Show Wettest Spot on Earth Gets Ready to Furnish Annual Supply of Christmas Liquor 4 kM 5 T I o I ij 7 s 's 1 7 Heres Here's a view of Sixteenth of September street Juarez Iu arez which has been called the wettest spot in the world Every arrow points to a saloon not all of which are visible in this picture The p photos otos below show the interior of one of the saloons and U. U S. S customs guards searching a party of suspected Mexican rum smugglers on the border near EJ EI E Paso A Mexican Rum Run Runners Runner ers Risk Lives for 2 a Day DayEL EL PASO Texas NEA NEA Across Across o sluggish and shallow stream o ol of the Rio Hlo Grande lies the Mexican l cit city of Juarez which is going to be th tIn tho gateway through which most of the thi Christmas liquor for the entire southwest will be bo Imported The officers s and and men of or the vigilant vigilant vigilant vig vig- ilant U. U S. S border patrol service are arc on the job but a 3 stream which can be waded by a man is not mud of ot a barrier and the rum smugglers smugglers smugglers smug smug- and bootleggers along the border border bor hon der arc are preparing for a a. busy pre pre- holiday season Gettin Getting the booze across is a matter matter mat mat- ter attended by toy considerable risk to tc all aU parties RISKS RI KS LIFE FOR 2 Tho The actual work is done by Mexicans Mexicans cans from the working classes who risk their lives for 2 a day One On of these sallies sames forth at- at dusk at-dusk dusk a gunny sack full of whisky bottles bottle over his shoulder and goes to the shallowest section of the river There he waits behind a a. screen of 01 cactus until a light flashed by a a confederate on the American side tells him the coast is clear Then he plunges in wades across delivers delivers ers era his sack and comes back again all aU all in 10 10 minutes minutes' m time Usually the job is done on a bieger bigger bigger big big- ger scale than that however A party of ot half llaU a dozen or more carriers carriers car ear will go across together each man armed with a rifle rUle or a a. ver In addition a squad with rifles Is posted posted- on the bank banI banIon on the Mexican Mexican can side to lay down downa a barrage barage ill in incase incase case the border patrol puts in an appearance If the officers do show up there are fireworks quickly and without formality The officers are required to call Federal officers officers halt halt before before before be be- fore opening fire and usually the first syllable of this command is the signal for a burst of fire from the smugglers The border patrol goes armed and is quick on the trigger and many a desperate battle battle bat bat- tle the has been fought in darkness along the river The rho border patrol can hardly be ten ten- blamed for Its quick trigger Twelve federal men have been killed and 37 wounded In battIes battles battles bat bat- tIes with the tho smugglers since the prohibition law was established Nobody knows how many smugglers have lave been shot Tho profits are so great that the smugglers stick to the job in Ii spite of ot all an risks A cargo can canje be je transported across In half halt an hour at a low price The rhe men who get killed can cn be bo hired for 2 3 apiece Its It's a booming WETTEST SPOT ON ON EARTH Not all of the liquor comes across to the Americans many Americans go across to the tho liquor The Tho International International international Inter Inter- national bridges here hero close at 9 p. p p.m. m Tm but before that time Americans can cross freely and freely and hundreds of or them do daily dally on foot In street streetcars cars and by taxi Juarez Juares Is probably the wettest spot on earth and it docs docs' a huge o tourist trade One Ono Juarez thoroughfare with the picturesque name ot of The Sixteenth of September street boasts that it has moro more saloons than any other street in the world At places there is a a. bar every 20 feet tt All AU AUthe the saloons ousted from El P Paso Pao by prohibition prohibition pro pro- moved move to Juarez Juares and many other liquor dealers denIers from as far inland In Inland In- In lan land as St St. t. t Louis and Memphis 1 moved their business to Juarez like like- wise vise Until very recently Americans could legally buy liquor without even n crossing the river The rhe Rio lUo lUo Grande Grando occasionally changes its course In some pla places s sIt it has shifted a mile or more to the south louth thus leaving segments of Mexican territory north of the river and one such slap up against El ElPa ElPaso ElPaso Pa Paso o for tor years harbored a famous saloon known as the lie Hole in the Wall Vall This bar open at all aU hours and so 80 close to the business district district district dis dis- of ot El EI Paso as to be to all In Intents intents in- in tents tenth and purposes a a. part of the city did a thriving business with a 11 dance danco han hall and gambling den HOLE IN THE WALL CLOSED The Holo In the the Wall Vall be became me famous famous even even notorious Senor Its proprietor waxed rich Kl El Paso Pallo authorities protested to Washington that the situation was Intolerable but nothing could be bedone done Finally however the tho Mexican st state te of Chihuahua sot got ot a a. new new- goy gov t and Senor failed fatted to reach an agreement with him about tax pame So the Hole in the th Wall Vall was closed dosed There is however another oasis not quite so conveniently placed but still sUII accessible at all hours o of the day or night A little further down stream the Rio Grande has shifted to the tine north leaving a goodly patch of American territory on Its south bank Two bridges connect this land with the north shore and since they are not International International international Inter Inter- national bridges but simply bridges connecting two parts of United States soil they cannot t be closed at night The Mexicans have taken advantage advantage advantage ad ad- vantage of ot th this s to erect several saloons saloons saloons sa sa- sa- sa loons just across the border and any El EI who wants a drink can always get It day or night by simply crossing one of ot these bridges and walking a a. few tew hundred yards down the road until he ho finds finds' himself himself him him- him him- self seU in Mexico co |