An Old Whiskey Still

Old Time Still

Moonshine

Al Ferguson, Albert's friend and our neighbor up Soda Creek, boldly made and sold moonshine. Albert, also quite a sport, visited Ferguson frequently and together they imbibed in the homemade refreshments. Albert often times arrived home from these visits a little tipsy, singing "On the Banks of Ponchartrain."

One summer during the early 1920's, Albert spent more time than usual visiting Ferguson whose place was located south of South Vale Creek near our old homestead. While I was gathering the eggs one morning, I became alarmed for the chickens were cackling and staggering about and the hogs too, were weaving to and fro grunting gleefully. I dashed to the garden calling for Albert to come, but he was no where in sight, but soon made his appearance from the homestead outhouse that he had cautioned the boys and me to stay away from because of a den of rattlesnakes nearby. Singing his favorite song, Albert jovially followed me to the barnyard where we observed the animals odd behavior. There it suddenly dawned on me that Albert, the chickens and hogs as well, were obviously all stewed. It was apparent that someone had secretly disposed of their mash by feeding it to our hogs. I turned away disgruntled, for Albert knew how I felt.

My next trip to the garden, curiosity drew me to the recently relocated homestead outhouse. Inside I found a trapdoor leading to a concealed tunnel in the hillside which had water piped from the irrigation ditch above. Inside the tunnel, someone had paraphernalia and a "still" in operation.

That Fall, Albert dragged an old still (he claimed to have found) into the house and stashed it away in the attic. There it remained until we sold the ranch and moved away in 1952.