West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-04-19
Monte Carlo.

To one who travels IN northern Europe,
one of the most curious places to visit is
Monte Carlo, the Gambling Hell of Europe,
the only place, since play has been forbid
den at Weisbaden and Baden Baden, where
il is legalized. To make the pleasanter
trip, let one leave the car at Monaco. Ii is
the dwelling place of the Prince of Monaco,
and is but IA short walk from Monte Carlo.
Monaco is n small principality, one of the
oldest. If not the oldest, i'm Europe now
under the protection of France \ short
walk, and the long, smooth road, leading TO
the castle, is reached Ii stands, "a low, plain
building, simple in its architecture on the
top of "A high and picturesque blul, whose
western base is washed 10y the waters of the
bay. Ii is open two days in week, when
the prince is at home, hut the day i'm Ques-
tion being neither Tuesday nor Saturday,
| had not the pleasure of going through il.
Leaving the plain, bare yard, the road is
bounded by luxurious growth of gera-
niums, cacti, century plants, fig trees and
others of tropical growth Now we have
scarlet geraniums running wild and uncarcd
for by the roadside now along the water
front, under the shade of oleanders now up
"A gradual slope, with charming villas along
the road, and we turn TO the right. \ park,
finely cultivated, is before us, on the right
the Hotel de Paris, and just in front solid
white stone building, shining with a hun
drcd lights it is the "Sallc Maurcsque du
Casino de Monte Carlo Beyond are clec
trio lights, and over the roof scaiToldng
is visible and two towers rs yet unfinished
They are adding to the building and night
and day the work goes on. There is money
there to carry il ON. Let us hasten i'm. \
polite attendant opens the door and we are
In "A marble hall like IA grand Office or wait
ing room. The walls are dclicately fres-
coed, and the niche halls are lit up 10y cleo
rfiC lights On the rgiht is "A cloak room and
beyond IA reading room, where one can
learn of the world from hundred journals
of different nationalitics. Opposite the en-
trance double doors open into the prince s
theatre, gorgeously gilded and decorated
room, where performs one of the finest or
chestras in Europe. Two more doors yet
remain for us to enter. One TO the mana
ger if he may bc 50 called, where, if one is
thought To be minor, he must apply for "A
card of admission, not to be granted If un-
der twenty one But IA constant line of
men and women are going into the other
door Enter and YOU are i'm the gambling
HdlOpll. II II III lNp IlliANs NllN 'VilNiAll
ing two, and the larger four large green
covered tables. The room is magnificent
marble floor variegated panels, easy sofas,
elegant chandeliers and flowers; but It's not
the room which demands the attention of
the eager crowds who surround the tables.
Gold, silver and bank notes are rapidly
changing hands, and fortunes are made and
lost at the turn of the wheel or the face of
the cards Pretty English and French
maidcns are watching the numbers as they
come up, and daintily putting down five
franc pieces on red or black, dozens or
numbers. Old ladies are there, too, fat and
iidgcty; men who play by system, night
after night, some losing, some gaining;
young men taking the early steps; fast
women playing for themselves or the cs-
corts whom they may find; spectators who
have come To look OH, and, lurcd 10y the
hope that they may win, are venturing coin
after coin; while amid all, cOolly, quietly,
sit the four crOupiCrS, or bankers, rapidly
counting, taking in and pouring out money
with their little rakes with wonderful cc-
lerity There are two games here, roulette
and trente-quarantc, the former of which is
the most interesting of the two And of
this | will try TO give some explanation, as
played in Monte Carlo. The table has i'm
the centre round bowl in which il
mounted silver mounted wheel its peri
phcry divided by little partitions into thir-
ty-seven sections These are numbered
from zero TO thirty seven in a certain order,
and the squares are alternately black and
red, zero and the lumber next on its right
being black Around the bowl, above the
wheel, is n groove. After the bets are made
by those who wish, putting down upon the
| table their several amounts, anywhere from
five francs TO six thousand, one of the bank
ers turns the wheel one way, and the ball, n
small white one, is whirlcd around the
groove in an opposite direction. Soon IL
slacks down and drops into one Of the sec
tions Of the wheel The color and number
decide the bets. In betting, bets may be
made on single number, when, il fortu-
nate, the winner receives thirty-six times
his stake, the bank having the odds, three
per cent, i'm it's favor Or one may bet on
| odd or even, black or red, under eighteen
or over eighteen, on the first, second or
| third dozens, ON threcs or skies, the returns
| being in proportion 10 the chances rskcd.
| The bank always has the odds Of about
! three per cent. a great many bets are made
at once, and as the wheel stops thc stakes
are rakcd in, except those winning, and the
owners Of these are then paid very rapidly.
Some have great runs Of luck, and IL is said
that a prominent American tobacco mer-
chant made 57O, O,OO0f, but as rule those
who play loose, and that, too heavily The
play goes on afternoon and evening until ! ]
| or l.3O, when IL ceases, aud with scale and
pencil the bank rcckons up It's gain Monte
Carlo being the only place where playing
IL legalized, a heavy license is paid 10 the
Prince Of Monaco, and this forms his chief
revenue.
The BaIl of the Guiiuws.