The national prohibitionist. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1907-1911, 1908-03-26

cola, grape juice and the like. | asked for the
strongest grape juice he could give me, intimating
that little real liquor in it was what was desir-
Gus of getting, but was told that they had none.
given small glass and bottle of genuine
fermented grape Juice, poured out my drink from
the bottle and was given back forty-hve cents
change out of the fifty cent piece which had put
on the counter when first approached it. | drank
my glass of grape juice, remained some five or six
minutes longer, passing few words OF general
nature about the weather, asked for another glass
of grape juice, requesting touching up with
something little stronger and was again assured
that they did not keep it.
Just outside the door, as | passed out, | found
young negro man having on a white apron, as
though he was an employee of that or some ad
joining place, and asked him if he knew of any
way | could, on the quiet, got drink of real
liquor, there near by, and was told that, if |
would buy Southern Express Co. money order
there, and leave my address, they would have
bottle sent me from the Chattanooga branch of
the concern.
then traversed the entire remaining length of
Gay street, but was not able to find any place for
merly run as a saloon that was open with any
kind of drinks to sell The old, tough places,
down the railroad bridge opposite to the
Sterchi establishment, were all closed but one,
which was open with a shooting gallery with
pocket knives for premiums.
In the meantime, | had been told by very
spectacle lawyer of Knoxville that he hardly
thought" there was any place in the business por
ton open for obtaining the genuine article OF
liquor except the old "White Elephant Saloon" on
Union street about half square or more from
Gay street; that that was the "locker" establish
ment shown in connection with the recent article
in the Sunday edition of the Chattanooga Times
and that unless I could, through some friend
otherwise get into the secret of how to get it there
I would not be able to get it in the city.
I went to the old White Elephant just about
noon; found it advertised now as a restaurant by
a blackboard on the sidewalk with the menu
room contained only lunch counter with stools
for seats and the stools well occupied with persons
taking lunch of various kinds, but no signs of any
kind of Intoxicating liquors being sold drunk at
this counter.
Upon going on into the longer back room l
found a longer counter with chairs or stools
and behind it the rows of lockers or boxes,
bered up to about hundred mentioned in the
Chattanooga Times, which suppose contained the
real stuff"
At the back end of this counter there was a
large two gallon inverted water bottle. This was
about half full of something that looked like grape
juice I asked the man behind the counter for
drink of brandy, whisky or beer, but was told that
they sold nothing but soft drinks.
Some four or five were standing around, but no
one to any degree intoxicated. While | stood
there five minutes talking and looking
around, in as casual manner as | could, man
out from booth, somewhat like a telephone
booth, on the opposite side of the room from the
counter and lockers, drew small glass of water
from a sort of fountain on the counter and took 1t
into the booth. then asked for a drink of grape
juice if I could get nothing stronger, and looked
at the large inverted bottle the counter with the
reddish purple liquid in it and then up at the lock-