Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-10-17
Characteristics Of LeAiyiIle.


during the excIie1ens % the winter and
early sprIng we're of . very niscsiisne-
Gus character. From the San Jasn
country IN Southwestern Colsr.do,
from the Black Hills, from Utah. Neya-
ia and California. came the veteran
prospectors whose familiar faces have
been seen IN every new mining camp
vest Of the Missouri river. They are
the same rough, reckless. good hearted
men 50 admirably described 10y Bret
Harte, as ready TO fight over a game Of
cards or share their last dollar with Q
friend IN distress A. they were in the
early days IN California or a few years
later In Nevada. They never feel st
home IN a civilized comm unity, and the
restraints Of Law vigorously enforced
are uncomfortable to them. These
men, who have given to Western min
ing life so much of Its charm when
seen from distance by the aid. of some
of our most delightful sketch writer's,
but Who are looked upon as little better
than wild beasts by sober going, re-
! spectacle people from the East when
/ brought into contact with them, threat
ened at one time to get the upper hand
OF Leadville, as they did when the dis
covery Of the Comstock Lode brought
them by hundreds and thousands into
Virginia City. But the carbonate camp
was too accessible the fame of its rich
deposits spread too rapidly in the East
and attracted hither too many who were
accustomed to live in well-ordered COM
munities and to respect and obey the
laws, to allow any class of rough, devil
may-care miners and adventurers to
rule the new settlement. One or
two threatening demonstrations were
promptly checked by the local author
tiles sustained by strong public SEN
timent, and so general good order has
been preserved, the laws have been well
executed, very few men have "died in
their boots" and vigilance committees
have been unnecessary.
In spite Of the restraints by which
they have been surrounded, the nomad-
ic adventures of the mines have left
their stamp upon Leadville and some
of its institutions. The saloon" wills
ky.shop), gambling house, dance-hall
and variety theater, in which the same
men or their prototypes sought refresh
ment and amusement in other camps,
were transplanted here and for few
months did hourishing business.
Times are dull with them now, for no
small number of their patrons have
found the surroundings of Leadville
uncongenial and have gone in search of
new excitement beyond the great range
in the Gunnison country and in the
prospect camps that are springing up
in every direction from Leadville. BY
next winter they will find this place
more of city and less of camp than
it now is, and therefore less attractive.
The drinking saloons of Leadville, Of
which there are between ninety and q
hundred, are of every grade, from the
gaily painted and brilliantly lighted
bar-rooms, with their wonderful piles of
crystal goblets and long rows of cut
glass decanters, to the low grog-shop
in log-cabin, with its pine counter,
earth floor and three or four black bot
ties. presume that there is no place
in the United States where the number
of saloons and bar-rooms is greater in
proportion to the population, or where,
on account of the climate, Incorporate
habits are more frequently fatal. Gem
eral good order is maintained in and
about the whisky-shOps, and fights are
not more frequent than they are in
Eastern cities.
The gambliDg-houses are feature of
Leadville, as they are of every other
mining camp. Although there are
State laws and city ordinances forbid
ding gambling, no effort is made to en-
force either. The doors of these places
stand wide open day and night, and
everything is done to attract the notice
of passers-by, just as if the business
was Legitimate one, and protected by
law. There is no pretense of elegance
in any Of the gambling-houses which I
have visited in Leadville, as there is in
those of Eastern watering. places and in
large cities. The inside of most of
them is destitute of paint or plaster.
The tables are plain pine ones and are
surrounded by wooden chairs. The
floors are covered with tobacco-juice
and mud, and the patrons are mostly
roughly clad miners, who play small
or large game as money is plenty or
scarce with them. In prominent
place in each saloon there is bar,
which is always we'll patronized in the
larger places there are two bars. One
half or one-third of each gambling
house is separated from the remainder
by low railing and is set apart for
keno. Around the sides of the remain
der are tables upon which are played
faro, high ball poker, rouge ct noir,
hazard, etc. In the rear of each place
q private room is partitioned off for the
accommodation of persons who wish to
Eight the tiger" in private. In the
public room the play is generally for
comparatively small sums; chips are
sold for from 10 cents to 81 each and
the bets rarely exceed IS. In the day
time the gambling saloons of Leadville
are almost deserted. but at night and
on sundays they are constantly
thronged.-N. Y. Tribune.
SENATOR BURNsIDE.-A Washington
correspondent writes "The handsome
widowsr from Rhode Island is great
favorlte with the youthful element in
the social world, and is never happier
than when in some way adding to their
pleasure. Senator Burnside grows
younger with age, il you can reconcile
H. 20