The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-11-25
CITY NEWS AND GOSSIP.
The Double Track Car System In
augurated Yesterday for
the First Time.
Horses In Use at Present but Nlec-
tr1city Soon VIII Take
Their Place.
An Edict Issued by Gambling House Pro-
prietors-Hslena'sM ortgages-A
Mineral Exhibit


prietors- Hslena's Mortgages-A
Mineral Exhibit
Yesterday marked an event Of more or
less importance in the history of Helena.
It was the occasion of opening the double
track on Main street. The event did not
attract any particular attention and few
people realized that cars were going up and
coming down the busy thoroughfare at
frequent intervals. There will be no more
waiting at turnouts for a delayed car. Each
will make a through trip from the head Of
Main street to the Northern Pacific depot
without the annoying delays referred to
and the cars will run more frequently. For
the present horses will be the motive
power, but this will only be for q short
time, a. the poles and wires for tho cleo
tricity are nearly all in position and only a
little moro work has to DO done at Sixth
avenue and Nain-connecting the Broad
water with the Main street tracks.-when
the electric cars will take the place of those
now in use.
It was stated in The SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
that the gambling house proprietors were
seriously considering the advisability Of
taking some action on the "tin horn" and
rounder element of gamblers. Sunday
night meeting was held at tho club rooms
over the Exchange. The Exchange, Head
quarters, Capitol and Atlas gambling houses
were represented ut the meeting. The re-
sult Of the meeting was an edict which en-
tirely bars certain people from the games,
and for tho professional gambler the limit
formerly $12.5O-has been cut down to
$5. Only three exceptions to this rule have
been made They are al Owens, 'Society
Red and slew jake who will be allowed
to play the old limit. The SUCKER gam
bier, who is the chief producer for the game,
will be permitted to play as usual. The
edict has been signed and took effect yes
terday.
This action is the result of movement
contemplated for some time past. The
games report heavy losings for the past
month. During the past two weeks, one
proprietor said, the losses to the games
averaged $1,000 per day for each house.
"Don't the money 20 back eventually2"
was asked. mo, it does not. You see the
tinhorn gamblers are generally in debt and
when they make winning they get back
more than they have played in several
months. They pay their debts, or some of
them, and the money is out of sight to us
for all time. These people are not produc-
era but live of the games.
The edict has created quite . murmur Of
dian ~ kho v,D,>or o,,l ~ <1r,n Vk,n
gambling houses on the opposite side of the
street wonld not 90 into the agreement.
Thos. Graham has thrown his game open to
all corners and his place will undoubtedly
be the rendezvous for the crowds of gam
blers that have been barred from the other
games. This action, it il thought, will
eventually result in breaking the agree
ment just made.
An ediot, something similar was issued
by the Butte gambling house proprietors
about two years ago. ''Society Red" and
one Harry Simons who enjoyed tho inele-
gani sobriquet Of "Crazy Billy" were
among the gamblers who were barred. ST.
mons started an independent game free to
al. Il was said the first day he conducted
his game he lost $4,000 and closed the game
up. The Butte sdiot eventually died out
and was not enforced very long.
The presence Of mind of q man up in the
nies Of the opera house Saturday night,
undoubtedly prevented frightful panic
before the last act of Richard III. In the
rear Of the tent scene, Just before the cur
tain arose. drop" of light netting caught
fire by being carelesaly hung too close to
the lights in the flies. Il Is said the 'drop''
was suspended within nix inches of the
lights. and the breeze blew the curtain on
to the gas Jets and in q second the drop
was in blaze. One Of the men up above
had the good JUDGMENT to cut the ropes
which alone prevented disastrous fire on
the stage and still more disastrous scene
among the l, 200 people Who were present.
Hardly moment was lost BY the incident.
The first bell had runa for the curtain to
rise and Just a. it did the curtain in the
rear caught fire. II ID understood that
Manager DAILY has changed the stage en-
ployes since he took hold Of the house.
Levi Davis, the special agent in collecting
statistics Of the mortgage indebtedness Of
Montana for the eleventh census, has fin.
ished his work and is quoted as follows in
the Deer Lodge New Northwest: "Though
one Of the youngest, believe that Mon
tana is the most prosperous state in tho
union. l am not able at this time to give
you complete returns from my work, ex-
oept in Lewis and Clarke county, where.
with property valued at $es, 100000, the
total amount Of mortgages is only %, OOO,-
600. am convinced that this ratio will
not be changed when the entire returns are
known. Already this state is second only
to Colorado in the production of precious
metals, and the wealth Of these surround
ing mountains has only begun to be found.
Yes, sir, came fom Iowa, but she il too
slow for me. and I expect to locate in Mon
tana."
Several Of the mineral producing states
have begun to exert themselves in the mat
Ter Of having oreditable displays Of their
mineral resources at tho Worlds FAIR. but
a. yet nothing seems to have been done in
Montana. Tho committee having in charge
the mining exhibit will meet in Chicago the
Goth and will Afterwards start for the vari-
ous states and territories 70 arrange for the
mineral exhibit. Il i suggested that the
space TO DO allotted TO each section will be
determined on that visit, and that il Non.
A.