Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-08-25
THE RIVIERA AGAIN.
More Food for Reflection for
AngelenOs.
HOTELS AND DRIVES WANTED.
Business Men, Real Estate Dealers,
Bankers and Merchants Should
Take a Hand.

of his trip to Europe, he developed many
interesting points. He said:
"There are many attractions to tourists
in the Old World. You have no idea
how many people visit Nice and Monte
Carlo for no other reason than to gamble.
The Casino opens about II O'Clock, and
at that time the space about the doors
remind one of nothing so much as the
Commercial street depot of Sunday
morning when all the city wants to go to
Santa Monica. The area is crowded
AS soon as the doors are opened the peo.
pie rush in, crowding over each other to
get to table. In the least
Imaginable time every table is surround
ed, and the crowd gathers around on the
outside eight and ten deep. 1t takes Just
two minutes to make deal. Those near
the table put down their money, and
those on the outside toss it in to some
friend within reach of the spots. All
ages and sexes gamble. I saw an old
woman at Monte Carlo; she must have
been seventy; she was at the table every
day. l remember one particular day
when was near her. She was one of
the first at the table. She bet heavily.
Each deal she put down 1000 frances
that is $500. If you bet over 1000 francs
you must pay premium of $40, or so
francs for each 1000 or part of 1000 francs.
Each time this old devotee of fortune
paid her $40 in premiums and then bet
her $500 on the turn of the colors. I
stood and watched her by the hour. I
went away to lunch and left her there;
l came back and found her still at it.
She sat and bet until the game closed,
and every time she put up $500, with $40
penalty added for her rashness. / do
not know if she lost or won on
the whole. 1t took long time usually
to lose much. risked 100 francs once,
and after betting with it until l was
tired had about half of the $40 left"
OTHER ATTRACTIONS.
'Of course Los Angeles is not supposed
to be desirous of competing with Monaco
in this fascinating attraction. But she
has others which should be made the
most Of. She is not making the most of
her opportunities. There are great
many Americans who 60 to Europe even
for so short stay as a
month. l met a gentleman from
st. Paul who goes to Europe
every year.. He spent one winter in Los
Angeles and he told me he could not be
induced to come here again. He found
fault with our hotels, and made bitter
complaint of our streets: 1t rained dur
ing his stay and he found the hotels un-
comfortable and the streets horrible. Of
course the hotels are much improved
now, and something has been done with
the streets. But the streets ought to be
no yoH 10 Lo -
work on them now. Then they
are paved. We must do these things if
we wish to build up this city. Then we
must get even better hotel accommoda-
tons than we have. See what the Ray
mond has done for Pasadena. 1t has
built up that place. We want first
class hotel in this city. Another should
be built on the beach. Then the roads
and parks must have attention."
WILL WE GET THESE THINGS?
Mr.. Newmark's views are sound in all
their aspects. For years the construc-
ton OF hotels has been agitated in this
city. OF course there are great many
of them now as compared with five years
ago, and there are also large number
of good boarding houses. But this city
ought to have one first-class and large
hotel. 1t ought to have one which
would eclipse anything in America.
Then tourists of ample means will come
here when they can find all the comforts
they are accustomed to at home.
How correct, too, are Mr.. Newmark's
views about roads! Trees grow so rap
idly here; the air is so balmy, the skies
so bright, that driving is the rarest of
pleasures. The men who are interested
in the future of Los Angeles should put
their shoulders to the wheel and push the
hotel matter and the road question to
completion. This city will never be
what it might be, and what it should be,
until it has the best hotel in America,
and until it has the best drives in the
country.