a certain mark. The shaking test
seemed all right, as we could hear the
usual rattle OF nails inside but that very
rattle drowned the gurgle of gallon OF
whisky in each key, as we found upon
opening them"