The record-union., 1896-03-24
AGAINST THE POOLROOMS
The Fight Has Been Inaugurated by
Mayor Hubbard.
He Says the Poolrooms Take Two
Thousand Dollars Day From
the People.

Mayor Hubbard has taken up the
fight against the poolrooms, which he
denounces as pernicious, in that they
are leading young men into the worst
kind of gambling. Last night he sent
to the City Trustees the following mes
sage on the subject:
To the Honorable Board of Trustees: :
In obedience to urgent requests from
a large number of our best citizens, and
in accordance with my own judgment,
deem it my duty at this time to call
, your attention to the so-called pool
selling now in vogue in this city.
In my Judgment, pool-selling is a, most
pernicious form of gambling, and is
working great injury to a large and
rapidly increasing class of boys and
young men in our midst.
The peculiar conditions under which
this species of gambling is being con-
Quoted makes it an easy and alluring
path for boys and young men who
would not gamble in the usual ways to
be drawn into this, the very worst form
of gambling vices, and frequent ruin.
The business is carried on under the
guise of responsibility, and purports to
be a means for betting on horse-races
Stockton, ST. Louis and other places
outside of the city of Sacramento. Even
if honestly conducted this form of
gambling device is extremely perni-
cious in it's effects upon those who par
ticipate therein, and is conducive to
| idleness, poverty and crime.
Those who are not familiar with pool
selling in all it's phases, and the great
prevalence it has gained in the city of
| Sacramento, cannot realize the damage
it is doing to the city by the constant
and heavy drain of money, which in
very many cases is drawn out of the
| pockets of those who should use the
money to support their families or to
pay their just debts.
I am informed that there is drawn
from this city by this pool-selling and
the Chinese lottery business, combined,
| nearly if not quite $4,000 per day. II
this drain on our capital could be
stopped it would go far toward making
better times in this city.
Whatever may be said in defense of
betting at the race track by owners or
admirers of horses and horse-racing,
when the contests of speed are wit
messed by those who see fit to wager
upon the outcome, no reasonable excuse
can be made for the existence of this
senseless and extremely vicious form
of gambling, which is being carried on
between this city and other places hun
dreds of miles away, where the races
are being conducted, with nothing
known as to facts or conditions sur
rounding the contests except names or
figures on a blackboard, honestly or
dishonesty posted, and upon which the
alluring spirit of gambling and reck-
less adventure is fostered and largely
spread throughout the community.
AS the welfare of every welE governed
community depends upon the individ-
ual welfare of it's citizens, no better
| movement in the right direction could
be made at this time by your honorable
board than by the passage of such an
| ordinance as would prohibit pool-selling
| in our city. ~
| With the foregoing suggestion have
prepared an ordinance which I here
with transmit to you, for your con-
| sideration, and hope that it may meet
| with your approval
| No action was taken on the matter
except to place the message on file.