Rum Runners

Rum Runners. . , Who would think that along the St. Clair River between Port Lambton and Sarnia, Rum Runners were helping to quench the American thirst for alcohol?, The Volstead Act of Jan. 17, 1920 ushered in the era of prohibition. The act passed by the United States Congress made the manufacture, selling, importing and the consumption of alcohol, illegal., There were similar laws in Canada, but the distillers and brewers were still allowed to manufacture alcohol for the purpose of export. This arrangement made Canada one of the largest suppliers of liquor to the United States., The average wage for a farmer or fisherman was $35 a month. That same person could earn $400 a month or more by smuggling alcohol across the river. These smuggling operations were usually carried out at night under the cover of darkness. U.S. and Canadian custom agents searched the river for smugglers. Fawn and Stag Islands offered hiding spots from the passing patrol boats. If caught by law enforcement, Rum Runners could face fines as large as $1,000 and months in jail, not to mention their boat and cargo confiscated., The banks of the St. Clair River were a haven for Rum Runners who smuggled "booze" across the river. This was a lucrative business for folks who had access to boats. Sailboats, rowboats, motor boats or tugs, often painted black, crossed the river dropping off cases of whiskey, gin, brandy or beer to bootleggers on the U.S. side of the river., Winter did not stop rum running. Once the river froze over, smugglers drove various vehicles such as sleighs, trucks and cars across the ice to deliver their boozy cargo. Some would break through the ice, losing their cargo and sometimes their life. The odd time local scuba divers have discovered old vehicles sitting on the river bottom., The business of selling alcohol in the US was so profitable that many crime organizations formed and people became millionaires. Some of the famous crime bosses of the Prohibition years included Lucky Luciano, Dutch Schultz and "Legs" Diamond. One of the most famous of these crime bosses as Al Capone. "Big Al", as local lore claims, was reported to have visited Sombra, staying at the Grand Hotel. Al was there to organize the deliveries to supply his own bars, known as Speakeasies. Speakeasies get their name from quietly whispering your password to gain entrance to the bar. Once Prohibition was repealed on December, 5, 1933, the rum running trade dried up and the wild times were no more.