The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-07-13

building Is an ordinary upper Broad
way saloon facade, with four half doors
opening into the street. The visitor en-
tiers and finds himself In front of cigar
where the attendants make no bones"
of discussing the good things that
might be bet on in the back room,
through the open entrance of which
may be seen the pool-rOom, crowded
with a throng decidedly more mixed In
it's makeup than the average group OF
Rialto loungers.
This rear apartment Is reached only
through the bar, and when the races have
been run FIR the day, r"irSti'nes tho
aspect of an ordinary saloon back
room" During the day but i've smt.l
hles are left On the nrOr. VITA Ike
pilei M on top of tn" icc-bpX 20 make
room f]r the crowd of ,perulators. The
room measures abJu, 1920 fee;. and is
prcttily decorated with oak trimming
and sevora. choice paintings hang upon
the walls.
Aganst the rear. wall Is a hug" mirror,
beside Whi,h stands " ticker, hnrccline
its tape win mono:pny of buzz and
"clck-c;ick." That this Instrument is
of little use to the prophet r. as 4 means
Of determining oils become apparent
later ON. ana although jockeys, ODDS ana
scratches are i"c.arei, no tc.egriphic
communication exists.
ON the right hand side, nearest
Thirtieth street, are ranged -four tables
are sitting, each day in shirt sleeves ana
primcd FOR business. Thesa tables are
80 placed as to I'LL all that sid" OF the
room from the ice-hoN to the rear wall
At the first Is Il young man whose fac"
is not unfa mliar as the presiding genius
of betting sheet Tall with dark hair
falling straight down over his forehead,
with prominent features and AN alert
look upon his face. he sits with ready
pencil resting dpon the top of Il pad OF
blank tickets, by > inches in size. At
his left hand is an ordinary letter file.
Reside him, at the next table. j. a
medium sized light young man. before
who murlnurS in Il low tone. Come on.
boys. not much more time; come on,
now"
:" want to bet s. ON Florence" said
an " Evening World" reporter. stepping
up to the table.
An right. sir what initials. was
the prompt reply and the ticket-writ"r
filled on; a card with 80 Florence"
and stuck it into the letter-flIe under its
proper index. This .pool-rnom has not
vet gone back Ia tn" old practice OF
issuing tickets to be presented after tho
race and Cashed. but memorandum *
made as has been described, thus doing
away with the additional parLphcrnalia
of sheet and tickets,
At the other two tables on this sid" OF
the room are another pair, who do bust
ness in exactly the same style. Neither
of the four pays ont winnings. however,
tflDSS lil' IbbHl SllS dll''All'I hl'i ~ 81
table. lie has "A percentage card and IA
little pile OF tickets, ana hi voice is
heard occasionally thus Make your
here. boys.
Like the other citers opposite his &c
cents are smooth and his voice low lie
is prepared to write odds on COmhina-
lions, and does a thriving trade. That
the establishment receives information
on which to make odds is apparent
from the fact that odds are given on
the second race before the first has
been run off, and that these odds will
be found similar to those posted at the
track. Jockeys names are also given
and set down on the percentage card.
As no wire other than that which op"-
rates the ticker enters the room. a mes
senger replaces 1t and conveys the d.
sired Information. This is apparently re-
ceved at another point by wire. After
leaving the pool-roOm at 1913 broadway
yesterday, the messenger dart"i around
the corner and entered the ground floor
II Al West Twenty ninth street, where
he remained. This was formerly pool
room conducted by Bookmakers Newton
and, Allen. Now It is ostensiby bill
lard saloon. yet II IL hard to conceive
billiard tables and one pool table in view
of the elegance OF the surroundings.
Just after race has been run there
enters the establishment at 1913 Broad
way a brisk little man. who takes up
his station behind one of the tables
The winners are marked on the card,
not word being said. and quietly the
lucky hackers line up and are paid upon
mentioning the amount OF the bet and
the initials given.
A formal Identification is made in this