100 Years Ago

                                          

                                      SEIZE BIG STILL IN NEW KENT CO. 

Plant, Located on Island in Chickahominy, Said to Be Owned  Here. 

State and federal officers yesterday descended in force on a distilling plant, supposed to be owned by Richmonders, in New Kent county and captured a 800-gallon still, thirteen fifty-gallon fermenters and two 500 gallon fermenters. 

The raid was participated in by State Inspectors J.C. Dillard. V.O. Smith, J.N. Wood. J.C. Elliott. P. O. Nance and W.F. Gregory, and Federal Agents W.L. Willis and S.W. Davis. 

The seizure was made on the Chickahominy river near Bottom's Bridge. The still was constructed of  copper and wood and was of the so-called submarine style. It was located on a small island in a marsh. The officers had to go through water and muck waist-deep to get to it. 

    Floated Materials. 

It is believed that the still was used during the high-water period when materials could be floated in and the distilled product floated out. It is thought that with the coming of low-water it was abandoned with the purpose of making it again a base of operations in the fall. 

Inspector T.M. Gravely today reported the seizure of a sixty-gallon copper still on Little Creek, in Tazewell county. The officers laid in wait from dawn to late in the afternoon. But no one appeared and therefore they took the still and went on their way. A seventy-five gallon still was also taken in the same county.

-News Leader, 29 August 1924