New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1920-05-29
DoDGING PROHIBITION
ALONG THE MEXICAN
BORDER

How a thirsty inhabitant Of
these United States may obtain a
drink from our more or less
amiable neighbors to the South,
is told in an interesting manner
by John Edwin Hogg, who seems
TO know all the ins and outs and
the little tricks resorted to along
the Mexican border by hunters of
Che old-fashioned, high-yoltage
liquor.
If one is thirsty and takes trip
to the Pacific coast, if is only
necessary to buy ticket over the
newest of our transcontinental
railroads-and ride in buffe5 car
part Of the way. Then. too, the
train makes stops at convenient
points along the route where pas
sengers may step off ald put one
foot on brass rail to exchange
American money For any sort of
wet goods to be found in a well
stocked American cellar. This
railroad dips into Mexico in two
different places, and the buffet
car, which travels i'm bond through
the United States, is open for bus
mess as soon as the southern
boundary is passed.
OF course, bringing liquor out
of Mexico for future use in the
United States is contrary to law,
but Americans who are thirsty are
likewise ingenious. A favorite
passengers method that has thus
far defed the vigilance Of the
Federal authorities is that of rail-
reading the stuff with the aid of
a Mexican accomplish. There are
usually a lot Of poverty stricken
poems hanging around the Next
can railroad stations to whom
Uncle Sam dollars talk with a
loud voice. As the train is about
to start he hangs jug or bottle
inside the trucks of Pullman
car, or otherwise conceals it
about the train. Later when the
train stops at some way station in
the United States, perhaps well
over into Arizona or Texas, and
far from the gaze of border off
Gals, the passenger steps out. He
knows where to look for the jug,
and then little party is put on in
the Pullman smoker. Then too,
pints and half pints fit very nicely
into Pullman-car water coolers,
yentilators, and other numerous
hiding places about the average
transcontinental train, and even
II a custom officer happens to find
them it is rather difficult to say
just who put them there. That
hot-water bottles and ice bags are
also handy prohibition-dodgingI
containers is indicated by the fact
that druggists i'm the border towns
declare they are no longer able
to keep this kind Of goods in
stock.
Prohibition is the least of the
worries Of Americans living along
the Mexican border.
An American has but to sally |
up to one of the fences that sepa-
rate the United States and Mex
leo. The government has erected |
heavy barbed-wire structures on
the line at all the ports of entry,
but they do not completely close
the border by any means. A
Mexican on the lookout for this
kind of business, produces the de-
sired bottle, holds it close to the
fence, and hands the American a
straw. The straw is again passed
through the fence, but this time
the end that is in Mexico goes
ITO the neck Of the bottle and
re end that is in the United
States goes into the American S
mouth. The rules of the game are
that the American exhales before
going into action. then he shuts
his eyes and sucks up as much
liquor as he is able to swallow
without taking another breath.
For sanitary reasons many Ameri-
cans carry their own rubber tubes
for this form of prohibition dodg
ing. but the Mexicans limits the
size that may be used to one. !
eighth of an inch interior diam |
eter.
The Mexicans also sell eggs
through the international fence,
and several grown-up men stand
L.. =. ALa s,annsnns, ciln s,1ol