Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-07-31
EUROPE's GREAT GAMBLING DEys,
Magnifieence of MANAGE
and mOnteCarfO-The Characters
You Meet.

Gtftter1mg Magniffcence of Monaco
anu hhOnteSarfO-Ehe Characters
You Meet.
A writer in one of the current magazines
says: Monaco is more beautifully and
strikingly placed than any other of the
towns of the Riviera, standing on the
brow of bold and lofty promontory,
fully seventy-fiVe feet above the sea on
the south, but as you penetrate further
into the heart of the town the ground
rises higher and higher, until an ACTIVITY
is formed of fully 500 feet in height The
proximity to the sea, combined with its
lofty situation and the protecting girdle
of hills, coalesce in producing a soft and
mild temperature, and earned for the
place its title of ''The Paradise" The
society here is wealthy, but the corrupt
ing influence of the ''maison de jeu," or
gambling-house, has rendered social
amenities almost an impossibility; and
SO, despite the beauty of its climate and
the tropical luXuriance OF the vegetation,
the more respectable sections of society
avoid the place as permanent residence.
The chief points of interest in the town
are the Palace of the Princess and the
Casino. The former is occupied by the
tributary Princes of Monaco, who have
surrendered their principally and indie
pendence to France, on condition of being
permitted to retain the conduct of the
world-famous Casino. The latter estab-
lishment is the Mecca of the fevered
pleasure-seeker. Here are gathered to-
gether the gay and dissolute of all nations
Here many q youth, for q moment
diverted from his predetermined course,
has left health and reputation in the
absorbing aspiration for wealth, and here,
too, comes the inveterate gambler, coolly
hazarding his money on the turn of the
ball, and winning or losing with the same
stony expression o6imperturbability
Human nature delights in surprises and
revels in the picturesque elements of
contrast. To gaze from darkness to
respondent light-from light into i'm
penetrable darkness-all these are forms
which the Imagination projects into en-
during beauty and charm. And SO the
pictures often presented, principally by
newspaper correspondents, of the ex-
tended form of the suicide, stretched on
the terrace of the Casino, with the moon
cold rays cleaning on his colder features,
while the brilliantly lighted apartments
and Natures imperishable beauties
SEEMED TO MOCK THE SADNESS OF HIS DOOM,
All these appeal powerfully to the SYM
pathy and the sense of the picturesque in
But unfortunately for the ex-
istence of such, and similar highly-colored
truth is mighty, and will pre-
vail" These stories are retailed by the
French press, and reported ad nauseum
by the newspapers of every land. On
careful inquiry directed to several individ-
uals who have spent year after year in
Monte Carlo, could not discover one
nely-authenticated case of suicide |
here. 1t is claimed, and prob |
ably with considerable truth, that those |
stories are originated by correspondents, |
who were unsuccessful at play or in secur-
ng loans from the establishment. shall |
never forget my first visit to the place,
which was made by night. As / APP |
westward, there gradually |
'ose into view the harbor of Monaco, |
appearing like vast amphitheatre, and
with thousand lights which /
'hone from the heights and threw their /.
reflection into the black /
waters below. AS we approached the
Casino of Monte Carlo, from which a
ong series OF steps leads to the railway |
station, the view at sea, with the sky and |
sea combining until it was impossible tell |
where each ended and the other began
he scent of the palm trees, which the
of the night caused to emit a
leathly fragrance-the rich development |
If the foliage-the palace above, with its
black dome and innumerable lamps-the |
Eucalypti standing like sentinels of the /
light-the dim figures toiling up the |
steep ascent - all these seemed |
% be glimpses of another world, !
md combined to form a picture |
ull of vivid contrasts and ele-
mental grandeur. At night there was an |
almost universal exodus from the neigh |
boring towns, all attracted by this mael-
,trom. On entering the building you are
questioned by two officials, one connect !
ed with the establishment, another under /
jhe government, as to age, nationality,
etc The questions being answered salts !
YOU receive "carte d'admission
which is presented at the
1oor of "Salle de Jeu," or gaming-hall,
after having checked your hat and coat
in another apartment The corridor is
5esselated, and bounded by four rows of
colored marble columns, with Cornthlan
capitals, which support the balcony
above.
On entering the gambling-rooms
A SCENE OF GATHERING MAGNIFICENCE
Attracts the eve. Fine frescoes and gor-
ceous decorations cover the walls or glow
in the ceilings. Scarcely sound breaks
the solemn hush of the scene except the
cries of the croupier, ''MessieurS, tG'tes
potre jeu" Gentlemen, play your game),
and "Rien ne "a plus" (No more betting
goes), or else the fatidical movements OF
the gold. Crowds of interested players
are seated or stand around the tables
watching the game (roulette being the
most patronized) with an air OF lmpassl-
bility which is unaffected by any reverse.
A fortune may be won-a fortune may DE
lost-vet none can read the result In the
face of the player. Probably no estab-
lishment of whatever description collects
together an assemblage so heterogeneous
in character as this congregated together
around the gaming tables. Here are
Young and old; the youth just emerging
from parental tutelage; the man OF the
world. stated with rational enjoyments
and craving for the stimulating excite,
ment of play; the young and virtuous girl
with her chaperon or escort, Just
come to watch the game; the
shameless woman, hazarding her
ill-acuuired wealth; here the pronl-
gate roue, with countenance lndinerent
and inexpensive, and further on veneer
able matron, with silvered hair and re-
fined presence, gazing with calculating
air at the roll of money beside her, or
watching with absorbed attention the
-0"'-4.-aS;?4;o of +ba VARYING game. With