The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-06-12
SATURDAY NIGHT IN LEADVILLE.
The Queer Sights to be Seen in Mining Town
1000 Feet above the Sea- Level.

shafts and Hocked into town, intent on havln,
a good time. Harrison avenue, from Ches,
nut street 10 the post office was so thrOnge(
yesterday afternoon and evening that all wer
forced to walk slowly. Cosmopolitan IN thu
extreme was this mass Of slow moving miners
At the post office three columns stretched from
the delivery windows far out on the sidewalks
Some of these men had stood for over two
hours awaiting their turn. The crowd wa:
very good.natured Drunken men were plen
ty. Out from the wide doors that opened into
great halls where the air was heavy with to
baccO smoke and the gas burned with dull
yellow glare, rolled confused volume Of
words
/ entered one Of them Gently pushing my
way beyond the long black walnut bar, glist
cning with decanters, filled with highly-color
cd liquors, and bright drinking. glasses l pass
ed on to the gambling rooms, A ience ran
down the middle Of the room. To the left OF
it the space was occupied by keno players,
At least a hundred men were playing. The
game has undergone changes since last saw
1t PLAYED in log hut at Bismark, on the Mis-.
souri, river, and was unable to follow it. The
Giles of the dealers were loud and constant
AT short intervals the voice OF some player
would be heard, yelling IN triumph, "Kenow
But without any perceptible stop, the game
went On.
Tired Of watching, strayed off to the faro
tables Here | was greatly surprised to see
the men playing with tcncent checks. AT
once I suspected that the reports OF the ex.
cccdIng richness of the camp on the carbon
ates were false Men clad IN cay.soied can
vas suits held out toilhardened hands; men
from stores and contingencies played at
their sides. If one could have seen the hands
only of the players, what a qaeer sight it
would have becn-handS of all sizes and col
ors; hands caloused by twisting steel drills,
or the slipping through them of hammer han
dies; soft, white hands that had never worked.
All lowered over The table like hawks over a
rabbit hidden in clump Of grass. The stacks
of checks were moved from card TO card, Now,
without reason, a rush would be made 20 cop
per the ace then another rush to play the sew
en- to win. Drinks OF whisky and beer APP
pearcd and vanished. Smoking was constant
ly gong on. The hard faces Of the faro deal
ers never changed. Mechanically they pulled
the cards from the silver boxes.
In these gambling houses any person wish.
ing to bet against the bank can claim the case
box aud keep case. The great majority of the
games are square. All the keno games are
square, as the dealers of that game are paid a
commission on the amount Of the pools or
pots. In this great room the tables were own.
ed by the house and rented to the gamblers by
the week or month There were many games
that had never seen beforc--short
faro high ball poker four to one. OF course
a woman was dealing twenty-one. The roul-
cite tables were crowded. Players and spccta-
tors were very courteous to one another All
were apparently indifferent As to the outcome
of the game. Standing behind two miners,
who had half dozen stacks of blue checks
before them, watched Il game of faro. These
men were talking of the Gunnison country,
and | overheard their conversation. IL tell
YOU" said the larger and dirtier of the two,
that Slim Jim PANIED out $50 a day on White
river" "The hell he did" said the cleaner
of the twain. YES" Then in an undertone
they talked earnestly and with subdued eX-
Now and then | could catch sen.
u.s." Force enough to open the district is
being organized" THE Utcs will fight like
devils" The unwashed digger OF carbonate
silver ores mechanically placed his checks
stack by stack on the king. Isstlnctlvely his
hand searched for copper" Finding one,
it was placed on the stacks. Being pleased
with the appearance and bearing of the un-
washed, | looked anXiOusly at the case box
and say that the king was dead, all having
been played The hand Of the miner removed
and replaced the copper, as he unconsciousy
bet that the king would win or lose. The box
was almost empty. The call was made The
rapid shulling of the cards preparatory to a
new deal struck sharply on the ears of the two
men. Looking up they saw Il smiling circle
OF faces, and glanced inquirlngly at the deal
err. Pleasantly he said: ale was dead when
you stacked on him" A little profanity, and
the conversation on the supposed richness of
the White river placer mines was dropped.
s,raycd from one gambling house to an.
other. | found few brace games of faro,
high-ball poker, and chuck luck in operation
in low dance halls These games were sup
ported by new corners and drunken miners of
tender years. The great majority of Leadvllle
miner, thoroughly understand the games they
bet against and it would not be safe for the
dealers to deal unfairly. In all these places
the great crowds were drinking freely. In all
they were kindly and goodna,ured. With very
few exceptions none of these men wore pistols
openly; though, rs they moved about and the
side pockets OF their sack coats of canvas or
cashmere struck against chairs, tables or coun-
tiers, the dull .hud made by iron coated with
cloth striking against hard substances could
be heard | saw no row, no approach to one,
Drunken men staggered in and out of the
gambling houses by the dozen. The men who
played lost or won money with indifference,
not apparent but real. The only object seem
ed to be to pass the time agreeably. The cost
of their fun did not seem to enter their Calcu.
lations At some tables | saw men throw
down notes and demand checks. Politely the
note was returned, Kindly, firmly, the cold.
eyed dealers told these men that their money
was not wanted Asking the reason for the
barring out of these men, was told that they
kicked" when they lost, and made things dis,
agreeable. Hanging over all OF these tables
thought could see a cloud of dread lest a row
mi ght be started If once begun IN n hall
crowded with courageous men well armed, no
one could fortell the end of the fight. All
were anxious 10 avoid 1t.
Leaving the gambling halls at about twelve
O'Clock, went to a rather famous theatre, or
free and easy, that all strangers who wish to
be disgusted should see. | had seen many
vile shows in the fnininp Gamma of the North.