The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-09-26

bc issued making it n crmo to gamble mt
Dawson City. As yet no such order has
been heard of, however, and it IS snfo to
say that this wintor gambling will DO tho
occupation ut the I<londike.
The town has been invaded by n hnlf
dozen Of tho greatest gamblers that ever
ran games on tho Pacific ooast Some of
thom have already reapod n golden harvest
and Will DO back in the States before un-
other year goes by with more gold thnn
will bc found In the pack OF any single
miner. few days ago n purity of six
gamblers arrived in Seattle. They camo
from Montana and immediately took
passage northward OH one of tho steam
ships bound for Dawson City by way of
St. NIichael's.
"Thcy won't do any business" said IL
local detective. "rhoy arc all sure thing
mon, with records bnck of them and guns
in their pockets. They will try their
crooked work ut Dawson City. There will
BIO meeting of miners, followed by n
hanging party, and tho friends of these
gamblers will never hear from them The
miners OF tho north want TO gamble, but
they don't want to DO robbed, and they're
right. Tho gambler, even If ho runs u
fnir game, gets oil tho money In tho end.
Harry Ash Is the king of gamblers at
Dawson City. A story has it that no has
made deal with the mounted police
whereby he has MI tho gambling privi-
lcgos at Dawson City. 1t is his intention
to permit others to run tho houses and
pay him heavy percentage. Ash left Sc
attic poor man less than two years ngo
He is now wealthy. Ash is an old Pacific
const gambler. In tho boom days of Wash
ington, when town lots which at present
may be purchased for $50 sold for SIC, 900,
or in I,n1
Ing in oil of the boom cities Ho spent
money as fast rs no mndc 1t. and when tho
boom died his fortune was gone Two
years ago he went to Juneau, opened "a
game and mado n little money Then he
proceeded to Circle City.
III the spring Of 1895 Curly Munroo ono
of the gamblers of tho coast and n man
who had tho reputation of being ga bad
one with the gum" conceived tho idea
that the miner of the far north wantod n
change, that ho needed u little recreation
during the long winter months to break
tho monotony. Munroo had been ut in.
noau He made contracts at Seattle with
l3 good looking variety actresses to 90
north with him. He got them out of the
dance halls, but refused to take woman
unless she calno up to his standard of
beauty. He took thom to juneau, and
there informed them that he proposed to
land them at small place near what is
now Dawson City. The women protested,
but Munroo insisted and as the women
had no money they consented to mako tho
trip over Chilkat pass. They wore the
first women who successfully reached the
Yukon by tho overland route. At Circle
City Munroo met Ash. They formed n
partnership, opened dance hall and sa-
Icon and clcnrcd several hundred dollars u
night
The news came of the finds mt Dawson
City Munroe caught the foyer, sold out
to Ash and went north. Ho was followed
by Ash and the women. Since that time
Ash has conducted his gambling games
and dance hall mt Dawson City. Some of
tho women deserted him, u fow married,
others went into tho restaurant business,
anu several returned to civilization bc-
cause they could not stand the hurdships
OF tho north
Ash is making money so rapidly that
no does rot know what to do with il, &"
says recent letter from Dawson. "IIo
anticipates making 81 600 to 81, 500 day
when winter comes on. If 1 had IL good
roulette outfit, could mako my fortune in
less than n year. Other gamblers arc doing
IL. Another man l know is getting rlcn.
He runs square game, tho minors know
~ '''' N'NiS HitshV HlS DIiCe IL UlltV WIFI
men, each OF whom loses from $40 to 800.
If miner makes hny money at gambling,
MS some OF them do once In awhilr, the
game is donbly well patronizc! for several
weeks. know of ono man who lost IS 600
ut tho table and another mana Swctle
from Iowa WIN had SO, 200 when he ar
rivet-who is now willing to work for %l5
icr day. iIo owes his losses to the gam
bling table,
klondiko saloon keepers ure making
even more money than the gamblers, anu
well managed gin mill at Dawson will
pan out more gold than tho richest placer
claim in the entire region.
There Is one saloon ut Lake Lindoman,
and IL Is doing II thriving business in a
tent. Without license or other lawful
restrictions, and with tho poorest quality
of liquors wonderfully diluted, tho pro-
prictor is coming money by selling drinks
ut 90 cents each. A bottle OF whisky is
worth $l6. AS tho Indians arrive in from
the coast with their packs and receive
thor stipends, averaging about $50, they
nre inveiglsd into the saloon and made
drunk. A few drinks and bottle of vile
whisky, and they are broke, and after So
bering up arc ready to "hit tho trail" and
get another pack. Some of tho nights are
made hideous with midnight orgies by
these natives.