New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-12-12
PHILADELPHIA IN SLICES.
2Act NI....THE GAMBLING AsD DHIyxivG
HoU.Es


nearly eNtrpa,ed professional bsckegisrn from Pills
r2hs Not more than three OF four regular gambling
hp1se exist within the limit. Of the city snd the
COS Quoted with so much mystery and secrecy that
Yer few persons except those Immediately concern ed
know anything about them Indeed ia the face OF the
fa,t that few months since respectable citizen who
KEEP. fashionable billisris saloon n Chesnut-.treet
wa. convicted and sentenced by Judge Parson. TO
threa years In the Penientary for permitting and
MIN; ing 10 game Of pool Is quite warning sufficient
% keep things close We have succeeded however
with good deal Of difficulty gaining 20 two
81 he .e establishments, both in Chesnut-street and
one IS Walnut street They are very handsomely got
~ and conducted with the most perfect quiet and p0-
I-eness A free supper stands ever ready for the
guest. in side room and wines and liquors fur
ni-h-d gratis and Of the best quality The principal
game is faro; although poker brsg ssd other CIT
thro5z games occasionally carried on in private
way The vsiicrs struck with surprise as coming,
many Of them. from a class Of society from which
were very far from suspectng such thing However
it is mat eur purpose 20 expose individuals but We
viii lay that If the persons present and betting AZ
gambng-house In Chesnut street every sultry night
about the middle Of August were 10 be summoned 10
appear witnesses agsins; the propretors Of the
house there would be such public CONSERVATION IN
philadelphia as has not been for many day The
police are perfectly aware Of the location Of these
houses but they also knsw that from the character OF
those who frequent them it would be almost mpossi
bic to make them testify and thus blast their repu
iation and destroy their credit However there are
keen eyes on the watch and At the first slip these
houses viii be- indicted and their keepers b the
Penientiary. Let them keep close. they will be
kept closer
Beside the regular gaming houses there arc several
private clubs, the principal business Of which - Of
course gambling Indeed have always regarded
club worse than protested gambling house. In
the latter you least know what you about and .o
into the business with your eyes open while In the
former the ereenhorn is inveiged in under the mask
of friendship and conyiyislty and rhed with little
conscience iorbesrance by the regular blscklog
The clubs and gambling houses in New York As de-
scribed little while since in The Tyi5uHe, resemble
ours almost literally and any farther detail Of them is
unnecessary.
Another species Of gambling house. however Of
which We have seen no account are the billiard and
bowling saloons which great plenty in Philadel
phia and absorb the days. evenings and probationary
OF large class Of young men whose brains are az
barren their chins and whose income Is quite out OF
proportion to their expenditure. Since the recent
stringent execution Of the ntigsmbling law the bust
ness Of betting these places ostensbly prohibited
However 1t IS very easily managed, notwithstanding
a. will be clearly by detailing little conversation
we overheard ia the entry to one Of these places few
nights since
~ say jim n bet you rive dollars before We % mp
on the best IN FIVE games
Done and IN 90 you theater ticket and wood
cock At Dandursnds into the bargain.
d" Donei'
Thus the law is violated constantly at these establish
ments, while the Keepers never the wiser OF ii
We do not wish to be understood condemning PER S.
the recrestious OF bowling and billiards They are, IT
moderately INDUCED in, wholesome aud harmless But
it must be confessed that portion OF the company
which generally resorts to these establishments. and
the accessories Of brandy smsshes tobacco and cgars
profanity and late hours, not very conducive TO
either physical or moral health and that they too
often but anteroom it TO the rum hole, the
gambling house and the brothel
We said that in the city there were but three four
regular gambling houses but in the districts Of Spring
Gsrden, Southwark and Moysmensing there many
more They are, however, OF an inferior class gene
rally kept in the back room or garnet of low grOg
gerry and carried stesthily body snatching or
murder They are vile, filthy dens and yet strong
sion of man, that these disgusting holes nightly
visited by clearly and respectable citizens who spend
here the money and time which belong TO their wives
and families and beside that strength and peace
of mind requisite to enable them perform faithfully
their obligations to society. Editors, lawyers, merch.
ants gentlemen of refined taste and cultivated under
standing here meet unsba.hed crafty the most cruel
and relentless appetite implanted in the breast Of
Lower down in the scale OF existence still
fouer and more disgusting dens but the vice Is still
the same aud the degradation considering the crcum
stances and education. not 50 bad.
The Drinking Houses Of Philadelphia are many and
drinking is carried on here as extensively any city
in the Union. But the barrooms are generally not 50
public as in other pisces and the dram drnker usually
slips through long passage up dark alley, before
he reaches the goal Of bis desires This may be partly
on account OF the smaller rent OF these back places
Tor we are notorios.y an economical people in Phs
delpha But it is mostly attributable to the stillre
manning sense proprety, sileast in outward respects
smoug nearly all classes OF our popuaton-some from
remnant Of inward decency but the greater from
motives purely interested and selfish. small mer
chant or trader, who should be seen daily openly
going into drinking shops and spending his time and
money at pablo places would be likely 10 lose bis
credit in Church alley while by stealing quietly into
any Of the hundred back doors which will conduct
him TO swell-suPpled bar, he spends but mp and
saves his ercdt-unless perhaps, he meets his whole
sale creditor taking private nip at the same place In
that case they may settle the matter between them
selves
The cheap eating house system has not Jet been In
tro5uced in Philadelphia much to our surprises u =
perfectly certsin there Is for dozen fortunes
t. De made here this way. Is true that there are
several good eating houses in the vicinity Of the *
change bat with the single exception OF oysters the
materials for dinner twice much A. a. your
crack establishments In Pearl street and four times -
much A. At Sweeneys In the matter of oysters We
have them IN the greatest abundance Al al places IN
All styles and at All prices some Of the dainty Goth
antics. however pretend to say that they are not
quite equal TO Of the finest and highest fed OF the
specie. 60 be procured 10 NewYork We never heard
this remark made by the way, until the speaker wss
prettv well cr.mmed with the escuents.' The best
eating house in Philadelphia IS the Csfs TorioaL kept
by Dsndurand an excellent French cook, and whose
cellar Is even superior to his visnds. II Is much ire
ouen,ed BY editors authors and the better class e
Young men about town, and officers Of duty lof whom