With the repeal of the 18th Amendment, national Prohibition ended on December 5, 1932. Montana had repealed its own state dry law in 1926, but the national law continued to be enforced, although not too vigorously in Butte.

      Beer was the first booze to be legalized, becoming lawful on April 7, 1933, a little over 15 years after Prohibition went into effect in Montana on December 31, 1918. Nationally, the 18th Amendment had become the law of the land on January 26, 1920.

      (In addition to the national prohibition law, many states passed their own prohibition laws, and like Montana, some states repealed their anti-liquor laws before the 18th Amendment was repealed. But, many states continued to stay "dry," some for years.)

      The anticipation of drinking legal, "brand name" beer was running high in Butte. Budweiser and other national breweries ran ads in the newspapers for weeks preceding the big day, and news stories ran daily on the front page. Grizzled, old miners were acting liking children waiting for Christmas.

      State breweries, after being closed for 15 years, took a few months to get up to speed and start making local beers like Butte Special, Rocky Mountain, Kessler, Highlander, and Great Falls Select.

      Since there were no breweries close by, and Montana was surrounded by dry states, the beer had to be hauled in from Spokane and cities in the midwest. Nineteen Butte saloons were licensed to sell beer on the first "legal" day, but bartenders weren't sure the brew would arrive on time.

      William E. "Pussyfoot" Johnson, a veteran Montana "dry" crusader who arrived in Butte to wage war against the repeal of Prohibition, said that Friday, April 7 would be an unlucky day. "At the rate the wets' are going," Pussyfoot said, "I expect them to try to open establishments in the basements of churches."

      In a speech in Butte's First Baptist church, he said, "We are asked to drag back into American life the old-time dirty, miserable, outlawed liquor business, just as a cat comes dragging in from the back yard something nobody wants, except the cat."

      Nevertheless, refrigerated trucks loaded with beer were scheduled to arrive in Butte early Friday. Saloon owners said, "Beer in bottles would cost approximately the same as near' beer now costs the consumer, about four dollars per case of 24 pints. Over the bar, the foaming brew would be about ten cents a glass, depending on the brand of beer and the type of establishment."

      Two days before "B" day, the Butte City Council passed an ordinance covering the sale of beer. A full gallery was present when the council debated the issue.

      Presiding over the committee of the whole was Alderman "Cayuse Jim" Woods, local saloon owner and chairman of the judiciary committee. (Woods also was involved in the 1918 city council controversy over a dog ordinance. -Century of Butte Stories, January 7, 2004).

      Joe Briney spoke at the council meeting on behalf of wholesalers, and V. Truzzolino spoke on behalf of the restaurants.

      Briney wanted to know if wholesalers could sell beer to children. Assistant City Attorney Herbert Bingham answered, "The ordinance did not forbid such sales, as it only applies to retailers."

      Truzzolino wanted the public notified that minors and intoxicated persons must not be supplied (with beer). Mayor McTaggart said that cards to that effect would be given to all dealers and restaurants.

      A newspaper story reported that the new ordinance provided: "That beer shall not be sold to minors by retailers;' and that saloons shall close from 1 to 8 a.m., but that hotels and restaurants may serve beer with meals as late as 2 a.m." The ordinance became effected on April 7.

      It was discovered the day after the council meeting that, unknown to many who attended the meeting, two drafts of the ordinance had been prepared by the license committee. The first one provided that saloons could remain open 24 hours a day. The second draft included the 1 to 8 a.m., closing time. The second draft was prepared in case the full council rejected the 24-hour opening, which, of course, they didn't.

      The newspaper reporter was given the wrong report, and the ordinance with the 1 to 8 a.m. closing times was the one printed in the newspaper.

      But, the next day Cayuse Jim set them straight. "It was inaccurate to say in the newspaper report of the council proceedings that the saloons will close from 1 to 8 a.m. We are going to bring back the good old days and stay open as long as we like," he said.

      Some of the original 19 liquor permits issued included, Jere Clifford, Dominick Bruno, Jacob Rosenstein, Maurice Weiss, Francis Lyden, and Alderman Jim Woods in Butte; John T. Gardner, Meaderville; George Forsythe, Gregson; Frank Thomas, McQueen, and Mrs. L. Sylvain, Walkerville.

      Wholesale licenses were granted to Sweet Brothers, Waldorf Market, D. J. MacDonald, and Louis B. Cohn Company. Nine restaurant licenses were issued.

      License fees, good until December 31 of each year, were as follows: Retailers, $300; manufacturers, $300; wholesalers, $150; hotels, $125; restaurants, $100; clubs, $50; and vehicles used as common carriers, $25.

      Retailers were busy for weeks renovating their establishments and getting ready for the "flood of foaming beer and the expectant line of thirsty customers."

      Meanwhile, refrigerated beer trucks were speeding towards Butte from Spokane, Milwaukee, St. Louis, and St. Paul.

      Although beer was legal one minute after midnight on April 7, the first truck didn't arrive until later in the day. By the time the trucks reached the city limits, the thirsty (and cranky) customers had been waiting in the bars for hours.

      Friday, April 7, 1933, was a wild day in Butte.