Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-06
OUR MONTE CARLO.
Where Gambling is Constantly Car.
ried On in the District,
RESORTS OF THE BOOBIES.
How the Work II Carried On-Races Run BY
Telegraph-Winners and Those Who Get .
Plsce-Combination Bets-The Glasses Who
Patronise These Resorts.
Written for The Evening Star.

WfIuen Tor Inc Evening Stat.
MOT until President Harrison's veto of the
~ bill to permit gambling on horse racing in
the District of Columbia, perhaps, did q ma
jority Of our people know Of the existence in
their midst Of q locality known as Monte
Carlo Nevertheless there exists today, and
there has existed for several years past, To-
cality SO known and designated, aneighborhood
wherein are maintained certain resorts devoted
to "bookmaking'' and similar forms Of gam
bling on horse racing.
By an act of Congress passed a very few
years ago the making of books and the selling
Of pools on horse races and on contests of every
other kind was prohibited lin the cities of WASH
ington and Georgetown" while throughout
the remainder of the District the bookmaker
and pool seller might carry on their business
unrestrained by law. So it is that on the south
side of Florida avenue or Boundary street such
practices are illegal, while on the opposite side
OF the street they may be legally carried on.
The passage of such an apparently inconsistent
law was due to and was brought about by the fol-
lowing circumstances: Immediately pre-
ceding the enactment of this law, gam
bling in the city on horse racing had be-
come such a notorious evil that Congress
determined to stop it. At that time the famous
National Jockey Club was in its prime, and
every spring and fall held race meeting on
its beautiful course at Ivy City. This club,
learning OF the intention Of Congress in the
matter, succeeded in having the act so amended
as to legaize such gambling outside the cities of
Washington and Georgetown, thereby permit
ting the club to continue the enjoyment Of its
principal source of revenue. For it must be
understood that all racing organizations owe
their very life to the revenues they receive for
what Is known as 1.-The betting privileges"
WHERE MONTE CARLO Is.
Upon the passage Of the aforementioned
act the pool sellers closed their resorts in this
city and Immediately proceeded to the neigh
borhood just above Boundary street at the head
of 7th street, and there they remain to this
day. Anticipating the approval of the bill
passed last summer they removed to Jackson
but upon the Presidents veto Of the bill they
at once returned to their abandoned resorts.
These resorts are open for business every day
OF the year excepting. OF course, Sunday; for.
since the establishment of winter racing in
New Jersey. there is racing in this country
every day but the Sabbath.
There are some three or four Of these resorts
now in operation, bu: they are so similar that
a description Of one will answer for ALL I'm
agine, then, long room, the walls Of one side
OF which are converted into immense black
boards. These boards are SO arranged and
ruled of as to accommodate not only the name
of every horse in six eight different races ut
one racing point, but also for events at even
two or more distant tracks. At this time of
the year, however, there is racing at but one
track each day. Raised some three or four feet
above the floor runs platform on which the
marker Of the betting stands. The betting is
thus marked:
HOW THE BETTING IS MARKED,