Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-22

allowed:
Butte Coke and Gas Companions 38 4
43 2
IA, Upper, electric light........ 3S4 O
n F. Booth, i O
90 special policemen. ....... 249 O
&C. White, repairs.......... 8 i
lanes Brown, coal....... 20 O
Montana Iron Works, repairs... s16 2
Cav & Brady, Fire department
repairs l6 @
", Pinkham, supplies...... rs 5
O. Steuberg, glazing....... s
City Engineer, work on grades..... 56S 3
Alderman Pinkham reported that th
street force was at work steadily filling D
in needed places, especially ON East Par
street. Reierringt to the instructions receives
at the last Council meeting relative to th
Pavilion c~ulvert, he said four bids for tn
work had been received, but that it was ali
s~olutely necessary in addition TO place
culvert across Granite street at that point
the one at present there requiring to be du
out three feet at a cost OF between 500
aud $500. The Street and Alley Commute
we're given full power to act.
Two ordinances were introduced by Cit,
Attorney Spser, one providing for the con
struction OF sewers aud sewer connections
the other establishing the office and pro
scribing the duties of the City Engineer
which were read first time by title.
THE NEW OPERA HOUSE.
Alderman Monteath reported from tn,
special committee to examine the new
opera house in course of erection that III,
committee had been taken through it BY
the architect and in their judgment the
means OF exit provided were ample in case
OF fire or panic of any kind. There are two
6.f0ot stairways leading to the street
and two Shoot stairways leading to the
vestibule from the gallery; there isa 16-foot
doorway in the center, giving exit from the
vestibule, also two 5.foot entrances to the
first floor on either side of the central door
way. As to the side wall OF which com,
plant had been made by n%eighbors it had
been torn down to b safety point and re-
built leaving it as though it had been begun
anew from the foundations. q
Alderman Lynch wanted this report re-
duced to writing, but the chair directed
the clerk to enter it fully on the minutes.
The report was accepted and the commit.
tee discharged.
Alderman Pinkham, in replying to inqui.
ries, said the special committee On lire
matters could not report at present, but
would nave to ask further indulgence.
There were serious questions involved in
the matter which required. thoughtful
study, and in which it would be well to act
cautiously.
HARRY GILBERT's LICENSE.
The Council then settled itself to listen
to Mr.. Gilbert's statement as to why his
license should not be revoked.
He produced his licenses which he said he
had taken out in good faith. A wheel had
been run at the race track on July 4 by un-
aklar varfu unAar A IntfQFv 1IponaQ q nd
when he came here in August he took out q
similar one. When he returned to the town
in November he found Jack Dowd running
a wheel under a lottery license. He went to
the City Treasurer and asked what sort OF
license was required to take out to run such
q wheel and was told he would have to take
out a lottery license, which he did. There
had been lots of alb about his
having a sure-thing game, but he offered
publicly to any person a thousand dollars
to point out anything crooked in his game.
He had paid out over $500 in this town
already in saloon and other licenses. CIR
tain parties were trying tn ruI him out OF
town and he knew Cheir motives. Nobody
had ever been connected with him III any
way but found him honorable, just and
honest in his dealings with them. lie had
run the same gamein Deer Lodge and other
places under the same license.
On reply to questions he stated the per-
centage he took was 5 cents on the dollar.
On race tracks he charged 10 per cent. No
one had ever kicked against bis game. Ii
they won, he always paid them; If they lost
they were satisfied they had lost it ialrly.
He claimed that he made his money hon.
estly.
Alderman Mulville supposed Mr.. Gilbert
could assure the Council that he had no
tricks or devices attached to his wheel that
would cause it to partake OF the sure-tning
character, to which Mr.. Gilbert reiterated
his assertion that there was u Thousand
dollars open and ready for any man who
found any thing unfair connected with 1T.
City Attorney Speer was appealed to as
to whether Gilbert was running under the
proper license, but declared that he was
not enough of a gambler himself to give
an opinion. II had inquired about the
matter among gamblers, and as the result
of his inquiries he had to accept their
opinion that a lottery license Wal the
proper one to issue. There was nc speciaI
provision for a wheel game. The ordinance
provided for the licensing OF faro, lottery
and several other games, n that other
banking games'' should pay a higher license
thar any OF these.
Mr.. Gilbert then entered into q minute
explanation of the game he ran showing
how players lost or won and explaining tne
percentage system he charged, claiming IL
was the lowest in existence.
Mr.. Speer read the section OF the statute
but confessed that he could give no ex.
PLANTATION of the term ''banking game. :,
He had instructed the City Treasurer that
a lottery license would cover the game.
The discussion ensued upon the term
"banking," but no one could throw any
Mr.. Gilbert claimed that no one could
RIM an honest lottery without capitai.
He instanced the Louisiana state lootery.
Il takes the chances oil selling its ticke0s
or not, and when the time comes pays tIe
UriZou + nromises out of les capital. he
took the same chances. He had capital to
nav ali who won, and he paid all his losses
ON NJ IL. independently OF whether he was
winning or losing on the average
Alderman Pettes: In other words, you
are the banker of this game?
Mr.. Gilbert: lam just as much banker
az fine Louisiana 81 ate Lottery 49,.
The chair said the question psLore Une
Council was as to whether NIT. Glpere was
paying the proper license. athar n
question with the Councli Wheener ~
wanted this game to continue;
In roniv tn what hi had been charged
oISowbere Mr.. Gilbert replied that In Wyo'
ming he had been charged $Ioo o quar0e.
40 tharo n was called v heel OF fortune or
Iottarv Tn Idaho he had paid $oua guar
ter for the game under the name io9GeIy.
Alderman PiIkham said ne hau DsOn -
GiIhert's house and had examined the
wheeI II had been taken down and nc
had inspected it as closely as he could l an q
cannot see any cheat anywhere apoue =. !.
He was not a gambling man. but 1t LOOKS 2
plain and simple proposition. ne OK,
planned it's construction as ne iounG w. a nau
said he had asked other sporting men
GiTbart was running anything else thar q
s a,Ders game. He moved that Mr.. GilheE
f be allowed to proceed under his present s 8 n u
ceuse until further notice anu A,derman