The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1865-08-05
Gambling at s..ras~~.

Our principal watering place will soon
equal, in its gambling facilities, The Baden
Badens and Hanburgs of the Old Word.
A letter.writer in the New York Wo.ll hasti
" sketches the character of the gambling
clubs NV in fun blast at the fashionable
resort. He says:
The more elderly Cubans prefer faro or
roulette, with little trout and woodcocl
after it. Morning, noon aud night finds them
feeding the hungry tiger with their overplus
of wealth, beed,ess Of the cost so long rs the
fur lasts. From observation j should dye
that more than half the men who frequent
the spa partake more or less Of the hospitai-
ties Oferer: by the generous Plutos of the
place, and fling away Sans Of fifty. one hun
dred, or a thousand dollars apiece ion the
chances of the cards or balls. 1t is said
thar the pregent promises to be the great
est gambling season ever known. Green
backs are plenty, the facilities for gaming are
ample and entcing, business IS dull, the war
is cvef, time hangs heavily-in short, all
things ARE pfopitious for the sporting element
and THE taste for hazard is spreading under
the adfo;t influences get In motion. Such
model reaction as we are now beginning to
experience, might have been expected to fol-
low the closing up OF a great, cilamitIous
war. ! believe that there are now about
fifteen or twenty CT the fiery furnaces in full
blast here, and at the lake, whittier all visi-
tors at the hotels take frequent rides atont
shutdown or twilight. In order TO transact
business without risk cf coming to sudden
dead lock, these banking Institutions have to
hold large cash capital; varying, of course,
in amount, according to the class of game
sters who patroniZe them. II is profitable,
that upward of three million dollars is this
season invested in this usually highly lucra-
tive tr Adc: and as fifty per cent. profit IS bat
a moderate estimate OF the average actual
earnn rs OF these establishments, it follows
that, if the season continues brisk, many
hundreds of thousands will be deposited 10
the tigers account within the period dating
from July !, to September 10. The luxurious
s.ye in which the club houses ere conducted,
renders them plaues nf curiosity for nearly
all persons. The hotel tables are sirnrly rs
almshouse boards in comparison with the
epicureun displays made at Hills, MGrrisseys
and elsewhere. The choicest Heilseck,
Mumnl, or Morgaux, flows In streams, rs the
tempting game, fresh from the Adirondack
region, is served up hot on silver plate that n
Duke might coyet. While poor liquors aud
abomuable cigars are sold AT old Richmond
prices in the hotels, the most fragrant Havan-
as, Figatos and Espanolas, and the cos;lier
brand,es, are urged upon the guests at the
tigrine mansions The parors ami reading
rooms are carpeted a Ia Fifth Avenue md
rich tfescoing gives life to the walls. The
furniture is tempting to the weary or the lazy
dropper-in. The easy. Nguiet manner of the
host, the assiduiiy and rromptness of his
corps of trained walters, and the genial It
mos phere of high responsibility and refine.
incnt, prove all powerful charms to youth, -
maiured men seeking relaxation from the
turn oils of business, and especially to those
who have borne the hartships of camp life
and are once more free to follow caprica or
inclination.