St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-07-23
THE THEATER.


Down on Front street, not far from
the solitary ruins of the "brick row." is
a tent labeled somebody's Pavilion"
and nightly here are performances of
semi-muSical, semi-theatrical nature to
amuse those who love to sit down and
sip beer. This is the only ''theater"
Just now in the city, and it possesses all
the enterprise and versatility OF fully
equipped variety show.
AS fast as the ruins we're blown down
with dynamite the tents began to APP
pear in the burnt district; then, as soon
as the mayor permitted the saloons to
open, the front flaps of the tents were
folded back, and there were disclosed
bars made of Puget-SOund fir and
painted sort of amber color, and back
of the bars arrays of bottles filled with
stuff that was warranted neither
terprising ''fin'' Sneaked around to the
side of one of these saloons, and, cutting
a hole in the canvas wall, slipped in his
hand and appropriated $50 of the bar
keepers change, so that, while tents are
comfortable and convenient, they are
not safe for a mOney-maklng business.
HELL'S HALF-ACRE.
But speaking about tents and making
money, the long rows of tents on Sec
ond and Third streets and Yesler ave-
nue.. and then around to the jackson
street bridge-tents of all sizes, from
the dimlnutive crude awning of lem
onade stand to the gigantic tabernacle
of dry goods firm-are not near as
UNIQUE in interest as the ''encampment''
out at the "Racetrack." about three
miles south of the city. That place was
kind refuge for the sporting" fra
ternity and the demi-mondaines when
the discriminating fire beSleged their
dingy frame rookeries with its hot
breath. and now at the Racetrack there
is a city of vice, truly paradise of
GIN" the inhabitants of which have no
use for civilization and progress except
for sport and the indulgence of merci-
| less avarice. There, when strict pro-
| hibltion prevailed in the chastiSed city,
| drunkenness ran riot. and quarters and
| half-dollars went over the green cloth
| into the greedy receptacle of the brace
| game, It might be said that the fire has
| succeeded in putting stop practically
to gambling and low vice in the Queen
City, but there is no check "out at the
Racetrack."
A GAMBLERS HAVEN.
If gambling is effectually stopped in
this city what will become of multi.
tude of "gams." sports, thugs,
thieves, refugees and suckers, for which
Seattle has been so notorious? They
will drift, of course. but where? Seat
tie and Tacoma are considered the only
two places in the United States now left
where a gambler can make money with
out being bothered by the public au-
thorities0though this illusion has been
dispelled frequently during tine last few
months
Such gamblers came here as old Gar
iboo' Brown. who had heard of the
"good times" in Seattle away down in
FL Paso. Here was character for you
over sixty years old, standing six feet
three inches high in his stockings, and
had dealt faro for thirty-five years.
A TYPICAL "sPoRT."
He had fought under Commodore Sir
Charles Napier in the Mediterranean,
was contaminated from the British
navy for challenging brother officer to
| a duel, sailed to Valparaiso in char